For the past three days, Event #2: €1,100 No-Limit Hold'em has played out at the 2012 World Series of Poker Europe at the luxurious Casino Barrière in Cannes, France . What started with 626 players is now down to just 15, each looking to claim the €126,207 first-place prize.
The man best position to do that is Antonin Teisseire, who thrived on Day 2 and bagged up a healthy 269,500. That was enough to make him the chip leader, though not by much as two-time bracelet winner and Big One for One Drop champ Antonio Esfandiari is hot on his heels with 264,000. Others returning for their shot at gold are Day 1a chip leader Ashly Butler; young Americans Joe Kuether and McLean Karr; the consistent Italian Salvatore Bonavena; and the well-traveled Casey Kastle. Aside from Teisseire, five other Frenchman remain are looking to become the first ever to win a WSOP Europe bracelet.
The remaining 15 players will return on Tuesday at 13:00 CET (09:00 EST) to play down to a winner, which is about a half hour from now. Join us then as we find out who’ll be the next player to add his name to this prestigious list:
Casey Kastle was all in preflop holding and up against the of Antonin Teisseire. Kastle was drawing live, but the flop was disaster as it paired Teisseire. Kastle needed running cards to stay alive, but the turn put any hope of that happening to rest as Kastle was left drawing dead. The meaningless wasput out on the river and Kastle took his leave in 15th place.
We're not quite sure of the action, but we do know that W.J. Vincent was all in preflop for around 60,000 with and up against the Jamel Haddad. The flop gave Haddad a pair of sixes, but he needed more help if he hoped to eliminate his American opponent.
Wouldn't you know it, the spiked on the turn to give Haddad two pair and the lead. Vincent was clearly disappointed, and after the river sent him home in 13th place, all he could say in a sarcastic tone was, "Well, that was fun."
Joe Kuether got his stack of around 50,000 all in preflop and was in the worst possible shape against Remi Bollengier.
Showdown
Bollengier:
Kuether:
Kuether was up out of his seat and collecting his things in preparation for a quick exit, which came after the board ran out . Kuether made his way to the payout desk in 12th place to collect €9,423.
Action folded around to Jamel Haddad in the small blind and he moved all in to put the pressure on the short-stacked Igor Kalinicenko in the big blind. Kalinicenko woke up with a monster and quickly called off.
Showdown
Kalinicenko:
Haddad:
While Kalinicenko had the best hand preflop, he didn't on the flop. Haddad had paired his four to take the lead, while the turn improved him to a full house. Kalinicenko needed a queen on the river to chop, but it was not meant to be as the peeled off on the river.
Just a few hands into ten-handed play, Anthony Pons moved all in from middle position and received a call from Salvatore Bonavena in the big blind.
Showdown
Bonavena:
Pons:
It was a classic race, but Pons needed to improve to stay alive. The Frenchman was on his feet to sweat the flop, which came down an unhelpful . The turn was of no consequence, and that meant Pons needed either an ace or queen on the river to stay alive. The dealer burned one last time and put out the , putting an end to Pons' deep run in tenth place and bringing us to the official final table.
Remi Bollengier raised to 16,000 from middle position and received a call from Florian Ciuro directly to his left. The rest of the field got out of the way and it was heads-up action to the flop. Bollengier led out for 22,000 and then snap-called when Ciuro moved all in.
Showdown
Bollengier:
Ciuro:
Bollengier was ahead, but Ciuro was drawing live to either a king, queen or ten. Unfortunately for him, neither the turn nor river were what he needed and he became the first casualty of the final table.
Salvatore Bonavena opened for 22,000 under the gun, and after another player had limped, Jamel Haddad moved all in for 165,000 from the small blind. Bonavena responded by moving all in himself, the limper folded, and the cards were turned up.
Showdown
Bonavena:
Haddad:
Haddad must not have had a good feeling as he was up out of his seat and collecting his thing. The flop wasn't particularly interesting, and the turn meant Haddad needed an ace on the river to stay alive. The dealer burned one last and revealed the , putting an end to Haddad's day in eighth place for €14,736.
Chad HollowayAshly Butler bust out in seventh place.
After Antonin Teisseire had raised, Remi Bollengier three-bet to 52,000 from the button and Ashly Butler moved all in for roughly 190,000 from the big blind. Teisseire got out of the way and Bollengier made the call.
Showdown
Bollengier:
Butler:
Butler joked that he'd been lucky catching aces on the river, but it wouldn't happen this time as the board ran out . Butler, who was in Europe for a wedding and had a few days to spare to play the WSOP Europe, shook hands with the remaining players and then took his leave in seventh place.
Action folded around to McLean Karr on the button and he moved all in for right around 170,000. Antonio Esfandiari then moved all in over the top from the small blind, the big got out of the way, and the cards were flipped on their backs.
Showdown
Karr:
Esfandiari:
Even though he was behind, Karr was all smiles and joked with his friend. "That's not a good flop," Karr quipped when the dealer put down the . "Jack," Karr said in hopes of picking up an open-ended straight draw. "Ok, now a jack," he added after the turn gave him a gut-shot. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't in the cards as the blanked. Karr shook hands with Esfandiari and then exited the stage in sixth place, good for €24,309.
and up against the 
of Antonin Teisseire. Kastle was drawing live, but the 
flop was disaster as it paired Teisseire. Kastle needed running cards to stay alive, but the 
turn put any hope of that happening to rest as Kastle was left drawing dead. The meaningless 
wasput out on the river and Kastle took his leave in 15th place.
and up against the 
Jamel Haddad. The 
flop gave Haddad a pair of sixes, but he needed more help if he hoped to eliminate his American opponent.
river sent him home in 13th place, all he could say in a sarcastic tone was, "Well, that was fun."
. Kuether made his way to the payout desk in 12th place to collect €9,423.
turn improved him to a full house. Kalinicenko needed a queen on the river to chop, but it was not meant to be as the 
peeled off on the river.
turn was of no consequence, and that meant Pons needed either an ace or queen on the river to stay alive. The dealer burned one last time and put out the 
, putting an end to Pons' deep run in tenth place and bringing us to the official final table.
flop. Bollengier led out for 22,000 and then snap-called when Ciuro moved all in.
turn nor 
river were what he needed and he became the first casualty of the final table.
, putting an end to Haddad's day in eighth place for €14,736.
