Monday, March 3, 2014 3:19 PM Local Time
Andrew Sapiro raises to 100,000 on the button and Jesse Wilke reraises to 300,000 out of the small blind. Sapiro thinks for a couple of minutes, then calls.
The flop comes and Wilke quickly bets 475,000. Sapiro takes less than ten seconds to announce he is all-in. A tournament staffer is dispatched to the table to count down Sapiro's stack and it is determined he has 1,475,000. Wilke gets the count, gives it another minute or so, then calls.
Sapiro turns over and Wilke shows for overcards. The turn brings the , giving Wilke a flush draw and straight draw, but he hits neither with the on the river. With that, Sapiro rakes in the largest pot of the tournament, while Wilke is left with less than one big blind.
Andrew Sapiro - 3,500,000 (70 BBs)
Jesse Wilke - 40,000 (1 BB)
Monday, March 3, 2014 12:48 AM Local Time
A little over 12 hours ago, 129 hopefuls returned to the Caesars Palace poker room for Day 2 of the Circuit Main Event action. Now, just 14 of those hopefuls remain.
It was a busy day that saw the field get down to bubble play after just two hours. It took a good while of hand-for-hand action to lose Danny Alvarez in 73rd place and burst the bubble, but once we got into the money, the eliminations came at a steady clip.
Some of the notables who made the money but failed to survive the day include three-time ring winner Brett Schwertley (67th), bracelet winner Josh Pollock (58th), WSOP.com qualifier Daniel Pappalardo (57th), Brian Ali (46th), BJ McBrayer (42nd), David Nicholson (38th), bracelet winner Brent Hanks (32nd), Jessie Bryant (26th), bracelet winner Arkadiy Tsinis (24th), and last bracelet winner standing, Brandon Cantu (18th).
The day also began with Chris Lindh of 2013 WSOP Main Event fame leading the way. Lindh may no longer be the big stack, but he did manage to survive Day 2 action, including a rough beat with pocket aces, to return for Day 3 action on Monday.
Lindh isn't the only notable name still in the running for the ring in this event either. Ring winner Ben Keeline, Harrah's Tunica Main Event winner Jonathan Gaviao, three-time ring winner Nancy Birnbaum, and Chris Bonita are just some of the others who survived Day 2 play.
They are all chasing chip leader Michael Ma, who ended play with an impressive 2,715,000. Ma jumped to the top of the counts thanks to a duel KO where his ace-king ousted both Josh Suyat and Justin Wise to move over 2 million chips. From there, he just kept stacking and will begin Day 3 with a substantial chip lead.
Here is a look at the chip counts and seat assignments for Day 3 of the Main Event, which resumes at 12pm PT on Monday:
Table 1
Seat 1: Michael Ma - 2,715,000
Seat 2: Christian Pham - 445,000
Seat 3: Joseph Elia - 1,190,000
Seat 5: Andrew Sapiro - 1,020,000
Seat 7: Ben Keeline - 470,000
Seat 8: Jesse Wilke - 1,445,000
Seat 9: Chris Lindh - 775,000
Table 2
Seat 1: William Chao - 635,000
Seat 2: Jonathan Gaviao - 850,000
Seat 3: Chris Bonita - 795,000
Seat 4: Ofer Akerman - 630,000
Seat 6: Nancy Birnbaum - 800,000
Seat 7: Yu Sheng Lin - 1,285,000
Seat 8: Philip Woerner - 895,000
Monday, March 3, 2014 12:27 AM Local Time
Philip Woerner raises to 52,000 preflop, and Dylan Thomassie shoves all in for 349,000. Woerner calls and turns over , and he's well ahead of Thomassie's . The board comes , missing both players, and Woerner wins the pot. Thomassie is eliminated in 15th place, and he'll walk away with $13,121.
Philip Woerner - 1,020,000 (43 BBs)
Dylan Thomassie - Eliminated
Monday, March 3, 2014 12:15 AM Local Time
Four players see a flop of . Chris Lindh is in the small blind and checks, then Michael Ma bets 85,000 from the big blind. Andrew Sapiro calls from middle position, Jesse Wilke folds from the button, and Lindh folds as well.
The turn brings the and Ma checks. Sapiro bets 130,000 and Ma calls.
The river is the and Ma checks again. Sapiro bets 230,000 and Ma calls.
Sapiro turns over for two pair,a ces and sixes, but Ma takes the pot with K-Q for two pair, aces and kings.
