Event 61: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event Day 7 | 2012 World Series of Poker

07-16-2012 18:56 UTC-6

David Balkin Eliminated in 18th Place ($369,026)

Chad Holloway

In the first hand after the two-table redraw, David Balkin raised to 425,000 from middle position and was called by Michael Esposito. The {8-Spades} {K-Spades} {8-Hearts} flop saw Balkin bet 625,000, Esposito call, and the {Q-Clubs} appear on the turn.

This time Balkin checked, and Esposito fired out 925,000. Balkin responded by moving all in and Esposito snap-called.

Showdown
Esposito: {A-Clubs} {8-Clubs}
Balkin: {A-Spades} {A-Diamonds}

Balkin no doubt thought he had the best hand, but Esposito had nailed the flop and was a huge favorite; in fact, Balkin needed the case ace to stay alive. The dealer burned one last time and put out the {Q-Spades} , putting an end to the Australian's deep run in 18th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Michael Esposito	18,250,000 5,050,000	5,050,000
David Balkin	Busted

Tags: David Balkin Michael Esposito

07-16-2012 19:03 UTC-6

Robert Buckenmayer Eliminated in 17th Place ($369,026)

Chad Holloway

Wilfried Harig raised to 400,000 from early position only to have Robert Buckenmayer move all in from the small blind. The big blind got out of the way and Harig made the call.

Showdown
Buckenmayer: {A-Hearts} {Q-Hearts}
Harig: {A-Clubs} {K-Hearts}

Buckenmayer was in bad shape and in need of some help, but he would find none as the board ran out {4-Diamonds} {7-Spades} {5-Spades} {9-Hearts} {6-Clubs} . With that, Buckenmayer was eliminated in 17th place. That means just two players remaining in the field are over the age of 40 in Steven Gee and Michael Esposito.

Player	Chips	Progress
Wilfried Harig	13,780,000 6,321,000	6,321,000
Robert Buckenmayer	Busted

Tags: Robert Buckenmayer Wilfried Harig

07-16-2012 19:09 UTC-6

Percy Mahatan Eliminated in 16th Place ($369,026)

Shamus

Percy Mahatan opened with a raise to 430,000 from the hijack seat and got a single caller in Robert Salaburu in the big blind. The flop came {K-Diamonds} {9-Diamonds} {5-Hearts} . Salaburu checked, and when Mahatan fired a continuation bet, Salaburu stuck around. The turn then brought the {7-Hearts} and an all-in push from Salaburu, which Mahatan called.

Salaburu: {9-Spades} {7-Spades}
Mahatan: {Q-Spades} {Q-Hearts}

Salaburu's turned two pair were best, and after the {4-Clubs} river they remained so. Mahatan is out in 16th, having earned $369,026 for his Main Event run.

Player	Chips	Progress
Robert Salaburu	24,500,000 4,200,000	4,200,000
Percy Mahatan	Busted

Tags: Percy Mahatan

07-16-2012 19:21 UTC-6

Straight Over Straight Allows Merson to Double Big

Chad Holloway

Greg Merson raised to 400,000 from middle position only to have Wilfried Harig three-bet to 960,000 from the button. The blinds both got out of the way and Merson made the call.

Both players proceeded to check the {8-Hearts} {9-Clubs} {6-Diamonds} flop, bringing about the {J-Spades} turn. Merson led out for 1.05 million, Harig called, and the {5-Hearts} peeled off on the river. Merson took a moment before announcing that he was all in for 8.385 million, and Harig snap-called.

Merson slapped down {Q-Diamonds} {10-Diamonds} for the nuts, and his cheering section erupted; meanwhile, a shell-shocked Harig revealed {A-Hearts} {7-Hearts} for the inferior nine-high straight.

Player	Chips	Progress
Greg Merson	21,330,000 11,680,000	11,680,000

Wilfried Harig	2,935,000 -10,845,000	-10,845,000

Tags: Greg Merson Wilfried Harig

07-16-2012 21:24 UTC-6

Wilfried Harig Eliminated in 15th Place ($465,159)

[user101598]

Greg Merson opened to 400,000 from middle position, Michael Esposito called from the cutoff, and Wilfried Harig moved all in for 2.45 million on the button. The action folded back to Merson, who re-raised, and Esposito quickly folded. The hands were opened.

Merson: {k-Spades} {j-Diamonds}
Harig: {a-Spades} {a-Clubs}

Merson's rail exploded when the flop fell {3-Diamonds} {q-Spades} {k-Diamonds} , giving him a pair of kings and a backdoor diamond draw.

"Diamond!" Tony Gregg yelled from the stands. "Diamond!"

The turn was not a diamond, but it was the {j-Spades} , giving Merson two pair. His rail erupted, then began screaming "Hold!!!"

Merson did hold as the {7-Spades} completed the board. Unbelievably, Merson cracked Harig's aces, eliminating him in 15th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Greg Merson	19,850,000 3,045,000	3,045,000

Wilfried Harig	Busted

Tags: Greg Merson Wilfried Harig

07-16-2012 22:40 UTC-6

Baumann Booms a Double

[user101598]

Elisabeth Hille raised to 480,000 from the cutoff, and Gaelle Baumann three-bet shoved for 1.525 million from the small blind. Michael Esposito cold-called in the big blind, and Hille tank-folded.

