2012-13 World Series of Poker Circuit Event - Harrah's New Orleans

Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info

2012-13 World Series of Poker Circuit Event - Harrah's New Orleans

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
8k
Prize
$228,600
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,675
Prize Pool
$1,143,000
Entries
762
Level Info
Level
36
Blinds
80,000 / 160,000
Ante
20,000

Weinman Leads the Final 11

Level 27 : 12,000/24,000, 4,000 ante
Daniel Weinman
Daniel Weinman

On Monday, the 2012-13 World Series of Poker Circuit Harrah’s New Orleans Main Event continued with Day 2 action. After 11 more levels of play, Daniel Weinman leads the remaining 11 players with 2,560,000 chips. He was the only player to bag more than two million chips, and following him are Joseph Hebert (1,995,000), Corrie Wunstel (1,785,000), and Rogen Chhabra (1,675,000).

Weinman started his ascent of the counts in Level 22, when he and Rogen Chhabra clashed in a million-chip pot. Chhabra folded a set of queens face up on the river of a three-heart board, and Weinman tossed his cards into the muck facedown. The Harrah’s Cherokee runner-up then crossed the two-million chip threshold when he called two streets from Robert Pantich only to lead on the river when the board paired. Pantich unhappily mucked, and again Weinman opted not to show.

The Atlanta native is a very big favorite to make his second Main Event final table of the season, and is looking to best his finish in the First in Flight state.

Day 2 began with 125 players – only 44 players off of the money bubble. A handful of notables exited early, including Joe Kuether, Kevin Saul, Paul Sokoloff, and Joseph McKeehen.

On the bubble, Earl Merritt opted to fold a pair of aces face up to a three-bet. Merritt had opened to four times the big blind from under the gun, and Tripp Kirk moved all in from the blinds. The player open-folded, and Twitter nearly exploded. Kirk parlayed that good fortune into another deep run, and will return on Day 3 with 575,000. Like Weinman, Kirk has already made a final table this season, finishing third at Horseshoe Hammond.

After the money bubble burst, there was a flurry eliminations including Aaron and Ralph Massey, Brian Green, Eli Loewenthal, and Pedro Rios. Rios held flush and straight draws against two overpairs, but was unable to hit either and reported to the rail.

After the dinner break, Rahul Deevara, who started the day as the chip leader, fell at the hands of Wunstel. Deevara got his money in drawing dead as Wunstel turned a full house, and Deevara hit the rail in 27th place, earning $6,961. Wunstel received a huge double up during the last hand of the night.

Daniel Lowery jumped out to a huge lead at the start of Day 2, but ran into pocket aces twice during Level 25. In one hand, Lowery three-bet shoved with ace-nine suited and Brad Johnson, the original raiser, called with aces. They held, and Lowery was left with less than a big blind. He was promptly eliminated by Sandra Wong, who held two aces.

Soon after, Wong exited as well, and so too did Claudia Crawford, Sean Winter, Nick Jivkov, and Abraham Abud.

Once the field was whittled down to 18 players, they redrew to the final two tables. At that point, Parwez Nawabi, Ben Reason, Robert Panitch, Tzu Yen, Brad Johnson, AJ Atiqi, and Shahirira Assareh were eliminated. Pantich moved all in for nearly twice the pot on a king-high board with a wheel draw, only to be called by Joseph Hebert who held a pair of kings. The river was a brick, and Pantich hit the rail in 16th place.

The remaining 11 players will return at 2 p.m. local time on Monday to battle it out for the $228,600 first-place prize, the ring, and a seat into the Southern Comfort 100 Proof World Series of Poker National Championship. Be sure to tune in then for all of your exclusive, live updates straight from the tournament floor.

Tags: Daniel Weinman

AJ Atiqi Eliminated in 13th Place ($14,116)

Level 27 : 12,000/24,000, 4,000 ante
AJ Atiqi - 13th Place
AJ Atiqi - 13th Place

AJ Atiqi shoved all in for 234,000 under the gun and cleared the field all the way to Shahiriar Assareh, who called off for 224,000 in the big blind.

