Event #16: $5,150 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event

Some eight hours after our final table began, we have a new World Series of Poker Circuit champion. Jesse Hale, the skydiving coach from Texas, left home with just a couple thousand dollars in his pocket. His travels took him here, to the Horseshoe Casino in Iowa, where Lady Luck smiled on him. After a good couple days, Hale had plenty of money to buy his way into the Main Event, something he hadn't planned on doing. Now, three days later, he has parlayed that buy-in into a big chunk of change. Sixty-seven players took their seats on Day 1, and more than half of them were shown the door before play concluded for the night. When the rest of the field went home, Hale walked across the room to finish out the Pot-Limit Omaha event that he was playing concurrently throughout the day. He would go on to take third place in that event, picking up a bit more spending money, but playing deep into the morning. Returning on Day 2, Hale began play near the top of the leader board. Things were a bit streaky for him though, and his chip stack would slide as the night wore on. Still, he managed to survive to the final table, beginning today in the middle of the pack. Day 3 saw the trend continue, as Hale was once again running up and down the board. He had finally worked his stack up to respectability three handed before a big confrontation with John McDonald left our future champion crippled. Hale was determined though, and from that point on, it was his table. He managed to dispense with the pesky McDonald a bit later, cracking aces with a baby full house. Down to just two, Dennis Meierotto would put up a fine fight, but he was just out-gunned by Hale. After more than an hour of trading jabs heads up, the bigger punches started flying, and Meierotto could do nothing to stave off the attack. Apart from being the victor, Jesse Hale was the life of the party at the final table today. He kept everyone's spirits light, sometimes spontaneously bursting into song, other times riling up the spectators with a bit of self-deprecating humor. His jovial spirit and eagerness to win certainly make him a deserving champion. Hale would like to express his love for his wife Angela, as well as his unborn daughter, Kayla Dawn. The Hale family has plenty of reasons to be happy this week. From all of us here at PokerNews, congratulations to Jesse Hale, WSOP Circuit Council Bluffs champion!

At least eight out of the last ten pots have been won by Jesse Hale. Most of the time, he's raising it up preflop, and a single continuation bet has been enough to get Meierotto out of the way. This last 45 minutes has seen Hale whittle Meierotto all the way down to 185,000. Hale currently sits with 1,155,000.

Jesse Hale - 1,060,000 Dennis Meierotto - 280,000

Dennis Meierotto limped into the pot and Jesse Hale checked his option. The dealer spread out the first three community cards:      . Hale checked, Meierotto bet 20,000, and Hale called. Fourth street revealed the  . This time, Hale check-called a whopping 30,000 from his opponent. Fifth street was the  . Hale checked again, and this time Meierotto checked behind him. In his standard fashion, Hale announced his cards before showing them down "Nine. Recently acquired." He turned over    , adding, "And the open ender." Meierotto pursed his lips, then flashed his    . Hale had gotten there on the river, and he snags another little chunk of chips from the man across the table.

Both players saw the flop in an unraised pot. The first three community cards came down       and Dennis Meierotto fired 20,000. Jesse Hale called. The turn was the   and Meierotto fired 20,000 again. Hale called again. The river was the   and again Meierotto fired. Guess how much the bet was? That's right, 20,000. Guess what Hale did? You're right again, he called. Meierotto turned up     and Hale mucked.

Despite the lack of actual poker being played, Jesse Hale sure knows how to keep everyone happy. Hale has been singing, rapping, yelling out crazy poker phrases, and buying rounds of drinks for everyone in sight. He just recently got caught singing louder than normal when announcer Tom Sexton stuck the microphone right in front of him. Hale seems to be having a blast and is doing a great job of getting everyone else in on the fun along with him. From a poker stand point, very little chips have changed hands and the pots rarely contain more than the blinds and antes.

With the full prize sitting on the table, the cards are back in the air.

Jesse Hale looked at his holecards and saw what he liked. He then made a raise to 38,000 from the button. John McDonald reraised from the small blind to 80,000. Dennis Meierotto folded from the big blind before Hale made the call. The flop came down       and McDonald led for 80,000. Hale raised all in and McDonald snap-called! Hale had McDonald's 363,000 remaining chips covered. [u]Showdown:[/u] Hale:     McDonald:     The turn was the   and filled up Hale, eliminating some outs for McDonald. The river was then the   and that was it, McDonald would be out in third place. He shook the hands of Meierotto and Hale, collecting $34,535 for his finish.

With just over one hour left in Level 15, the cards are back in the air. Let's hope that steak dinner the players just consumed will provoke some action on the felt!

Steaks are ready! The three remaining players have taken their dinner break together. They'll be back in a half hour or 45 minutes, give or take.