Event #17: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em | 2013 World Series of Poker

06-10-2013 15:31 UTC-7

Hands 1-4: And We're Off...

[user253757]

Level 23 : 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante

Hand #1: Michael Kurth opened for 55,000 in middle position, taking the blinds and antes without a fight.

Hand #2: David "Bakes" Baker opened for 45,000 on the button, forcing the blinds to surrender.

Hand #3: Bakes opened for his standard 45,000 raise out of the cutoff, taking another pot chocked full of blinds and antes.

Hand #4: Bakes continued his aggressive start to this final table, raising once again to 45,000 from the hijack, Manuel Mutke called from the button, Joel Ward called from the small blind, and Thomas Nicotera came along to defend his big blind.

The first flop of our final table fell , and Bakes took the pot with a c-bet of 80,000.

06-10-2013 15:34 UTC-7

Chip Counts

Mickey Doft

Level 23 : 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Athanasios Polychronopoulos	1,959,000	-12,000
Manuel Mutke	1,618,000	-87,000
Joe Cada	1,450,000	-42,000
David "Bakes" Baker	1,090,000	254,000
Samuel Taylor	1,069,000	-12,000
Joe Ward	776,000	-77,000
Michael Kurth	623,000	45,000
Everett Carlton	501,000	-12,000

06-10-2013 15:36 UTC-7

Thomas Nicotera Eliminated in 9th Place ($38,178)

[user253757]

Level 23 : 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante

Hand #5: Athanasios Polychronopoulos raised to 45,000 from early position, Nicotera shoved all-in for 389,000, and Polychronopoulos quickly called him down with . Nicotera was in bad shape with his , but the flop of gave him a few additional outs. The turn () and river () blanked off, however, and Nicotera was eliminated on the fifth hand of final table play.

06-10-2013 15:39 UTC-7

Chip Counts

Mickey Doft

Level 23 : 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Athanasios Polychronopoulos	2,392,000	433,000
Manuel Mutke	1,615,000	-3,000
Joe Cada	1,447,000	-3,000
David "Bakes" Baker	1,087,000	-3,000
Samuel Taylor	1,066,000	-3,000
Joe Ward	773,000	-3,000
Michael Kurth	600,000	-23,000
Everett Carlton	498,000	-3,000

06-10-2013 15:53 UTC-7

Hands 6-11: Feeling Each Other Out

[user253757]

Level 23 : 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante

Hand #6: Joe Cada opened for 45,000 from middle position, and Samuel Taylor called to defend his big blind. The flop fell , and Taylor check-called a bet of 50,000 to bring the to the table. He then check-called another Cada bet, this time for 100,000, and the river fell . Taylor checked for a third time, and called Cada's 225,000 third barrel.

Showdown:

Cada:
Taylor:

Taylor's two pair was good enough, and he dragged a sizable pot his way.

Hand #7: Joe Ward opened for 45,000 from the cutoff, Kurth called on the button, and the flop came . Ward fired a bet of 55,000 into the middle, Kurth came along, and the fell on the turn. Ward then slowed down, check-folding to a bet of 60,000.

Hand #8: Kurth opened for 55,000 from the cutoff, and Taylor three-bet to 135,000 holding the button. Kurth was convinced, and his hand went to the muck.

Hand #9: Ward opened for 45,000 from early position, scooping the blinds and antes.

Hand #10: Kurth limped in from early position, Taylor raised to 70,000 from the hijack, and Polychronopoulos put him to the test with a three-bet for 195,000. This power play worked to perfection, and Taylor released his hand in short order.

Hand #11: Polychronopoulos opened for 45,000 from the hijack, and Manuel Mutke called to defend his big blind. On the flop of , Mutke checked to Polychronopoulos, who fired 65,000 into the middle. Mutke came along to see the fall on the turn, and both players tapped the table to bring the on board. Mutke then paused for a minute or so, before leading out with a bet of 130,000, and Polychronopoulos tanked for another minute until releasing his hand.

