My friend Mike Paulle has given me permission to post his daily reports for each event of the World Series of Poker this year to the ChipBoard! Below is his report on Event #16. Andy - Las Vegas

WORLD SERIES OF POKER 2002

EVENT #16 7-CARD STUD HI-LO
Friday, May 3, 2002
$2,500 BUY-IN
$2,500 in chips

PLAYING IN THE IVEY LEAGUE

The world's best and brightest challenge their brains by matriculating in the
IVY League. Poker's best and brightest are getting their brains beat out for
playing in the IVEY League. As in golf, Phillip "Tiger" Ivey has upped the ante
in poker for all tournament players. The analogy between Phillip and Tiger
shouldn't be belabored, but it is too obvious to ignore. Elevate your game to a
higher level than ever before, or just give the 1st place money to "Tiger"
Ivey.

There were 126 entrants in the $2,500 Buy-In, Stud Hi-Lo for a total prize pool
of $296,100. Two tables were paid, a total of 16 players.

"I was trying to win the tournament," David Levi said (as most do, who finish
one out of the money) when he went all-in with three babies. David could see
that Jun Sin was running on fumes at another table. But Levi had already saved
$1,000 with another player so the damage was lessened. David made an 8 with an
up and down straight draw. But John Juanda got lower, and Levi's straight card
didn't arrive. With about a hundred outs, David couldn't beat another guy's
pair of deuces for high or get any lower. In poker, as in life, Sin got paid.

The Final Table was setup Friday night when (who else?) Phil Ivey made 3's and
2's with an 8 5 low. Jack Rosenfeldt was all-in with 7's and a 7 low draw. As
has become the norm this WSOP, none of the many cards that Jack needed to beat
Phil Ivey in the hand appeared.

THE FINAL TABLE: 53 mins left of 75. The ante is $300, bring-in $600, playing
$2,000/$4,000
Player Hometown Chip Count
Seat 1 Robert Turner Downey CA $56,900
Seat 2 John Juanda Alhambra CA $41,700
Seat 3 Tom McCormick Fargo ND $37,600
Seat 4 Sirous Baghchehsaraie Marina del Rey CA $44,600
Seat 5 Nick Hanna Yuma AZ $19,200

Seat 6 Rich Nguyen Corona CA $25,600

Seat 7 Brian Nadell Las Vegas NV $32,300
Seat 8 Phil Ivey Atlantic City NJ $57,200

One player who always tries to win the tournament is John Juanda. He could have
waited a few hands for those stacks on life support to expire. It would have
guaranteed him a few thousand extra bucks. But John isn't like that.
He would tell you that when you pick up a big hand in a tournament you have to
go for it. You never know when the big hands are coming back. This time, Juanda
was up against a guy who gets more big hands more often than anyone in poker.
On one of the first hands of the day, John Juanda got all of his $40,000 into
the pot with a 7-6-5-4-3. Normally that hand would have been good enough for at
least a split if not a scoop. Instead John's chances of winning this event were
destroyed by playing in the IVEY league. Phil turned over 7-6-5-4-3-2 for 3/4th
of the pot in one of the most unbelievable hands you'll ever see in Stud Hi-Lo.
Soon thereafter, a still stunned Juanda bet all-in again with his last $3k and
a no good 8 7 low with 5's. The legendary Robert "Chip Burner" Turner beat John
both ways on the river with a made 7 low and an 8 for 8's.

It wasn't a cartoon, Nick Hanna really got the extra $2,980 for 7th that John
Juanda might have had. Hanna needed a partner to bring this hand to life.
Nick's starting hand all-in wasn't too bad, you might say…A 2 4. But he
couldn't draw anything funny after that. Nick could only make Jacks. Meanwhile
back at Toonville, Brian Nadell was piling on the goodies in his hand like a
Dagwood sandwich. Brian sent Nick to the funny farm with 9's full of Kings.

Showing that there was more than one player at the table who could catch
miracle cards, Sirous (don't call him "virus") Baghchehsarie caught 4 4 4 on
his last three cards for 4's full of 5's. Yet another Nguyen, Rich this time,
was neither made Rich nor did he Nguyen in 6th with his trip Kings. In defense
of Sirous B, he put Rich all-in with the only low and the best draw with 8 7 5
5 4. (All these players that change their poker names and Baghchehsaraie
doesn't!) So Sirous was on a pretty good freeroll.

