2012 World Series of Poker

$25,300 One Drop Mega Satellite
Day: 1
Event Info

2012 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
87
Prize
$1,000,000
Event Info
Buy-in
$25,000
Entries
96
Level Info
Level
19
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
10,000

Meling Looking To Turn Rags To Riches

Level 17 : 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante

Steve Meling has made it to the final nine and will surely be one of the greatest "rags to riches" stories of all time if he's able to pull off going on to win the Big One for One Drop.

According to Meling, he played in a $65 satellite at the Horseshoe Council Bluffs casino where he won an entry into a larger $765 satellite. From there, Meling won his seat into this event and has so far parlayed it into an appearance at the final table. Still, Meling is guaranteed nothing just yet until he can work his way into the top three.

Upon review, nothing on record can be found for Meling when it comes to live tournament cashes, so storming onto the poker scene with a $400,000 core or better would be an amazing accomplishment. Of course, if he's able to win the seat and then go on to cash in the Big One for One Drop, the story will go down as one of the most epic ones in poker history.

Earlier, we talked about how Sarkiss Osalian and his chance to pull of a miracle, but he busted. It's now up to Meling to hold it down for the amateurs chasing the poker dream.

Tags: Sarkiss OsalianSteve Meling

Bolotin Busts; Hansen Takes Lead

Alex Bolotin has just fallen in 10th place and the tournament has moved down to nine players. He fell at the hands of Gus Hansen on the following hand.

Action folded around to Hansen in middle position and he opened with a raise to 95,000. From the hijack seat, Bolotin reraised all in for 540,000 and everyone folded back to Hansen. The man known as "The Great Dane" called with the {A-Spades}{K-Clubs} for two overcards against the {J-Hearts}{J-Clubs} for Bolotin.

A flop a {10-Hearts}{9-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds} kept Bolotin in front as he was looking for a double, but the {A-Diamonds} on the turn made his chances very grim. The river completed the board with the {A-Hearts} and Bolotin was eliminated. Hansen moved to over 2.2 million in chips.

Player Chips Progress
Gus Hansen dk
Gus Hansen
WSOP 1X Winner
2,200,000 1,100,000
Alex Bolotin us
Alex Bolotin
WSOP 1X Winner
Busted

Tags: Alex BolotinGus Hansen

Level: 17

Blinds: 20,000/40,000

Ante: 5,000

Play Slowing

Level 16 : 15,000/30,000, 4,000 ante

As expected, play has slowed down quite a lot since going to one table. The players can really start to sense the fact that they're just a handful of spots away from some big money and a chance to play in the Big One for One Drop. But, just because the players slow down, doesn't mean the blinds will be. And with that, level up!

A Thrilling Double

From middle position, Will "The Thrill" Failla raised all in. Jason Somerville called from the big blind with the {9-Hearts}{8-Hearts}. Failla held the {3-Clubs}{3-Hearts}.

The flop was big for Somerville with the {K-Hearts}{Q-Hearts}{10-Diamonds} falling, but Failla's threes were still in the lead. The turn was the {7-Spades} and Somerville picked up more outs, but the {5-Diamonds} on the river wasn't what he was looking for and Failla doubled up.

Player Chips Progress
Jason Somerville us
Jason Somerville
WSOP 1X Winner
730,000 -220,000
Will Failla us
Will Failla
333,000 205,000

Tags: Will FaillaJason Somerville

Level: 16

Blinds: 15,000/30,000

Ante: 4,000

One Table Left

SeatPlayer
1Shaun Deeb
2Igor Kurganov
3Jason Somerville
4Gus Hansen
5Alex Bolotin
6Hani Awad
7Bertrand Grospellier
8Will Failla
9Sam Trickett
10Steve Meling
Player Chips Progress
Shaun Deeb us
Shaun Deeb
WSOP 6X Winner
1,650,000 -180,000
Gus Hansen dk
Gus Hansen
WSOP 1X Winner
1,100,000 -150,000
Jason Somerville us
Jason Somerville
WSOP 1X Winner
950,000 20,000
Igor Kurganov ru
Igor Kurganov
WSOP 1X Winner
735,000 15,000
Steve Meling
Steve Meling
635,000 -15,000
Bertrand Grospellier fr
Bertrand Grospellier
540,000 21,000
Alex Bolotin us
Alex Bolotin
WSOP 1X Winner
520,000 -10,000
Will Failla us
Will Failla
460,000 200,000
Hani Awad us
Hani Awad
WSOP 1X Winner
365,000 -65,000
Sam Trickett gb
Sam Trickett
325,000 -35,000

Charania Out in 11th

Action folded to Mohsin Charania in the hijack seat and he raised to 247,000 with a T1,000 chip left on his cards. Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier called all in from the small blind Gus Hansen was in the big blind and thought.

"I don't know if this is a slowroll or not," said Hansen while thinking. "I don't think I can fold." He then called.

Charania: {A-Diamonds}{2-Diamonds}
Grospellier: {A-Clubs}{Q-Clubs}
Hansen: {8-Diamonds}{8-Spades}

The board ran out {K-Clubs}{Q-Spades}{8-Clubs}{6-Clubs}{9-Spades} and Grospellier won the pot to triple up. Hansen had the better hand than Charania and eliminated him in 11th place.

Player Chips Progress
Bertrand Grospellier fr
Bertrand Grospellier
519,000 299,000
Mohsin Charania us
Mohsin Charania
WSOP 1X Winner
Busted

Tags: Mohsin CharaniaBertrand GrospellierGus Hansen