Monday, November 9, 2015 8:29 PM Local Time
Robert Georato wins his third WSOP Circuit gold ring in the Harveys Lake Tahoe Main Event.
Stateline, Nev. (November 9, 2015) - Robert Georato is the official World Series of Poker Circuit Main Event Winner of Harveys Lake Tahoe. Georato won the Main Event Monday evening, earning his third WSOP Circuit ring and $153,505. This is the biggest live tournament cash of Georato’s career.
Georato is a retired math teacher that now plays poker professionally. Georato says his first WSOP Circuit ring that he earned in 2010 at Council Bluffs, IA was special because it was his first. His second ring was special because it was first six figure score, obtained in Hammond, IN in 2013. Georato says this ring is special because it’s his first ever Main Event ring.
Speaking of the power of threes, the seat into the Casino Global Championship that he won playing this event will mark the third time he will have played in the Championship event. He qualified once as a Casino Champion, amassing the most points in a single casino series, once as an at-large bid, and this time by winning the Main Event.
The final day of play started on Monday with 10 players remaining out of a field of 476 entries. Georato started the day first in chips with Steve Brecher in second, and Patrick Rhamey in third.
Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of the final table is that six of the final 10 players started out Day 2 with top 10 chip stacks. Greg Guth came into Day 2 1st in chips with 340,500. Joey Brown came in 2nd with 302,000, Robert Georato came in 4th with 267,500, Phong “Turbo” Nguyen came in 6th with 232,000, and George Saca came into Day 2 in 8th with 216,000.
Greg Guth was the first to be eliminated after a very up and down start to Day 3. He chopped a pot for his tournament life, and then a few hands later was left crippled after flopping top pair holding when his opponent flopped the nut flush draw and hit it on the river.
Later in the same level the last female standing, Janet Fitzgerald, was eliminated in 9th place. Fitzgerald had been very quiet the first few orbits, telling the table after she moved all in that it was the best cards she had seen all day. She shoved with and was called by Robert Georato holding . Fitzgerald was unable to improve and was eliminated from play after Georato hit his set on the flop.
The next three levels each saw one player eliminated. George Saca was eliminated in 8th place ($17,900) by Phong “Turbo” Nguyen after he shoved and was called by Nguyen’s , and failed to improve. Sean Drake was eliminated in 7th place ($22,812) after shoving all in pre-flop and getting called by Jacob Dahl holding . The flop came ace high and Drake failed to improve. The next level saw the elimination of Steve Brecher in 6th place ($29,488) after he shoved pocket tens into an open-raise from Patrick Rhamey, who held pocket kings. This cash pushed Brecher over the $3 million lifetime career poker tournament earnings mark, a very impressive feat to say the least.
WSOP Poker Dealer Joey Brown was eliminated in 5th place ($38,656). Robert Georato had open shoved on the button with pocket 3s and Brown called with less than 10 big blinds holding . Brown was unable to improve, and after he stood up from the table applause erupted from his rail full of friends and fellow dealers.
Phong “Turbo” Nguyen was eliminated in 4th after shoving all-in to a button raise by Jacob Dahl. Nguyen said that he didn’t believe Dahl actually had a hand as he had been shoving on Nguyen’s big blind for the last few rounds.
Jacob Dahl was sent home in 3rd place after flopping a pair of aces, holding on a flop, and Robert Georato turned the flush holding . It wasn’t until the turn card was dealt that Dahl questioned if Georato had diamonds, and indeed, the flush signaled the end of Dahl’s tournament life.
At that point, only Georato and Patrick Rhamey remained. And it only took a few hands until Georato held all the chips.
The tournament started with Day 1A on Friday, which garnered a total of 186 entries. Another 290 took their seats on Saturday for Day 1B. Only 90 survived their Day 1 flights to advance to Day 2.
The top 54 finishers out of the 476 entries made the money. The money bubble burst early on Day 2. Those finishing in the money, include Charles “Woody” Moore (50th place), Neil Scott (47th place), Ellen Lambeth (18th place), and Kathy Stahl (12th place).
In addition to the first-place prize money and WSOP Circuit ring, Robert Georato also earns his seat into the 2016 WSOP Global Casino Championship. That invitation-only tournament has a minimum prize pool of $1,000,000, and free seats are given to Circuit Main Event winners, Casino Champion winners, and the top players on the season-long leaderboard.
Here are the final-table finishers. Click here for full results.
