$5,150 Circuit Championship Main Event | 2009 World Series of Poker Circuit - Council Bluffs

02-25-2009 20:06 UTC-5

High Steaks Poker

[user66118]

Steaks are ready! The three remaining players have taken their dinner break together. They'll be back in a half hour or 45 minutes, give or take.

02-25-2009 19:58 UTC-5

John McDonald limped in from the button, and Dennis Meierotto completed from the small blind. Jesse Hale had 126,000 chips left, and he verbally moved them all in. McDonald began to ponder. "Someone told me... that this hand is 50-50 today..."

"Pocket deuces?" replied Hale, with a big smirk. "If you have pocket deuces, I would highly recommend you call, knock me out, and move up in the payouts."

After just another minute, McDonald emphatically announced, "All right, I call!" With that, Hale's tournament life was once again in jeopardy. Meierotto folded.

Showdown:
McDonald: {7-Diamonds}

Hale:

Trouble found Hale as the flop rolled out {2-Hearts}

. McDonald snagged the lead with his top pair, and now it was Hale who would need to catch up to stay alive.

Stay seated, Jesse. The turn brought the {J-Hearts}

to improve Hale to top pair, and the {6-Hearts}

that filled out the board earned the short stack a much-needed double up. He's back to just under 280,000 now.

Tags: Jesse Hale John McDonald

02-25-2009 19:58 UTC-5

Crash Landing On the River

donpeters

John McDonald raised from the button to 35,000 and Dennis Meierotto called out of the small blind. With action on Jesse Hale in the big blind, he announced that he was going to raise. Hale then made it 155,000 total.

McDonald made the call after pausing for a moment. "Now, I just don't understand that," commented Hale on McDonald's smooth call preflop. Meierotto then folded.

The flop came down {3-Spades}

and the pot sat well over 300,000 chips. "I'm all in," announced Hale shortly after the dealer laid the three cards on the felt. McDonald then went into the tank.

"I'm buying dinner either way," said Hale. "Dinner with the wine."

McDonald was in the tank for about two minutes while Hale walked away from the table to use his phone after asking one of the floor members if he could do so. While he was away from the table, McDonald looking at his wife on the rail and said, "We're winners either way, right?" She smiled just as McDonald said, "I call!"

Showdown:
Hale: {Q-Clubs}

McDonald:

Tom Sexton announced the hands as Hale came quickly back to the table. The dealer then burned and turned -- the {8-Clubs}

-- no help for McDonald.

"I got a flush draw," joked Hale.

The dealer then slowly burned for the final time and dealt the river... the {5-Clubs}

! "YES!" yelled McDonald as he tossed his hands up into the air. He then went over and shook hands with Hale before raking in the pot.

"You're buying dinner now," said Hale.

McDonald was all in for 248,000 total, leaving Hale with a little over 120,000 chips. After a few moments went by, Hale asked McDonald what he thought he was up against. "I just didn't think you were that strong," responded McDonald.

Tags: Dennis Meierotto Jesse Hale John McDonald

02-25-2009 19:38 UTC-5

Eat 'n Run

[user66118]

Jesse Hale has offered to buy a steak dinner for his two competitors. There was a dinner break scheduled for right now, but nobody wants to stop playing for too long. As a result, the tournament staff has taken the food order for the three players and sent it to the steakhouse. As soon as they can get three ribeyes broiled to medium-rare, we'll take a break for the players to go chow down. We expect to take 30 minutes sometime close to 7:00.

Level: 15

Blinds: 6,000/12,000

Ante: 2,000

02-25-2009 19:08 UTC-5

Updated Chip Counts

[user66118]

Dennis Meierotto - 590,000
Jesse Hale - 465,000
John McDonald - 291,000

02-25-2009 19:05 UTC-5

Nice Pot for Hale

donpeters

Dennis Meierotto raised from the button preflop and both Jesse Hale and John McDonald called out of the blinds. The flop came down {A-Clubs}

and all three players checked.

The turn paired the bottom card with the {9-Diamonds}

coming off. Hale led for 27,000 and McDonald called. Meierotto folded.

The river brought the {6-Diamonds}

after Hale checked dark. McDonald checked behind and then revealed two deuces. Hale showed {A-Spades}

to take down the pot.

Tags: Dennis Meierotto Jesse Hale John McDonald

02-25-2009 18:54 UTC-5

Rapper Jesse Hale

donpeters

Jesse Hale wanted to sing so he asked the crowd to pick an artist. A fan yelled out "Eminem" from behind the rail. This prompted Hale to begin rapping Eminem's Please Stand Up.

After a few verses, Hale stopped and cautioned, "I better not sing too much or some F-bombs might get me a penalty and I'll be blinded off."

The rest of the table and the fans chuckled and applauded in response to Hale's singing, but I don't think he'll be signing a rap deal anytime soon.

Tags: Jesse Hale

02-25-2009 18:49 UTC-5

Taking More From Meierotto

donpeters

John McDonald was at it again stealing chips from Dennis Meierotto. This time, McDonald limp-called a raise to 28,000 made by Meierotto from the small blind. Meierotto was in the big blind.

McDonald checked dark and the flop came down {Q-Spades}

. Meierotto checked behind.

The turn was the {K-Clubs}

and both players checked.

After the river fell the {10-Spades}

, McDonald fired 38,000. Meierotto thought for a brief second and then mucked. "You were supposed to bet," said McDonald as he raked in the pot.

Tags: Dennis Meierotto John McDonald

02-25-2009 18:45 UTC-5

Why So Much, Jesse?

[user66118]

We pick up the action on the flop in the first family pot here three handed. The board shows {K-Clubs}

. Hale checks first, McDonald bets, and both Meierotto and Hale call.

Fourth street comes the {10-Clubs}

. McDonald fires again, this time for 37,000. That's enough to get Meierotto out, but Hale quietly announces that he is all in on the check-raise. It's an additional 194,000 for McDonald, and he would take several minutes before making his decision.

"Why so much, Jesse?" he wonders aloud. After another minute, he walks all the way around the table to join Hale, who is kneeling up on his chair with one leg. "Do you want me to call?" he asked.

"I'll give you either of those questions you want. You asked two, and I'll answer one of them. Any one you want."

"All right. Why so much?" repeats McDonald.

Hale proceeds to explain that if he made a normal raise, he wouldn't be able to make a big all in move on the river. Hence, he elected to just shove right then and there. Seemingly satisfied by the answer, McDonald slowly walks the long way back to his own chair and quickly slips his cards back to the dealer.

Tags: Jesse Hale John McDonald