Michael Ma - 2,750,000 (115 BBs)
Andrew Sapiro - 1,120,000 (47 BBs)
Monday, March 3, 2014 12:08 AM Local Time
Philip Woerner open shoves all in for 328,000, and William Chao goes into the tank. After thinking for a couple minutes, he announces a call and shows . Woerner turns over . The flop comes , giving Woerner a flush draw and stealing from outs from chao. The turn is the , adn the river the , and Woerner's ace is enough to win him the pot.
Philip Woerner - 705,000 (29 BB)
William Chao - 800,000 (33 BBs)
Monday, March 3, 2014 12:00 AM Local Time
Action folds to Christian Pham in the small blind and he raises to 60,000. Joseph Elia is in the big blind and calls. The flop comes and both players check. The turn brings the and Pham bets 60,000. Elia calls.
The river is the and Pham bets 150,000. Elia thinks for a while, stands for a while, places his hands behind his back a few moments, then announces, "Fold."
"Good hand," Elia tells Pham. He pats him on the back and adds, "You can breathe now."
Christian Pham - 595,000 (25 BBs)
Joseph Elia - 1,150,000 (48 BBs)
Sunday, March 2, 2014 11:53 PM Local Time
With the board reading on the flop, Michael Ma checks to Ben Keeline, who bets 38,000. Ma calls, then he checks again when the dealer turns the . Keeline continues for 65,000, and Ma calls again. The river is the , and now Ma bets out for 150,000. Keeline reluctantly calls, and Ma tables for a full house. As Keeline sends his cards to the muck, he shows the for a smaller boat.
Michael Ma - 2,010,000 (84 BBs)
Ben Keeline - 550,000 (23 BBs)
Sunday, March 2, 2014 11:46 PM Local Time
There is already well over 100,000 in the pot when William Chao and Allen (Yu Sheng) Lin go heads-up to a flop of . Lin checks from the small blind and Chao checks back from middle position.
The turn brings the . Lin bets 100,000 and Chao calls.
The river is the and Lin checks. Chao bets 230,000, Lin folds, and Chao takes the pot.
William Chao - 890,000 (37 BBs)
Allen (Yu Sheng) Lin - 1,190,000 (50 BBs)
Sunday, March 2, 2014 11:44 PM Local Time
Level: 25
Blinds: 12,000/24,000
Ante: 4,000
Sunday, March 2, 2014 11:43 PM Local Time
Jesse Wilke raises to 40,000 and Chris Lindh moves all-in behind him for 145,000 total. Wilke calls with . Lindh shows .
Lindh manages to pair up his deuce on the board and he survives to double up.
Chris Lindh - 310,000 (16 BBs)
Jesse Wilke - 1,790,000 (90 BBs)
Sunday, March 2, 2014 11:41 PM Local Time
Andrew Sapiro raises to 40,000 from middle position and Jesse Wilke calls from the cutoff. Chris Lindh is on the button and reraises to 110,000. Action moves back to Sapiro, who four-bets to 240,000. Wilke gets out of the way.
Lindh does not back down. Instead, he five-bets to 410,000 and Sapiro instantly moves all-in for 824,000 total. Lindh quickly calls and tables . Sapiro turns over .
Lindh looks to be in good shape until the flop comes , giving Sapiro bottom set. The on the turn does nothing for Lindh. The river brings the and Sapiro's set gives him the double up to near the chip lead, while Lindh is left with less than ten big blinds.
"I'm sorry dude," Sapiro tells Lindh. "That was really stupid. I mean really, really stupid."
Andrew Sapiro - 1,700,000 (85 BBs)
Chris Lindh - 145,000 (7 BBs)
Sunday, March 2, 2014 11:34 PM Local Time
Action folds around to Bashar Ramahi in the small blind, and he announces, "All in." Ofer Akerman calls from the big blind, turning up , and he's ahead of Ramahi's . The flop falls , missing both players. The turn is the putting a heart draw on board for both players, although Akerman holds the higher heart. The river is the , and Akerman wins the pot with his king-high flush. Ramahi is eliminated in 16th place, earning him a payout of $10,810.
Ofer Akerman - 970,000 (49 BBs)
Bashar Ramahi - Eliminated
Sunday, March 2, 2014 11:23 PM Local Time
Michael Ma raises to 40,000 from the hijack and Joseph Elia reraises to 90,000 on the button. Ma calls and the two go heads-up to a flop of . Ma checks, then Elia bets 120,000.
"I'll peel one," Ma says as he cals.
