Event #7: No-Limit Hold'em Main Event

The day started with Charles Sylvestre on top and the day ended with the Charles Sylvestre on top. The Quebecois WSOP bracelet winner ruled the tournament and never slowed down as he battled his way through the Final 18. Sylvestre takes home the $122,435 first place prize, a WSOP Circuit gold ring and on top of that he earns a berth into the WSOP National Championship.

The final day of play started with 18 hopefuls and Sylvestre with a two-to-one chip lead over his nearest challenger, Mike Leah. French Canadian Claud St-Pierre was the first player to hit the rail as the short stack ran his ace-six into Gabriel Menard’s queens. Menard collected $6,400 for his efforts.

In the second level of play we witnessed an epic clash between Daniel Charette, who held the chip lead for quite a while on Day 2, and Leah. Leah crippled Charette who bluffed all in on the turn against Leah’s set. Charette was knocked out not too long after this while Leah was now very close to Sylvestre. In a matter of hands we also said goodbye to Gabriel Menard (16th - $6,400), Jeremie Trepanier (15th - $7,691) and Jason Sagle (14th - $7,691), the latter finished 23rd in the WSOP Main Event won by Greg Raymer in 2004.

After Richard Reimer busted in 13th ($7,691) place two six-handed tables remained. When short handed play begun it became ever so clear that Sylvestre showed up to win. Sylvestre kept pounding on his opponents and chipped up nicely during this phase. Things did not go so well for Antonio Della Sciucca who was knocked out in 12th place for $9,371. Della Sciucca’s jacks failed to hold up against Vladimir Faubert’s king-queen and 11 players remained.

On the final table bubble we said goodbye to Robert Repaci who was short for quite a while before hitting the rail. Finally Repaci shoved with ace-three only to get called by Sylvestre’s pocket treys.The board brought no help for Repaci who took home $9,371.

Here’s a look at the final table seating:

Seat 1: Charles Sylvestre - 1,700,000 (85BB)
Seat 2: Adam Podstawka - 215,000 (11BB)
Seat 3: Justin Dean - 443,000 (22BB)
Seat 4: Vladimir Faubert - 481,000 (24BB)
Seat 5: Sol Bergren - 911,000 (45BB)
Seat 6: Bryan Moon - 725,000 (36BB)
Seat 7: Dinara Khaziyeva - 720,000 (36BB)
Seat 8: John Pentefountas - 455,000 (22BB)
Seat 9: John Nelson - 1,060,000 (53BB)
Seat 10: Mike Leah - 736,000 (36BB)

Right at the start it was local favorite Faubert who fell to Sylvestre’s ever growing stack. Sylvestre had his opponent crushed in a pre flop confrontation holding kings to Faubert’s queens. The board brought blanks and Faubert took home $9,371. Sylvestre had amassed 2.1 million chips already at this point, with 7.4 million in play.

Leah had lost quite a few chips since doubling through Charette but he pulled another trick out of his hat to stay alive. Leah moved all in from early position with two fives and Ioannis Pentefountas called with ace-king suited. Leah’s hand held up, Pentefountas was crippled and knocked out two hands later. Pentefountas cashed $14,491 for his ninth-place finish.

Adam Podstawka was next to go in eighth place when his queen-eight did not improve versus Justin Dean’s king-queen suited. Podstawka cashed $14,491 and more importantly he also leads the Casino Leaderboard here in Lac Leamy. Five events still need to be completed but if Podtawka remains at the top he secures himself a berth into the National Championship next spring.

Right after the dinner break Bryan Moon ran out of steam. Moon finished seventh for $18,398, as he lost his final chips with eight-seven of hearts versus Sylvestre’s king-four. Just a few hands later Dean was knocked in sixth for $23,690 when he could not win a flip holding nines versus Sylvestre’s ace-ten.

With five players left there seemed to a battle for second place behind the immense stack Sylvestre had gathered. Leah was one of the contenders but he ran ace-king into John Nelson’s aces. Nelson now sat firmly in second place while Leah was eliminated in fifth place cashing $30,953.

Sol Bergren had moved up the payladder nicely but he could not prevent getting knocked out by, who else, Sylvestre. This time Sylvestre woke up with ace-queen when Bergren moved all in. Bergren held ace-six and did not improve. Bergren walked away $41,047 richer as just three players remained.

The last lady standing, Dinara Khaziyeva, fought a tough fight but eventually she lost a big coinflip to end her impressive run. Khaziyeva pocket tens seemed safe against Nelson’s ace-queen when the flop brought mere low cards. The turn did not change anything either when a king popped up, but on the river the ace of spades knocked her out. Khaziyeva walked away with $55,283, her biggest live tournament cash to date.

Because of Nelson’s late surge he started with the chip lead going into the heads-up battle.

