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

Main Event
Day: 1a
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

Level: 15

Blinds: 1,000/2,000

Ante: 300

Hendee Can Read People

Paul Hendee has been talking for most of the day, and he just provided his table with a few more gems that had them laughing. In a recent hand, Hendee limped in from middle position, and the cutoff moved all in for his last 21,000. Hendee went into the tank for about a minute before announcing call.

Hendee: {k-Hearts}{10-Diamonds}
Opponent: {9-Clubs}{8-Clubs}

Hendee clapped his hands when he saw that he was ahead, and the flop provided plenty of action for both, coming down {3-Clubs}{a-Diamonds}{k-Clubs}. Hendee paired up, but he would need to fade a club on the turn or river. Hendee asked for red, and he got his wish on the turn, the {a-Hearts}. The river was a black card, but it was the {2-Spades}, and Hendee collected the bounty, and upped his stack to 62,000.

After the hand, a happy Hendee boasted "I can read people baby. I might not do much fancy three betting, c-betting like all you guys, but I can read people man!" The whole table burst out in laughter as Hendee stacked his chips.

Player Chips Progress
Paul Hendee us
Paul Hendee
62,000
20,000
20,000

Tags: Paul Hendee

Final Three Tables

Level 15 : 1,000/2,000, 300 ante

We are supposed to play three more levels, but given that we are playing down to 18 players, and we have just 27 left, we don't think we will be getting to 17 levels. Nine more eliminations and we will be done for the night.

Tough Table for Vornicu

Valentin Vornicu has been on the move for most of the day. The young poker star has been moved at least five or six times today, but for the most part, Vornicu has been able to chip up at every table. However, the most recent change hasn't been good to Vornicu, who has lost half his stack in the last hour.

Vornicu was heads up with another player on a flop that read {2-Clubs}{9-Spades}{10-Clubs}. After his opponent led out for 6,000, Vornicu raised to 16,000, and it was back to his opponent. He moved all in for about 60,000, and it was back to Vronicu. This bet represented most of Vornicu's stack, so it was a huge decision. He eventually let his hand go, and his opponent flashed {9-Clubs}{9-Hearts} for middle set.

Vornicu is still doing fine with 68,000 but that is much less then what he brought to the table.

Player Chips Progress
Valentin Vornicu us
Valentin Vornicu
68,000
-57,000
-57,000

Tags: Valentin Vornicu

Madsen Makes a Shocking Exit

When we came up to the main stage to type that last hand, Jeff Madsen was sitting on around 85,000. So you can imagine our surprise when we looked up, saw Madsen shaking his head, and walking away from the table with no chips in front of him. We walked up to his former table mate Eric Baldwin, and he was kind enough to give us a breakdown of Madsen's final hand.

Madsen had already taken a big hit, as Baldwin said that Madsen had only about 35,000 to start the hand. Three players saw the flop of {9-}{8-}{x-}, including Madsen in the big blind. Madsen and another player checked, which led to a 7,500 bet from the third player. Madsen then moved all in for 32,200, and he was called by the original better.

Madsen held {8-}{5-}, but he was well behind the {10-}{8-} of his opponent. Madsen couldn't catch up, and just like that, he was eliminated. An understandably frustrated Madsen punched the wall on his way out the exit doors, and we will see him for tomorrow's Day 1b.

Player Chips Progress
Jeff Madsen us
Jeff Madsen
Busted
$25K Fantasy
WSOP 4X Winner

Tags: Jeff Madsen

Level: 16

Blinds: 1,200/2,400

Ante: 400

Randall Rises Above 200,000

David Randall has been on cruise control after late registering for this event, and things haven't changed after the break. We saw Randall raise it up to 6,000, and get three bet to 15,000 by the cutoff. It folded back to Randall, and he made the call.

Both players checked when the flop came down {q-Spades}{4-Clubs}{10-Hearts}, and when the {4-Spades} hit the turn. On the river, the {6-Diamonds}, and Randall fired out 15,000, and his opponent called after a minute of thought. Randall tabled {a-Diamonds}{q-Diamonds} for top top, and it was good enough to take down another pot.

After that hand, Randall is sitting on a mountain of chips that adds up to about 215,000.

Player Chips Progress
David Randall
David Randall
215,000
61,000
61,000

Tags: David Randall

Stewart Sinks, Then Soars

Casey Stewart has been a fixture on our top 10 leaderboard today, and we just caught him in back-to-back action packed hands.

On the first hand, we saw that Stewart was going heads up with Eric "Basebaldy" Baldwin. There was a pile of chips in the middle that looked to about 70,000, and Baldwin had slid out a bet of 32,600 after Stewart checked. Stewart gave the hand up, and Baldwin took the big pot.

On the very next hand, a player in mid position raised to 6,000. The next player to act moved all in for 20,000, and it folded to Stewart on the button. He made the call, as did the original raiser, and they saw the flop come down {k-Spades}{9-Clubs}{q-Spades}. Both players checked, and the turn brought the {10-Diamonds}. Stewart called when his opponent fired out 20,000, and the river was the {6-Hearts}.

It was checked to Stewart, who assembled a bet of 40,000, and slid it into the middle. His opponent snap called and asked "Do you have Ace Jack?" Stewart did indeed table {a-Clubs}{j-Hearts} for the nut straight, and his opponent flashed a jack before mucking his hand.

After that pot, Stewart is back up to 225,000, while Baldwin increased his stack to 236,000 on the hand before.

Player Chips Progress
Eric Baldwin us
Eric Baldwin
236,000
86,000
86,000
WSOP 2X Winner
Casey Stewart us
Casey Stewart
225,000
85,000
85,000

Tags: Eric BaldwinCasey Stewart