Last Saturday, Day 2 of the 2012 World Series of Poker National Championship saw the remaining 39 players of a 157-entrant field return to battle down to a final table. It was a relatively quick day as 21 players hit the rail empty handed while ten more followed with respectable paydays. With that said, only eight were fortunate to make the final table and will return today to play down to a winner.
Today’s action will be captured by ESPN cameras for broadcast on August 7th, but we’ll be bringing you all the action, live, from the Main Stage here at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Leading the way is Yung Hwang, who sits atop a stack of 1.224 million. He is joined by some stiff competition including a mix of WSOP Player of the Year Leaderboard buy-ins and qualifiers from around the country.
2012 WSOP National Championship Final Table
Seat
Player
Chips
Qualified
1
David “ODB” Baker
281,000
WSOP POY Entrant
2
Amanda Musumeci
322,000
At-Large Qualifier
3
Sam Stein
651,000
WSOP POY Entrant
4
Huy Nguyen
331,000
At-Large Qualifier
5
Yung "Andy" Hwang
1,224,000
At-Large Qualifier
6
Nikolas Stone
471,000
Harrah's St. Louis Casino Champ
7
Matt Keikoan
957,000
WSOP POY Entrant
8
Ryan Eriquezzo
474,000
Caesars AC Main Event Champ
The remaining eight players will return in about 20 minutes and are all looking to follow in the footsteps of last year’s winner, Sam Barnhart. With a bracelet and a $416,051 first-place prize at stake, there ought to be plenty of fireworks in the 2012 WSOP National Championship.
After David "ODB" Baker raised to 28,000 from middle position, Amanda Musumeci moved all in for 217,000 from the hijack. Action then folded to Nikolas Stone in the big blind and he made the call, which inspired Baker to get out of the way.
Showdown
Stone:
Musumeci:
Both players had a lot of supporters on the rail, and Musumecis' immediately began calling for a nine. The flop did not deliver, but still the cries for a nine came. The turn was of no consequence, and neither was the river. Stone's supporters erupted in applause for their man while Musumeci exited the stage through the ESPN Main Stage tunnel in eighth place, good for $48,576.
Sam Stein started the hand by opening to 34,000 from the button and Huy Nguyen raised to 78,000. Andy Hwang took his time in the big blind and four-bet to 181,000. Stein folded quickly and Nguyen shoved. Hwang called and the hands were tabled.
Nguyen:
Hwang:
The flop came and Hwang had a huge lead with a set of aces. The turn came giving Nguyen a slim chance to draw to a straight. Then river card peeled off as giving Nguyen Broadway.
Nguyen and Hwang are virtually even after the hand.
On the second hand back from break, Sam Stein moved all in for 195,000 total and was called by Nikolas Stone in the small blind.
Showdown
Stone:
Stein:
Stein was behind, but he was drawing to live cards. Unfortunately for him, the board would run out an uneventful and Stone scored his second elimination of the day.
David "ODB" Baker moved all in from under the gun and was called by Huy Nguyen in the hijack. The rest of the field got out of the way and it was off to the races.
Showdown
Baker:
Nguyen:
Baker was the one at risk and in need of improvement, but he was put in a bad spot when the flop fell to give Nguyen a set. Baker, who won a bracelet in Event 37: $2,500 Eight-Game Mix and finished tenth in the $50,000 Poker Players Championship (not to mention two other final tables), needed running cards to stay alive, and the turn made it a possibility as he picked up a flush draw.
The crowd was on its feet as the cameras rolled. The dealer burned one last time and put out the river . . . . It was no help to Baker and he exited the tournament in sixth place and another accomplishment on his already impressive 2012 WSOP résumé.
Andy Hwang began the day as a big chip leader, but things never seemed to go his way at the final table. After growing short, Hwang moved all in preflop for 319,000 and was called by Nikolas Stone.
Showdown
Hwang:
Stone:
Hwang was in bad shape and in need of some help, but the flop was anything but. Stone's supporters, of which there are a lot, erupted in celebration when their man hit a ten to extend his lead. The turn did give Hwang a wheel draw, but the river would not complete it.
Hwang no doubt had high hopes heading into the final table, but he leaves with a $103,322 consolation prize for his fifth-place finish.
Chad HollowayMatt Keikoan is interviewed by Kara Scott after busting out in 4th.
Nikolas Stone put in a standard raise from under the gun and was called by Matt Keikoan on the button. Both blinds got out of the way and it was heads-up action to the flop. Stone check-called a bet of 100,000, bringing about the turn.
Stone checked once again, but this time he check-raised Keikoan's bet of 200,000 up to 600,000. Keikoan thought for a few moments before moving all in, and Stone snap-called.
Showdown
Keikoan:
Stone:
Stone held the nuts with a queen-high straight, but Keikoan held a set and could still win if the board paired on the end. The crowd was on its feet as the dealer burned and put out the . Keikoan collected his card protector and exited in fourth place, good for $137,485.
Ryan Eriquezzo moved all in from the small blind and put the pressure on Huy Nguyen, who only had 365,000 in the big blind. The latter made a quick call and was the favorite to double.
Showdown
Nguyen:
Eriquezzo:
Nguyen's supporters were optimistic, but their hope was drowned out when Eriquezzo's rail erupted on the flop. Their man had paired his king to take a commanding lead. Nguyen sat helplessly as the turn and river put an end to his National Championship run in third place.
Ryan Eriquezzo had been chipping away at Nikolas Stone's short stack. Stone finally took a stand and moved all in on the button. Eriquezzo called and the hands were tabled.
Stone:
Eriquezzo:
The flop came and Stone took the lead with a pair of queens. But Eriquezzo had plenty of outs.
The turn came and Eriquezzo's chances narrowed. But when the dealer peeled off the on the river, it completed Eriquezzo's straight and locked up the title for Eriquezzo.
flop did not deliver, but still the cries for a nine came. The 
turn was of no consequence, and neither was the 
river. Stone's supporters erupted in applause for their man while Musumeci exited the stage through the ESPN Main Stage tunnel in eighth place, good for $48,576.
![[user196975]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
and Hwang had a huge lead with a set of aces. The turn came 
giving Nguyen a slim chance to draw to a straight. Then river card peeled off as 
giving Nguyen Broadway.
and Stone scored his second elimination of the day.
turn made it a possibility as he picked up a flush draw.
. It was no help to Baker and he exited the tournament in sixth place and another accomplishment on his already impressive 2012 WSOP résumé.
turn did give Hwang a wheel draw, but the 
flop. Stone check-called a bet of 100,000, bringing about the 
turn.
. Keikoan collected his card protector and exited in fourth place, good for $137,485.
river put an end to his National Championship run in third place.
and Eriquezzo's chances narrowed. But when the dealer peeled off the