Break Time
Level 29
: 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante
The final three players have reached the end of Level 29 and are now taking a 15-minute break.
2012-13 World Series of Poker Circuit Event - Caesars Atlantic City
Main Event
Day: 3
Level: 30
Blinds: 25,000/50,000
Ante: 5,000
Sinishtaj Bet Seems Sinister to McKeehen
Level 30
: 25,000/50,000, 5,000 ante
Following an Ido Ashkenazi button fold, Joseph McKeehen raised to 140,000 from the small blind and Tony Sinishtaj called from the big blind.
The flop came 
and McKeehen continued for 130,000. Sinishtaj called. The turn then brought the 
, and this time McKeehen checked. Sinishtaj fired 225,000 into the opening, and McKeehen called.
The river was the 
. McKeehen checked once more, and when Sinishtaj bet 475,000 rather quickly, McKeehen thought for a short while before folding, showing the 
as he did.
Afterwards Ashkenazi asked McKeehen what card he'd shown, and he noted it was ace, adding that he thought Sinishtaj had a better one. Meanwhile Sinishtaj wordlessly collected the chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
5,150,000
-600,000
|
-600,000 |
|
||
|
3,900,000
600,000
|
600,000 |
|
||
McKeehen Gets It Back
Level 30
: 25,000/50,000, 5,000 ante
Shortly after losing a good sized pot to Tony Sinishtaj, Joseph McKeehen got it back and a few extra. McKeehen raised it up to 140,000 in the small blind, and Sinishtaj made the call. The flop came down 
, and both players checked.
The turn brought the 
, and McKeehen fired out 150,000. Sinishtaj made the call, and the river brought the 
. McKeehen fired out another bet, this time 295,000, and Sinishtaj tossed the call in after a few moments of thought. McKeehen rolled over 
for broadway, and that was good enough to take the hand.
Sinishtaj dropped back down to 3.1 million, while McKeehen is up again to 5.9 million.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,900,000
750,000
|
750,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,100,000
-800,000
|
-800,000 |
|
|
||
Ido Ashkenazi Eliminated in 3rd Place ($78,659)
Level 30
: 25,000/50,000, 5,000 ante
Just one hand before, Ido Ashkenazi had raised, Joseph McKeehen three-bet, and Ashkenazi called. The flop had brought three Broadway cards, including a king, and when Ashkenazi folded to McKeehen's flop bet, the pair were discussing what might have been.
Ashkenazi said he'd folded pocket eights while McKeehen said his hand had been 
, and the discussion was over what would have happened had Ashkenazi four-bet before the flop.
It appeared perhaps Ashkenazi had dodged a bullet, but on the very next hand the preflop reraising war that they were envisioning did in fact occur, although this time between Ashkenazi and Tony Sinishtaj.
Following an opening raise to 130,000 by Sinishtaj from the small blind, Ashkenazi made it 280,000 to go from a seat over, Sinishtaj pushed all in, and Ashkenazi quickly called.
Sinishtaj: 
Ashkenazi: 
The flop came 
and the turn the 
, and Ashkenazi was still ahead although needing to fade a number of river cards. Alas for him, the river brought the 
to pair Sinishtaj, and Ashkenazi's Main Event run has ended in third place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,470,000
570,000
|
570,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
Chip Counts to Start Heads-Up Play
Level 30
: 25,000/50,000, 5,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,470,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
4,330,000 | |
|
|
||
McKeehen Wins 2.8 Million Chip Pot
Level 30
: 25,000/50,000, 5,000 ante
It took about 10 hands of heads up play for us to see our first flop, but it was worth the wait, as the two tangled in a big one.
Joseph McKeehen raised it up to 105,000, and Tony Sinishtaj three bet to 240,000 for the second time in three hands. McKeehen made the call, and the flop came down 
. Sinishtaj led out for 275,000, and McKeehen took just a few moments to call.
The turn brought the , and Sinishtaj fired out again, this time for 335,000. McKeehen came along, and the river was the . Sinishtaj fired one more time, 625,000, and McKeehen made the call.
Sinishtaj tabled for a pair of sixes, and McKeehen rolled over for top pair on board. Sinishtaj lost a third of his chips in that hand, as he is now down to 2.9 million, while McKeehen jumps up to 7.9 million.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,900,000
1,430,000
|
1,430,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,900,000
-1,430,000
|
-1,430,000 |
|
|
||
No Hurry, No Worry
Level 30
: 25,000/50,000, 5,000 ante
Following that large pot that went McKeehen's way, we've just seen nearly a dozen hands go by with nary a flop, as each player is generally taking the opportunity to raise his button and win the blinds and antes.
With the blinds 25,000/50,000, both players are plenty deep enough to remain patient as they seek opportunities to carve more substantially into each other's stacks.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,680,000
-220,000
|
-220,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,120,000
220,000
|
220,000 |
|
|
||
Kings vs. Ace-King = Small Pot
Level 30
: 25,000/50,000, 5,000 ante
We just finished talking about how patient these two were playing, and that was perfectly on display in this hand.
Tony Sinishtaj raised it up to 100,000 on the button, and Joseph McKeehen made the call. The flop came down , and McKeehen led for 100,000. Sinishtaj called, and they both checked when the 
hit the turn. The river brought the 
, and McKeehen fired out 200,000 this time. Sinishtaj snap called and rolled over 
. McKeehen said "God I'm the worst," and tabled .
Had the two played the hand aggressively preflop, the tournament would have been over. As it is, McKeehen holds an 8 million to 2.8 million lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,000,000
320,000
|
320,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,800,000
-320,000
|
-320,000 |
|
|
||
Trips Mean Chips for McKeehen
Level 30
: 25,000/50,000, 5,000 ante
Following another Tony Sinishtaj min-raise open from the button for 100,000, Joseph McKeehen called and the pair saw the flop come 
. McKeehen checked, Sinishtaj bet 125,000, and McKeehen called.
The turn then brought the 
, and McKeehen led out with a bet of 220,000 which after a bit of thought Sinishtaj called. The river was the , and again McKeehen came out firing, this time for 530,000.
Sinishtaj carved out the calling chips and after studying the situation for a few seconds exhalingly called. McKeehen quickly showed for trip deuces, and Sinishtaj flashed his hand — 
(two pair) — as he tossed his cards dealerward.
That hand pushed McKeehen up over 9 million chips, giving him a nearly 6-to-1 chip lead at present over Sinishtaj.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
9,250,000
1,250,000
|
1,250,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,550,000
-1,250,000
|
-1,250,000 |
|
|
||