"Sounds fishy as hell," Elias responds with a grin.
The turn brings the and Ma bets out 200,000. Elia takes a minute, then moves all-in for several hundred thousand more. Ma folds and Elia takes the pot.
Joseph Elia - 1,120,000 (56 BBs)
Michael Ma - 1,645,000 (82 BBs)
Sunday, March 2, 2014 11:04 PM Local Time
Christian Pham raises from under the gun, start of day chip leader Chris Lindh calls from the small blind, and chip leader Michael Ma calls out of the big blind.
The flop comes and Lindh checks. Ma bets 75,000 and Pham folds. Lindh thinks a bit before check-raising to 280,000 total. Ma folds and Lindh takes the pot.
Chris Lindh - 1,100,000 (55 BBs)
Michael Ma - 2,560,000 (128 BBs)
Sunday, March 2, 2014 11:02 PM Local Time
Craig Varnell moves all-in from middle position for his last 89,000 and Philip Woerner cals from the big blind. Varnell shows and he is racing with Woerner's .
The overcards win out as the board comes and Varnell is eliminated.
Philip Woerner - 440,000 (22 BBs)
Craig Varnell - eliminated in 17th place for $10,810
Sunday, March 2, 2014 10:57 PM Local Time
This event started with several WSOP bracelet winners in the field, including Eric Baldwin, Brent Hanks, Robert Cheung, and Dana Castaneda. Now Brandon Cantu, the last remaining bracelet holder has been eliminated.
Chris Lindh raises to 40,000, and Brandon Cantu (pictured) pushes all in from the button for about 500,000. Jesse Wilke calls from the big blind, and Lindh tanks for a minute before folding face up. Lindh's cards are bad news for Cantu, as he turns over . Wilke shows , and with Cantu's other nines dead, Wilke is in great shape. The board rolls out , and Wilke wins the pot. Cantu is eliminated in 18th place, earning him $10,810.
Jesse Wilke - 1,690,000 (85 BBs)
Brandon Cantu - Eliminated
Sunday, March 2, 2014 10:48 PM Local Time
The very next hand after doubling up Ofer Akerman, Dylan Thomassie moves all-in from middle position for his last 181,000. Craig Varnell is in the small blind and calls.
Thomassie shows and he is racing with Varnell's . Ace-king prevails on the board and Thomassie scores the double up.
Dylan Thomassie - 370,000 (19 BBs)
Craig Varnell - 90,000 (5 BBs)
Sunday, March 2, 2014 10:45 PM Local Time
Ofer Akerman limps in from early position and Dylan Thomassie raises to 57,000 form the cutoff. Bashar Ramahi is in the big blind and calls.
When action gets back to Akerman, he back-raises all-in for 316,000. Thomassie thinks for a couple of minutes before reraising all-in himself. Ramahi quickly folds his pocket nines face-up.
Thomassie turns over and Akerman shows . The aces hold as the board runs out and Akerman scores a big double up.
Ofer Akerman - 775,000 (69 BBs)
Dylan Thomassie - 181,000 (9 BBs)
Bashar Ramahi - 530,000 (27 BBs)
Sunday, March 2, 2014 10:37 PM Local Time
Seat 1: Michael Ma
Seat 2: Christian Pham
Seat 3: Joseph Elia
Seat 4: Brandon Cantu
Seat 5: Andrew Sapiro
Seat 6: Chirstopher Bonita
Seat 7: Ben Keeline
Seat 8: Jesse Wilke
Seat 9: Chris Lindh
Seat 1: William Chao
Seat 2: Jonathan Gaviao
Seat 3: Bashar Ramahi
Seat 4: Craig Varnell
Seat 5: Ofer Akerman
Seat 6: Nancy Birnbaum
Seat 7: Allen (Yu Sheng) Lin
Seat 8: Patrick Woerner
Seat 9: Dylan Thomassie
Sunday, March 2, 2014 10:37 PM Local Time
In a three-way confrontation, Mike Vanier, Chris Lindh, and Brandon Cantu get all in preflop. Vanier shows , Lindh turns over , and Cantu shows . The board runs out , and Lindh wins the pot with his pocket aces. Lindh was all in for 295,000, Vanier was all in for 275,000, and Cantu had both other players outchipped. After the hand Vanier is eliminated in 19th place, earning $9,012 for his efforts.
Chris Lindh - 885,000 (44 BBs
Brandon Cantu - 535,000 (27 BBs)
Mike Vanier - Eliminated