In sports, fans of west coast teams often complain about the media’s “east coast bias.” That is, it seems like teams in eastern markets get a disproportionate amount of attention and coverage compared to those in western markets. That perception is often true, with much of the problem simply being the difference in time zones. Well, poker fans in the Pacific time zone got their revenge last night, as only vampires in the Eastern time zone could have possibly watched the entire second day of the 2012 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event final table. It was close to 9:00am ET when it finally ended, with Maryland’s Greg Merson being crowned 2012 WSOP Main Event Champion. Additionally, by virtue of his win, Merson passed Phil Hellmuth to claim WSOP Player of the Year honors.
Day 9 of the Main Event began shortly before 6:00pm PT/9:00pm ET with just three players – Merson, Jesse Sylvia, and Jake Balsiger – remaining. This writer, living out east, made it to 1:30am before needing to go to bed and when I woke up, I had not missed a thing. All three men were still playing.
They played for over 12 hours. The 399 total hands at the final table (counting Monday) shattered the previous record of 364. Amazingly, while the players did show some fatigue on their faces as the night wore on, they remained steadfast and focused. The play by the three finalists was, on the whole, fantastic. Not every move was genius, but it the times one could say that someone made a truly bad decision were few and far between. It was easily one of the best three-handed battles of all time, made even better because all three players were likeable and could easily be envisioned as strong ambassadors of the game.
When three-handed play began, the chip counts looked like this:
1. Greg Merson – 88,350,000
2. Jesse Sylvia – 62,750,000
3. Jacob Balsiger – 46,875,000
Merson was generally considered the favorite to win, not only because he had a commanding chip lead, but also because he was considered the strongest player of the three by most. It looked like smooth sailing for him for quite a while, too, as he was able to use his stack to take down pot after pot, not taking too long to get up to over 100 million chips. He slowed significantly, though, unable to find hands or push his opponents off theirs. Merson’s frustration was visible as his chip stack sunk close to 70 million about 60 hands into three-handed play (about 200 hands at the final table overall).
But Merson got his groove back on hand 216 of the final table with an incredible bluff. After he and Sylvia limped, Balsiger raised to 3.7 million pre-flop. Merson called and Sylvia folded. On the flop of 3♣-9♥-8♠, Balsiger bet 4.5 million and Merson called. Balsiger led out again for 7.5 million on the 4♥ turn and Merson called once more. When the 6♠ fell on the river, Balsiger bet 13 million, only to see Merson move all-in. After some thought, Balsiger gave up his hand, giving the massive pot to Merson. ESPN cameras showed Merson had just Q♥-J♥, a stone cold bluff. Balsiger had just Q♠-T♦, though, so it was great timing by Merson.
That pot shot Merson’s stack up to 110.2 million, giving him more than both Sylvia (46.3 million) and Balsiger (41.475 million) combined.
From there, the action was rather slow for quite some time. And then, even when big things happened, it was always the short stacks that survived. The highlights:
Hand 253: Lady luck shined on Jesse Sylvia, as he was all-in pre-flop with A-K versus Merson’s K-K, but spiked a wheel to double-up and rocket him into the chip lead.
Hand 273: Merson re-takes the lead.
Hand 280: Merson eclipses 100 million chips once again.
Hand 287: Sylvia and Balsiger tangle, with Sylvia rivering a club flush to send Balsiger’s stack down to just 18.9 million.
Hand 289: Balsiger turns the tables, doubling through Sylvia. Balsiger was all-in with K-J versus Sylvia’s A-T and turned trip Kings.
Hand 348: After calling a four-bet from Merson pre-flop, Sylvia eventually wins a large pot, allowing him to take the chip lead at 82.35 million, while Merson slipped to second place and 70.6 million chips.
Hand 349: A bit of a forgotten man in the mix, Balsiger moves all-in with K-K on a 9-3-3 flop. Sylvia called with K-9 and was unable to improve, allowing Balsiger to move into the lead for the first time with 92.3 million chips.
Hand 356: Balsiger’s chip lead was short lived, as Sylvia doubled through him. The two paid the minimum to see a flop of K♠-8♦-2♠. Balsiger bet 2.2 million, Sylvia check-raised to 7.6 million, Balsiger shoved, and Sylvia called, putting himself all-in. Balsiger showed K♦-9♣ for top pair, but Sylvia turned over 8♠-2♦ for two pair. He improved to a full house on the turn and Balsiger was unable to find a King on the river.
That was the beginning of the end for Balsiger, as he continued to slide after that. Eventually it got to the point where his moves were pretty much all-in or fold pre-flop. On Hand 382, at about 5:00am PT/8:00am ET, Sylvia raised to 4 million on the button and Balsiger went all-in for 20.3 million from the small blind. Merson pondered his move for a little while, asking for a count of Balsiger’s stack, before making the call. Sylvia got out of the way and the two players showed their cards: Merson K♣-Q♠ and Balsiger Q♥-T♦. Balsiger was in deep trouble. The flop was a devilish 6♠-6♦-6♣, giving Balsiger at least a shot at a chop if another Queen showed up. The turn J♣ only offered more chop options and the river 5♥ closed the deal for Merson. Jake Balsiger, who was trying to become the youngest Main Event winner of all-time, was eliminated in 3rd place.
Going into heads-up play, Greg Merson held a 117.6 million to 80.6 million chip lead on Jesse Sylvia.
Merson gradually extended his lead during the one-on-one match as the two players did a lot of limping and a lot of nipping at each other, almost as if they were feeling each other out once again. It looked like it could take another several hours to determine a winner, but all of a sudden, on the 17th hand of heads-up play, the 399th of the final table, there were fireworks.
On the button, Merson raised to 4 million, a standard min-raise that had been common place with the big blind at 2 million chips. Sylvia re-raised to 9.5 million. Then Merson, holding close to double the chips of Sylvia to being the hand, moved all-in, putting Sylvia to a decision for the whole kit and caboodle. Sylvia tanked, obviously considering a call. Sometimes it is apparent when players are “Hollywooding,” but Sylvia’s fidgeting and checking of the scoreboard made it apparent that his gears were turning.
Finally, Sylvia made the call, turning over Q♠-J♠, and which likely shows he thought Merson was bluffing. Sylvia was partially correct, as Merson’s hand was not particularly powerful, but even his iffy K♦-5♦ was ahead of Sylvia’s Queen-high.
Flop: 6♣-3♥-9♦
Turn: 6♠
Sylvia was down to six outs – any Jack or any Queen – to stay alive in the Main Event.
River: 7♣
Merson’s cheering section exploded. Confetti and streamers fell from up above. Shaun the Dealer ducked out of the way. It was finally over. After more than half a day, it was finally over. Greg Merson was the 2012 World Series of Poker Main Event Champion and $8,531,853 richer.
Afterwards, ESPN’s Kara Scott asked an emotional, teary-eyed Merson for his thoughts.
“I can’t really describe it. I feel like this is the same interview in July when I won (the $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em Six-Handed Event). They just stick a mic in your face and I’m crying and I don’t know…it’s just absurd. It doesn’t even seem like real life.”
2012 World Series of Poker Main Event Final Table Results
1. Greg Merson – $8,531,853
2. Jesse Sylvia – $5,295,149
3. Jake Balsiger – $3,799,073
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
*Photo courtesy WSOP.com