Aruba Poker Classic Final Table Delayed by Rain, Matt Ross Finishes 7th

Play was scheduled to kick off at Noon ET today in the seven-handed final table of the Ultimate Bet Aruba Poker Classic. However, a soggy climate delayed the action, which was scheduled to emanate from a set constructed over the Radisson’s pool.

Live coverage found on Poker News painted a vivid picture of today’s weather in the normally sunny tropical paradise: “The original plan was to play [the final table] out on the stage that has been constructed over top of the meandering pool outside. Mother nature has foiled those plans with sporadic rain showers and the staff is scrambling to come up with alternatives. The new idea is to move next door to Gilligan’s Restaurant and play underneath the cover of their roof.” Play ultimately kicked off 30 minutes behind schedule, with a $753,000 first place prize up for grabs.

In a rare twist, the final table of the Ultimate Bet Aruba Poker Classic will be played seven-handed, one more than the traditional number. Players agreed to halt the action with seven remaining on Friday after the field had been played six-handed since 36 runners remained. Robert Mizrachi held the chip lead over a talented final table when the “Shuffle Up and Deal” command was issued today. Here are the combatants who took to the Ultimate Bet Aruba Poker Classic final table today:

1. Robert Mizrachi – 1,980,000
2. Eric Baldwin – 1,570,000
3. Chase Steely – 1,300,000
4. Brock Parker – 1,240,000
5. Brandon Hall – 442,000
6. Matt Ross – 301,000
7. Roberto Santos – 211,000

Robert Mizrachi is the brother of Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi and a World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet holder. Mizrachi took down the $10,000 buy-in World Championship of Pot Limit Omaha for $768,000 in 2007, besting a talented final table that included Durrrr Challenge participant Patrik Antonius, Marco Traniello, and DoylesRoom namesake Doyle Brunson. Eric “basebaldy” Baldwin won a $1,500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event this year for his first WSOP bracelet and a $521,000 payday. He went on to grab third in the World Championship of Pot Limit Hold’em for $259,000, an event ultimately won by John Kabbaj.

Brock Parker won back-to-back WSOP bracelets this year, beginning with a $2,500 buy-in Limit Hold’em Six-Handed event for $223,000. Parker battled against crowd favorite and Team PokerStars Pro member Daniel Negreanu heads-up in that tournament’s final table, which also featured WSOP Europe Main Event winner Barry Shulman. Parker, known as “t soprano” in the online poker world, promptly took down the next WSOP tournament he entered, a $2,500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em Six-Handed affair, for another $552,000. Parker is tops in the industry at short-handed play and will be one of the favorites to win the Aruba Poker Classic this afternoon.

Blinds began at 6,000-12,000 with a 2,000 chip ante when play resumed in Level 20. It didn’t take long for the first casualty to happen after the 30 minute weather delay. Matt Ross, known in the online poker world as “cwp394,” shoved pre-flop holding pocket sevens, but ran into Roberto Santos’ A-K. The ace was the door card, sending Santos into the lead, and another ace on the river improved him to trips. Ross earned $41,000 for his efforts, setting up six-handed play in Aruba. Here are the paydays that will be on the line for the survivors:

1st Place - $753,330
2nd Place - $414,680
3rd Place - $218,860
4th Place - $126,710
5th Place - $92,150
6th Place - $68,810

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the final results of the 2009 Ultimate Bet Aruba Poker Classic.

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Poker jargon:

PAY STATION - A player who rarely folds, thus who frequently calls better hands and loses. Almost as much fun as a LIVE ONE.
LATE POSITION - For a particular betting round, a player who does not have to act until most of the other players have acted.
POSSIBLE [STRAIGHT/FLUSH] - Up cards that quite possibly could lead to a straight and/or a flush.
TAP - In no-limit games, to wager all of one's money in one bet.
SMALL BLIND - In games with two blinds the first blind is the SMALL BLIND because it is usually one-half (or less) the second or large blind.
LIVE BLIND - The last and largest blind bet may or may not be LIVE. If LIVE, the blind bettor has the option of "raising" his own blind in the event the bet is called around to him. This is normal, and is sometimes referred to as "blinds are live".

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