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

02-27-2012 12:40 UTC-5

Hastings Stings McLaughlin

Mickey Doft

Brian Hastings shoved from the hijack for 136,000 and was called by Jeremy McLaughlin in the big blind.

Hastings: {K-Hearts} {10-Diamonds}
McLaughlin: {A-Clubs} {Q-Hearts}

The {A-Spades} {9-Hearts} {3-Diamonds} flop had Hastings all but out the door as he stood from his chair ready to make his exit. The {K-Spades} hit the turn and gave him five outs to survive and sure enough, the {10-Spades} landed on the river to give Hastings two pair to prolong his tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jeremy McLaughlin	530,000 160,000	160,000
Brian Hastings	298,000 160,000	160,000

Tags: Brian Hastings Jeremy McLaughlin

02-27-2012 12:51 UTC-5

LeBeau and the Ladies

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Roman Valerstein came into the pot raising, and Robert LeBeau three-bet shoved for 173,000 total. When it came back to Valerstein, he called rather quickly, and it was a pair-versus-pair situation as the cards were turned on their backs.

Showdown
Valerstein: {6-Diamonds} {6-Hearts}
LeBeau: {Q-Diamonds} {Q-Clubs}

The {A-Hearts} {Q-Spades} {K-Hearts} flop was money in the bank for LeBeau, and he could be forgiven for celebrating a bit prematurely. The {2-Hearts} on the turn gave him a big sweat as he now needed to fade the hearts left in the deck to stay alive. The river was a red card, too, but the {10-Diamonds} was scary-safe for LeBeau to secure his double.

He's back up to 386,000 and back into the game thanks to that trio of ladies.

Player	Chips	Progress
Robert LeBeau	386,000 183,000	183,000

Tags: Robert LeBeau Roman Valerstein

02-27-2012 12:57 UTC-5

Wakil Binks Hard

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Jamil Wakil opened the pot to 32,000 from the hijack seat, and Chet Farrell made a three-bet to 81,000. Wakil called pretty quickly, and off they went to a heads-up flop.

The dealer spread out {7-Hearts} {6-Diamonds} {4-Spades} , and it brought all the action. Farrell continued out with 92,000, but Wakil came back with a raise to 192,000 straight. Farrell shoved in on him with the covering stack, and Wakil asked to make sure he heard correctly before snap-calling his last 850,000 total.

"Flop a set?" Farrell astutely inquired.

Showdown
Wakil: {6-Hearts} {6-Clubs}
Farrell: {J-Hearts} {J-Diamonds}

Farrell was less than pleased with the spot he'd found himself in, and there'd be no recovering. The turn {4-Clubs} and river {Q-Spades} were blanks, and Wakil has found a monster double to claw back into contention for the chip lead.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jamil Wakil	2,070,000 1,190,000	1,190,000
Chet Farrell	550,000 1,050,000	1,050,000

Tags: Jamil Wakil Chet Farrell

02-27-2012 13:04 UTC-5

Matthew Smith Eliminated in 18th Place ($11,512)

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In early position, Matthew Smith raised to open the pot, and Jamil Wakil three-bet to 80,000 next door. Smith wanted to play for 188,000, though, but his reraise was answered with another Wakil raise to 298,000. That drew the shove from Smith for about 760,000 total. Wakil made the call with a chance at the knockout, and it was a big coin flip for his opponent's tournament life.

Showdown
Smith: {A-Hearts} {Q-Hearts}
Wakil: {J-Hearts} {J-Clubs}

The {9-Spades} {K-Hearts} {Q-Clubs} flop was just what Dr. Smith ordered, and his pair of queens pulled him into a big lead with two to come. The turn {A-Spades} gave him two pair but changed nothing, and he needed to dodge a six-outer on the river. But he could not.

The {10-Spades} ripped off the deck, and Smith was gunned down on Broadway. He's out in 18th place, receiving a pay bump up into five figures with $11,512.

This huge chip boost for Wakil came exactly one hand after his monster double, and he's suddenly closing in on the 3-million chip mark and into a commanding lead.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jamil Wakil	2,900,000 830,000	830,000
Matthew Smith	Busted

Tags: Matthew Smith Jamil Wakil

02-27-2012 13:07 UTC-5

Here Comes Hastings

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Brian "Stinger 88" Hastings has just found his second double today, and that's bad news for the rest of the field.

