Thursday, July 30, 2015 11:06 PM Local Time
Play resumes Friday at 1 p.m. ET. Harwood out in front of Daniel Negreanu, Alex Masek, four others.
The dream of a National Championship title and World Series of Poker gold bracelet is still alive for seven players at Harrah’s Cherokee in Cherokee, N.C. Day 2 of the unique tournament concluded late Thursday night with Player of the Year qualifier Loni Harwood (pictured) out in front of fellow POY qualifier Daniel Negreanu, all-time ring leader Alex Masek and others. Harwood, who started the day fifth of 49 remaining, accumulated 1,340,000 of the 3,660,000 chips in play — more than 36 percent — and has more than twice as much as second place Darryll Fish (648,000).
Looking up at the pair at the top are Negreanu in third with 543,000, Vincent Moscati in fourth with 463,000, Brad St. Vincent in fifth with 410,000, Paul Mattioda in sixth with 167,000 and Masek in seventh with 100,000. Of the seven remaining players, just Harwood and Negreanu paid the $10,000 entry fee. All others earned their way in via a year’s worth of deep runs and gold ring victories on the Circuit that began last August at the Palm Beach Kennel Club in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Day 3 begins tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET with 46:51 left in the 5,000/10,000 with a 1,000 ante level. While each of the seven remaining players is assured $49,203, all players eye the $341,599 top prize and WSOP gold bracelet set to head to first.
The 2015 National Championship began Wednesday, July 29 with 122 qualifiers generating a prize pool of $1,220,000. Notables such as Circuit points leader Paul Sokoloff, all-time Circuit cashes leader Doug Carli, Phil Hellmuth, Ryan Riess, Shannon Shorr and Jake Bazeley hit the rail on Day 1. Day 2 resumed Thursday with 49 remaining and St. Vincent leading the way. While the aforementioned seven final tablists are still drawing live for the title, many players weren’t so lucky. Those to bust on Day 2 include Scott Clements, Jeff Madsen, Charles “Woody” Moore, Jesse Wilke, Tristan Wade, Ben Reason, Kevin McColgan and bubble boy Juan Mendoza.
Mendoza’s 16th-place finish came late in Level 16 and with his elimination each of the 15 remaining players were in the money. From there, play moved fast with defending champion Dominik Nitsche busting 15th, Michael Sanders 14th and Ari Engel 13th. Less than two levels later, Harwood crushed the dreams of Gevork Kasabyan (11th) and Robert Hankins (10th) in a double elimination to send the tournament to the official final table.
Up-to-date results are available under the "Results" tab above.
Those seven still remaining reconvene Friday to compete in front of the ESPN cameras for poker’s most coveted prize. Live updates throughout the tournament’s completion will be made available right here on WSOP.com.
Final seven seating assignments and chip counts:
Seat 1: Vincent Moscati - 463,000 (46 bb)
Seat 2: Darryll Fish - 648,000 (64 bb)
Seat 3: Daniel Negreanu - 543,000 (54 bb)
Seat 4: — empty —
Seat 5: Paul Mattioda - 167,000 (16 bb)
Seat 6: Loni Harwood - 1,340,000 (134 bb)
Seat 7: Alex Masek - 100,000 (10 bb)
Seat 8: — empty —
Seat 9: Brad St. Vincent - 410,000 (41 bb)
Thursday, July 30, 2015 10:31 PM Local Time
Loni Harwood opens the action for 20,000 from the cutoff and Alex Masek folds the button. It's on a shorstacked Seth Berger (pictured) in the small blind and he eyes the stack of fellow shorty Masek. Berger shoves and Brad St. Vincent folds his big blind. Harwood calls and Berger is at risk.
Berger:
Harwood:
The flop comes and Berger is safe for now.
The turn falls the and gives Harwood outs to a straight.
Harwood's straight comes through when the river comes the . Berger is eliminated shy of the seven-handed TV final table. He heads home with a $38,650 consolation prize.
With Berger's elimination, Day 2 has come to a close. A full recap along with chip counts will be posted shortly.
Loni Harwood - 1,340,000 (134 bb)
Seth Berger - Eliminated
Thursday, July 30, 2015 10:25 PM Local Time
Daniel Negreanu raises to 22,000 from the cutoff, and Loni Harwood calls from the small blind. The flop comes , and both players check.
The turn is the , and Harwood checks again. Negreanu bets 33,000, and Harwood calls. The river is the , and Harwood checks a third time. Negreanu continues for 55,000. Harwood folds, and Negreanu shows the table for a diamond flush.
