JC Tran Gives Max Silver a New Nickname “The Machine” (Martin Jacobson does not have a nickname) as $10,000 Six Handed NLHE Moves Toward Final Table

As might be expected at a $10,000 Six Handed NLHE event attracting 264 runners, we have a star-studded final 13 that features UK high stakes crusher Max Silver comfortably in first with 1.3 million. Hiren “Sunny” Patel is in second with 1 million, while 2009 WSOP Main Event Winner Joe Cada sits on a healthy 800,000. In the middle of the pack are former November Niners JC Tran and Jeremy Ausmus, as well as two-time bracelet winner Erick Lindgren. Also at the table are the Italian Dario Sammartino and the Swedish Martin Jacobson and, not least, the feared German pro George Danzer. 

                    Danzer, Tran, Jacobson, Cada, and Max "the Machine" Silver on device

The tournament consolidates to two six-handed tables when last week’s $10,000 Razz Championship winner George Danzer, sporting a stylish long-haired mohawk, eliminates six-time WSOP bracelet winner Layne Flack in 13th. Short stacked, Flack moves all-in on a 6-5-10-6 board with K-J, only to run into Danzer’s near nut holding of 6-3. 

                                                          Danzer––feared in mohawk

With the two tables next to each other, an ultra-relaxed vibe predominates––despite the serious money up for grabs. Old friends JC Tran and Erick Lindgren talk it up from their respective tables, with Lindgren saying of JC Tran, “he’s been around forever––that’s when you have it made.” Reflecting a moment, Lindgren adds “when people can’t remember life in poker without you, means your old.” Taking the high road and not mentioning Lindgren's similarly advanced age, JC Tran responds “But you said I’m the coolest guy in poker.” 

 Danzer & "coolest guy in poker" transfixed by the USA-Ghana World Cup match

Mixed in with all this banter are some major leveling wars––Lindgren makes Ausmus fold with a well-timed river bet into a sizable pot and turns over one card, a middle-pair six. Patel comments––clearly not convinced of the strength of Lindgren’s holding, “you showed me that one yesterday.” In another hand Joe Cada raises preflop and then folds reluctantly to a three-bet by Danzer saying “I had a pretty hand. 8-9 suited––it’s like aces to me.” Next, Danzer is the aggressor on a flop of 10-Q-9, three hearts and JC Tran calls. An ace peels and Danzer bets, with JC Tran stationing him. After some serious tanking they finally check a river that puts out an obvious straight draw, and Danzer wins with a lone 10. JC gives a wry chuckle, commenting that he was thinking of bluffing the river “my mind was going do it, don’t do it, do it.” Cada comments that––had he played––he would have had the stone nut straight. “I didn’t river you George, I would have turned you. You didn’t think about that, did you.”

“my mind was going do it, don’t do it, do it.” 

Let's all watch soccer

Cada vs.Tran while Jacobson... watches soccer

Meanwhile, short stacks are being offed right and left. With only 117,000 left Lee Markholt shoves his 6-5 unsuited and runs up against Ausmus’ jacks. Probably not the best holding to run with under-the-gun, even six-handed. Next, Scott Clements, sitting on a dwindling stack of 345,000, loses a coin flip A-4 vs. JC Tran’s K-J. Meanwhile, Lingren is picking up chips from Kyle White to his right, shoving over the top of White’s substantial river bet on a board with four clubs and taking down a healthy 800,000 pot. Hiren Patel is out in 10th when he stakes his remaining 635,000 on A-J and runs up against Jeremy Ausmus’ Big Slick. 

 Patel taking the bad news as Ausmus’ Big Slick holds up.

It's never easy–– "Sunny" Patel out in 10th

Amidst this slew of short stack bust-outs, table banter continues apace. George Danzer bets 75,000 into a 3-7-10-5 board and Max Silver raises to 190,000. When a 3 comes on the river, Danzer checks and Silver reps the nut three––or complete air––with a nearly pot-sized bet of 295,000. Tanking for a few minutes, Danzer finally folds to the pressure, stretching and smiling, “That was good Max, that was good. Betting for value with a pair of nines there?” Danzer can’t let it go, muttering in his teutonic accent “He’s a machine” and commenting to Silver again "What can I do there with top pair––check jam the turn?"

                                   Danzinator, JC, no name, Chico, and the Machine

 With Silver accumulating chips seemingly without effort, JC Tran runs with this, riffing “Machine––did you get that? Danzinator folds to the Machine––heard that before?” He asks Lindgren across the way “Anyone named Machine?” To which  Lindgren comes up with the non sequitur “no, he’s the Shuffle Master.” Cada, getting in on the conversation, comments that he used to have the nickname Chico based on Street Fighter, which he dominated in. Which gets him and JC Tran discussing optimal video game moves “up-up-left-down” and shadow boxing. Max Silver cannot resist asking the only player left out of the fray, the Swedish Martin Jacobson, whether he has a nickname. “Umm no....”

"Chico" Cada, of Street Fighter fame

Next, it’s on to some more consolidation, with the crippled Danzer moving his last half a million chips into the pot with A-10 and getting felted by Max Silver’s A-K. 

No miracle for Danzer against the Machine

Kyle White, wearing a distinctive “Happy Father’s Day” shirt a day late falls just short of the unofficial final table, where he could show it off to the ESPN cameras, risking his last 210,000 chips with A-8 against Lindgren’s K-K. 

Lindgren felts White.. condolences

It's the thought that counts... White sent home in eighth.