06-10-2013 15:53 UTC-7

Chip Counts

Mickey Doft

Level 23 : 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Athanasios Polychronopoulos	2,378,000	-14,000
Manuel Mutke	1,741,000	126,000
Samuel Taylor	1,531,000	465,000
David "Bakes" Baker	1,039,000	-48,000
Joe Cada	979,000	-468,000
Joe Ward	709,000	-64,000
Michael Kurth	651,000	51,000
Everett Carlton	450,000	-48,000

Level: 24

Blinds: 12,000/24,000

Ante: 4,000

06-10-2013 16:06 UTC-7

Hands 12-15: The Betting Begins

[user253757]

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

Hand #12: Taylor raised from early position, making it 55,000 to play, and Everett Carlton three-bet to 130,000 from the hijack. Taylor couldn't stand the heat, and his hand was slid towards the dealer.

Hand #13: With his gold WSOP Main Event bracelet dangling from his wrist, Joe Cada opened for 48,000 out of the cutoff. Kurth decided to play a pot with the champ, and made the call from the big blind. The flop fell and Kurth led out with a wager of 53,000, a bet which Cada believed enough to muck his cards.

Hand #14: Mutke opened for 48,000 from the cutoff, and Taylor came along from the big blind to see the flop of . Both players checked it down on the turn and river. Taylor opened up , and his pair was the winner.

Hand #15: Baker opened for 60,000 in early position, and Mutke three-bet to 160,000 from the hijack. The man known as Bakes was not impressed, however, and his four-bet to 342,000 forced Mutke to muck

06-10-2013 16:06 UTC-7

Chip Counts

Mickey Doft

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

Player	Chips	Progress
Athanasios Polychronopoulos	2,338,000	-40,000
Samuel Taylor	1,540,000	9,000
Manuel Mutke	1,505,000	-236,000
David "Bakes" Baker	1,215,000	176,000
Joe Cada	915,000	-64,000
Michael Kurth	751,000	100,000
Joe Ward	657,000	-52,000
Everett Carlton	557,000	107,000

06-10-2013 16:27 UTC-7

Hands 16-20: Half Baked

[user253757]

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

Hand #16: Kurth opened for 60,000 from the cutoff, and Taylor three-bet to 160,000 holding the button. This was enough to force the fold, and the pot was pushed to Taylor.

Hand #17: Cada opened for 48,000 from under the gun, making the minimum raise. Taylor called from the cutoff, and the two went heads-up to the flop of . Cada continued with a bet of 65,000 and Taylor called, bringing the to the table on the turn. Cada led out once more, this time for 125,000, and Taylor came along for the ride. On the river, Cada slowed down, perhaps preparing to check-call a bet with two tens on board, but Taylor tapped the table as well. Cada then revealed his , and the rockets were best.

Hand #18: Ward opened for 50,000 from early position, and Kurth called from the next seat over. Carlton saw an opportunity to squeeze on the button, and his three-bet play moved both players off the hand.

Hand #19: The action folded around the table to Baker on the button, and despite his aggressive style, he elected to muck. Cada limped in out of the small blind, and Mutke checked his option, bringing us to to a flop of . Cada led out for a bet of 55,000, and this was enough to take it down.

Hand #20: Baker opened for 60,000 in the cutoff, Cada folded his button, Mutke flatted from the small blind, and Ward defended his big blind. The flop came , and Mutke and Ward both checked to Baker, who continued his line with a bet of 80,000. Mutke came along, Ward mucked, and the turn came . Mutke tapped the table a second time, and Baker slowly cut out enough chips for a bet of 152,000. After a minute or so of contemplation, Mutke slid out a raise of 333,000, and Baker announced a call. On the river, Mutke paused for over a minute while deep in thought, before quietly announcing himself all-in. Facing a bet for his tournament life, Baker stared at his opponent and the board, before ultmately deciding to fold and preserve his last 680,000 for another battle.