WSOP 2008 Event 43 - $1,500 PL Omaha Hi/Lo

Friday, June 27, 2008 | Francis Lee

The 43rd event at the World Series of Poker 2008 was the $1,500 pot limit Omaha hi/lo tournament which attracted 720 entrants. The total prize pool generated by this field rose to $1,080,000 with the first place prize set at $216,249.

The tournament started at a lighting pace with the eliminations coming thick and fast. This continued right the way throughout day one, which meant the bubble burst on the opening day as the last 73 players cashed in. Aurelian Guiglini was the unfortunate bubble boy being the 74th place finisher.

Just 68 players retuned for the second days action which was just as fast paced as the first day. This meant it didn’t take long to reach the final table. Eric Seidel was in a good position at this stage looking to collect his 9th WSOP bracelet. The rest of the table was as follows.

Final Table Chip Rankings

• 1st Jonathan Maren $377,000
• 2nd Erik Seidel $340,000
• 3rd Martin Klaser $337,000
• 4th Michael Fetter $288,000
• 5th Tom Chambers $263,000
• 6th Casey Kastle $188,000
• 7th Joseph Haddad $135,000
• 8th Chad Burum $117,000
• 9th Larry Wright $117,000

Tom Chambers was the first player to head for the rail on this final table up against Casey Kastle. Chambers found himself All In after the first four cards down was the Kastle tabled looking for a low draw and diamond flush draw and Chambers had flopped a set holding The River ended chambers tournament as the completed his low and flush draw all in one.

With in the next hour of play Larry Wright could not improve on his short stack and eventually pushed All In for his last $17,000. This was his last move as Casey Kastle flopped a nut flush with and took the whole pot with no low hand possible. Moments later Joseph Haddad followed Wright as his opponent Martin Klaser hit a wheel straight to scoop both high and low pots.

We had to wait for another hour before the next elimination came about. Chad Burum had nursed his short stack up until this point and moved all his chips in the middle, after the Flop came down Martin Klaser made the call with having two pair and a nut low draw. Burum tabled having a flush draw and a low draw too. The and filled the board holding up Klaser’s two pair eliminating Burum out in 6th place. Casey Kastle then added to his chip lead by eliminating Jon Maren into 5th place. Kastle won the hand with a pair of Sixes as Maren missed his straight draw with no low hand possible.

Erik Seidel’s search for his ninth WSOP bracelet came to a halt during four handed play. Seidel was All In pre flop with against Casey Kastle’s The final board came down to give Kastle a full house while Seidel missed his low draw for the chop. This win moved Casey Kastle into the chip lead going into three handed play holding $1,052,000 in chips compared to Klaser’s $782,000 and short stacked Michael Fetter with $280,000.

Fetter was inevitably the next player to head for the rail not able to over turn his opponents chip advantage. Fetter was All In pre flop with up against Klaser with Klaser hit trip Sevens on the Flop showing which was easily enough to scoop the pot and eliminate Fetter into 3rd place.

It was Klaser who held a $1 million chip lead going into heads up which lasted just over an hour. Kastle could not make up the deficit and Klaser won the event hitting a broad way straight on the turn leaving Kastle drawing dead in the last hand of play. This was Klaser’s first WSOP appearance so he has a 100% record. He won the $216,249 first place prize and his very first WSOP bracelet.

WSOP 2008 Event 43 Final Standings

• 1st Martin Klaser $216,249
• 2nd Casey Kastle $137,985
• 3rd Michael Fette $83,538
• 4th Erik Seidel $68,304
• 5th Jon Maren $56,019
• 6th Chad Burum $44,226
• 7th Joseph Haddad $34,389
• 8th Larry Wright $27,027
• 9th Tom Chambers $19,656

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