Assareh: {A-Spades}{Q-Diamonds}
Atiqi: {A-Hearts}{J-Clubs}

"That's not how I want to go out," Atiqi said. The good news is it's not how he'd go out as he had 10,000 more in chips. The bad news is that's all he was left with after the board ran out {4-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds}{q-Clubs}{6-Clubs}{10-Hearts}.

Atiqi was all in from the big blind the very next hand and managed to quadruple up, but he was eliminated a short time later by Robert Cheung.

Player Chips Progress
Shahiriar Assareh
Shahiriar Assareh
480,000 256,000
AJ Atiqi
AJ Atiqi
Busted

Tags: AJ AtiqiShahiriar Assareh

Brad Johnson Eliminated in 14th Place ($14,116)

Level 27 : 12,000/24,000, 4,000 ante
Brad Johnson - 14th Place
Brad Johnson - 14th Place

Pavan Bhatia opened for a raise from under the gun, Brad Johnson moved all in for 360,000 from the big blind, and Bhatia quickly called.

Bhatia: {a-Clubs}{k-Hearts}
Johnson: {a-Hearts}{j-Diamonds}

Bhatia had Johnson dominated, and held as the flop, turn, and river produced {8-Diamonds}{4-Clubs}{9-Diamonds}{9-Hearts}{10-Diamonds}. Johnson was eliminated in 14th place, earning $14,116.

Player Chips Progress
Pavan Bhatia
Pavan Bhatia
1,200,000 365,000
Brad Johnson us
Brad Johnson
Busted

Tags: Brad JohnsonPavan Bhatia

Robert Panitch Eliminated in 16th Place ($11,624)

Level 27 : 12,000/24,000, 4,000 ante
Robert Panitch
Robert Panitch

We didn't catch the action until the turn when the board read {2-Hearts}{k-Spades}{9-Hearts}{3-Spades}. There was around 170,000 already in the pot when Robert "Uncle Crunk" Panitch moved all in for roughly 400,000, which Joseph Hebert called.

Panitch showed the {A-Clubs}{4-Clubs} for a wheel draw, while Hebert was ahead with the {K-Diamonds}{J-Diamonds}. Panitch could win with either a five or an ace, but it wasn't in the cards as the river blanked.

Player Chips Progress
Joseph Hebert us
Joseph Hebert
1,650,000 445,000
Robert Panitch
Robert Panitch
Busted

Tags: Joseph HebertRobert Panitch

Ben Reason Eliminated in 17th Place ($11,624)

Level 27 : 12,000/24,000, 4,000 ante
Benjamin Reason - 17th Place
Benjamin Reason - 17th Place

A short-stacked Ben Reason moved all in under the gun for 290,000 and received a call from Kasra Khodayarkhani to his left. One by one the rest of the field folded and the cards were turned up.

Reason: {A-Diamonds}{10-Diamonds}
Khodayarkhani: {A-Hearts}{J-Hearts}

Reason was in big trouble with his ten kicker and was already getting out of his seat as the dealer started to run out the {2-Spades}{2-Hearts}{3-Spades} flop. The {5-Clubs} turn have Reason some more chop outs, but the {2-Diamonds} river wouldn't help him.

Reason, who finished fifth in the Foxwoods Main Event and will be playing in the National Championship on Wednesday, was sent home in 17th place.

Player Chips Progress
Kasra Khodayarkhani us
Kasra Khodayarkhani
1,280,000 307,000
Ben Reason
Ben Reason
Busted

Tags: Kasra KhodayarkhaniBen Reason

Parwez Nawabi Eliminated in 18th Place ($11,624)

Level 26 : 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante
Parwez Nawabi - 18th Place
Parwez Nawabi - 18th Place

Ben Mintz opened for 40,000 from middle position and cleared the field to Parwez Nawabi, who moved all in for 324,000 from the small blind. Mintz asked for a count and when he got it said, "Alright, lets do it."

