Event #10A: No-Limit Hold'em Main Event

Three long days have passed since cards first hit the air for the WSOPC Caesars Atlantic City Main Event and it has finally ended with Ryan Eriquezzo taking down the title. He battled his way through 640 other entrants to claim the National Championship seat, the WSOPC gold ring and $191,194.

Eriquezzo used one bullet on Day 1a and finished the day with just 32,000. When play ended on Day 2 he was 16th of 22 players with just 421,000. By the time the field was trimmed to two tables on Day 3 he was fourth in chips with 1.15 million.

This is Eriquezzo's second WSOPC gold ring, he won a preliminary event at the New Orleans circuit stop in 2010. Since then he's done well – winning a Six-max event at the Borgata Winter Open and finishing in 131st place in the 2011 WSOP Main Event.

When the final table began the table looked like this:

Final Table

Eriquezzo stayed out of the way during the early goings of the final table and let the other players beat each other up. At six-handed play he turned up the and started gaining momentum.

He won a tournament-changing pot when it was five handed. Eugene Fouksman open-shoved from the cutoff and Garry Gates also moved all in from the button. Some jaws dropped when Eriquezzo surprised everybody and called.
Eriquezzo:    
Gates:    
Fouksman:    
The board ran           and Eriquezzo took charge of the tournament.

Eriquezz entered heads up play with David Zeiltin with a 2-1 chiplead. The pair battled for two levels and Zeitlin would be ground down and then work his way back up. Zeitlin never pulled even but his luck couldn't last forever.

Zeitlin four-bet shoved preflop and Eriquezzo called holding     and was up against pocket deuces. The crowd built as the dealer peeled off the flop      . The turn came  , which took away two of his outs.

"Should I do it to you?" Eriquezzo asked.

Zeitlin shrugged and said, "Nice hand."

The dealer burned and turned the   on the river and shipped the tournament to Eriquezzo.

Harrah's Tunica Final Table Results

Ryan Eriquezzo opened to 200,000 with the button, David Zeitlin called, and the dealer fanned    . Zeitlin checked, and Eriquezzo continued for 225,000. Zeitlin check-raised to 575,000, and Eriquezzo tank-called.

Both players knuckled after the   turned, and the suicide king - the   - completed the board. Eriquezzo slid out 400,000 in blue T25,000 chips, sending Zeitlin deep into the tank. He eventually made a crying call.

"King," Eriquezzo said.

"It's good," Zeitlin sighed, mucking his hand.

"Queen-nine? Jack-nine?" Eriquezzo asked.

"Yeah," Zeitlin answered. "Queen-nine."

Ryan Eriquezzo	10,250,000	1,450,000
David Zeitlin	2,550,000	-1,450,000

The players are now on a fifteen-minute break.

David Zeitlin has strung together a handful of smallish pots recently and has pulled back to where they started heads up play.

Ryan Eriquezzo	8,800,000	-1,050,000
David Zeitlin	4,000,000	1,050,000

David Zeitlin limped in with the button, Ryan Eriquezzo checked, and the flop fell    . Eriquezzo check-called 90,000 from Zeitlin, and the turn brought the  .

Eriquezzo checked again, and Zeitlin slid out 220,000. Eriquezzo called.

The   completed the board, and Eriquezzo checked a third time. Zeitlin shoved all in for 1.37 million, and Eriquezzo tank-folded.

Ryan Eriquezzo	10,650,000	-550,000
David Zeitlin	2,150,000	550,000

David Zeitlin had the button and called. Ryan Eriquezzo raised to 230,000, Zeitlin called, and the dealer fanned    . Eriquezzo led for 225,000, and Zeitlin called.

The turn was the  , and Eriquezzo slowed down, checking to Zeitlin who fired 375,000. Eriquezzo called.

The   completed the board, and Eriquezzo led for 550,000. Zeitlin folded, and Eriquezzo showed two aces.

"It's not even fair any more," Eriquezzo said.

Ryan Eriquezzo	9,650,000	850,000
David Zeitlin	3,150,000	-850,000

David Zeitlin called Troy Erickson's preflop all in, and had him crushed.

Showdown

The     flop was pretty perfect for Zeitlin, but the   on the turn gave both players the exact same hand.

"King!" someone on the rail shouted.

The   spiked on the river, giving Zeitlin the best hand again, and eliminating Erickson from the tournament. The rail erupted in cheers, and Erickson and Zeitlin gave each other a big hug.

The two friends are on a short, ten-minute break, and when they resume they'll be playing for $191,194, the ring, and a seat in the $1 million National Championship.

David Zeitlin	4,000,000	1,595,000
Troy Erickson	0	0

"All in," Eugene Fouksman blurted out of turn.

"Whoa! Whoa!" the dealer called out.

David Zeitlin had not acted yet, and was very confused at what was going on. He tanked for a few seconds then raised to 170,000.

"Changed action?" Fouksman verified with a floor person, who nodded.

Foulksman folded, and so too did the blinds. Zeitlin showed two aces, much to the surprise of the table. Had Zeitlin just called, Foulksman's chips would've been committed because the action hadn't changed. Zeitlin was frustrated, but didn't seem to let it bother him too much.

In a battle of the blinds Garry Gates open-shipped and Troy Erickson snap-called.

Gates:    
Erickson:    

The board ran           and Erickson doubled up. This is the second time Gates doubled up Erickson holding pocket fours against big slick.

Troy Erickson	2,300,000	1,100,000
Garry Gates	1,880,000	-970,000

Ryan Eriquezzo opened for 130,000 and when action passed to Jeremy Halaska, he announced all in. Eriquezzo snap-called faster than Phil Hellmuth ever has and tabled    .

Halaska held     and watched the board run           and made his way out of the final table area.

Jeremy Halaska

0

-895,000