The Giants won the World Series this weekend; this week one man at the World Series of Poker is going to become a poker giant. The final table of the 2012 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event got underway last night at the Rio in Las Vegas as nine players looked to become the next poker immortal. Play was suspended just after midnight once there three players remaining, as planned. Those three players – Greg Merson, Jesse Sylvia, and Jacob Balsiger – will reconvene tonight to determine a champion.
Both Sylvia’s and Merson’s presence in the final three shouldn’t come as much of a shock to anybody. After all, Sylvia had a substantial chip lead going into the final table and Merson was third and is considered by many (including Phil Ivey) to be the strongest player of the group. Balsiger’s rise, though, was rather unexpected, as he entered final table player as the second shortest stack of the “October Nine” (or “Octo-Nine,” as the cool kids say). Balsiger also has the chance to become the youngest Main Event winner of all-time. Joe Cada is the current record holder in that department, winning the 2009 Main Event at age 21, but Balsiger would best Cada’s age mark by about 75 days should he ship the title.
Here is how the chip stacks looked to begin as the final table began:
1. Jesse Sylvia – 43.875 million
2. Andras Koroknai – 29.375 million
3. Greg Merson – 28.725 million
4. Russell Thomas – 24.8 million
5. Steven Gee – 16.86 million
6. Michael Esposito – 16.26 million
7. Robert Salaburu – 15.155 million
8. Jacob Balsiger – 13.115 million
9. Jeremy Ausmus – 9.805 million
The night started off fairly slowly, though players weren’t totally afraid to test the waters. They just did so while keeping bets relatively small. Things finally got interesting on Hand 30. Steven Gee raised to 900,000 pre-flop and both Merson and Russell Thomas called. After a flop of 7♣-4♥-5♦, Gee led out with a 1.6 million bet, getting a call from Thomas and a fold from Merson. The turn was the J♣ and Gee fired out a bet of 3.25 million and was again called by Thomas. On the river 3♥, Gee shoved all-in for 11.35 million, causing Thomas to tank for several minutes. While he was thinking, commentator Antonio Esfandiari reviewed the hand, saying that Gee’s line “doesn’t make sense.” Esfandiari’s thought was that Gee started the hand like he was representing an overpair, but ended it like he had a straight. He said he would call because he didn’t believe Gee. And that’s what Thomas finally did, flipping over pocket Queens. Gee had just pocket 8’s and was therefore eliminated in 9th place.
That first elimination took 30 hands and the next took just over that amount. Robert Salaburu, who had started well, found himself down to under 8 million chips. Action folded around to chip leader Sylvia, who went all-in from the small blind. In the big blind, Salaburu called with two red 7’s and Sylvia showed Q♣-5♣. The flop of A♠-A♦-4♣ kept Salaburu safe, as did the 2♦ on the turn. But the Q♥ gave love only to Sylvia and Salaburu was gone in 8th place.
It was easy to predict that Michael Esposito would be the next to go, as he had just 5.625 million after that elimination. On Hand 70 of the final table, Merson opened the betting pre-flop with a raise to 1 million and Esposito, now up to 10.7 million, moved all-in with A♠-J♥. Merson made the call, dominating Esposito with A♣-K♠. Esposito got no help from the board and hit the rail in 7th place.
After that elimination, there was a log jam at the top of the leader board with Merson taking a 1.5 million lead on Sylvia (44.875 million to 43.375 million), who was less than 3 million ahead of Thomas. The lone non-American at the final table, Hungarian Andras Koroknai, had 31.2 million, and Balsiger, who had doubled-up earlier, was in 5th place with 22.475 million. Jeremy Ausmus, the short stack from the get-go, was still at the bottom with 15.125 million.
It took almost 40 more hands for the next knock-out, and it was a big one. On the button, Merson raised to 1 million. Sylvia three-bet to 2.6 million from the small blind and Koroknai four-bet from the big blind to 5.3 million. The room started to buzz in anticipation. Merson was undaunted, five-betting to 9.2 million. Sylvia bowed out, but then Koroknai shoved for around 36 million chips. Merson didn’t need to think about it and called, creating by far the largest part of the night.
It turned out to be a gigantic misstep for Koroknai, who had just K♥-Q♦, dominated by Merson’s A♠-K♠. The board came out 8♥-3♠-2♣-7♠-7♥ and just like that, Koroknai was done. Merson was now a huge chip leader with 86.6 million chips. Sylvia was next with 51.025 million.
Considering that he languished at the bottom of the pile virtually the entire final table, it was pretty impressive that Jeremy Ausmus made it to 5th place and earned himself an extra $1.4 million over 9th place. But 5th was as far as he would go. On Hand 129, he raised to 1.2 million pre-flop and Sylvia called from the big blind. Both checked the flop of 3♠-8♠-9♣ and saw a turn of 3♦. At that point, Sylvia checked, Ausmus bet 1.5 million, then Sylvia check-raised to 3.6 million. After some deep though, Ausmus moved all-in for 14.5 million and Sylvia insta-called. Ausmus held T♠-7♦ for an open-ended straight draw, while Sylvia held A♣-9♥ for top pair. It was a 5♠ on the river, no help to Ausmus, and was out in 5th place.
Just six hands later, the final three was determined. Russell Thomas raised to 1.5 million pre-flop and Balsiger shoved for 15.825 million. Thomas went into the tank and eventually called with A♥-9♦. Balsiger had him dominated, showing A♠-K♣. The community cards were of no use to Thomas and he went home in 4th place.
On the back of the huge pot against Koroknai, Greg Merson will go into Tuesday’s play as the chip leader with 88.35 million chips, followed by Jesse Sylvia with 62.75 million and Jacob Balsiger with 46.875 million. Action gets underway tonight at 5:45pm Pacific time and can be viewed on ESPN with a 15 minute delay.
2012 World Series of Poker Main Event Final Table Chip Counts
1. Greg Merson – 88,350,000
2. Jesse Sylvia – 62,750,000
3. Jacob Balsiger – 46,875,000
2012 World Series of Poker Main Event Final Table Results
4. Russell Thomas – $2,851,537
5. Jeremy Ausmus – $2,155,313
6. Andras Koroknai – $1,640,902
7. Michael Esposito – $1,258,040
8. Robert Salaburu – $971,360
9. Steven Gee – $754,798
