Monday, December 9, 2013 7:17 PM Local Time
The 2013-14 World Series of Poker Circuit Harrah's Resort Atlantic City Main Event has officially come to a close! In the end, Joseph LaPinta was able to defeat his own roommate, Joseph Wertz, during heads up play to win the $182,070 in first-place prize money as well as the gold ring and the seat to the National Championship.
Despite coming into the final table in the eighth overall chip position, LaPinta was able to overcome the field to seize a victory. LaPinta spent a majority of play during the day remaining patient and picking his spots well. As the table lost players, LaPinta ramped up the aggression and found himself in a dominating position for heads up play.
The first elimination of the day came after roughly an hour of play. Kevin Kernan fell at the hands of Joseph Jones when his ace-king was cracked by Jone's ace-queen. Jones then eliminated WSOP Circuit Hammond Main Event winner James Dorrance in eighth place shortly afterwards.
LaPinta scored a much needed double when he won a race before the flop to cripple Jeremy Wien. After that, Melad Marji and Wien were the next two to fall. Suddenly, the field was five handed and it stayed that way for quite some time.
Start-of-day chip leader Fabrizio Sarra was the next to go. In his final hand, Keith Donovan opened with a raise that was flatted by LaPinta. Sarra shipped all in over the top and Donovan folded. LaPinta snapped with two aces and held against the pocket deuces of Sarra. LaPinta continued his domination of the table as he managed to knock out every single remaining player at the final table.
Donovan fell in fourth place when he called an all in bet with pocket tens before the flop. LaPinta had one overcard with an ace and was able to drill it on the flop. During three handed play, Jones shipped into LaPinta's made flush on the river to find his exit from the tournament.
On the final hand of play, LaPinta's was able to hold against Joseph Wertz's to secure himself the victory.
Harrah's Resort Atlantic City Main Event Results
1st - Joseph LaPinta - $182,070
2nd - Joseph Wertz - $112,615
3rd - John Jones - $82,384
4th - Keith Donovan - $61,106
5th - Fabrizio Sarra - $45,977
6th - Jeremy Wien - $35,070
7th - Melad Marji - $27,120
8th - James Dorrance - $21,259
9th - Kevin Kernan - $16,889
That does it for our coverage of the Harrah's Resort Atlantic City Main Event. Thanks for following along!
Monday, December 9, 2013 6:38 PM Local Time
Joseph LaPinta, who holds a massive chip lead, raises the action from the button. Joseph Wertz moves all in and LaPinta calls.
LaPinta:
Wertz:
LaPinta is five cards away from the title and a favorite heading to the flop. The dealer fans , pairing both players but keeping LaPinta in the lead with his pair of aces. The hits the turn and Wertz needs to catch a jack or a nine to stay alive.
The river brings the , eliminating Wertz as the runner-up for $112,615. LaPinta wins the 2013-14 World Series of Poker Circuit Harrah's Resort Atlantic City Main Event! In addition to the $182,070 payday, LaPinta also earns the ring and the seat in the 2014 WSOP National Championship. A full recap of the final day will be posted shortly.
Monday, December 9, 2013 6:15 PM Local Time
On a flop of
, John Jones checks over to Joseph LaPinta who leads out with a bet of an unknown amount. Jones raises the action and LaPinta calls.
The turn brings the
and Jones moves 700,000 forward. LaPinta calls once again which allows the
to hit the river. Jones announces an all in bet for about 2.5 million. LaPinta snaps him off, tabling
for a flush. Jones'
is flashed to the table before being dragged into the muck. He is eliminated in third place, thrusting LaPinta and Joseph Wertz into heads up play.
John Jones - eliminated in 3rd place
Monday, December 9, 2013 6:05 PM Local Time
Level: 29
Blinds: 30,000/60,000
Ante: 10,000
Monday, December 9, 2013 6:04 PM Local Time
Keith Donovan has the button. He raises to 105,000 only to have Joseph LaPinta three-bet to 250,000. The blinds fold and when action comes back to Donovan he announces a four-bet to 445,000 total. LaPinta announces that he is all in and Donovan calls for his tournament life of about 1.7 million.
Donovan:
LaPinta:
LaPinta strikes gold on the
flop, pairing his ace and seizing a supreme lead in the hand. Donovan fails to improve on the turn (
) or the river (
) and he is eliminated from play in fourth place.
Joseph LaPinta - 5.95 million
Keith Donovan - eliminated in 4th place
Monday, December 9, 2013 5:28 PM Local Time
John Jones raises to 120,000 from the button and Keith Donovan three-bets to 295,000 from the small blind. The big blind folds and Jones calls to see a flop.
The flop comes down
and both players check. The
hits fourth street and and Donovan leads for 160,000. Jones calls and the
finishes off the board. Donovan taps the table which allows Jones to move 300,000 forward. Donovan calls and shows a winning
for a pair of kings.
John Jones - 4.1 million
Keith Donovan - 3.3 million
Monday, December 9, 2013 5:07 PM Local Time
After a series of bets and raises, John Jones is all in and at risk before the flop against current chip leader Keith Donovan. Jones tables
and is in a good position to double through Donovan's
.
Jones flops a set on the
flop and though Donovan picks up straight outs with the
on the turn, nothing materializes as fifth street brings the
. Jones doubles up and is now the table chip leader.
John Jones - 4.94 million
Keith Donovan - 2.08 million
Monday, December 9, 2013 4:53 PM Local Time
On the first hand back from break, Keith Donovan raises to 105,000 from the button and Joseph LaPinta flats from the small blind. Fabrizio Sarra ships all in over the top for just under 1 million from the big blind. Donovan folds and LaPinta snaps him off.
