Monday, December 17, 2018 2:01 AM Local Time
Luke Graham
December 16, 2018 (Biloxi, MS) - Day 2 of the IP Biloxi Main Event is in the books. The day started with 51 survivors. With 45 players being guaranteed to cash, the money bubble burst within the first hour of the day, when Johnny Landreth eliminated Timothy Burt in 46th place with his ace-king against Burt's sevens all in preflop.
As soon as the money was reached, the field started getting reduced pretty quickly and players started hitting the rail fast and furious including many notables: Christopher Conrad (41st place - $2,616), Nghia Le (30th place - $3,623), Scott Stewart (26th place - $4,138), as well as Warren Sheaves (25th place - $4,138).
As the day progressed, the action started slowing down. The final two tables were reached during Level 22. Four-time ring winner Michael Lech, who started the day as the chip leader, found himself heading to the rail first, in 18th place for a $6,655 payday when he three-bet shoved with aces on a flop, only to found himself in bad shape against Matthew Higgins's .
The unofficial final table came together with the elimination of four-time ring winner Marshall White at Level 24 and the stakes were high with half of the final table players being WSOP gold ring winners.
After 10 one-hour levels of play, Luke Graham bagged the chip lead with 4,210,000. Graham was surviving most of the day but he started chipping up at the final table. The highlight of his run was the big double up he scored against Matthew Higgins. Higgins moved all in with on the turn of a board and Graham called with his [d] to win a huge pot. Graham already has a ring and will be looking to add another one to his collection.
He is followed by ring winner Matthew Higgins (2,805,000). Kevin Johnson rounds up the top three with 2.295,000 in the bag. Timothy Conrow sits in 4th place with 1,330,000 and Benjamin Thomas is in last with 805,000.
The remaining five players are guaranteed $32,189 for making it to Day 3. However, they will all have their eyes on the WSOP ring, the top prize of $127,319 as well as the free entry to the 2018 Global Casino Championship. They will return on Monday December 17 at 12 pm local time and will play down to a winner.
Here are the full counts and seat assignments heading into the final day:
Seat 1 - Benjamin Thomas - 805,000
Seat 2 - Luke Graham - 4,210,000
Seat 3 - Matthew Higgins - 2,805,000
Seat 4 - Kevin Johnson - 2,295,000
Seat 5 - Timothy Conrow - 1,330,000
Monday, December 17, 2018 1:54 AM Local Time
Play has ended for the day. Only five players remain. An end-of-day recap will follow shortly.
Monday, December 17, 2018 12:50 AM Local Time
Action folds to Luke Graham in the small blind; he completes and Matthew Higgins checks from the big blind. Both players check a flop, but on the turn, Graham bets 50,000, Higgins re-raises to 205,000, and Graham calls.
The river is the . Graham checks and Higgins fires again, this time for 375,000. Graham calls, and Higgins mucks his hand without showing.
Monday, December 17, 2018 12:41 AM Local Time
Johnny Landreth
Johnny Landreth raises to 125,000 on the cutoff. Matthew Higgins, on the button, calls.
The dealer spreads a flop of . Landreth quickly moves all in for around 375,000 and Higgins snap-calls.
Matthew Higgins:
Johnny Landreth:
The turn and river complete the board and Higgins rakes in the pot, sending Landreth to the rail in 6th place.
Matthew Higgins - 3,200,000
Johnny Landreth - Eliminated
Monday, December 17, 2018 12:34 AM Local Time
Shortly after doubling through Matthew Higgins, Luke Graham moves into the lead after taking a big pot from Kevin Johnson. In the hand, Johnson raises from the cutoff to 110,000, Timothy Conrow calls, and from the big blind, Graham makes it 600,000. Johnson calls the 600,000 while Conrow folds.
The flop is . Graham fires another 600,000 and Johnson gives it up.
Luke Graham - 3,395,000
kevin Johnson - 2,300,000
Monday, December 17, 2018 12:22 AM Local Time
Matthew Higgins opens to 150,000 under the gun. Kevin Johnson calls from one seat over, along with Luke Graham in the small blind, and Johnny Landreth in the big blind.
The flop comes . Graham bets 275,000. Higgins is the only caller.
The turn brings the . This time, Graham checks. Higgins moves all in for around 2,600,000. Graham goes deep into the tank, before calling with his last 770,000.
Matthew Higgins:
Luke Graham:
The river completes the board and Graham takes down the pot.
Luke Graham - 2,640,000
Matthew Higgins - 1,850,000
Monday, December 17, 2018 12:05 AM Local Time
Action folds all the way around to Timothy Conrow in the small blind, who completes, and big-blind Benjamin Thomas checks his option. The flop is , and both players check. The turn is the , and both players check again. After the river, Conrow checks a third time. Thomas bets 100,000, and Conrow check-raises to 350,000. Thomas looks at the board, checks his card, looks at the board again, and finally folds.
Conrow says, "One time," as he turns over for the flopped straight flush.
Monday, December 17, 2018 12:01 AM Local Time
Level: 27
Blinds: 25,000/50,000
Ante: 5,000
Sunday, December 16, 2018 11:46 PM Local Time
Dave Alfa heads to the rail in seventh after he loses his last half million in chips to Benjamin Thomas. Alfa opens from middle position for 90,000, action folds to Thomas in the big blind, and he calls. The flop comes ; Thomas checks, Alfa bets 100,000, and Thomas calls.
