2012-13 World Series of Poker Circuit Event - Harrah's Rincon

Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info

2012-13 World Series of Poker Circuit Event - Harrah's Rincon

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
22
Prize
$107,862
Event Info
Prize Pool
$459,000
Entries
306
Level Info
Level
29
Blinds
20,000 / 40,000
Ante
5,000

Main Event

Day 3 Completed

Congratulations to Jonathan Chehanske, WSOP Circuit Harrah's Rincon Main Event Champion ($107,862)

Level 29 : 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante
WSOP Circuit Harrah's Rincon champ Jonathan Chehanske. Photo courtesy of WSOP.
WSOP Circuit Harrah's Rincon champ Jonathan Chehanske. Photo courtesy of WSOP.

306 players had a dream this weekend: to be the next WSOP Circuit Main Event Champion. Only one player could live this dream, and that was Jonathan Chehanske He walks away with $107,862, a beautiful gold WSOP Circuit Ring, and an automatic bid to the WSOP National Championship in May!

We came into today down to our final nine players, and the eliminations were fast and furious in the beginning. The first player to go was our short stack to start the day: Ted Jivkov. Jivkov was the victim of the ultimate preflop cooler, when his {k-Diamonds}{k-Hearts} ran into the {a-Hearts}{a-Spades} of Erik Roussakis. The board brought no miracles, and he was knocked out in 9th place.

David Randall was the next player to exit, and he too ran into pocket aces. This time, it was Lorenzo Bosforo who held them, and they were too much for Randall’s pocket nines. This was Randall’s second final table of the series, as he finished 3rd in the $1,000 buy in event on the first day of the Main Event.

A few hands later, we lost James Czarnecki. He put his tournament life at risk holding {a-Spades}{k-Clubs}, and he was up against the {5-Clubs}{5-Spades}. A five came on the flop, and that spelled doom for Czarnecki, who headed to the payout desk with a 7th place ticket.

We played six-handed for over two hours until we lost another player, and that unfortunate player was Lorenzo Bosforo. Bosforo four-bet shoved preflop for his last 600,000 with {k-Spades}{9-Hearts}, and Soi Nguyen made the call, holding {10-Clubs}{10-Hearts}. The tens held, and Bosforo was eliminated in 6th.

Erik Roussakis was second in chips when he was eliminated in 5th place in what was the biggest pot of the tournament to that point. Action started with Roussakis raising to 75,000 in early position. Nguyen defended his big blind, and the two saw a flop of {4-Diamonds}{8-Spades}{2-Spades}.

Nguyen checked to Roussakis, who fired out 100,000. Nguyen grabbed some raising chips, shuffled them for a bit, then tossed in a raise to 230,000. As he has done often throughout the final table, Roussakis acted quickly, and raised it to 500,000. Nguyen let out a small sigh, and announced all in. Roussakis let out a sigh himself before making the call, and we had the biggest pot of the tournament.

Nguyen: {2-Hearts}{2-Clubs}
Roussakis: {5-Spades}{4-Spades}

Nguyen flopped bottom set, but he still had to sweat, as Roussakis could catch a spade to win the hand. The turn was a black king, but it was the {k-Clubs}. The river was the other black king, the {k-Spades}, and though it gave Roussakis the flush, it also gave Nguyen a full boat.

We were four handed for quite some time, even though the dinner break, until we lost two players in two hands. On the first hand, Edmund Liu shoved from under the gun with {a-Diamonds}{8-Hearts}, but he ran into the {9-Diamonds}{9-Spades} of Jonathan Chehanske. He was not able to catch an ace, and he went home with $35,779 for his efforts.

On the very next hand, Chehanske played executioner again, as his {a-Spades}{q-Diamonds} held against the {a-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds}of Lynda Tran. That gave us our heads up battle between Chehanske and Soi Nguyen.

Heads up play only last about 30 minutes, as both players were extremely aggressive. There was a raise or three bet on every hand, and it didn’t take long for the two to get the money in. Jonathan Chehanske raised it up to 90,000, and Nguyen three bet it to 210,000. Chehanske made the call, and the flop came {8-Diamonds}{2-Diamonds}{a-Hearts}. The action was like rapid fire, as Nguyen bet out 310,000, Chehanske moved all in, and Nguyen snap called.

Nguyen: {k-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds}
Chehanske: {2-Spades}{2-Clubs}

Chehanske was out in front, but Nguyen was still drawing very live, as a diamond would give him a flush. The {5-Clubs} hit the turn, and we were down to the river. That card was the {a-Diamonds}, and while it did give Nguyen the flush, it also made a full house for Chehanske. Chehanske embraced his girlfriend in victory, while Nguyen made his way to the payout desk, falling just short of the title.

That wraps it up for us here! A huge congratulations again to Jonathan Chehanske for a wonderfully played tournament. It’s been an action packed four days, and we've enjoyed bringing you all the action. Be sure to tune in next time, as the next Circuit stop will be in Los Angeles in January. Until then, good night!

Tags: Jonathan Chehanske

Soi Nguyen Eliminated in 2nd Place ($66,693)

Wow. In a flash, Soi Nguyen has been eliminated in 2nd place. Jonathan Chehanske raised it up to 90,000, and Nguyen three bet it to 210,000. Chehanske made the call, and the flop came {8-Diamonds}{2-Diamonds}{a-Hearts}. The action was like rapid fire, as Nguyen bet out 310,000, Chehanske moved all in, and Nguyen snap called.