1 - Robert Georato - $153,505
2 - Patrick Rhamey - $94,912
3 - Jacob Dahl - $69,337
4 - Phong Nguyen - $51,401
5 - Joseph Brown - $38,656
6 - Steve Brecher - $29,488
7 - Sean Drake - $22,812
8 - George Saca - $17,900
9 - Janet Fitzgerald - $14,244
Monday, November 9, 2015 6:10 PM Local Time
Patrick Rhamey raises to 200,000 on the button, and Robert Georato calls.
Georato checks the flop and Rhamey continues for 150,000. Georato raises to 350,000, and Rhamey calls.
Georato led for 700,000 when the came on the river. Rhamey shoves all in and Georato snap-calls.
Georato turns over for a flopped set, and Rhamey tables .
The on the river does not improve Rhamey's hand and he is eliminated in 2nd place, paying $94,912.
Robert Georato takes home $153,505 for his win.
A full recap on Georato's win will be posted shortly.
Monday, November 9, 2015 5:55 PM Local Time
Robert Georato raises to 250,000 in the small blind, Jacob Dahl shoves all in from the big blind, and Georato quickly calls.
Georato exclaims, "Oh no," upon turning over his and seeing that he is behind Dahl's .
The flop comes leaving Dahl's aces with a king kicker in the lead.
When the comes on the turn, Dahl realizes that Georato has diamonds, "Oh shoot, you have diamonds," after Georato makes his flush.
The on the river is inconsequential, and Dahl is eliminated in 3rd place.
Monday, November 9, 2015 5:39 PM Local Time
Level: 31
Blinds: 50,000/100,000
Ante: 10,000
Monday, November 9, 2015 5:38 PM Local Time
Jacob Dahl raises to 175,000 from the button and Patrick Rhamey calls from the small blind. Robert Georato folds his big blind.
The flop comes and both players check. The turn is the and Rhamey checks. Dahl bets 225,000 and Rhamey calls. The river brings the and Rhamey leads for 350,000. Dahl calls.
Dahl is unhappy when he sees Rhamey turn over . Dahl's hand goes into the muck.
Patrick Rhamey - 3,700,000 (46 BBs)
Jacob Dahl - 2,200,000 (27 BBs)
Monday, November 9, 2015 5:30 PM Local Time
Jacob Dahl raises to 200,000 on the button, and Phong "Turbo" Nguyen (pictured) raises all in. Dahl quickly calls.
Dahl:
Nguyen:
The board runs out .
Nguyen says, "The one time you have it when you raise my big blind. You have been doing that all night."
Nguyen is eliminated in 4th place with a $51,401 payday.
Jacob Dahl - 2,800,000
Phong Nguyen - Eliminated
Monday, November 9, 2015 5:19 PM Local Time
Patrick Rhamey raises to 175,000 from the button. Phong Nguyen folds in the small blind and Robert Georato calls in the big blind.
The flop comes and Georato checks. Rhamey bets 200,000 and Georato calls. The turn is the and Georato checks again. Rhamey bets 250,000 and Georato calls. The river brings the and Georato leads for 600,000. Rhamey folds his hand.
"Nice catch," says Rhamey.
"Should I show the bluff?" says Georato.
"Yeah, show the bluff," says Rhamey.
Georato flips over for jack-high. Georato takes the lead from Rhamey with that hand.
Robert Georato - 3,350,000 (41 BBs)
Patrick Rhamey - 2,600,000 (32 BBs)
Monday, November 9, 2015 5:03 PM Local Time
Robert Georato raises to 175,000 on the button. Jacob Dahl looks down at his cards and slowly reraises to 380,000.
It's back on Georato and he takes a minute to think before slowly moving forward chips and announcing a raise to 800,000. Dahl looks at his cards twice, and sighs before releasing his hand.
Robert Georato - 2,800,000
Jacob Dahl - 2,100,000
Monday, November 9, 2015 4:56 PM Local Time
Robert Georato raises to 200,000 from the cutoff position and Patrick Rhamey calls in the big blind.
The flop comes and Rhamey checks. Georato bets 200,000 and Rhamey moves all-in. Georato calls for less and the cards are tabled.
Georato:
Rhamey:
The turn is the and the river is the . Georato scores a double up with his flopped set.
Robert Georato - 2,500,000 (31 BBs)
Patrick Rhamey - 3,100,000 (38 BBs)
Monday, November 9, 2015 4:51 PM Local Time
Phong "Turbo" Nguyen moves all-in for 735,000 from the button. Jacob Dahl calls in the big blind and the cards are tabled.
