James Calcagno, winner of Event #7. Picture courtesy of WSOP.com.
To continue on our story of the Harrah's New Orleans stop thus far, we present to you a look at Event #7 $355 NLHE featuring an excerpt from Nolan Dalla's patented WSOP recap:
The winner was Jimmy Calcagno, a 23-year-old part-time poker player from San Antonio, TX. On the same night when his beloved NBA Spurs took an early lead in the West Conference Semi-Finals, Calcagno won his first WSOP gold ring. It was also the first time Calcagno had cashed in a WSOP-related event. First place paid $25,287.
Calcagno was proudly decked out in a Tim Duncan jersey. While his team, the Spurs were dominating the hardwood, Calcagno pretty much dominated the green felt. He arrived at the final table with an average stack size, and then played his best poker for the final five hours en route to an exciting victory.
WSOP Circuit Harrah’s New Orleans Event #7 No-Limit Hold’em
Huy Nguyen has been fighting an uphill battle all day. First, he was eliminated from the Day 1a flight and opted to re-enter here on 1b. Then, he was knocked down early and has been struggling to claw his way back into contention ever since.
In a recent hand, Nguyen opened for 1,250 from early position and received calls from a middle-position player and the hijack. All three players proceeded to check down each street as the board ran out , prompting the MP player to reveal for the winner. Despite losing that pot, Nguyen has chipped up to 15,000, which is almost double from when we checked on him last.
Allie Prescott joined the tournament just a few moments ago. He donated his 20,000 starting stack in a span of two hands. He got up to leave, looked at his friends and said, "Let's go to the bar."
With 11,000 in the pot and a board reading , Mike Holm and his opponent both checked, leading to the river. Once again Holm checked,but this time his opponent fired out 6,000. Holm thought for the briefest of moments before making the call, only to muck when his foe revealed for a flopped full house.
"You actually had a better pair than me the whole time," Holm said with a smile. He' still sitting pretty with 67,000.
We're not sure of all the details, but we do know that Jonathan Job was the beneficiary of a monster three-way hand despite not winning the main pot. You see, a short-stacked Mike Wolf was all in with while Job, who held , and an unknown player, who had , created a massive side pot of around 100K.
The board ran out with three hearts to give Wolf the triple, but it didn't bother Job who was more than happy to lose the small pot and rake in the big. With that, he is the clear Day 1b chip leader with 137K and less than 30 minutes to go.
Jacob Naquin, winner of Event #8. Picture courtesy of WSOP.com.
For the last time tonight, we turn to the WSOP's Nolan Dalla to give you the lowdown on one of Harrah's New Orleans preliminary events, that being Event #8 $1,080 NLHE:
The winner was Jacob Naguin, a local poker player and business owner from New Orleans. He collected one of the bigger cash prizes awarded at this series, so far – totaling $56,260. Naquin pretty much demolished everyone at the final table, winning the top prize in a lightning-fast three hours – much shorter than many observers were predicting, given the strong quality of competition that routinely competes in bigger buy-in events.
Indeed, the cards went Naguin’s way during much of the second day. He shed the disappointment of four previous final table appearances without a win. Naquin has now cashed seven times on the WSOP Circuit, along with four cashes at the WSOP in Las Vegas. He made a final table last year, finishing fourth in one of the $1,500 buy-in tournaments. Naguin also scored big in one of the last major online poker tournaments before the effects of “Black Friday.” He has more than six-figures wrapped up at one site, which prompted an admission that this $56K in winnings came at a great time – just prior to the start of the WSOP (in two weeks)
Naquin owns two convenience stores in the New Orleans area. The name of the stores is “Cheap Smokes.” Alas, Naguin is the one who smoked everyone in this tournament.
WSOP Circuit Harrah’s New Orleans Event #8 No-Limit Hold’em
, prompting the MP player to reveal 
for the winner. Despite losing that pot, Nguyen has chipped up to 15,000, which is almost double from when we checked on him last.
, Mike Holm and his opponent both checked, leading to the 
river. Once again Holm checked,but this time his opponent fired out 6,000. Holm thought for the briefest of moments before making the call, only to muck when his foe revealed 
for a flopped full house.
while Job, who held 
, and an unknown player, who had 
, created a massive side pot of around 100K.