The turn is the . Thomas checks again, Alfa bets 150,000, Thomas moves all in, and Alfa calls all-in for less. Both players have overpairs:
Benjamin Thomas -
Dave Alfa - .
The river bricks, and Alfa heads to the cashier for seventh-place money.
Benjamin Thomas - 1,030,000
Dave Alfa - Eliminated
Sunday, December 16, 2018 11:08 PM Local Time
Benjamin Thomas is down to his last 290,000 when he moves all in over the top of a Kevin Johnson open. Johnson calls and the two show their cards:
Kevin Johnson -
Benjamin Thomas -
Johnson catches a ton of outs with the flop, but he doesn't get there as the turn is the and the river the
Benjamin Thomas - 600,000
Kevin Johnson - 2,900,000
Sunday, December 16, 2018 10:56 PM Local Time
Level: 26
Blinds: 20,000/40,000
Ante: 5,000
Sunday, December 16, 2018 10:42 PM Local Time
The remaining 7 players are on their last 15-minute break of the day.
Sunday, December 16, 2018 10:20 PM Local Time
BJ McBrayer Eliminated in 9th place
BJ McBrayer moves all in for his last 192,000 from early position. Kevin Johnson, on the cutoff, three-bets to 400,000. Chris Matters, on the button, reshoves for around 720,000. Johnson calls
Kevin Johnson:
Chris Matters:
BJ McBrayer:
The board comes and Johnson scoops the pot, sending McBrayer out in 9th place, and Matters in 8th place.
Kevin Johnson - 2,550,000
BJ McBrayer - Eliminated
Chris Matters - Eliminated
Chris Matters Eliminated in 8th place
Sunday, December 16, 2018 10:01 PM Local Time
Kao Saechao
Kao Saechao moves all in from middle position for around 270,000. Luke Graham, on the button, reshoves for 450,000.
Luke Graham:
Kao Saechao:
The runout is and that is it for Saechao, who will take home $9,746 for his efforts.
Luke Graham - 810,000
Kao Saechao - Eliminated
Sunday, December 16, 2018 9:46 PM Local Time
Level: 25
Blinds: 15,000/30,000
Ante: 5,000
Sunday, December 16, 2018 9:42 PM Local Time
Here are the final 10 players in the Circuit IP Biloxi Main Event, with seat assignments and chip counts:
Seat 1: Benjamin Thomas - 272,000
Seat 2: Luke Graham - 850,000
Seat 3: BJ McBrayer - 305,000
Seat 4: Johnny Landreth - 1,600,000
Seat 5: Dave Alfa - 2,250,000
Seat 6: Matthew Higgins - 2,340,000
Seat 7: Kao Saechao - 372,000
Seat 8: Kevin Johnson - 1,983,000
Seat 9: Chris Matters - 743,000
Seat 10: Timothy Conrow - 750,000
Sunday, December 16, 2018 9:35 PM Local Time
Marshall White
Marshall White raises to 100,000 from the hijack, leaving 7,000 behind. Johnny Landreth, in the small blind, calls.
The dealer spreads a flop of . Landreth quickly moves all in and White calls, with his last 7,000.
Johnny Landreth:
Marshall White: ,
The turn and river complete the board and Landreth wins the pot, eliminating White in 11th place for nice $9,746 payday.
Johnny Landreth - 1,510,000
Marshall White - Eliminated
Sunday, December 16, 2018 9:25 PM Local Time
Lakisha Slaughter's up-and-down Day 2 has ended with a 12th-place cash. In her final hand, Dave Alfa opens from middle position for 55,000, and Slaughter, next to act, moves all in for 240,000. Matthew Higgins calls, and the other players fold, including Alfa.
Slaughter -
Higgins -
Slaughter can't find an ace as the board runs outs .
Mattheew Higgins - 2,500,000
Lakisha Slaughter - Eliminated
Sunday, December 16, 2018 9:16 PM Local Time
A multi-way monster pot with four players giving action results in Robbie Beck hitting the rail and Dave Alfa moving into the lead. Matthew Higgins opens the action by raising to 60,000, and Beck, next to act, moves all in for 318,000. Luke Graham is next to act and calls, and action moves to Alfa, who tanks before cutting out 594,000 in chips and sliding them forward.
Higgins quickly folds, Beck is already all in, and Graham folds after perhaps 30 seconds. The remaining hands are opened:
Robbie Beck -
Dave Alfa -
A dry board sends Beck to the cashier and Alfa into the lead with 12 remaining.
Dave Alfa - 2,570,000
Robbie Beck - Eliminated
Sunday, December 16, 2018 9:06 PM Local Time
Aaron Lasater
Aaron Lasater moves all in on the button for his last 67,000. Johnny Landreth calls from the small blind along with Chris Matters in the big blind.
The flop comes . Landreth bets 100,000. Matters responds by moving all in for around 1,070,000. Landreth calls, putting at risk his last 878,000, and the cards are tabled:
Johnny Landreth:
Chris Matters:
Aaron Lasater:
Matters has the lead with two pair and the turn comes the giving him sevens full of eights. However, that doesn't last as the river completes the board for Landreth to make aces full of eights and win the pot instead. Landreth scores a double up through Matters, also eliminating Lasater in 14th place for a $7,998 payday.
Johnny Landreth - 1,850,000
Chris Matters - 205,000
Aaron Lasater - Eliminated