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

The 2012-13 World Series of Poker Circuit Palm Beach Kennel Club Main Event has officially come to a close. The event drew 670 entrants over two starting flights and generated a prize pool of over $1 million. In the end, Jonathan Tamayo was able to rise above the field and earn the $206,020 in first-place prize money, the championship gold ring, and a seat to the WSOPC National Championship in May.

The final day of play began with 30 players returning to the felt to vie for a spot among the prestigious final table. As play progressed, however, players dropped like flies. Some of the notable finishers to see an exit before the final table include Pedro Rios (29th), Abbey Daniels (27th), Sheddy Siddiqui (19th), and Bryan Camapnello (16th). This marks Campanello's third deep run in three out of the four last WSOPC Main Events. Campanello scored a 4th place finish in the WSOPC Choctaw Main Event and 36th in the WSOPC Harrah's Tunica Main Event.

Sam Panzica also made a deep run but saw his demise before the final table as he was eliminated in 21st place. There was a silver lining for Panzica, however, as his deep run solidified his position as Casino Champion and he will make an appearance at the WSOPC National Championship in May.

The final table was finally set in motion when Ryan Carter became the final table bubble boy. Only a few hands after combining to the unofficial final table of ten, Carter got all of his chips in for his tournament life holding two red jacks. Unfortunately for Carter, he was up against the    for Clint Tolbert. A board of       was spread out on the felt and Carter was forced to settle for 10th place.

WSOPC Palm Beach Kennel Club Final Table

Nancy Birnbaum was the last woman standing and she was also the first casualty of the final table. Birnbaum entered as the short stack as was even shorter when she shipped the last of her stack. With the blinds at 20,000/40,000/5,000, Birnbaum open shipped all in for 290,000. Tomayo quickly called her from the next seat over and the rest of the table folded. Birnbaum held    but was crushed by Tomayo's   . Birnbaum found no help on the board and she was eliminated from play in ninth place. She collected $19,276 for her efforts.

A few hands later William Looper opened to 85,000 from under the gun and action folded to Tom Gleason who three-bet jammed all in for 850,000 from the cutoff. The rest of the table released and Looper snapped it off. Gleason rolled over    but was crushed by the    of Looper. A runout of       sealed Gleason's fate as the eighth-place finisher.

After a series of double ups and chip exchanges, David Grandieri, the man who began Day 3 as chip leader, fell in seventh place. Grandieri got the last of his stack all in with    but was crushed by the    of Mark Rose. Grandieri could not catch up as the board dropped down       and he was eliminated in seventh-place. Grandieri pocketed $30,974 in winnings.

Luke Graham was the next to go. With the blinds at 25,000/50,000/5,000, Graham opened to 120,000 on the button. Looper three-bet to 305,000 from the big blind and Graham four-bet shipped all in for about 900,000. Looper snapped him off and the hands were tabled.

Graham:   
Looper:   

The flop fell    , giving Looper backdoor straight and flush draws, and the turn was the  , keeping both draws and taking away Graham's jack outs. The   bricked on the river and Graham was eliminated in sixth-place.

Chris Hyden met his untimely demise later in the level when he four-bet all in for his last 1.75 million against Tamayo. Tamayo called with    and was well ahead of Hyden's   . The dealer spread a flop of     which did not change much. The   on the turn, however, allowed Hyden to skyrocket into the lead. Though Hyden enjoyed a momentary moment of joy, the   spiked down on the river, giving Tamayo a winning set of kings. A fifth-place finish ensured the Hyden would pocket $52,411 in winnings.

During four-handed play, Tamayo suffered a hit that would shake most players when an all in Tolbert caught four diamonds to make a flush in order to double up. From there the final four players continued to exchange chips over the felt until a confrontation between Tolbert and Looper came to a head. At 40,000/80,000/10,000, Tolbert opened to 160,000 from under the gun. Looper three-bet to 360,000 from the button and Tolbert replied by four-betting his entire stack. Looper announced a call and as Tolbert had him covered the two were racing for Looper's life.

Tolbert:   
Looper:   

Looper was ahead at the moment but was racing with Tolbert's overcards. The flop brought even more outs for Tolbert when it fell    . The   on the turn gave Tolbert the ace-high flush and he leaped into the lead in the hand. Looper needed to catch a full house on the river to earn victory in this hand but the deck had a different idea. The river brought the   and Tolbert was able to score the elimination.