John Nelson - 5,200,000 (130BB)
Charles Sylvestre - 2,200,000 (55BB)

The total final table lasted just over six hours and the heads-up portion no more than 30 minutes. Sylvestre turned things in his favor and came out victorious catching Nelson on a big bluff. On the final hand Nelson three-bet the river all in with just six high and Sylvestre called with trip deuces. Nelson was knocked out in second place for $75,656 and Sylvestre was crowned WSOP Circuit Main Event champion! The French Canadian now has a WSOP bracelet and a WSOP Circuit Main Event title, which is of course a very impressive feat.

1st: Charles Sylvestre - $122,435
2nd: John Nelson - $75,656
3rd: Dinara Khaziyeva - $55,283
4th: Sol Bergre - $41,047
5th: Mike Leah - $30,953
6th: Justin Dean - $23,690
7th: Bryan Moon - $18,398
8th: Adam Podstawka - $14,491
9th: Ioannis Pentefountas - $11,575
10th: Vladimir Faubert - $9,371

In a very interesting turn of events we have ourselves a winner! John Nelson started the heads up battle with the chip lead but Charles Sylvestre overtook and knocked him out.

On the final hand of play Sylvestre raises to 100,000 from the button and Nelson calls from the big blind. The flop brings     and Nelson check-calls 100,000.

The turn brings the   and both players check. The river brings the   and Nelson bets 225,000. Sylvestre decides to raise it up to 600,000 and that sparked a shove by Nelson.

Nelson turns over a    bluff and is knocked out by Sylvestre's    for trips.

Charles Sylvestre - 1st ($122,435)
John Nelson - Eliminated 2nd ($75,656)

John Nelson raises to 100,000 from the button and Charles Sylvestre calls.

The flop comes     and Sylvestre checks. Action is on Nelson and he makes it 100,000. Sylvestre calls.

The turn brings the   and both players check.

Sylvestre leads the   river for 175,000. Nelson asks for a count of the bet and calls.

"King-high," Sylvestre says.

"Ace-high," Nelson says showing   .

John Nelson - 5,800,000 (116BB)
Charles Sylvestre - 1,600,000 (32BB)

The heads up between John Nelson and WSOP bracelet winner Charles Sylvestre is now underway. The blinds are 20,000/40,000 with a 5,000 ante and these are the chip counts.

John Nelson - 5,200,000 (130BB)
Charles Sylvestre - 2,200,000 (55BB)

We just saw one of the biggest pots of the tournament play out with all three players involved on the flop.

John Nelson raises to 80,000 from the button and Charles Sylvestre calls from the small blind. Dinara Khaziyeva three-bets from the big blind to 250,000 and both gentleman followed with the call.

There is over 750,000 in the pot when the flop brings out    . Sylvestre and Khaziyeva check to Nelson who bets 250,000.

"All in," Sylvestre announces quickly and Khaziyeva folds her cards. Nelson looks back down at his cards and makes the call.

Sylvestre turns over    for an open ended straight flush draw and Nelson shows    for a higher flush draw.

The board runs out  ,   and Nelson doubles through Sylvestre to retake the chip lead.

John Nelson - 3,685,000 (92BB)
Charles Sylvestre - 2,260,000 (56BB)
Dinara Khaziyeva - 1,475,000 (36BB)

The players are back from a short break and the final three keep battling it out for the $122,435 first-place prize, the WSOP Circuit gold ring and a seat into the WSOP National Championship.

John Nelson raises to 80,000 and Charles Sylvestre makes the call in position. The flop brings     and both players check.

On the turn the   hits and Nelson bets out 110,000, Sylvestre calls.

The river brings the   and now Nelson fires out 250,000. Sylvestre quickly calls and shows   .

Sylvestre wins the hand and regains the chip lead from Nelson.

Charles Sylvestre - 2,700,000 (67BB)
John Nelson - 2,400,000 (60BB)

John Nelson - 2,875,000 (71BB)
Charles Sylvestre - 2,150,000 (53BB)
Dinara Khaziyeva - 1,925,000 (48BB)
Sol Bergren - 655,000 (16BB)

Sol Bergren raises to 60,000 and Dinara Khaziyeva calls from his immediate left. The flop brings     and Bergren decides to check-call 70,000.

On the turn the   pops up and Bergren checks to Khaziyeva who bets 135,000. Bergren tanks for quite a while before eventually making the call.

The river brings the   and Bergren checks a third time. Khaziyeva shows no signs of slowing down as she bets another 310,000. Bergren went into the tank some more but he did not find a fold in his thought process.

Dinara Khaziyeva - 1,250,000 (41BB)
Sol Bergren - 730,000 (24BB)

Charles Sylvestre raises to 60,000 from the cutoff and Sol Bergren calls from the button. The flop brings     and Sylvestre bets 75,000. Bergren makes the call and on the turn the   shows up.

Sylvestre decides to check and Bergren bets 120,000.

"All in," Sylvestre announces shortly after this bet and Bergren calls right away.

Bergren shows    for the nut straight and Sylvestre has    for the lower straight. On the river the   hit and the pot was split.

Sol Bergren - 1,200,000 (40BB)
Charles Sylvestre - 3,100,000 (103BB)