2012 World Series of Poker

Event 19: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 3
Event Info

2012 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Cliff Goldkind
Winning Hand
66
Prize
$559,514
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$3,107,700
Entries
2,302
Level Info
Level
28
Blinds
30,000 / 60,000
Ante
10,000

Balaguer Going the Wrong Way

Once he got the chip lead, Adria Balaguer switched into hyperdrive. He's been raising nearly every single pot to 48,000, but so far it's not been very productive. He's been played back at frequently, and his stack has dipped down to about 1.6 million. Barry Shulman has three-bet shoved on him once, and Gregg Wilkinson did it twice before he found that last double.

Player Chips Progress
Adria Balaguer
Adria Balaguer
1,600,000 -275,000

Tags: Adria Balaguer

Wilkinson Binks a Double

Adria Balaguer opened the pot to 48,000 before Gregg Wilkinson three-bet shoved for 411,000 total. Next door in the big blind, Kennii Nguyen either called or re-shoved himself. We couldn't hear the verbal declaration, and no chip movement was made, but the decision was back on Balaguer. He folded, and Wilkinson was in jeopardy.

Showdown
Wilkinson: {A-Hearts} {10-Hearts}
Nguyen: {J-Clubs} {J-Diamonds}

The {4-Clubs} {A-Clubs} {3-Hearts} flop almost knocked Wilkinson out of his chair, and a celebration was two cards away. Only after the turn {4-Hearts} and river {K-Hearts} did he clap his hands together loudly and let out a big, "Yes!" He's found his double, taking a bite out of Nguyen's chip-leading stack in the process.

Player Chips Progress
Kennii Nguyen us
Kennii Nguyen
1,255,000 -695,000
Gregg Wilkinson
Gregg Wilkinson
900,000 495,000

Tags: Kennii NguyenGregg Wilkinson

Big Stacks Collide Again

Adria Balaguer and Kennii Nguyen just can't get enough of each other. In their latest duel, Balaguer raised to 48,000 from under the gun and Nguyen called on the button. The two players saw a flop of {Q-Clubs}{8-Clubs}{4-Clubs} and Balaguer led out for 59,000. Nguyen fired back with a raise to 141,000, and Balaguer paused for a minute before opting to call.

Balaguer then slowed down when the {A-Hearts} hit the turn. Nguyen kept the pressure on with a bet of 218,000, and that was enough to get Balaguer away from his hand.

With that, it appears Nguyen has taken the chip lead away from the Spanish pro.

Player Chips Progress
Kennii Nguyen us
Kennii Nguyen
1,950,000 260,000
Adria Balaguer
Adria Balaguer
1,875,000 -225,000

Tags: Adria BalaguerKennii Nguyen

Balaguer Takes and Gives

Level 24 : 12,000/24,000, 4,000 ante

One hand ago, Barry Shulman raised to 48,000 from the button to open the pot. Adria Balaguer was in the small blind, and he three-bet shoved in the form of a tall tower of green chips. Shulman spent a few minutes in the tank before surrendering.

The next hand, it was Balaguer opening to 48,000 from the button, but this time it was he who got shoved on. Gregg Wilkinson three-bet all in for 259,000, and Balaguer tank-folded.

Tags: Adria BalaguerGregg Wilkinson

Nguyen Surrenders

Adria Balaguer raised to 48,000 in early position, and he found action from Kennii Nguyen. His call came from the button, and off they went to a heads-up flop.

The dealer spread {7-Spades} {Q-Clubs} {5-Clubs}, and both men checked to the {J-Diamonds} turn. Balaguer made his continuation bet of 57,000 there, and Nguyen wasted no time calling.

The river was the {8-Hearts}, and Balaguer fired out a final 126,000. Nguyen spent a few minutes in the tank, then announced a fold.

Player Chips Progress
Adria Balaguer
Adria Balaguer
2,100,000 200,000
Kennii Nguyen us
Kennii Nguyen
1,690,000 -200,000

Tags: Adria BalaguerKennii Nguyen

Back in Action

Level 24 : 12,000/24,000, 4,000 ante

The blinds are up, and the cards are flying again.

When we lose one more player, we'll rack up and move over to the secondary featured table in the Pavilion.

Level: 24

Blinds: 12,000/24,000

Ante: 4,000

Updated Chip Counts

Kennii Nguyen took a nice pot from Gregg Wilkinson just before the break. He is now neck-and-neck with Adria Balaguer for the chip lead.

Player Chips Progress
Adria Balaguer
Adria Balaguer
1,900,000 -50,000
Kennii Nguyen us
Kennii Nguyen
1,890,000 740,000
David Peters us
David Peters
WSOP 2X Winner
1,152,000 112,000
Jason Wheeler us
Jason Wheeler
WSOP 1X Winner
1,100,000 255,000
Ismael Bojang de
Ismael Bojang
WSOP 1X Winner
730,000 -70,000
Justin McGill
Justin McGill
705,000 -270,000
Patrick Smith us
Patrick Smith
660,000 -140,000
Gary Burks us
Gary Burks
622,000 -18,000
Barry Shulman us
Barry Shulman
WSOP 2X Winner
620,000 -130,000
Cliff Goldkind us
Cliff Goldkind
445,000 -5,000
Gregg Wilkinson
Gregg Wilkinson
405,000 -255,000

Breaking Bad

Level 23 : 10,000/20,000, 300 ante

We're two levels deep in this Day 3, and our 19-player field has been reduced to just 11 in that time. For their persistance, those remaining have been granted a 20-minute break.

We'll be back with a fresh round of chip counts in a moment.

Balaguer Smashes a Double, Leads

We picked up the action on a {2-Diamonds} {Q-Diamonds} {8-Clubs} flop, heads-up between Cliff Goldkind and Adria Balaguer. We're not sure what the preceding action was, but when we arrived, Goldkind had 176,000 chips out in front of him. It was either a bet or a check-raise, we're not sure which. In any event, Balaguer made the call.

The turn came the {3-Diamonds}, and now Goldkind knocked the table. Balaguer took his cue to slide out a bet of 215,000, but Goldkind check-raised all in for 710,000 total. Snap-call, cards up.

Showdown
Goldkind: {K-Diamonds} {K-Hearts}
Balaguer: {6-Diamonds} {7-Diamonds}

Balaguer had smashed his flush on the turn, but he needed to fade the rest of the diamonds to stay in front. The river was safe, the black {3-Clubs}, and that's the biggest pot we've seen this tournament. If it's not 2 million chips, it's awfully close. We'll mark Balaguer down for 1.95 million until he finishes stacking up.

Player Chips Progress
Adria Balaguer
Adria Balaguer
1,950,000 1,060,000
Cliff Goldkind us
Cliff Goldkind
450,000 -1,020,000

Tags: Adria BalaguerCliff Goldkind