Main Event
Day 3 Completed
Main Event
Day 3 Completed
After three days of play and over 34 hours of poker, a champion has been crowned at the 2012-13 World Series of Poker Circuit Bicycle Casino Main Event. That player, who outlasted 720 other entrants, was Baptiste Chavaillaz. For his efforts, Chavaillaz took home $216,275, the coveted WSOP Circuit gold ring and a seat to the Southern Comfort 100 Proof WSOP Circuit National Championship in New Orleans from May 21-23, 2013.
When play returned on Monday, there were 13 players including a few stars in the field. Unfortunately for the fans, most of those stars bowed out before the final table was reached.
Nam Le was the first to leave us, when his couldn’t hold against the of Nathan Bjerno. Doug Lee was the next to go, and his exit was a brutal one. Lee was faced with an all-in bet from Chavaillaz on a board that read board. Lee made the call with the , and he was in great shape against the of Chavaillaz. Lee was primed for a huge double up, but the came on the river and knocked Lee out in 12th place. Greg Brask went out in 11th when he lost a coin flip to Eric Valera, and that gave us the unofficial final table of 10.
At the time, the biggest name left was Joe Tehan, but he would come to be the final table bubble boy. Tehan was down to less than 10 big blinds when he shoved the rest of it in with the . He was in trouble, though, as David Malka woke up with the in the big blind. Malka flopped a jack, and that was all she wrote for Tehan's run.
That elimination brought upon the final table, and the first player to go was Erik Roussakis. Roussakis was on an incredible run, as he had just finished fifth in the WSOP Circuit Rincon Main Event last month. His second final table in as many months did not last very long. In one of the first hands of the final nine, Roussakis was all in holding the on a . Roussakis had top pair with a good kicker, but he was miles behind the of Chavaillaz. A spade on the turn kept Roussakis alive despite giving Chavaillaz a flush, but the river brought the and that was that.
Nathan Bjerno started as the chip leader, but nothing went his way all day, and he entered the final table as the short stack. He was eliminated in eighth place when his lost to the of Jared Ingles. Ingles flopped a set, which rendered Bjerno’s running two pair irrelevant. Despite going out earlier then he had hoped, he did take the lead in the Casino Champion race.
Malka was the next player to leave us. He got into a raising war in the blinds with Ingles, and Malka’s was in bad shape against the of Ingles. The board brought no help, and Malka would have to settle for $32,800.
Less than ten minutes later, the sixth-place finisher was found, and that player was Jesus Gastelum. He was involved a race, holding the against the of Zhong Chen. A four in the window sealed the deal for Chen and sent Gastelum home packing.
Huicun Qiao was the next player to leave. He put his tournament at risk holding the on a flop. Qiao had a chance, but he was drawing thin against the of Varela. Qiao couldn’t catch what he needed, and he walked away with $55,340 in his pocket.
Until this point, the eliminations were coming fast and furious. However, there was a a full four hours before another player was eliminated. The field almost lost Chen when his ran into the of Ingles, however, Chen caught a queen on the flop and another one on the river to stay alive.
Speaking of Ingles, he became the fourth-place finisher, and it was due to Chavaillaz making a great call. Preflop action folded to Chavaillaz who raised to 170,000. Chen folded his small blind and action was on Ingles, who made a reraise to 420,000. Chavaillaz made the call, and it was off to the flop, which came down . Ingles made a bet of 280,000. After processing this, Chavaillaz put in a raise to 800,000. It didn't take too long for Ingles to make the decision to move all in, and this sent Chavaillaz into the tank.
"Do you really have aces or kings?" Chavaillaz muttered to himself. After a few minutes of thinking, he found a call.
Baptiste:
Ingles:
Chavaillaz picked off Ingles' bluff with just top pair, and he couldn't have asked to see a better hand. Ingles was drawing dead to running outs. The turn was the , and that card put a lock on the hand for Chavaillaz. The river was just a formality as Ingles hit the rail in fourth place for $73,270.
Then, Varela lost a flip to bust in third place. He raised it up to 200,000 on the button, and Chavaillaz three-bet to 560,000. Chen got out of the way, and it didn't take long for Valera to move all in. Once Chavaillaz got the count, he made the call.
Chavaillaz:
Valera:
Chavaillaz loved the flop of , and he stayed out in front on the turn and river. It was an incredible run for Varela, made more incredible by the fact that Varela is solely a cash game player, and this was his first tournament. Furthermore, he got in on a freeroll as the Bicycle Casino offered 20 free seats to the tournament by running a promotion just before the event. You could qualify by playing 25 hours of live cash games from December to January. Varela parlayed those cash game sessions into a nearly $100,000 prize.
Heads-up play only lasted about 30 minutes before it was all over. Chen raised to 275,000, and Chavaillaz announced "500." It was a reraise to 500,000, and it only took Chen a few moments to move all in. Chavaillaz let out a sigh, and asked "More gifts?" Eventually, he said call, and the hands were tabled.
Chavaillaz:
Chen:
It was a coin flip to decide whether Chen would stay alive or if Chavaillaz would be crowned the winner. The flop wasn't great for Chen, coming down .Chen was looking for a queen, jack or running straight cards, but the turn sealed it when the hit the felt. Chavaillaz's rail erupted knowing Chen was drawing dead, and the river was the meaningless to complete the board.