Daniel Negreanu - 575,000
Loni Harwood - 1,225,000
Thursday, July 30, 2015 10:19 PM Local Time
Loni Harwood raises from under the gun and Alex Masek shoves his last 50,000 from her direct left. It folds all the way around to Harwood and she calls. Masek is at risk.
Masek:
Harwood:
The board runs out and Masek doubles through Harwood.
Alex Masek - 113,000 (11 bb)
Loni Harwood - 1,275,000 (127 bb)
Thursday, July 30, 2015 10:11 PM Local Time
Seat 1: Vincent Moscati - 377,000 (37 bb)
Seat 2: Darryll Fish - 640,000 (64 bb)
Seat 3: Daniel Negreanu - 465,000 (46 bb)
Seat 4: — empty —
Seat 5: Paul Mattioda - 190,000 (19 bb)
Seat 6: Loni Harwood - 1,345,000 (134 bb)
Seat 7: Alex Masek - 50,000 (5 bb)
Seat 8: Seth Berger - 83,000 (8 bb)
Seat 9: Brad St. Vincent - 485,000 (48 bb)
Thursday, July 30, 2015 10:11 PM Local Time
Level: 19
Blinds: 5,000/10,000
Ante: 1,000
Thursday, July 30, 2015 9:58 PM Local Time
Players are now on a break. The tournament will resume in roughly 15 minutes.
Thursday, July 30, 2015 9:54 PM Local Time
Loni Harwood raises to 18,000 from middle position, and Darryll Fish calls from the big blind. The flop comes , and Fish checks. Harwood continues for another 18,000, and Fish calls.
The turn is the , and Fish now leads out for 30,000. Harwood calls, and the river is the . Fish checks, and Harwood bets 83,000. Fish thinks for a minute, then mucks his cards, and Harwood extends her chip lead.
Loni Harwood - 1,400,000
Darryll Fish - 590,000
Thursday, July 30, 2015 9:46 PM Local Time
Vincent Moscati is in early position and opens the pot for 20,000. It folds to Jonathan Abla (pictured) in late position and he shoves for 111,000. Alex Masek takes a minute from the small blind, but finds a fold. Brad St. Vincent folds his big blind as well and it's back on Moscati. Moscati calls and Abla is at risk.
Moscati:
Abla:
The flop leaves no room for a sweat as it falls improving Moscati to quads and leaving Abla drawing dead.
The turn and river complete the board with the and and Jonathan Abla busts ninth earning $30,854.
Vincent Moscati - 396,000 (49 bb)
Jonathan Abla - Eliminated
Thursday, July 30, 2015 9:38 PM Local Time
Paul Mattioda raises to 18,000 from middle position, and Seth Berger three-bets all in for 51,000 from the button. Mattioda calls, and the players turn up their cards.
Mattioda:
Berger:
The boad comes , missing both players completely. Berger wins with his pocket kings and doubles up.
Seth Berger: 123,000 (15 bb)
Paul Mattioda: 250,000 (31 bb)
Thursday, July 30, 2015 9:35 PM Local Time
Daniel Negreanu is in middle position and raises to 18,000. Loni Harwood calls from the cutoff and Brad St. Vincent comes along from the big blind. They are three handed to the flop.
The dealer burns and turns a flop. Action checks to Harwood who bets 31,000. St. Vincent calls and Negreanu folds. St. Vincent and Harwood are heads up to the turn.
Fourth street brings the . St. Vincent leads for 43,000 and Harwood mucks. St. Vincent wins the pot.
Brad St. Vincent - 395,000 (49 bb)
Thursday, July 30, 2015 9:32 PM Local Time
Vincent Moscati opens the pot for 19,000 from late position. Loni Harwood defends from the big blind and they are heads up to the flop.
Both players check the flop and the turn.
The river brings the putting four to a straight out there. Harwood leads into Moscati for 44,000. Moscati calls and Harwood tables for a king-high straight. Moscati mucks and Harwood wins the pot.
Loni Harwood - 1,350,000 (168 bb)
Vincent Moscati - 237,000 (29 bb)
Thursday, July 30, 2015 9:23 PM Local Time
Daniel Negreanu raises to 18,000 from under the gun, and Darryll Fish calls from the big blind.
The flop comes , and Fish checks. Negreanu continues for 22,000, and Fish calls. Both players check the on the turn, and then check again when the falls on the river.
Fish turns over . Negreanu says he also has a pair, and tables . Fish wins the pot with his nines and sixes.
