Bai Leads the Final Seven in 2019 WSOPC Potawatomi Main Event Final Table
Day 2 of the 2019 World Series of Poker Potawatomi $1,700 Main Event saw 70 of 447 players return to the felt, and after a little over ten levels of play, just seven players were left standing with Richard Bai and his 3.385 million chip stack leading the way. Bai, who boasts over $800,000 in Hendon Mob reported tournament earnings, already has one mid-major title on his record, winning an MSPT Main Event title at the same casino in 2017 for $139,086.
Hot on his heels are Jorden Helstern (2,515,000) and Matthew Levin (2,475,000). Rounding out the final table are Henry Zou (1,775,000), young phenom James Pupillo (1,450,000), Nik Stone (1,100,000), and Brett Apter (760,000), who will start the day as the short stack. Apter has plenty of final table experience under his belt, however, including a win at Event #17: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout this summer at the 2019 WSOP, earning him $238,824 and a gold bracelet.
Day 3 Seat Draw
| Seat | Name | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nikolas Stone | 1,100,000 |
| 2 | Henry Zou | 1,775,000 |
| 3 | Jorden Helstern | 2,515,000 |
| 4 | Brett Apter | 760,000 |
| 5 | Matthew Levin | 2,475,000 |
| 6 | James Pupillo | 1,450,000 |
| 7 | Richard Bai | 3,385,000 |
Day 2 Action
Only two players would go home empty-handed from the seventy that started the day, and after Jeff Trudeau busted shortly after play began, it would be nearly an hour on the bubble before Edward Dixon got his ace-queen cracked by Ravi Raghavan and his ten-deuce for Dixon's last ten big blinds.
The pace of play quickened considerably from that point on as the average stack hovered between 50-60 big blinds for a large portion of the day. Even armed with deep stacks, the eliminations came at a rapid pace. A few of those that managed to take home a portion of the prize pool was two former WSOPC Potawatomi champs as Keven Stammen (35th - $3,072) and Michael Hudson (52nd - $2,693) each earned a cash.
Others that went home with a piece of the prize pool prior to the final table were WSOPC Ameristar St. Charles champ Scott Hall (13th - $8,195), Day 1a chip leader Sohale Khalili (14th - $8,195), 2019 WSOP Main Event final tablist Kevin Maahs (23rd - $4,890), 12-time WSOPC ring winner Josh Reichard (32nd - $3,367), WSOP Bracelet winner Alex Ziskin (38th - $2,852), and Day 1a chip leader Jill Bryant (50th - $2,693).
Final Table Action
With the average stack sitting at just over 53 big blinds at the start of the final table, it took some time for the first player to fall. George Pappas started the final table as the short stack and survived for some time before finally losing a flip to Stone to hit the rail a little over an hour after the final table started.
Michael Esquivel, who earned a breakout win in last week's MSPT Canterbury Park Main Event for $98,113, followed that up with a ninth-place performance. He jammed his last 17 big blinds with ace-jack and ran into the queens of Helstern, and although Esquivel found a jack on the flop, he improved no further and hit the rail.
A mammoth pot then happened between Bai and Jack Torcolese, when Torcolese overbet jammed with a pair and a gutshot for Bai's last 60 big blinds. Bai made the call with aces, and Torcolese couldn't catch up, giving Bai nearly a third of the chips in play and a commanding lead with eight players left. Torcolese got his last 15 big blinds in a few hands later with queen-nine, but couldn't overcome the Big Slick of Apter to exit in seventh.
2019 WSOPC Potawatomi Main Event Final Table Results
| Position | Player | Location | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TBD | TBD | |
| 2 | TBD | TBD | |
| 3 | TBD | TBD | |
| 4 | TBD | TBD | |
| 5 | TBD | TBD | |
| 6 | TBD | TBD | |
| 7 | TBD | TBD | |
| 8 | Jack Torcolese | Niles, Illinois | $15,742 |
| 9 | Michael Esquivel | Clarendon Hills, Illinois | $12,478 |
| 10 | George Pappas | Park Ridge, Illinois | $10,037 |
Day 3 will kick off at noon local time on Monday at the start of Level 27 (25,000/50,000/50,000). Play will continue until a winner is crowned. Be sure to stay tuned right here to PokerNews as we determine which of the seven remaining players will walk out of Potawatomi Hotel and Casino with $138,317, a coveted WSOPC ring, and a seat at the 2020 WSOPC Global Championship!
flop, but Apter took the lead right back on the 
turn. The 
river bricked off, and Torcolese, who started the final table with the chip lead, bows out in eighth.
flop, Bai checked, and Torcolese simply jammed to put Bai at risk for his last 1.8 million. Bai tanked for three minutes before a clock was called, and halfway through the clock, he called.
turn and 
river bricked off, sending nearly a third of the chips in play over to Bai.
turn and 
river to bust.
flop hit the felt. 
flop. Action was checked to Richard Bai who fired out 50,000 on the button and Jonathan Lawson raised all in for 225,00o from the small blind. Michael Esquivel called from the big blind and Bai three-bet to 350,000 getting a fold from Esquivel.
to end his tournament run.
flop to Pappas, who bet 40,000. Hall check-raised all in for 325,000, and Pappas called after a few moments of thought.
turn and 
flop with a pair of tens. Levin hit back on the 