Mintz: {A-Diamonds}{Q-Clubs}
Nawabi: {A-Hearts}{K-Diamonds}

Nawabi got it in as an overwhelming favorite, but as Mintz would tell you, he's been running hot for two days. The proof was in the pudding as after the {8-Spades}{6-Diamonds}{7-Spades} flop blanked, the {Q-Hearts} slammed down on the turn. Mintz went from underdog to favorite, and after the {9-Clubs} completed the board on the river, Nawabi was sent to the rail in 18th place.

Player Chips Progress
Ben Mintz us
Ben Mintz
2,600,000 500,000
Parwez Nawabi
Parwez Nawabi
Busted

Tags: Parwez NawabiBen Mintz

Bhatia Times Two

Level 26 : 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante
Pavan Bhatia doubles
Pavan Bhatia doubles

Robert Cheung opened to 42,000 in early position, Brad Johnson called on the button, and Pavan Bhatia three-bet to 144,000 from the big blind. Cheung folded, Johnson called, and the dealer fanned {5-Spades}{2-Clubs}{7-Hearts}.

Bhatia open-shipped for 264,000, and Johnson shrugged before calling.

Bhatia: {q-Diamonds}{q-Spades}
Johnson: {9-Spades}{9-Hearts}

The turn and river bricked {3-Spades}, {2-Diamonds} respectively, and Bhatia doubled to 860,000 chips. Johnson was left with 440,000.

Player Chips Progress
Pavan Bhatia
Pavan Bhatia
860,000 454,000
Brad Johnson us
Brad Johnson
440,000 -430,000

Tags: Brad JohnsonRobert CheungPavan Bhatia

Abud's Elimination Brings About the Two-Table Redraw

Level 25 : 8,000/16,000, 2,000 ante
Abraham Abud - 19th Place
Abraham Abud - 19th Place

Abraham Abud was all in preflop for his last 110,000 or so holding {A-Spades}{A-Hearts} and in great shape to double against the {A-Clubs}{Q-Clubs} of AJ Atiqi.

The {j-Spades}{10-Clubs}{8-Hearts} flop seemed safe enough for Abud, though Atiqi picked up a gutshot straight draw. The {7-Spades} turn was of no consequence, but the {K-Spades} river was as it gave Atiqi the said straight and the win.

Abud was eliminated in 19th place, which means it's time for the two-table redraw.

Player Chips Progress
AJ Atiqi
AJ Atiqi
310,000 210,000
Abraham Abud
Abraham Abud
Busted

Tags: Abraham AbudAJ Atiqi

The Jivkov is Up

Level 25 : 8,000/16,000, 2,000 ante
Nick Jivkov - 20th Place
Nick Jivkov - 20th Place

Benjamin Reason opened for a standard raise in middle position, and 2012 World Series of Poker bracelet winner Nick Jivkov three-bet jammed for 330,000 from the small blind. Reason tank-called.

Reason: {8-Clubs}{8-Diamonds}
Jivkov: {a-Clubs}{j-Clubs}

Kevin Saul tried to will an ace or a jack from the deck for his good friend Jivkov, but Reason held as the board rolled out {5-Diamonds}{q-Diamonds}{9-Spades}{2-Hearts}{8-Hearts}. Jivkov hit the rail in 20th place, earning $9,681, while Reason now has around 770,000 chips.

Player Chips Progress
Benjamin Reason us
Benjamin Reason
770,000 5,000
Nick Jivkov bg
Nick Jivkov
WSOP 1X Winner
Busted

Tags: Benjamin ReasonNick Jivkov

Winter is Over

Level 25 : 8,000/16,000, 2,000 ante
Sean Winter - 20th Place
Sean Winter - 20th Place

Sean Winter was all in and at risk for 300,000 or so on a flop of {j-Spades}{3-Diamonds}{8-Diamonds} holding {k-Diamonds}{4-Diamonds}. His flush draw was live, but Joseph Hebert held a pair and two diamonds with {j-Diamonds}{10-Diamonds}.

Both the turn ({3-Spades}) and the river ({5-Clubs}) were black bricks, and Winter hit the rail in 21st place.

Player Chips Progress
Joseph Hebert us
Joseph Hebert
805,000 515,000
Sean Winter us
Sean Winter
Busted

Tags: Joseph HebertSean Winter