LaPinta:
Sarra:
The board falls down
and LaPinta's aces hold to eliminate Sarra from play in fifth place.
Joseph LaPinta - 3 million
Fabrizio Sarra - eliminated in 5th place
Monday, December 9, 2013 4:47 PM Local Time
The final five players have returned from their break and will now play at 25,000/50,000 blinds with a 5,000 ante. Here's a look at how the final five stack up:
Keith Donovan - 4.58 million
John Jones - 2.56 million
Joseph LaPinta - 1.74 million
Joseph Wertz - 1.69 million
Fabrizio Sarra - 1.03 million
Monday, December 9, 2013 4:47 PM Local Time
Level: 28
Blinds: 25,000/50,000
Ante: 5,000
Monday, December 9, 2013 4:39 PM Local Time
Keith Donovan and Fabrizio Sarra take a flop of
. Donovan checks over to Sarra who takes a moment to count out a bet of 280,000. Donovan comes over the top for 640,000 total which sends Sarra deep into the tank. Sarra takes over three minutes pondering his action before he finally opts to lay it down.
"I'll show you for $20," said Donovan with a grin after the hand. Sarra did not oblige and Donovan sent his cards sailing into the muck.
Following this hand, the players are on a 10-minute break.
Monday, December 9, 2013 3:41 PM Local Time
Keith Donovan opens to 80,000 and finds a call from Joseph LaPinta in the cutoff. Jeremy Wien moves all in for 575,000 from the button and the small blind folds. Joseph Wertz ships all in over the top for 615,000 from the big blind and both Donovan and LaPinta fold.
Wertz:
Wien:
"Alright, I've got three outs," says Wien before the community cards are dealt. Unfortunately for the New York native, he is unable to hit those outs as the board comes
to eliminate him in sixth place.
Joseph Wertz - 1.25 million
Jeremy Wien - eliminated in 6th place
Monday, December 9, 2013 3:20 PM Local Time
Keith Donovan opens with a raise from the button and Melad Marji moves all in for right around 1 million in chips. The big blind folds and Donovan calls. Marji shows but is dominated by Donovan's .
The flop pairs Donovan's jack with , giving Marji little hope to stay alive in the tournament. The on fourth street seals the deal, as Donovan now has jacks full of deuces. The finishes the board and Marji is eliminated in seventh place.
Keith Donovan - 3.62 million
Melad Marji - eliminated in 7th place
Monday, December 9, 2013 3:17 PM Local Time
Level: 27
Blinds: 20,000/40,000
Ante: 5,000
Monday, December 9, 2013 3:11 PM Local Time
Melad Marji opens with a raise to what looks like 70,000 from the cutoff. Jeremy Wien ships all in for 250,000 from the small blind and it folds back to Marji who calls.
Wien:
Marji:
Wien seizes a tight grip on the lead after he pairs his king on the flop. He secures himself a double when the hits the turn. The finishes the board and Wien doubles to around 550,000 in chips.
Melad Marji - 1.04 million
Jeremy Wien - 550,000
Monday, December 9, 2013 3:06 PM Local Time
Joseph LaPinta is all in and at risk for his last 765,000 before the flop against Jeremy Wien. LaPinta shows
and is racing with Wien's
.
The board runs out
and LaPinta is able to secure a double up. He now has about 1.55 million in chips.
Joseph LaPinta - 1.55 million
Jeremy Wien - 280,000
Monday, December 9, 2013 3:02 PM Local Time
Picking up with the action on the completed board of
, Fabrizio Sarra leads out into the middle for 300,000. Keith Donovan clicks it right back to 600,000 and Sarra goes into the tank.
Eventually, Sarra moves forward a call but then mucks his cards after Donovan shows
for a straight to the ten.
Keith Donovan - 2.53 million
Fabrizio Sarra - 2.25 million
Monday, December 9, 2013 2:46 PM Local Time
James Dorrance open-shoves all in for about 520,000 and finds a call from John Jones. Dorrance shows
against Jones'
.
The flop comes down
, keeping Jones in the lead with his ace-high. The
pairs the board on fourth street and the
puts two pair out there on fifth. Dorrance is unable to improve and he is eliminated from play in eighth place.
John Jones - 2.6 million
James Dorrance - eliminated in 8th place
Monday, December 9, 2013 2:39 PM Local Time
Joseph Wertz raises to 75,000 from early position and finds a call from Jeremy Wien out of the big blind. The duo take a flop of
and Wien checks. Wertz checks it back and the
falls on the turn. Wien checks for a second time and this allows Wertz to fire 80,000. Wien flats.
The river is the
and Wien comes out swinging for 140,000. Wertz snaps him off but then mucks his cards after Wien tables
for two pair.
Joseph Wertz - 1.28 million
Jeremy Wien - 950,000
Monday, December 9, 2013 2:18 PM Local Time
Kevin Kernan moves all in for his last roughly 380,000 before the flop and finds a call from John Jones in the next seat over.
Kernan:
Jones:
Kernan is in a dominating position and looks poised to double up. The flop falls
, pairing both players ace but keeping Kernan in the lead. The
on the turn changes nothing and Kernan needs to dodge a queen on the river to stay alive.
The river brings a death sentence, though, as it is the
to give Jones two pair. Kernan is eliminated from play and Jones scoops the pot.
John Jones - 2.11 million
Kevin Kernan- eliminated in 9th place