WSOP: Thang Luu Inching Closer to Rare Bracelet Repeat in Event #3

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WSOP: Thang Luu Inching Closer to Rare Bracelet Repeat in Event #3

Alex Gonzales | May 31, 2009

Thang Luu coasts into Day 2 with the chip lead and goes for another WSOP Omaha Hi-Low bracelet

Winning a World Series of Poker bracelet in an Omaha Hi-Lo event is a huge accomplishment in itself, but if you’re Thang Luu, another big win might rewrite the WSOP record books once and for all.

Not many players have won a bracelet in Omaha Hi-Lo and have come back strong the next year to cash in the same event, but that’s what Luu has done so far and he’s not done yet.

With the start of Day 2 of Event #3 (Omaha Hi-Lo) Luu came into the day as the chip leader with 77,000 in chips and cruised slowly until he made a lightning bolt run at the end of the night to bring his stack to 410,000 going into Day 3, second only to Ed Smith’s 433,000.

He was all ready to go before the cards even hit the air, only this time his comfort zone had been expanded for a more relaxed style of play which suits Omaha poker to the tee.

“It’s different because last year I was down to 5,000 in chips. This year I got more chips and I’m more comfortable playing”, said Luu. “I can play everything. It doesn’t matter what I have. It all just depends on the blinds and antes”, said Luu.

Halfway through Day 2 came a hand where Luu found himself holding the wheel for the Hi-Lo pot. Frustrated, a player in seat 6 mucked his hand and told Luu he was donkey for being lucky all the time. Luu responded by saying, “That’s a donkey, yeah. Holding the wheel is a donkey alright.”

As the field of players wound down one could sense the tension building over the slow style of Omaha poker, leaving dealers to make floor calls to settle down the frustrated and impatient players.

One such call included a busted muck attempt by Andy Bloch who made a forward motion with his cards, but when the dealer reached for them, Bloch pulled them back, causing nothing but confusion. After some deliberation, Bloch was allowed to play his hand since he was the big blind and had nothing to gain from it.

If the day seemed to be waning on the players, about an hour later, an announcement was made that players must play down to the final table or 3 am. The news received an audible groan from the field, but on the bright side, they were all in the money by this point including Eli Elezra, Annie Duke, Freddy Deeb, Erick Lindgren, and Flack.

But in the end, it was Luu who was the story of the WSOP today. Asked if he was he predicting another WSOP bracelet tomorrow, one word said it all, “Yes”.

WSOP Event #3 ($1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo) Top 10 Chip Counts