Thursday, July 30, 2015 9:10 PM Local Time
After busting Gevork Kasabyan 11th and Robert Hankins 10th, POY qualifier Loni Harwood (pictured) claims 1,225,000 chips -- good for more than 33 percent of the total chips in play -- and leads the nine-handed finale comfortably.
Here's a look at the seating assignments and chip counts for the final nine players:
Seat 1: Vincent Moscati - 330,000 (41 bb)
Seat 2: Darryll Fish - 590,000 (73 bb)
Seat 3: Daniel Negreanu - 480,000 (60 bb)
Seat 4: Jonathan Abla - 95,000 (11 bb)
Seat 5: Paul Mattioda - 300,000 (37 bb)
Seat 6: Loni Harwood - 1,225,000 (153 bb)
Seat 7: Alex Masek - 95,000 (11 bb)
Seat 8: Seth Berger - 85,000 (10 bb)
Seat 9: Brad St. Vincent - 425,000 (53 bb)
Thursday, July 30, 2015 9:03 PM Local Time
Level: 18
Blinds: 4,000/8,000
Ante: 1,000
Thursday, July 30, 2015 9:00 PM Local Time
|
Robert Hankins Finished in 10th Place
|
Robert Hankins (pictured above) raises to 14,000 from under the gun, and Loni Harwood calls from his direct left. Gevork Kasabyan (pictured below) then moves all in from the button for 170,000. Hankins moves all in over the top for just under 500,000, and Harwood calls immediately with a covering stack.
Harwood:
Hankins:
Kasabyan:
The board rolls out , missing all three players entirely. Harwood's pocket kings hold up, and both other players are eliminated. Hankins had more chips to start the hand, so he finishes in 10th place, and Hankins finishes in 11th. Both players earn $25,010.
Loni Harwood - 1,225,000
Robert Hankins - Eliminated
Gevork Kasabyan - Eliminated
|
Gevork Kasabyan Finished in 11th Place
|
Thursday, July 30, 2015 8:59 PM Local Time
Daniel Negreanu is under the gun and raises to 14,000. Seth Berger comes along for the ride from the button and Paul Mattioda defends his big blind. They are three handed to the flop.
The flop comes and the action is checked to Berger. He bets. Mattioda folds and Negreanu calls. They are heads up to the turn.
The turn is the . Negreanu checks and Berger bets 33,000. Negreanu calls.
The river completes the board with the . Negreanu checks a third time and Berger bets 64,000. Negreanu calls and tables for trip fours. Berger mucks and Negreanu wins the pot.
Daniel Negreanu - 480,000 (80 bb)
Seth Berger - 85,000 (14 bb)
Thursday, July 30, 2015 8:45 PM Local Time
Gevork Kasabyan raises to 14,000 from the button, and Vincent Moscati calls from the big blind. The flop comes , and Moscati checks. Kasabyan continues for 20,000, and Moscati check-raises to 46,000. Kasabyan calls.
The turn is the , and Moscati bets 103,000. Kasabyan moves all in, and Moscati quickly calls.
Moscati:
Kasabyan:
Moscati had flopped a straight, and Kasabyan was drawing dead with his pocket kings. The meaningless river is the . Moscati was all in for 140,000, and he doubles up.
Vincent Moscati - 408,000 (68 bb)
Gevork Kasabyan - 170,000 (28 bb)
Thursday, July 30, 2015 8:29 PM Local Time
Vincent Moscati raises to 15,000 from the button. Robert Hankins is in the small blind, and he reraises enough to put Moscati all in. Moscati calls, and the hands are tabled:
Moscati:
Hankins:
The board comes . Both players make a pair of aces, and Moscati wins the pot with his king kicker to double up.
Vincent Moscati - 195,000
Robert Hankins - 575,000
Thursday, July 30, 2015 8:14 PM Local Time
Daniel Negreanu opens the cutoff for 13,000 and Jonathan Abla folds his button. It's on all-time ring leader Alex Masek in the small blind and he three bets to 33,000. Seth Berger folds his big blind and it's on Negreanu. Negreanu calls and they see a flop.
Masek leads for 33,000 when the dealer burns and turns a flop. Negreanu calls leaving himself less than 100,000 behind.
The turn is the . Masek slows down, checking the action to Negreanu. Negreanu promptly reaches into his stack and bets 33,000. Masek folds and Negreanu wins the pot.
Daniel Negreanu - 234,000 (39 bb)
Alex Masek - 140,000 (23 bb)