Main Event Day 2 | 2011-12 World Series of Poker Circuit Event - Palm Beach Kennel Club

02-27-2012 00:33 UTC-4

Riordan Busts, Field Applauds

Mickey Doft

Defending champion John Riordan has been sent to the rail in the closing minutes of Level 21.

After a Matt Newcombe raise and Chet Farrell call, Riordan squeezed all in from the big blind for about 280,000 with {K-} {Q-} . Newcombe folded, but Farrell called with {A-Clubs} {10-Clubs} and Riordan was unable to catch up.

Floorman Dennis made the announcement of Riordan's elimination and impressive showing in defense of his title, drawing a nice round of applause from the remaining field.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Riordan	Busted

Tags: John Riordan

02-27-2012 00:28 UTC-4

Easy Newcombe, Easy Go

[user66118]

The after-dinner session has not been kind to the chip stack of Matt Newcombe. He was the chip leader right around the break, but his stack has been pretty steadily slipping since.

In Newcombe's most recent stumble, we picked up the action as the turn card was already out on the {K-Clubs} {5-Hearts} {Q-Spades} {10-Clubs} board. Our hero had led out with a bet of 54,000, and his opponent made the call to see the last card. It was the {3-Clubs} , and Newcombe wasn't slowing down. He stacked up 120,000 and slid it out into the middle of the table. His opponent needed some time to think it over, but he eventually made a reluctant call with a shrug and a shake of the head.

"I can't beat you," Newcombe said, holding his cards face-down. His opponent let him off the hook by tabling his own {K-Diamonds} {9-Diamonds} , and that loss knocks Newcombe back down to about 240,000 from his high point of about 800,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Matt Newcombe	240,000 -320,000	-320,000

Tags: Matt Newcombe

02-27-2012 00:27 UTC-4

Vohra Busts

Mickey Doft

Jonathan Theriault opened to 23,000 under the gun and Raj Vohra shoved for 187,000 from the hijack. Action folded to Matthew Smith in the small blind and after a few moments, he called all in for 165,000. Theriault laid it down and the hands were revealed:

Smith: {10-Spades} {10-Clubs}
Vohra: {A-Hearts} {K-Clubs}

The board ran out {9-Hearts} {9-Diamonds} {4-Clubs} {2-Diamonds} {7-Hearts} , leaving Vohra with 22,000. He wandered over to a nearby table and told Richard Kirsch about the hand.

Kirsch offered some "consoling" words."Well that's what you started the tournament with, so just double up a few times. I only wish you the best Raj, but if you bust we all get another $500."

Kirsch's table got a nice chuckle out of it, as did Vohra who was all in a few hands later against Smith and Theriault. A {10-Hearts} {8-Hearts} {5-Hearts} flop came down and Theriault isolated the pot, showing {K-Hearts} {Q-Hearts} . Vohra, with {A-Clubs} {2-Clubs} , was drawing dead and headed to the payout desk.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jonathan Theriault	610,000
Matthew Smith	310,000
Richard Kirsch	205,000
Raj Vohra	Busted

Tags: Jonathan Theriault Matthew Smith Raj Vohra Richard Kirsch

02-27-2012 00:07 UTC-4

Riordan Rebounds

[user66118]

We apologize if this blog has turned into the John Riordan Show, but it's really quite impressive to see the 20-year-old just a few tables away from a repeat Circuit title. Not to mention the fact that he's among the more active players in the room. Riordan's stack has been dwindling, though, and we just picked up his all-in pot as we heard the dealer call the shove.

Matt Newcombe was the initial raiser to 21,000, and Riordan three-bet shoved for 187,000 total. Newcombe made the call, but his ace was dominated by the champ's.

Showdown
Newcombe: {A-Diamonds} {10-Spades}
Riordan: {A-Clubs} {K-Diamonds}

The {8-Diamonds} {3-Spades} {5-Diamonds} flop kept Riordan's kicker in front, but the {J-Diamonds} turn brought the flush draw into play for Newcombe. "Let's go, diamonds," he implored, but the river card was not listening. The {J-Spades} was the wrong color and rank to be of any use, and Riordan has finally found his double to work back to 397,000.

Newcombe has taken a few hits to his stack recently, but he's still hovering well above the chip average with 560,000 or so.

