The broadcast networks have wisely decided to forgo any Democratic National Convention coverage tonight. After all, with the World Series of Poker on ESPN, who's gonna watch Teresa Heinz Kerry?
If you want to watch some impressive women, tonight's your chance. ESPN kicks off with the $1000 Ladies Limit Hold 'Em championship followed by the $5000 7 Card Stud event.
8:00 pm CT
It's all women around the final table. Of course, only women were allowed to enter, so it stands to reason. Featured tonight are Tracy Phan, Susie Isaacs, Sarah Casey, Renee Wexler, Millie Shiu, Karina Jett, Jeena T. Burnett, Crystal Doan, and Bonnie McHugh.
8:01 pm CT
Wexler is already all-in with A8. Burnett calls with QJ. Casey calls with 62 from the SB. Phan also plays with her 62. The flop is 3-7-6, three hearts. Amazingly, both 62 players have a pair. The other two have flush draws. Burnett folds her flush draw and Casey folds her pair. It's heads up. The turn is another 6 and Phan is in great shape. Wexler needs a heart on the river. But it's a club and Wexler is out in 9th.
8:05 pm CT
Annie Duke tells us she doesn't play the women's event because she can beat the men. She's probably right.
8:06 pm CT
Burnett goes all-in now with K3s. I hope she doesn't lose... she's kinda hot. Shiu calls with A6. Hmmm... Burnett is married to a former NFL player. The flop is Q93 all hearts. Burnett is ahead, but Shiu has the flush draw. The turn is a 5 of diamonds and the river is a 9 of spades. Burnett is still alive.
8:08 pm CT
Commercial. Howard Dean is speaking at the DNC. Wonder if he'll scream? He's still got the craziest eyes in the Democratic party... except maybe Nancy Pelosi.
8:11 pm CT
Burnett is all in again with QT. This is limit poker, so we must have missed her losing some hands. Phan calls with KJ. Burnett is probably gone this time. The flop is J38. Burnett is now looking for a 9 or Q. The turn is a 3, no help. The river, just a T, and Burnett goes out 8th.
8:12 pm CT
We get a glance at the outer tables where they're playing Omaha Hi/Lo. We're getting our second peek at Annie, and a profile. I guess that means there's no way she makes a final table down the line because why waste the profile here? I think the opinion of Annie Duke is split out there in the poker world, but I like her. Except I just learned she's teaching Ben Affleck to play... so it's her fault.
8:15 pm CT
Doan raises with A3s and gets called by McHugh with A8s. The flop is 9-T-6. A bet and a call. The turn is a K and Doan gets a flush draw. She moves all in. McHugh calls. The river is the 7 of hearts and Doan doubles up.
8:16 pm CT
Commercial. Dean is still talking. That's good, that means his head hasn't exploded yet. Oh... and now he's done. Walking off the stage as "We Are Family" plays in the background and a lot of old, unattractive women clap and sway to the beat. This is supposed to make someone vote for John Kerry?
8:18 pm CT
Casey is all in with AQ, Shiu has 4's. And we just get to see that Casey didn't pair the river so she's out. That's an unceremonious exit for our 7th place finisher.
8:19 pm CT
Doan bets her QT. McHugh looks down at A3s and calls. The flop is J-A-K. Doan flops the nut straight and McHugh is about to go all out with top pair. Only a runner-runner saves McHugh. The turn is a T. Now a Q will split the pot... but it's just a 7, and McHugh is out in 6th.
8:20 pm CT
Another peek at Annie Duke and we learn she's alive with just 27 players left. I guess they have to show her because a lot of people might have tuned in tonight to see her.
8:21 pm CT
Jett (the hottest player remaining) bets with QJs. Isaacs has at least an Ace and raises. We don't see her other card. Jett calls. Isaacs bets before the flop. The flop is 7-K-J. Isaacs bets again before the turn, going all in. Jett is calling with her pair of Jacks. The turn is a 2 and the river a 4. Isaacs is out in 5th.
8:23 pm CT
It's time to learn abou the Jett family. Chip Jett (Karina's husband) is also a poker regular. They've got a kid and they split parental duties depending on who's in a tourney at the time. What a weird way to grow up for that kid.
8:24 pm CT
Commercial. CNN's talking heads are breaking down something or other. I caught a glance of Mo Rocca from The Daily Show. Is this what legitimate news coverage has come to?
8:27 pm CT
Four left, and they were all born in Vietnam we learn. Phan calls with K6s. Jett raises with A7. Phan calls. The flop is 7-9-5. Jett has a pair and Phan a straight draw. Jett bets, Phan raises, Jett re-raises, Phan calls. The turn is a 3 of diamonds. Phan has a flush draw as well. Jett bets and Phan calls. The river is a diamond and Phan gets her flush. Jett is pissed about losing the hand, and it's true, Phan did chase a little, but that's limit poker.
8:29 pm CT
It's an Annie Duke update and she's still alive. We also learn that Eric Seidel and Doyle Brunson's son are in this tourney.
