Tuesday, October 24, 2017 4:04 AM Local Time
.jpg)
Blake Battaglia - Horseshoe Hammond Main Event Champ - And Squad
Hammond, Indiana (October 24, 2017) – Blake Battaglia is the World Series of Poker Circuit’s most recent Main Event Champion. The Chicago-area poker player conquered Event #10: $1,675 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event at his home-field casino, Horseshoe Hammond, winning a debut gold ring.
“It hasn’t hit me yet. It’s unreal,” said Battaglia, following his momentous score.
The staggering, Main Event purse left Battaglia in awe when all was said and done. On top of the golden hardware, Battaglia was awarded a WSOP cash of $332,020 for his triumph.
Three long days of cards was what it took for Battaglia to realize his accomplishment. Along the way, as is with all poker tournaments, there were some ups and downs, but Battaglia remained on the up side throughout...
READ MOREMonday, October 23, 2017 9:55 PM Local Time
Jeff Banghart moves all in for 3,500,000 from the button and Blake Battaglia (pictured above) calls. It's a coin flip for the title as Banghart turns over against Battaglia's .
The board runs out and Battaglia spikes an ace on the turn to eliminate Banghart in second place. Battaglia wins himself the title, $332,020, the ring, and entry into the WSOP Global Casino Championship.
Banghart (below) collects $205,755 for his runner-up finish.
Monday, October 23, 2017 9:48 PM Local Time
Jeff Banghart limps the button and Blake Battaglia checks his option in the big blind. The flop comes Battaglia checks, Banghart bets 300,000, and Battaglia calls.
Both players check the on the turn. The hits the river, Battaglia bets 1,000,000 and Banghart calls. Battaglia turns over for the winning two pair and Banghart mucks.
Blake Battaglia - 21,640,000 (135 bb)
Jeff Banghart - 3,300,000 (21 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 9:40 PM Local Time
Jeff Banghart raises to 400,000 on the button. Blake Battaglia retaliates with a three-bet to 1,200,000. Banghart calls, bringing the flop.
Battaglia bets 1,000,000. Banghart calls and the turn is the .
Battaglia comes out with a stack of black again. The bet is for 1,600,000. Banghart calls again.
The turn is the . Battaglia shoves for 4,380,000 effective, and Banghart folds. Battaglia wins the pot, drawing a cheer from his rail.
Blake Battaglia - 20,560,000 (129 bb)
Jeff Banghart - 4,380,000 (27 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 9:39 PM Local Time
The action has been steadily intensifying over the past few orbits, and the pots are starting to get a little bigger on average. Here's a series of recent hands:
In the first, Jeff Banghart limps the button, and Blake Battaglia checks his option. They both check through the flop, and the turn is the . Battaglia checks, Banghart bets 400,000, and Battaglia calls. The river is the . Banghart bets 1,000,000, and Battaglia check-calls once again. Banghart announces a nine and shows to win the pot.
Battaglia wins the next pot with a preflop raise and a continuation bet on an ace-high flop.
Banghart opens the button to 400,000 on the next hand, and Battaglia three-bets to 1,200. Banghart folds.
The action reverses one hand later, with Battaglia opening to 400,000 and Banghart three-betting to 1,200,000. Battaglia calls. The flop is , and a bet of 1,000,000 from Banghart wins him the pot.
The next hand, Banghart opens to 400,000 again, and Battaglia defends. The flop is . Battaglia checks, Banghart continues for 500,000, and Battaglia check-raises to 1,400,000. Banghart folds.
The next hand, Battaglia opens to the usual 400,000, and Banghart defends. The flop is . Banghart bets 900,000, and Battaglia folds.
Banghart earns a reasonable profit over that string of hands, but he's still facing a 2:1 disadvantage in this match.
Jeff Banghart - 8,300,000 (52 bb)
Blake Battaglia - 16,640,000 (104 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 9:29 PM Local Time
Jeff Banghart opens to 400,000 from the button and Battaglia calls. The flop comes , Battaglia checks, and Banghart bets 500,000. Battaglia calls.
The turn brings the , Battaglia checks again, and Banghart bets 1,200,000. Battaglia calls. The hits the river, Battaglia checks for the third time, and Banghart moves all in for 2,210,000. Battaglia thinks about it for a while and says "I'm confused, and usually when I'm confused I call." He then folds and says "I'll let you run it by me, I think I had you, good hand though."