WSOP-C Bicycle Casino Final Table Results
Place | Player | Prize |
---|---|---|
1 | Baptiste Chavaillaz | $216,275 |
2 | Zhong Chen | $133,350 |
3 | Eric Varela | $98,310 |
4 | Jared Ingles | $73,270 |
5 | Huicun Qiao | $55,340 |
6 | Jesus Gastelum | $42,340 |
7 | David Malka | $32,800 |
8 | Nathan Bjerno | $25,730 |
9 | Erik Roussakis | $20,430 |
Next week, the WSOP Circuit will be in Durant, Oklahoma for the Choctaw Main Event. Pokernews will be there to bring you all of the action from our Live Reporting Pages.
Zhong Chen raised it up to 275,000, and Baptiste Chavaillaz announced "500". It was a raise to 500,000, and it only took Chen a few moments to move all in. Chavaillaz let out a sigh, and asked "more gifts?" Eventually, he said call.
Chavaillaz:
Chen:
It was a coin flip to decide whether Chen would stay alive, and the flop wasnt' great for him, coming . Chen was still looking for a queen or a jack, but the turn sealed it, coming the . Chavaillaz's rail erupted, and the meaningless river was the .
Chen made a fantastic run, and for his efforts, he will take home $133,350.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Baptiste Chavaillaz |
14,335,000
3,710,000
|
3,710,000 |
Zhong Chen | Busted |
Preflop Chavaillaz raised to 200,000 on the button. Chen made the call from the big blind.
The flop came out and Chen bet out 300,000. Chavaillaz called.
On the turn, , Chen moved all in.
"You wouldn't do that with a flush draw would you?" Chavaillaz asked as he talked himself through the hand. "I wish I had a better draw with my eight," he said as he folded.
Chen scooped the pot and moved to 3,700,000 in chips.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Baptiste Chavaillaz |
10,625,000
-125,000
|
-125,000 |
Zhong Chen |
3,710,000
145,000
|
145,000 |
Baptiste Chavaillaz made it 200,000 from the button, and Zhong Chen made the call. The flop came down , and both players checked. The hit the turn, and Chen fired out 250,000. Chavaillaz made the call, and the river brought the . Chen checked to Chavaillaz, who fired out 400,000. Chen thought for just a couple moments before grabbing the chips and making the call.
Chavaillaz rolled over . Chen took a look at his hand, then the board, and said, "I believe my kicker plays." Indeed it did, as Chen tabled for a better ten, and he dragged the pot to get up to 3.565 million.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Baptiste Chavaillaz |
10,750,000
-750,000
|
-750,000 |
Zhong Chen |
3,565,000
730,000
|
730,000 |
Chen had the button and he raised to 225,000. Chavaillaz called from the big blind.
Flop:
Chavaillaz bet out 250,000. Chen raised to 500,000. Chavaillaz quickly folded. Send the first pot to Chen.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Baptiste Chavaillaz |
11,500,000
-475,000
|
-475,000 |
Zhong Chen |
2,835,000
475,000
|
475,000 |
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Baptiste Chavaillaz |
11,975,000
1,505,000
|
1,505,000 |
Zhong Chen |
2,360,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
Eric Valera raised it up to 200,000 on the button, and Baptiste Chavaillaz three bet it to 560,000. Zhong Chen got out of the way, and it didn't take long for Valera to move all in. Once Chavaillaz got the count, he made the call.
Chavaillaz:
Valera:
Chavaillaz loved the flop of , and he stayed out in front on the turn, the , and the river, the . Chavaillaz collected the bounty, and sent us to heads up play!
It was an incredible run for Varela, made more incredible by the fact that Varela is solely a cash game player, and this was his first tournament. The cherry on top? He got in on a freeroll. The Bike offered 20 free seats to the tournament by running a freeroll just before the event. You could qualify by playing 25 hours of live cash games from December to January. Well Varela has parlayed those cash game sessions into a nearly $100,000 prize!
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Eric Varela | Busted |
Baptiste Chavaillaz just won two consecutive hands to bring him above the 10,000,000 chip mark.
On the first hand Eric Varela limped on the button. Chavaillaz called from the small blind, and Zhong Chen checked his big blind.
On the board, Chavaillaz fired 250,000. He was called by Chen, while Varela folded.
The turn was the . Chavaillaz slowed down and checked, while Chen fired 350,000. Chavaillaz called.
On the river action went check, check, and Chavaillaz turned up for a rivered two pair, and it was good enough to scoop the pot.
On the second hand Chavaillaz raised the button to 225,000. He was only called by Varela in the big blind.
The flop fell and Varela check. Chavaillaz bet 375,000 and Varela called.
On the turn, Varela checked again, and this time Chavaillaz shoved, prompting a fold from Varela.
Those two hands moved Chavaillaz up to 10,470,000 in chips while the other two players are nursing short stacks.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Baptiste Chavaillaz |
10,470,000
1,370,000
|
1,370,000 |
Zhong Chen |
2,350,000
150,000
|
150,000 |
Eric Varela |
1,590,000
-1,645,000
|
-1,645,000 |
Baptiste Chavaillaz raised it up to 225,000, and both Chen and Varela came along to see the flop. That flop was , and it was checked to Chavaillaz, who fired out 300,000. Chen came along, but Varela folded, and the heads up turn was the . This time, Chen checked, and Chavaillaz announced 1.2 million. Chen thought for just a few moments before annoucing all in, and Chavaillaz snap it off.
Chavaillaz:
Chen:
It was a tough cooler for Chen, who would need a nine to win or a six or five on the river to chop. Chen spiked a miracle in the river earlier in the day to survive, and he did it again this time, as the came on the river to give both players queens full.
Chop chop boys.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Baptiste Chavaillaz |
9,100,000
190,000
|
190,000 |
Zhong Chen |
2,200,000
-130,000
|
-130,000 |