8:30 pm CT
Shiu looks down at pocket T's and raises. Phan has K8s and calls. Jett has 4's and calls from the BB. The flop is T-4-3. Shiu has trip T's. Jett has trip 4's and Phan has her straight draw. Everyone is in the pot with lots of raising. This one is capped. All the women decide to stand. It's a big pot! The turn is a K now Phan has a pair. She's gotta stick around with the draw no matter what. Jett's in terrible shape and goes all-in. Only the case 4 saves her. Phan needs a spade. The river is a 5 of hearts. Shiu wins the hand. It's funny watching the women interact (was that a sexist comment?).
8:33 pm CT
Commercial. More pontificating on CNN. Booo-ring. Time to check on the Phils and, of course, they're losing to the Phish. That's the way it always works. I'm not sure why I even care about baseball season.
8:36 pm CT
Quick tourney update and we learn Scott Fischman (of the Crew) has won two bracelets now.
8:37 pm CT
It's time for the Jennifer Harmon profile. She's not playing either, but it's because she needs a kidney transplant. She was born with the condition. That's really sad. Harmon is one of the brightest personalities in the poker world. She's still playing, just not as much as she'd like. I can't imagine playing in tourneys with a medical condition like that. She's scheduled for a transplant... lets hope she doubles up!
8:39 pm CT
Annie Duke update. She's up against Eric Seidel now. She takes the pot and seems to be doing well.
8:40 pm CT
Phan is all in with Q5s. Shiu calls with K9. Doan has AQ and raises. Shiu is disappointed, she wanted to be heads up, but she calls. The flop is K-K-3. Phan can say goodbye and Doan probably should get out of the way, but she bets anyway. Shiu just calls. The turn is another 3 and Doan can't win the pot, but bets anyway. Shiu calls. The river is a 3 putting a boat on the board. Doan checks, Shiu bets and Doan calls. Shiu flips the K and takes a big pot. Phan is out in 3rd.
8:42 pm CT
Phan tells us her money is on the more-experience Shiu.
8:43 pm CT
Commercial. Obama bin Laden is speaking at the DNC now. What's that? Oh, he's name is Barack Obama. Yeah... I know... you've never heard of him. Get used the name, the Democrats plan on shoving him down our throats.
8:45 pm CT
It's time for the "Nuts" again, and it's another edition of Blind Man's Bluff. We've got 5 great players at the table. I'm rooting for Clonie for obvious reasons. Clonie eliminates Layne Flack and Mike "The Mouth" Matusow.
8:47 pm CT
The money is on the table, and we're heads up. Doan has a big chip lead at this point. Doan has T8 and bets. Shiu calls with her pair of 4's. The flop is 8-4-6. Shiu could hardly ask for a better flop. Shiu checks, Doan bets, Shiu raises. That should set off alarms, but instead, Doan re-reaises. Shiu re-raises and Doan calls. Terrible play heads up. Shiu goes all-in in the dark before the turn. The K on the turn means Shiu can't be beat, but Doan calls anyway. Huge pot for Shiu.
8:50 pm CT
Time to check the final table of Omaha Hi/Lo and Annie is there, in the final three. Why wasn't this event featured by ESPN? Eric Seidel is there, too. What a great match up! Annie knocks out Seidel and Annie is one player from her first bracelet!
8:51 pm CT
Doan looks at 76 and calls the BB. Shiu checks with THE HAMMER. The flop is 7-3-6. Doan gets two pair and Shiu has top pair. Shiu bets and Doan raises. Shiu calls. The turn is a T. Shiu should get out of this pot. Shiu checks and Doan bets. Shiu calls? Why? The river is an 8 and Shiu should run. Doan bets and they start talking. Doan promises she got her on the flop and Shiu doesn't believe her. Shiu folds and Doan shows her the 76. It's getting ugly. Cat fight?
8:53 pm CT
Commercial time and I care more about Annie Duke's final table than the ladies event. Is that irony? Obama is taking, and because he's black, we get a cutaway of Jesse Jackson. Hey CNN, find a little creativity!
8:55 pm CT
The two final tables are going at once, and Annie Duke's final table clearly has the bigger crowd, but we're checking in on the ladies table. Shiu is in trouble again. Doan bets her 85s. Shiu goes all in with 65. Guess that's what you call dominated. The flop is Q-7-3. Shiu has a gutshot straight draw. The turn is a 9 and Shiu now has a flush draw, too. The river is a 7 of clubs, however, and Doan is the ladies champ. Good, now that that's over, let's get over to the Omaha final!
8:57 pm CT
Annie is killing whatever no-name guy she's playing. Guess Annie made the right choice on event. She's probably going to make 5 times what she could have made in the ladies event. It's all-in time and Annie's got a good Hi/Lo hand. The chump has next to nothing. Annie is way ahead on the flop. The turn clinches it. Annie Duke has her first bracelet! And she gives brother Howard Lederer a big hug.
9:00 pm CT
It's time for the Stud event, so my live blogging has ended. I'm just going to sit back and enjoy.