Nguyen:
Dahl:
The flop comes giving Nguyen a pair of aces. The turn is the and the river brings the . Nguyen wins the pot to double up.
Phong Nguyen - 1,550,000 (19 BBs)
Jacob Dahl - 2,050,000 (25 BBs)
Monday, November 9, 2015 4:43 PM Local Time
Robert Georato shoves all in from the button, and Joey Brown (pictured) calls for less in the small blind.
Georato:
Brown:
The board runs out sending Brown home in 5th place.
Robert Georato - 1,675,000
Joey Brown - Eliminated
Monday, November 9, 2015 4:37 PM Local Time
Level: 30
Blinds: 40,000/80,000
Ante: 10,000
Monday, November 9, 2015 4:24 PM Local Time
Players are now on a fifteen minute break.
Monday, November 9, 2015 4:23 PM Local Time
Patrick Rhamey raises to 125,000 from under the gun and Phong Nguyen calls in the cutoff.
The flop comes . Rhamey bets 125,000, Nguyen raises to 350,000, and Rhamey calls.
Both players check the turn.
Rhamey leads for 500,000 when the river comes the , and Nguyen calls.
"Quads," Rhamey announces as he turns over . Nguyen shows .
Patrick Rhamey - 5,000,000 (83 BBs)
Phong Nguyen - 650,000 (10 BBs)
Monday, November 9, 2015 4:20 PM Local Time
Jacob Dahl raises to 130,000 from the button and Patrick Rhamey calls in the small blind. Phong Nguyen folds his big blind.
The flop comes and Rhamey checks. Dahl bets 155,000 and Rhamey calls. The turn is the and Rhamey checks. Dahl bets 315,000. Rhamey thinks for a bit before mucking his hand.
"Pick a card," says Dahl to Rhamey.
Rhamey picks the card on his left and Dahl flips the other card, showing a .
Dahl picks up the pot and Rhamey takes another hit, but still holds the chip lead.
Jacob Dahl - 2,250,000 (37 BBs)
Patrick Rhamey - 3,670,000 (61 BBs)
Monday, November 9, 2015 4:06 PM Local Time
Patrick Rhamey raises to 120,000 from the cutoff position and Phong "Turbo" Nguyen moves all-in from the button for 665,000. Play folds back to Rhamey and he calls. The cards are tabled.
Nguyen:
Rhamey:
The flop comes and Rhamey's fives are still in the lead. The turn is the giving Nguyen the lead. The river is the and Nguyen doubles up.
Phong Nguyen - 1,400,000 (23 BBs)
Patrick Rhamey - 3,950,000 (65 BBs)
Monday, November 9, 2015 3:57 PM Local Time
Joey Brown calls in the big blind and Jacob Dahl checks his option in the big blind.
Brown bets 60,000 when the flop comes , and Dahl calls.
Both players check the turn.
Brown bets 205,000 when the comes on the river and Dahl mucks his hand while accidentally exposing the in the process.
Joey Brown - 995,000 (16 BBs)
Jacob Dahl - 1,990,000 (33 BBs)
Monday, November 9, 2015 3:38 PM Local Time
Patrick Rhamey raises to 125,000 from under the gun. Steve Brecher (pictured) then moves all-in from the hijack position. Play folds to Robert Georato on the button and he thinks for about 90 second before folding. The players in the blinds fold and Rhamey calls. The cards are tabled.
Rhamey:
Brecher:
"I folded ace-king," says Georato.
The board runs out and Rhamey's kings hold.
Steve Brecher is eliminated in 6th place. This cash pushes Brecher's WSOP tournament earnings over $500,000. Even more impressive is that this cash pushes his lifetime career poker tournament earnings over $3 million.
Patrick Rhamey - 4,600,000 (76 BBs)
Steve Brecher - Eliminated
Monday, November 9, 2015 3:20 PM Local Time
Level: 29
Blinds: 30,000/60,000
Ante: 10,000
Monday, November 9, 2015 3:16 PM Local Time
Joey Brown raises to 110,000 in the hijack and Jacob Dahl calls in the cutoff. They are heads up to see the flop. Both players check the flop. When the comes on the turn, both players check again. They also check river.
Brown turns over and Dahl shows , resulting in a chopped pot.
Joey Brown - 850,000 (17 BBs)
Jacob Dahl - 2,100,000 (42 BBs)