It happened when Hastings shoved in from early position with {A-Diamonds} {Q-Clubs} , sticking his last 292,000 into the middle on an open-shove. All the way around in the big blind, Jim Harnden looked down at {K-Clubs} {J-Clubs} and made the call, and he was behind but drawing live for the knockout.

The {J-Hearts} {10-Clubs} {2-Diamonds} flop was no fun at all for Stinger, but it was not to worry. Forget about the blank {7-Diamonds} on the turn, because the {K-Spades} river was the money card for Hastings. It made him Broadway and allowed him to stick around with twice as many chips, and he's suddenly up to 610,000 and one big pot away from clawing back to the chip average.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jim Harnden	620,000 369,000	369,000
Brian Hastings	610,000 312,000	312,000

Tags: Brian Hastings Jim Harnden

02-27-2012 13:12 UTC-5

Wakil Barreling

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From middle position, Roman Valerstein raised to 35,000, and he called Jamil Wakil's three-bet to 80,000 to go heads-up out of position.

The flop came down {3-Hearts} {2-Hearts} {10-Clubs} , and the aggressor continued out with another 81,000. Valerstein made it 185,000, though, and Wakil called the check-raise to see the next card. It was the {K-Hearts} , and Valerstein stacked up another bet. He made it 175,000, only to see Wakil make his own raise to 425,000 total.

Valerstein's cards could not have hit the muck any quicker, and Wakil has moved up to about 3.25 million as he puts on a show here at the end of the first level.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jamil Wakil	3,250,000 350,000	350,000
Roman Valerstein	1,340,000 410,000	410,000

Tags: Jamil Wakil Roman Valerstein

Level: 25

Blinds: 10,000/20,000

Ante: 3,000

02-27-2012 13:15 UTC-5

Itkin Takes His Stand

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Roman Valerstein raised under the gun, and his next-door neighbor, Max Itkin three-bet shoved for 172,000 total. Valerstein called with the {A-Hearts} {10-Hearts} , and Itkin's {A-Diamonds} {Q-Spades} had him poised for a double.

The board ran out {K-Spades} {8-Spades} {3-Hearts} {9-Diamonds} {2-Diamonds} , and the kicker plays to give Itkin the chip boost. He's just shy of 400,000 now, while Valerstein takes another little step backwards.

Player	Chips	Progress
Roman Valerstein	1,225,000 115,000	115,000
Max Itkin	398,000 228,000	228,000

Tags: Roman Valerstein Max Itkin

02-27-2012 13:27 UTC-5

Easy Squeezy For Stinger

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From the cutoff seat, Rob Williamson opened to 50,000, and Jim Harnden flatted on the button. When the action came to Brian Hastings in the big blind, he squeezed all in for 557,000 total. Both Williamson and Harnden looked like they very badly wanted to call, but they both folded reluctantly in turn, and Hastings adds a free 100,000 chips to his stack, plus the blinds and antes.

Player	Chips	Progress
Brian Hastings	691,000 81,000	81,000

Tags: Brian Hastings Rob Williamson Jim Harnden

02-27-2012 13:30 UTC-5

Wakil Crushing

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In a battle of the blinds, Jamil Wakil raised to 50,000 from the small, and Chris Parsons defended his big to see a heads-up flop.

The dealer spread out {10-Hearts} {3-Spades} {4-Spades} , and Parsons called another 55,000 from Wakil. The chip leader got another 140,000 in on the {4-Diamonds} turn and 280,000 after the {7-Diamonds} river, and Parsons called him all the way down. We'd only get to see one of the two hands; Jamil's {4-Clubs} {2-Clubs} made trips on the turn to take the pot, and Parsons has been knocked back down under a million chips.

Wakil raised both of the next two pots — from the button and the cutoff seat, respectively — and he was called by the big blind both times. And both times, one continuation bet was enough to take it down on the flop. The big stack is only growing at the moment, and his count of about 3.9 million gives him a full quarter of the chips in play.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jamil Wakil	3,900,000 650,000	650,000
Chris Parsons	945,000 415,000	415,000

Tags: Chris Parsons Jamil Wakil