Main Event
Day 3 Started
2018/19 WSOP Global Casino Championship
Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2018/19 WSOP Global Casino Championship
Buy-in
$10,000
Prize Pool
$1,040,000
Entries
129
Level
27
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
100,000
Six Aim for WSOP Global Casino Championship Bracelet
It is time to crown a new WSOP Global Casino Champion today. Six players return to action, as the WSOP Global Casino Championship will play down to its conclusion starting at 2 p.m. local time at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort.
All six remaining players will be looking to capture the massive first place price of $279,431. Entering the day as the chip leader is Lithuanina poker player Paulius Vaitiekunas who has 2,250,000 in chips, who recovered from a full house over full house cooler late in Day 2 by taking down pocket kings with pocket queens. He qualified for this event when he won a WSOP circuit ring in Rosvadov in March of this year. He has already secured the biggest live poker cash of his career but will certainly be looking to use his chip lead to finish on top.
Second in chips is well known WSOP circuit grinder Ryan Eriquezzo, who won this event back in 2012 when it was called the WSOP National Championship. The native of Connecticut, already has four circuit rings on his resume, including the most recent in Harrah’s Atlantic City circuit event in March. He enters the day with 1,900,000 in chips which is not too far behind the leader but is some distance ahead of the player in third place.
In that third-place slot is Joshua Turner who has 1,335,000. His chip position is interesting as he is well behind second but just as far ahead of fourth, making him secluded on an island in the middle of the stacks to create an interesting dynamic heading into the table. Turner, who hails from St. Louis, is the owner of a staggering seven WSOP Circuit Rings, including one in November of 2018 at the Planet Hollywood circuit stop.
Amazingly enough, Turner’s seven circuit rings are not the most out of the final six as he is eclipsed by none other than WSOP circuit legend Maurice Hawkins, the owner of 13 circuit rings, including two already in 2019. Hawkins enters the table with 865,000 in chips. He will be looking to recreate some Cherokee magic, as this location has been good to him over his career. Not only is it where he won one of his 2019 rings, but it is also where he took down the biggest live poker score of his career when he won the 2016 WSOP Cherokee Main Event for $279,722.
Eric Salazar comes in fifth in chips with 750,000. The Tar Heel State local from Greensboro will be looking to continue his hot run in Cherokee as he has already took down Event 1: $400 Double Stack No-Limit Hold’em a week ago to add his second circuit ring to the 2018/2019 circuit season.
Rounding out the final six as the short stack with 585,000 is Adam Cedric of France who has a relatively modest WSOP resume in comparison to his tablemates, but has many other poker cashes to add up in his resume. His qualification for his event came when he won the main event of the international circuit event in Sint Maarten in March.
All six of these players will be playing for big pay jumps as the money increases rapidly with each elimination. Play begins with 32 minutes remaining in level 22 with at 15,000/30,000 and a 30,000 big blind ante. Breaks will be every two levels.
PokerNews will be on hand to witness the events and report on all the action as the final six play down to a champion.
Action Gets Underway
Level 23
: 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
The players are in their seats and the cards are in the air to kick off the final day of the Global Casino Championship. There will be 32:45 remaining in level 22 with the blinds at 15,000/30,000 and a big blind ante of 30,000.
Vaitiekunas Wins at Showdown Without Showing
Joshua Turner raised to 80,000 on the button and Paulius Vaitiekunas defended from the big blind. The flop fell 
and Vaitiekunas check-called a bet of 70,000 from Turner.
The turn brought the 
and both players checked to the 
on the river. Vaitiekunas checked once more and Turner tossed in a bet of 135,000. Vaitiekunas flicked in a chip to call and Turner just sent his cards to the muck. Vaitiekunas was awarded the pot and didn't even have to show his cards.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,560,000 | 310,000 |
|
975,000 | -360,000 |
Big River Raise From Hawkins
Action on the turn on a board that was unclear aside from the 
Ryan Eriquezzo bet 50,000 and was called my Maurice Hawkins. On the river Eriquezzo bet about 110,000 and was raised to over 400,000 by Hawkins. Eriquezzo thought about it for a while before folding his hand, while Hawkins showed one of his cards.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,730,000 | -170,000 |
|
1,015,000 | 150,000 |
Salazar Gets a Double Up Before Break
Eric Salazar opened to 75,000 from under the gun and Maurice Hawkins called from the cutoff. Ryan Eriquezzo shoved all in from the small blind and Salazar called off his remaining 805,000 chips. Hawkins folded 
before the remaining two hands were tabled.
Eric Salazar: 
Ryan Eriquezzo: 
It was a classic coin flip and Eriquezzo took the lead on the 
flop. As half of the rail cheered for a queen, the dealer burned and turned the 
to give Salazar a set of queens. The 
on the river changed nothing and Salazar scored a double up.
The remaining six players are taking a short break as the level has concluded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,715,000 | 965,000 |
|
|
550,000 | -1,180,000 |
Level: 23
Blinds: 20,000/40,000
Ante: 40,000
Vaitiekunas Increases His Lead
Level 23
: 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Paulius Vaitiekunas opened to 90,000 from under the gun and Maurice Hawkins defended from the big blind. The flop fell 
and both players checked to the on the turn.
Hawkins checked again and Vaitiekunas fired out a bet of 75,000. Hawkins called and the 
completed the board. Hawkins checked for the third time and Vaitiekunas put together a bet of 185,000. Hawkins quickly called and Vaitiekunas tabled 
to scoop the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,500,000 | 500,000 |
|
|
1,500,000 | 100,000 |
|
|
1,400,000 | -100,000 |
|
905,000 | |
|
|
815,000 | -485,000 |
|
|
495,000 | -60,000 |
Salazar Raises Out Chip Leader
Level 23
: 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Paulius Vautiekunas raised to 90,000 from middle position. Eric Salazar defended his big blind. The flop came 
. Vautiekunas bet 75,000 and Salazar thought a moment before raising to 285,000 which garnered a fold from the chip leader to get Salazar a bit closer.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,400,000 | -100,000 |
|
|
1,600,000 | 200,000 |
Hawkins Doubles Through Cedric
Level 23
: 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Maurice Hawkins opened to 110,000 from the hijack and Adam Cedric three-bet to 300,000 from the small blind. Hawkins just called and the two players saw a flop of 
. Cedric shoved all in and Hawkins called off his last 310,000 chips.
Maurice Hawkins: 
Adam Cedric: 
Hawkins was in the lead but didn't want to watch the rest of the cards hit the felt. Hawkins stood far away from the table and waited for the 
on the turn and the 
on the river to complete the board and secure his double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,400,000 | |
|
|
1,600,000 | |
|
|
1,300,000 | 485,000 |
|
|
1,000,000 | -500,000 |
|
|
860,000 | 365,000 |
|
|
575,000 | -330,000 |