Event #11: No-Limit Hold'em Main Event

After a roller coaster of a heads up match, Bryan Campanello has been crowned the victor in the 2013/14 World Series of Poker Harrah's New Orleans Circuit Main Event. For his championship win, Campanello was awarded his third gold Circuit ring, a seat to this week's National Championship, and $175,459 in first-place prize money.

The day began with 10 players returning for the unofficial final table of the Main Event. John Parten became the unofficial final table bubble boy when he fell by Campanello's hand on just the second hand of the day. From there, the official final table of nine was set. Thanks to Parten's early elimination, start-of-day short stack Fadi Massaad earned himself a pay jump. Despite a double up in the first orbit, Massaad could not gain any further footing and was eliminated in ninth place.

Agustin Berumen was the next player to fall. Berumen got the last of his money in with pocket fours against The Lodge Casino Main Event champion Eric Blair's pocket tens. The tens held through the community cards and Berumen made his way toward the rail. The eliminations continued at a rapid pace after that with James Henson falling in seventh place and John Kloch in sixth.

Coming into the day, Blair looked to become the first ever back-to-back Circuit Main Event winner. That dream was dashed before the day's end, however, as Blair fell to eventual champion Campanello. In Blair's final hand, he called all in for his tournament life with    against a four-bet ship from Campanello. Campanello rolled over   , paired his ace on the flop, and eliminated Blair in fifth place for $44,037.

Danny Doucet was the next player to feel Campanello's wrath. Doucet moved all in preflop with ace-deuce and found a call from Campanello's pocket eights. The board ran out clean, sending Doucet to the rail. A few hands later, Gary Friedlander eliminated Alan Ramkhalawan in third place and was left to face a WSOP bracelet winner in heads up play.

Despite beginning heads up play with a slight chip advantage, Campanello was unable to gain any ground early on. After looking bleak for a moment, Campanello found a double up and battled on. The chip lead changed hands several times over the course of the roughly four-hour heads up match with Campanello all in and at risk for his tournament life three separate times. The third time was a charm, however, as from there he was able chip away at Friedlander's remaining stack and assume a distant chip lead.

On the final hand, Campanello's pocket queens held up against Friedlander's queen-jack after a preflop all in. The Texas-native was crowned his third Circuit ring, first Main Event title, and a seat to this week's National Championship.

Here's a look at the final table payouts:

1st - Bryan Campanello - $175,459
2nd - Gary Friedlander - $108,523
3rd - Alan Ramkhalawan - $79,356
4th - Daniel Doucet - $58,886
5th - Eric Blair - $44,307
6th - John Kloch - $33,796
7th - James Henson - $26,134
8th - Agustin Berumen - $20,486
9th - Fadi Massaad - $16,276

That does it for our coverage of the 2013/14 World Series of Poker Circuit! Be sure to tune in May 22-24 for live coverage of the 2013/14 National Championship at Bally's Atlantic City where 100 of the Circuit's elite as well as any Player of the Year Points Qualifiers will do battle for a piece of the $1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool.

Gary Friedlander (above) raises from the button and Bryan Campanello calls from the big blind. The flop comes down     and Campanello check-calls a continuation bet of 300,000. The   hits the turn and Campanello checks for a second time. Friendlander knuckles the table in reply and the   finishes off the board.

Campanello moves 475,000 past the betting line and Friedlander announces a call. Campanello rolls over    for the straight and he drags in the pot.

Bryan Campanello - 7,740,000 (77 BBs)
Gary Friedlander - 3,400,000 (34 BBs)

The players are on a quick break. Here is a look at the chip counts:

Bryan Campanello - 6,180,000 (62 BBs)
Gary Friedlander - 4,920,000 (49 BBs)

Gary Friedlander makes it 200,000 to go from the button and Bryan Campanello calls. The flop comes down     and Campanello check-calls a continuation bet of 200,000. The turn is the   and Campanello checks again. Friedlander bets 440,000 and Campanello stays the course.

The   drops down on fifth street and prompts Campanello to lead for what looks to bet 480,000. Friedlander quickly ditches his hand and Campanello picks up the pot and the chip lead.

Bryan Campanello - 6,050,000 (75 BBs)
Gary Friedlander - 5,050,000 (63 BBs)

Bryan Campanello raises on the button and gets a call from Gary Friedlander. On the flop of     Friedlander checks, Campanello bets 150,000 and Friedlander calls.

Turn is the  . Campanello fires 290,000 and Friedlander folds.

Then Gary Friedlander opens for 200,000 on the button and Bryan Campanello kicks it up to 560,000 from the big blind. Friedlander calls.

The flop comes     and Campanello bets 425,000. Friedlander folds again.

Bryan Campanello - 5,000,000 (63 BBs)

Gary Friedlander - 6,400,000 (80 BBs)

Bryan Campanello calls from the button and Gary Friedlander makes it 280,000 to go. Campanello announces a three-bet all in for 1.385 million and Friedlander quickly calls.

Friedlander:   
Campanello:   

Friedlander leads with a pair of tens and Campanello looks to improve on the flop. He does exactly that as the flop comes down    , pairing Campanello's ace and giving him the lead. Friedlander calls for a king to make a straight, but receives nothing on the turn ( ) or the river ( ).

Bryan Campanello - 2,800,000 (35 BBs)
Gary Friedlander - 8,340,000 (104 BBs)

Bryan Campanello raises to 160,000 from his button and Gary Friedlander calls. The duo check a flop of    , allowing the   to fall on the turn. Friedlander bets 200,000 on fourth street and Campanello comes along to the river.

The   completes the board and both players check their option.

"Jack," says Friedlander.

Campanello shows a jack as well, but Friedlander tables    for jacks with a queen kicker. Campanello mucks his other card and Frieldander is pushed the pot.

Gary Friedlander - 9,460,000 (118 BBs)
Bryan Campanello - 1,680,000 (21 BBs)

Bryan Campanello raises to 125,000 and Gary Friedlander reraises to 325,000. Campanello fires back, making it 680,000 to play. Friedlander calls.

The flop comes     and Friedlander bets out 600,000. Campanello is all-in, having Friedlander's remaining 3,920,000 covered. Friedlander takes a few seconds, then calls.

Campanello shows    for bottom two pair, while Friedlander trails with    for an open-ended straight draw.

The   on the turn gives Friedlander some additional outs and, with the   on the river, he makes his straight to double up, retake the chip lead, and send Campanello's stack below 2 million chips.

Gary Friedlander - 9,180,000 (153 BBs)
Bryan Campanello - 1,920,000 (32 BBs)

Bryan Campanello has the button. He makes it 125,000 to go and Gary Friedlander calls. The flop comes     and Friedlander checks. Campanello bets 110,000 and finds a call.

Fourth street pairs the board with the   and Friedlander check-calls 250,000 on this street. The   rivers and both players check their option.

"I have a ten," says Campanello, tabling   . Friedlander mucks and Campanello takes the pot.

Bryan Campanello - 5,660,000 (94 BBs)
Gary Friedlander - 5,480,000 (91 BBs)