Day 3 of the 2013 World Poker Tour (WPT) Legends of Poker Main Event began with 71 players. It ended with just 15. The chip leader going into Monday, Dan Heimeller, is still in contention, bagging up 2.155 million chips, but it was Patrick Karschamroon that did work on Labor Day, topping the field at the end of the night with 4.155 million. That two million chip lead (John Gordon is in second with 2.190 million) should serve Karschamroon well as he and his 14 opponents look to make their way to the final table today.
Karschamroon built his chip lead through several big hands and, as one might expect from someone with so many chips, knockout blows. On one such hand, Henrik Antanesian was already all-in pre-flop for his last 20,000 chips. Darlene Lee raised it up to 100,000 and then Karschamroon re-raised her to 340,000, putting her all-in. She went into the tank for a few minutes before finally calling off her stack with pocket Jacks. Karschamroon had the upper-hand with two red Kings, while Antanesian was way behind with 8-9 suited (though if you’re going to be up against Jacks and Kings, that’s not the worst hand in the world to have). A King appeared on the flop and the two underdogs couldn’t get lucky on the turn or river and were eliminated in 31st and 32nd place.
One of the odder hands of the day also involved Karschamroon and the former chip leader, Dan Heimiller. Karschamroon raised pre-flop to 26,000 and Heimiller called. The flop was dealt out K♦-8♦-4♣ and Karschamroon bet 36,000. Heimiller followed with a raise to 101,000 and Karschamroon called. Both players checked the 7♠ on the turn, but Karschamroon resumed the betting when the 8♥ was dealt on the river. He threw out 175,000 and then called when Heimiller raised to 400,000. What happened next was strange. Heimiller simply mucked his cards, not even waiting to see what Karschamroon had. Heimiller was obviously on a total bluff, but when he mucked, Karschamroon did not feel obligated to share what he had, either. So in a pot worth over a million chips at showdown, nobody has any idea what either player had.
With such a large chip lead, Karschamroon appears to have an excellent chance at eclipsing the largest cash of his career. In 2010, he won the California State Poker Championship for $162,970. Fourth place in the WPT Legends of Poker pays nearly that much and third place pays well over $200,000. After the California State Poker Championship, his next best cash was $45,040, earned for a final table finish in a $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em event at the WSOP last year. Should Karschamroon finish at least eighth this week, he would have a new second-best cash.
Today the tournament will play down to the six-handed final table at the Bike in Bell Gardens, California, so it should be a relatively fast day. Check back tomorrow for further updates.
2013 World Poker Tour Legends of Poker Main Event – Day 3 Chip Leaders
1. Patrick Karschamroon – 4,155,000
2. John Gordon – 2,190,000
3. Dan Heimiller – 2,155,000
4. Ryan Goindoo – 2,025,000
5. Shahen Martirosian – 1,370,000
6. Phil Laak – 1,345,000
7. Stephen Graner – 1,275,000
8. Alexandru Masek – 1,140,000
9. Jordan Cristos – 1,100,000
10. Cherng Hua – 990,000
11. Garrett Greer – 955,000
12. Brian Gorman – 760,000
13. Sam Barnhart – 675,000
14. Richard Munro – 670,000
15. Ron Jenkins – 655,000