Tom McCormick looked like he was actually being driven crazy by the cards he
was seeing river against him. As well he might be. Grabbing his head in anguish
then pounding his fist in the table, the usually quiet McCormick was
incredulous at the river card Phil Ivey caught. Tom was all-in with both the
best high and the best low draw on 6th St. It seemed impossible that he would
be shut out by only one card. This was his chance to make a move for the title
in a $50,000 pot. Instead McCormick finished in obvious pain when Phil Ivey
rivered yet more magic in what is becoming the eerie replay of this year's
WSOP. Tom had A J 10 7 5 2 for the better 7 low draw with the best high, A J.
McCormick caught an 8 on the river for an 8 7 low. Phil Ivey had K 10 7 6 5 3
for a higher 7 low draw and K 10 high. Welcome to the IVEY league, boys. Phil
caught an Ace on the river for a 7 low and A K high to scoop McCormick out in
5th.

Brenda, the beautiful, young wife of Brian Nadell was sitting behind him in
misery. "I'll never do this again, Brian," she said (meaning she would never
sweat him again in a tournament). "I'm so nervous." Actually there wasn't that
much to be nervous about. Nadell's finish seemed preordained. He never had
enough chips to threaten the top three players, but he had just enough to last
until 4th place money was disbursed. Since Brian started 6th in chips, $17,770
isn't too bad for a couple day's work. Brenda should be pleased with hubby's
performance. Nadell's ending came quietly. He was drawing dead for high with no
low by 6th St on his all-in hand against Phil Ivey. Brian couldn't cut it in
the IVEY league, either, as Phil had a flush.

What should have been a heavyweight struggle between the three chip leaders
became just another IVEY league wipeout. The guy's on the heater of all-time.
Compare Phil Ivey with another truly great player, Robert Turner. The 'Chip
Burner' has been cashing in the WSOP since 1982. He has 22 money finishes in 21
years. He has no bracelet. Phil Ivey, on the other hand, has four Final Tables
in the last two weeks and he won his second bracelet in that time, today. Ivey
now has three gold WSOP bracelets in just three years. Phil Ivey is 25 years
old.

Charity, the beautiful, young and very pregnant wife of Robert Turner has been
through this too many times before to be nervous. She watched Robert's chips
slowly sink into the sunset with every hand because Robert couldn't win any.
Turner made his last stand against Sirous B. In Stud High, the dreaded 'Aces
and Spaces' can still win the hand. But in Stud Hi-Lo 'Aces and Spaces' means
you missed your low draw and have a weak high with only one pair. It's usually
a disaster. Such was the case for the ill-fated Robert Turner. His quest for a
bracelet after more than twenty years of trying would have to wait for another
day. Sirous B made Kings and Eights to burn Turner in 3rd.

Heads up, the chip count was only about 2-1 in Phil Ivey's favor over Sirous B,
but few would have given the talented Persian a chance. You see, there is only
one player in the IVEY league. That player is Phil Ivey. Sirous was crushed
early when his low draw bricked and he was left with a pair of 4's. Phil made
8's and 6's. Sirous made one comeback with a Queen high straight, but then gave
back the advantage when he lost to Ivey's A's and 10's.

It was a typical IVEY league ending. Sirous had the best of it early. He had
the lower seven draw and a pair of 6's. Phil had a pair of 5's and a gut shot 7
hi straight. With a 5 for trips for Phil on 6th St, now Sirous had to improve.
As we've seen for the two weeks of this year's WSOP, few can make a hand on
Phil Ivey. Sirous caught a 4 on the river for two pair and no low. The "Tiger"
of poker is in his domain, the IVEY league.

Official Money Winners
1. Phil Ivey $118,440
2. Sirous Baghchehsaraie 59,220
3. Robert Turner 29,600
4. Brian Nadell 17,770
5. Tom McCormick 14,800
6. Rich Nguyen 11,480
7. Nick Hanna 8,900
8. John Juanda 5,920

9th-12th received $4,440
Jack Rosenfeldt, Hans Pfister, Young Phan, Artie Cobb

13th-16th received $2,960
Toto Leonidas, Hojun Sin, David Rabbi, Paul McKinney

Having a Phil Ivey-type year in the $10,000 Super Satellites for the
Championship event is Jan Sjavik with EIGHT wins. That means he's won a seat in
the Big One and a whopping $70,000 in tournament chips. And the super
satellites are only about half over. Other recent winners are: Kathy Liebert,
Quoe Vinh (2nd), Fred Berger (3rd), Surinder Sunar (2nd), Eskimo Clark, Howard
Mann, Capt. Tom Franklin, Travis Jonas (3rd), Samuel Whitt, Michael John, David
Colclough (3rd), Tony Cousineau, Tim Lyons, Nick Salamer (2nd).