Nguyen: {k-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds}
Chehanske: {2-Spades}{2-Clubs}

Chehanske was out in front, but Nguyen was still drawing very live, as a diamond would give him a flush. The {5-Clubs} hit the turn, and we were down to the river. That card was the {a-Diamonds}, and while it did give Nguyen the flush, it also made a full house for Chehanske.

Chehanske paused for a moment to make sure he was good, then clapped his hands and went to embrace his girlfriend. Meanwhile, a disappointed Nguyen walked away without a ring, but $66,693 will be a nice consolation prize.

Player Chips Progress
Jonathan Chehanske us
Jonathan Chehanske
6,120,000 2,855,000
Soi Nguyen us
Soi Nguyen
Busted

Tags: Soi NguyenJonathan Chehanske

Four Bet Works for Chehanske

The aggression certainly hasn't stopped since we've gotten to heads up, as we just had our second four bet in a matter of minutes. This time, Chehanske started with a raise to 85,000, and Nguyen three bet it to 240,000. Chehanske then put in a four bet to 690,000, and that convince Nguyen that he was beat, as he laid his hand down.

Chehanske retook the chip lead with that pot.

Player Chips Progress
Jonathan Chehanske us
Jonathan Chehanske
3,265,000 315,000
Soi Nguyen us
Soi Nguyen
2,740,000 -315,000

Tags: Soi NguyenJonathan Chehanske

Nguyen Wins Million Chip Pot

The momentum in this heads up battle looks to be swinging Nguyen's way now, as he has just retaken the chip lead. Nguyen opened with a raise to 85,000, and Chehanske three bet it to 250,000. Nguyen got out the calling chips, shuffled them for about 15 seconds, then pulled out raising chips. He built up a raise to 510,000, and put the first four bet of the heads up battle in.

Chehanske tanked for about 20 seconds before making the call, and there was already a million chips in the middle when the flop came {7-Hearts}{6-Diamonds}{j-Spades}. Chehanske checked to Nguyen, who fired out 405,000. It only took Chehanske about 10 seconds to fold his hand, and Nguyen dragged down the big pot.

After that hand, Nguyen is back up over thre million, and takes the lead in this duel.

Player Chips Progress
Soi Nguyen us
Soi Nguyen
3,055,000 280,000
Jonathan Chehanske us
Jonathan Chehanske
2,950,000 -280,000

Tags: Soi NguyenJonathan Chehanske

Nguyen Makes Great Call

Chehanske made it 90,000 to go, and Nguyen made the call. The flop came down {10-Spades}{2-Spades}{7-Diamonds}, and Nguyen check called a bet of 125,000. The turn brought the {4-Clubs}, and both players checked it.

The river was the {a-Spades}, and Nguyen fired out 175,000. Chehanske tanked for about 30 seconds before he assembled a raise of 375,000, and put it in the middle. It was Nguyen's turn to go into the tank, and he cut the chips out for the call. Despite the scare card on the river, Nguyen made the call, and Chehanske could only show {q-Diamonds}{5-Clubs} for queen high.

Nguyen tabled {k-Hearts}{7-Clubs} for third pair on board, and it was good enough to get him close to even again.

Player Chips Progress
Jonathan Chehanske us
Jonathan Chehanske
3,230,000 -530,000
Soi Nguyen us
Soi Nguyen
2,775,000 530,000

Tags: Soi NguyenJonathan Chehanske

Lynda Tran Eliminated in 3rd Place ($48,438)

On the very next hand, Lynda Tran moved all in for her last 730,000. Once again, Jonathan Chehanske woke up with a hand, and made the call.

Tran: {a-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds}
Chehanske: {a-Spades}{q-Diamonds}

Tran was behind and in need of help as the flop came {3-Clubs}{a-Hearts}{3-Hearts}. Tran now had some outs for a chop, and the {8-Hearts} helped that out. Tran could grab a king or eight for a chop, or a seven for the win, but the river was the {j-Spades}.

It was a valiant effort for the last man standing, and Tran will take home $48,438 for her efforts. And with that, we are heads up!

Player Chips Progress
Lynda Tran us
Lynda Tran
Busted

Tags: Jonathan ChehanskeLynda Tran

Edmund Liu Eliminated in 4th Place ($35,779)

Edmund Liu came into today with the chip lead and dreams of a Main Event win, but he will have to settle for 4th place, as he has just been eliminated.

Liu started the action by moving all in for his last 345,000, and the next player to act, Jonathan Chehanske, made the call. Nguyen and Tran got out of the way, and the cards were tabled.

Chehanske: {9-Diamonds}{9-Spades}
Liu: {a-Diamonds}{8-Hearts}

The board ran dry for Liu, coming down {5-Spades}{6-Clubs}{q-Spades}{2-Clubs}{7-Spades}, and Liu collected just under $36,000 for his efforts. Meanwhile, Chehanske is back up to 2.4 million.

Player Chips Progress
Jonathan Chehanske us
Jonathan Chehanske
2,400,000 300,000
Edmund Liu
Edmund Liu
Busted

Tags: Edmund LiuJonathan Chehanske