Baumann: {a-Hearts} {9-Diamonds}
Esposito: {a-Diamonds} {7-Diamonds}

Baumann sheepishly turned over her hand, thinking she was in trouble, and was delighted to see that she had Esposito crushed. The {10-Clubs} {9-Hearts} {k-Diamonds} flop pushed her even further ahead, and the {9-Clubs} on the turn ended the hand.

By the time the {4-Diamonds} completed the board, Baumann's French contingent was already cheering and singing from the stands.

Player	Chips	Progress
Michael Esposito	20,660,000 -1,745,000	-1,745,000
Gaelle Baumann	3,650,000 1,825,000	1,825,000

Tags: Elisabeth Hille Gaelle Baumann Michael Esposito

07-16-2012 23:10 UTC-6

Ladouceur Clubbed by Koroknai in Brutal Hand

Chad Holloway

Andra Koroknai casts a glance towards Marc Ladouceur after the flop

Marc Ladouceur raised to 480,000 from the cutoff only to have Andras Koroknai three-bet to 1.2 million from the small blind. Ladouceur responded by making it 2.15 million, Koroknai moved all in and Ladouceur made the call.

Showdown
Koroknai: {A-Clubs} {K-Spades}
Ladouceur: {A-Spades} {K-Clubs}

Both players held the same hand and chances are it would be a chopped pot; in fact, the only way it wouldn't be is if the board was four flushed in either spades or clubs. The crowd seemed disappointed both players had the same holdings, but they perked up when the {10-Clubs} {Q-Clubs} {2-Clubs} flop gave Koroknai a freeroll to a club.

Much to the dismay of Ladouceur's supporters on the rail, the {8-Clubs} spiked on the turn to give Koroknai the flush and the improbable double. The meaningless {A-Hearts} was put out on the river and Ladouceur was knocked down to five million.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andras Koroknai	18,240,000 10,085,000	10,085,000
Marc Ladouceur	5,025,000 -8,965,000	-8,965,000

Tags: Andras Koroknai Marc Ladouceur

07-16-2012 23:30 UTC-6

Danny Wong Eliminated in 14th Place ($465,159)

[user101598]

Marc Ladouceur opened to 480,000 from the hijack seat, Danny Wong moved all in for 1.9 million in the cutoff, and Greg Merson re-jammed from the big blind. Ladouceur folded, and the hands were opened.

Merson: {a-Clubs} {j-Clubs}
Wong: {a-Spades} {2-Clubs}

The {q-Spades} {6-Clubs} {5-Spades} flop didn't improve Wong's hand, and neither did the {8-Clubs} on the turn. The {7-Spades} completed the board, and Wong was eliminated in 14th place.

Chants of "P! O! Y!" filled the mothership, as Merson chipped up to 22.115 million.

Player	Chips	Progress
Greg Merson	22,115,000 2,690,000	2,690,000

Danny Wong	Busted

Tags: Danny Wong Greg Merson

07-17-2012 00:06 UTC-6

Marc Ladouceur Eliminated in 13th Place ($465,159)

Chad Holloway

Marc Ladouceur gets a hug from Elisabeth Hille

Greg Merson raised to 500,000 from the cutoff and action folded to a short-stacked Marc Ladouceur in the big blind. He moved all in for 4.285 million and Merson made a quick call.

Showdown
Merson: {4-Hearts} {4-Clubs}
Ladouceur: {A-Diamonds} {7-Hearts}

Ladouceur, who began the day as chip leader, was racing for his tournament life and would need to improve to stay alive. At first it looked as if he would as the {7-Diamonds} appeared in the window, and while it was accompanied by the {7-Clubs} , the flop also brought the {4-Spades} . Ladouceur had flopped trips, but Merson a full house.

The {2-Clubs} turn meant Ladouceur could win with either the case seven, an ace, or a deuce, but it wasn't in the cards as the dealer burned and put out the {6-Spades} on the river. With that, Ladouceur was eliminated from the tournament while Merson chipped up to over 30 million.

Player	Chips	Progress
Greg Merson	31,305,000 4,355,000	4,355,000

Marc Ladouceur	Busted

Tags: Greg Merson Marc Ladouceur

07-17-2012 00:32 UTC-6

Scott Abrams Eliminated in 12th Place ($590,442)

Shamus

In the last hand of Level 33, Russell Thomas opened for 500,000 from the cutoff and got no less than three callers — Steven Gee (button), Jesse Sylvia (small blind), and Scott Abrams (big blind).

The flop came , and when it checked around to Gee, he bet 1.45 million. Sylvia then raised to 3.4 million from the small blind, and after a pause Abrams reraised to 7 million total. Thomas and Gee both folded, and the action was back on Sylvia. He waited about 10 seconds before reraising all in and Abrams called right away.

Abrams:
Sylvia:

Abrams was all in for more than 19 million, behind Sylvia's set of sevens and looking for a diamond. The turn was the and Abrams was down to one card. The river then brought the , eliminating Abrams and catapulting Sylvia up near the 50 million-chip mark.

Player	Chips	Progress
Scott Abrams	Busted

Tags: Jesse Sylvia Scott Abrams