Main Event
Day 1 Started
2012-13 World Series of Poker Circuit Event - Harrah's New Orleans
Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2012-13 World Series of Poker Circuit Event - Harrah's New Orleans
Buy-in
$1,675
Prize Pool
$1,143,000
Entries
762
Level
36
Blinds
80,000 / 160,000
Ante
20,000
Welcome to the Last $1,675 Main Event of the 2012/2013 WSOP Circuit
Welcome to the last stop of the World Series of Poker Circuit Season 9—Harrah’s New Orleans. Today’s $1,675 Main Event marks the third-to-last tournament of the season (there are two other preliminary events to be held on Sunday and Monday), so we’re expecting a large turnout that’ll include dozens of “point chasers” hoping to earn a coveted seat into the National Championship, which will take place here in NOLA beginning on Wednesday.
Since the WSOP Circuit’s inception in 2005, Harrah’s New Orleans has batted cleanup on the season schedule. Last year, the stop proved a tremendous success and crowned a bevy of notable champs including Yung Hwang, Loni Harwood, Jonathan Tamayo and Jacob Naquin. It also saw Justn Truesdell defeat Andrew Nguyen to emerge victorious over a 694-player field in the Main Event. That victory earned Truesdell $171,440 and a seat into the season-ending National Championship.
There’s no doubt the 2011/2012 Harrah’s New Orleans ended with a bang, but it could be overshadowed by this year’s spectacle thanks in no small part to some exciting preliminary event storylines. For instance, Event #1 $365 No-Limit Hold’em attracted 367 entrants and was won by Joseph McKeehen, who you may recall won the Caesars Atlantic City Main Event back in March. The 21-year-old pro from North Wales, Pennsylvania already had a seat in the National Championship, but now he’s got his second ring and the chance to add “Casino Champ” to his résumé.
Another great story to emerge was that off Ray Henson, a 35-year-old poker pro from Houston, Texas. Back in January at the Bicycle Casino stop, Henson took down Event #7 $1,125 No-Limit Hold’em for $42,390 and his first ring. Two months later at the WSOP Circuit Lodge Casino in Blackhawk, Colorado, he won his second ring in Event #8 $365 No-Limit Hold’em for $16,128. Then, less than a week ago, Henson captured number three here in Harrah’s New Orleans by winning Event #3 $365 Pot-Limit Omaha for $13,203.
Other ring winners from the past week include David Hobson, Troy Davis, Nancy Birnbaum and Daniel Lowery. The latter two are especially notable as Birnbaum’s win gave her a third ring, which ties the record for most by a female alongside La Sengphet, while Lowery, a longtime circuit grinder who final tabled last year’s Main Event here in NOLA, finally captured his first gold ring.
Needless to say, the stage is set for an exciting Main Event, which will see the winner awarded one of the two remaining seats into the National Championship, the other going to the eventual “Casino Champion.”
Day 1a of the Main Event is set to kick off at Noon CST, and it looks like the plan is to play 16 levels. Cards will be in the air soon, so stay tuned!
Level: 1
Blinds: 25/50
Ante: 0
Shuffle Up and Deal!
Level 1
: 25/50, 0 ante
Tournament official Jordan Cutter has just welcomed the players to Harrah's New Orleans and cards are now in the air!
Both Day 1a and 1b will be played nine handed, and players are still in the process of filtering into the tournament area. We're off to scour the room for a list of notables.
Friendly Faces
![[user101598]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
Level 1
: 25/50, 0 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
20,000 | 20,000 |
|
20,000 | 20,000 |
|
20,000 | 20,000 |
|
20,000 | 20,000 |
|
20,000 | 20,000 |
|
20,000 | 20,000 |
|
20,000 | 20,000 |
|
20,000 | 20,000 |
|
20,000 | 20,000 |
Friendlier Faces
Level 1
: 25/50, 0 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
20,000 | |
|
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 | |
|
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 |
Tripping Out of the Gate
Level 1
: 25/50, 0 ante
It's the first level of the day, so big hands are hard to come by. This hand wasn't big, but it was the first one we caught with a notable so we thought we'd pass it on.
It began when two-time ring winner Tripp Kirk, who has 19 cashes on the WSOP Circuit for $471,099, opened for 125 under the gun. The player in the cutoff called, the button and blinds both folded and it was heads-up action to the flop, which came down 
.
Kirk continued for 150, the cutoff called and then both players checked the 
turn. Kirk checked for a second time and then called when his opponent bet 225. "Queen," the cutoff said before tabling the 
. Tripp mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
19,500 | -500 |
Zinaty in the House
Level 1
: 25/50, 0 ante
We've just spotted George Zinaty here on Day 1a of the 2012-13 World Series of Poker Circuit Harrah's New Orleans Main Event. Zinaty finished fifth in the WSOP-C Harrah's Cherokee Main Event in his home state of North Carolina, earning $64,303, and then headed up to the City of Brotherly Love, where he finished 14th in the Harrah's Philadelphia Main Event.
Zinaty is looking to cash in this third Main Event in four stops here in the Crescent City of New Orleans, and possibly parlay his run into a seat in the Southern Comfort 100 Proof National Championship.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
20,000 |
More Notables
Level 1
: 25/50, 0 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 | |
|
20,000 |
Henson Off to a Fast Start
Level 1
: 25/50, 0 ante
Ray Henson min-raised to 100 from early position and found three callers, including 2012 bracelet winner Larry Wright in the big blind. The dealer fanned 
, both blinds checked, and Henson tossed out a continuation bet of 125. The action folded back to Wright, who check-raised to 550. Henson called.
The turn was the 
, Wright checked again, and Henson fired out 1,125. The player quickly called.
The river was the 
, Wright knuckled a third time, and Henson tossed out 3,275.
"Call," Wright blurted immediately.
Henson showed 
for a full house, and Wright flashed for a flush. Henson, who has won three gold rings this season, now sits with around 26,000 chips
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
26,000 | 6,000 |
|
|
13,000 | -7,000 |