Player	Chips	Progress
Matt Newcombe	560,000 -240,000	-240,000
John Riordan	397,000 227,000	227,000

Tags: John Riordan Matt Newcombe

02-26-2012 23:50 UTC-4

No, Huy Can't

[user66118]

Huy Nguyen has been ticking steadily down the counts since a bit before the dinner break, and he's finally run out of chips. The last time we checked on his stack, it had dipped down around the 200,000 mark, and it appears that his comeback bid has not gone well.

"Payout!" we heard the dealer call, so we snapped our heads around to see who the unlucky soul was. It was Nguyen, unfortunately, and he's at the cashier's desk getting paid out as we speak. We'll try to get a few details on his exit, but no promises as Nguyen looks none too thrilled right now.

Player	Chips	Progress
Huy Nguyen	Busted

Tags: Huy Nguyen

02-26-2012 23:49 UTC-4

Riordan Sliding

Mickey Doft

John Riordan opened to 20,000 in the hijack and the player in the cutoff re-raised all in for 127,000. Action folded back to Riordan who called with {K-Hearts} {Q-Hearts} , trailing his opponent's {A-Clubs} {K-Clubs} .

The flop came down {9-Hearts} {6-Hearts} {2-Spades} to give Riordan a flush draw, but the {6-Spades} turn and {J-Spades} river were blanks.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Riordan	170,000 -130,000	-130,000

Tags: John Riordan

Level: 21

Blinds: 5,000/10,000

Ante: 1,000

02-26-2012 23:37 UTC-4

Valerstein Waaaaaaay Out In Front

Mickey Doft

It's as if every time we keep our eyes off of Roman Valerstein, he's added a significant amount to his stack.

He recently busted Reed Zhao and was kind enough to relay some of the details for us. After Zhao opened the pot with a min-raise to 16,000, Valerstein three-bet to 45,000 with {K-Diamonds} {J-Diamonds} . Action folded back to Zhao who clicked it back to about 80,000.

Valerstein called to see the flop come down {K-Hearts} {Q-Diamonds} {7-Diamonds} and Zhao fired 75,000. Valerstein came back with a raise to 175,000, only to see Zhao shove for what appeared to be upwards of 500,000. Valerstein called with his top pair + flush draw and Zhao's bluff with {A-Spades} {5-Hearts} was in dire straits. He failed to recover, sending his stack over to Valerstein.

Player	Chips	Progress
Roman Valerstein	1,770,000 550,000	550,000
Reed Zhao	Busted

Tags: Reed Zhao Roman Valerstein

02-26-2012 23:37 UTC-4

Whispering Sweet Nothings

[user66118]

First into the pot from the cutoff, Matt Newcombe opened to 18,000, and Chet Farrell three-bet to 51,000 on the button. Newcombe shot a glance and made the call, and it was heads-up to the flop.

It came {8-Hearts} {5-Clubs} {10-Clubs} , and Newcombe check-called another 81,000 from Farrell. The turn brought the {9-Diamonds} and another check from the man in the Superman shirt, and Farrell took pause to consider. After a couple minutes of looking a bit puzzled and flustered, he pulled 155,000 chips from his stack and slid them across the line, leaving about 200,000 behind. Now it was Superman's turn to tank, and it would be several long minutes before he open-mucked his {A-Hearts} {10-Hearts} .

"Did you have me?" Newcombe asked as the dealer was pushing the pot.

Farrell let out a little smirk as he tried his best not to respond. After a few seconds, he leaned over to Newcombe and whispered a long whisper into his ear. The two men continued to trade hushed words for the next couple minutes, and someone at the table piped up, "Tell one, tell all!"

"I lied to him anyways," Farrell said with a smile. He's up to about 625,000 and right on the heels of Newcombe after that pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Matt Newcombe	645,000 125,000	125,000
Chet Farrell	625,000

Tags: Matt Newcombe Chet Farrell

02-26-2012 23:10 UTC-4

Ilich Movin' On Up

[user66118]

Another pot we wish we'd seen more of, but we'll tell you what we know.

When we walked up to the table, the {10-Diamonds} {5-Spades} {9-Diamonds} flop was out on board, and Reed Zhao had 61,000 chips out in front of him. There was about 140,000 in the pot, and Ilich announced a raise. He made it 137,000 total, and Zhao went deep into the tank. He asked Ilich how much he was playing (about 380,000 behind), tanked for a bit longer, then folded.