Banghart smiles as he rakes in the pot.
Jeff Banghart - 6,190,000 (39 bb)
Blake Battaglia - 18,750,000 (117 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 9:23 PM Local Time
Blake Battaglia opens to 400,000 from the button and Jeff Banghart calls. The flop comes , Banghart checks, and Baatglia bets 500,000.
Both players check the on the turn. The river brings a third king , Banghart bets 1,500,000 and Battaglia calls. Banghart turns over for a straight but can't beat Battaglia's full house.
Banghart tells Battaglia "We're even on the kings", Battaglia quips back, "no we're not, nice try though."
Blake Battaglia - 20,540,000 (128 bb)
Jeff Banghart - 4,400,000 (28 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 9:13 PM Local Time
Jeff Banghart opens the button to 400,000, and Blake Battaglia three-bets to 1,400,000. Banghart calls. The flop is , and a follow-up bet of 1,000,000 gives Battaglia the pot.
A couple hands later, the two men build a pot of close to 4,000,000 chips heading to the river of a board. Battaglia checks from the big blind, Banghart bets 2,000,000 from the button, and Battaglia folds. Banghart flashes the reporters his as he collects the pot to climb back to about 9,300,000.
Battaglia gets the best of him again a few hands later, though. Banghart opens the button to 400,000, and Battaglia defends. The flop is , and Battaglia check-calls a bet of 500,000. They both check through the turn, and the river is the . Battaglia bets 2,000,000, and Banghart calls.
Battaglia shows for a flush draw that turned into bottom two pair. It's good; Banghart mucks to slide back under 7,000,000 chips.
Blake Battaglia - 18,510,000 (116 bb)
Jeff Banghart - 6,430,000 (40 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 9:03 PM Local Time
Blake Battaglia opens to 400,000 from the button and Jeff Banghart calls. The flop comes , Banghart checks, and Battaglia bets 450,000. Banghart calls.
The turn brings the , Banghart checks, and Battaglia bets 950,000. Banghart moves all in and Battaglia snap calls with . Banghart turns over and can only hit one of two kings to avoid elimination. The river is indeed the and Banghart doubles his 3,381,000 stack.
Battaglia says "nice hand", and Banghart shakes his head and goes "no it's not, it's called a suck-out. Sorry Blake, I'm not, but I feel for ya as a poker player."
Jeff Banghart - 7,665,000 (64 bb)
Blake Battaglia - 17,275,000 (144 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 8:54 PM Local Time
Blake Battaglia opens the button 400,000, and Jeff Banghart defends his big blind.
The flop is . Banghart checks, Battaglia continues for 450,000, and Banghart check-raises all in. Battaglia cranes his neck to eye up the stacks, and Banghart reveals that he has about 2,640,000 left in front of him.
"You can crush my soul right here," he offers.
Battaglia waves the white flag, though, flashing the as he mucks. Banghart wins the pot with no showdown to claw back a few of his chips.
Jeff Banghart - 3,930,000 (25 bb)
Blake Battaglia - 21,010,000 (131 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 8:54 PM Local Time
Blake Battaglia raises to 400,000 on the button. "I'm gonna raise" says Jeff Banghart in the big blind; "800 more," he continues. "The bet is twelve," confirms the dealer. Battaglia calls and the flop is laid out.
The board reads . Banghart bets 800,000. Battaglia calls.
The turn is the . Banghart fires again, this time for 2,000,000. Battaglia slides out his own pile of 2,000,000 and uses it to call.
The final card is the . Trip threes line the board now. Banghart does not hold back, betting 4,000,000 into an already-massive pot. Battaglia thinks for a second and then calls.
Banghart shows . Battaglia tables for a full house.
Battaglia rakes wins the hand and a huge chip swing moves his way.
Blake Battaglia - 22,105,000 (138 bb)
Jeff Banghart - 2,875,000 (17 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 8:52 PM Local Time
Level: 33
Blinds: 80,000/160,000
Ante: 20,000
Monday, October 23, 2017 8:43 PM Local Time
Blake Battaglia opens to 275,000 from the button and Jeff Banghart calls. The flop comes , Banghart checks, and Battaglia bets 750,000. Banghart calls.
The turn brings the , Banghart checks again, and Battaglia bets 750,000. Banghart calls. The hits the river, Banghart checks for a third time, and Battaglia bets 1,300,000. Banghart calls, Battaglia turns over for two-pair, and Banghart mucks.
Blake Battaglia - 13,640,000 (114 bb)
Jeff Banghart - 11,300,000 (94 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 8:38 PM Local Time
Jeff Banghart opens the button to 275,000, and Blake Battaglia defends his big blind.
The flop is . It checks to the raiser, and Banghart continues for 300,000. Battaglia check-raises to 875,000, but Banghart re-raises to 2,300,000 total.
Battaglia lets a puzzled look cross his face as he thinks. "This doesn't make sense," he says. "I don't know how you can have me beat here."
"I might not," Banghart answers.
Battaglia folds, though, conceding the pot to Banghart.
Jeff Banghart - 14,065,000 (117 bb)
Blake Battaglia - 10,875,000 (91 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 8:32 PM Local Time
Jeff Banghart opens to 275,00 from the button, Blake Battaglia makes it 750,000, and Banghart calls.
The flop comes , Battaglia bets 650,000, and Banghart reraises 800,000 more. Battaglia three-bet shoves for around 9,100,000 and Banghart lays it down. The stacks are now pretty close.
Blake Battaglia - 12,240,000 (102 bb)
Jeff Banghart - 12,700,000 (106 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 8:27 PM Local Time
The opening stages of this heads-up match have mostly been played close to the vest. There are a lot of flops, with the majority of pots being opened to 275,000 on both sides of the felt. That's about it, though, as the hands typically end with one bet thereafter. So far, Blake Battaglia has been nibbling away at Jeff Banghart's lead in small chunks.
The two just played their first three-bet pot of the match. Battaglia opens to the standard 275,000 on the button, and Banghart three-bets to 720,000 in the big blind. Battaglia calls.
The flop is . Banghart continues for 600,000, and Battaglia takes pause for a few seconds. He eventually folds, though, and Banghart flashes as the dealer pushes him the pot.
Jeff Banghart - 15,125,000 (126 bb)
Blake Battaglia - 9,815,000 (82 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 8:17 PM Local Time
Royce Matheson opens to 275,000 on the button. Jeff Banghart calls in the big blind.
The flop lays out . Banghart checks. Matheson bets 325,000.
Banghart completes a check-raise to 800,000. Matheson moves all in and
Banghart quickly calls.
The whole cards reveal Matheson holding , and Banghart with .
An ace for Banghart has him ahead in the pari-of-nines battle.
The turn is the and the river is the .
Banghart scores a huge knockout. Matheson goes out in 3rd place.
Jeff Banghart - 15,580,000 (129 bb)
Royce Matheson - Eliminated
A heads-up battle between Banghart and Blake Battaglia begins now.
Monday, October 23, 2017 8:04 PM Local Time
Blake Battaglia opens the button to 275,000, and Jeff Banghart calls in the small blind.
The flop is . Banghart checks, Battaglia continues for 350,000, and Banghart calls. Both players check through the turn. The river is the , and Banghart leads out for 1,000,000. Battaglia calls.
Banghart shows , winning the pot with a set of deuces. He retakes the chip lead in that exchange.
Jeff Banghart - 12,250,000 (102 bb)
Blake Battaglia - 9,250,000 (77 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 8:02 PM Local Time
Blake Battaglia opens to 275,000 from the small blind and Jeff Banghart calls form the big blind. The flop comes , Battaglia bets 325,000, and Banghart calls.
The turn brings the Battaglia checks, Banghart bets 500,000, and Battaglia calls. The hits the river, and both players check it down. Battaglia flips over but is no good against Banghart's (pair of jacks).
Jeff Banghart - 10,400,000 (87 bb)
Blake Battaglia - 11,300,000 (94 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 7:52 PM Local Time
Jeff Banghart opens to 275,000 under the gun, and Blake Battaglia calls in the small blind. From the big blind, Jim VanZant (pictured) three-bet shoves for 1,190,000 total. Banghart quickly folds, but Battaglia eventually calls to put VanZant at risk.
Battaglia:
VanZant:
The flop is a disaster for VanZant, and the turn leaves him drawing dead. He's already wishing the final three luck as the completes the board on the river. Battaglia wins the pot with kings up, eliminating his opponent in fourth place.
This result is the first on VanZant's tournament record, and it's good for more than $114,000.
Blake Battaglia - 12,950,000 (108 bb)
Jim VanZant - Eliminated