Three-handed play lasted for several hours with each player playing the role of chip leader and short-stack at one point of another. Rose went on a particularly wild ride toward the end of three-handed play where he went from a few mere blinds back up to 4 million in chips. Eventually, however, Tamayo opened to 240,000 out of the small blind and Rose flatted from the big. The dealer dropped down     and Tamayo led for 275,000. Rose made it 730,000 to go and Tamayo moved all in over the top. Rose called for his tournament life and showed    for top pair. Tamayo flipped up    for bottom set and it was able to hold through the subsequent streets. Rose walked away with $93,505 for third place and his elimination thrust Tamayo and Tolbert into heads up play.

Tamayo began with about a 2:1 chip lead going into heads up play. There was an issue heading into heads up play as the Palm Beach Kennel Club closed at 5 AM EST and if the two did not finish within 40 minutes they would have to return for a Day 4. As the crowd was in suspense to see if the two would finish by the night's end, the two finally came to a head with only six minutes left in the evening. At 60,000/120,000/20,000, Tolbert opened with a raise from the button. Tamayo three-bet to 475,000 and Tolbert quickly four-bet to 900,000. Tamayo five-bet shipped and Tolbert called for his tournament life.

Tolbert:   
Tamayo:   

The dealer fanned a flop of     which caused Tolbert to stand up out of his seat, a double up in his sights. Tamayo's rail called for an ace and the dealer obliged as the   spiked the turn. Suddenly Tolbert was one card away from elimination and needed to find a five on the river to stay alive. The   bricked out on the river and Tolbert became the second-place finisher collecting $127,484 in prize money. Tamayo, on the other hand, became a champion.

Final Table Payouts

We here at PokerNews extend our deepest congratulations to Tamayo on his circuit victory. That does it for our coverage here from sunny Florida. Be sure to stay tuned to our coverage as the WSOP Circuit makes its next stop at Caesar's in Atlantic City.

Jonathan Tamayo raised to 250,000 with the button, Clint Tolbert defended, and the dealer fanned    . Tolbert check-called a 250,000-chip bet from Tamayo, and the turn brought the  . Both players checked.

The river was the  , both players knuckled again, and Tolbert announced that he had queen-high.

Tamayo tabled    for king-high, and won the pot.

Jonathan Tamayo	10,200,000	1,120,000
Clint Tolbert	3,200,000	-1,120,000

Jonathan Tamayo raised to 240,000 out of the small blind, Mark Rose called in the big blind, and the dealer fanned    . Tamayo led out for 275,000, Rose raised to 730,000, and Tamayo moved all in for effectively 2.5 million or so. Rose quickly called.

Tamayo:   
Rose:   

It was all over when the   turned, and a meaningless   completed the board. Rose will walk away with $93,505.

Here are the heads-up counts:

Jonathan Tamayo	9,120,000	3,620,000
Clint Tolbert	4,280,000	-70,000
Mark Rose	0	-4,000,000

Jonathan Tamayo raised to 220,000 on the button, Mark Rose three-bet to 565,000 in the small blind, and Tamayo four-bet shoved for 3.205 million. Rose tank-called.

Tamayo:   
Rose:   

The     flop gave Rose a pair of queens and more outs to eliminate Tamayo, but it was all over when the   turned. The   completed the board, and Tamayo shipped a massive double to 6.45 million chips.

The very next hand, Rose was all in preflop for 415,000, and Tamayo had him at risk.

Tamayo:   
Rose:   

Rose took the lead when the flop came    , and held as the turn and river came  ,   respectively.

A few hands later, Rose was all in on a flop of     with   . He had Clint Tolbert's    crushed, and once again held when the turn and river came  ,   respectively.

Rose is suddenly back up to 2.6 million chips.

Jonathan Tamayo	5,500,000	2,400,000
Clint Tolbert	5,300,000	-550,000
Mark Rose	2,600,000	-950,000

Clint Tolbert raised on the button, Mark Rose called, and the dealer fanned    . Rose check-called a 200,000-chip bet, and the turn was the  .

Rose checked, Tolbert fired another 550,000, and Rose folded.

Clint Tolbert	5,850,000	390,000
Jonathan Tamayo	4,175,000	-20,000
Mark Rose	3,375,000	-370,000

Clint Tolbert opened to 160,000 on the button, Mark Rose defended, and the dealer fanned    . Rose check-called 175,000 from Tolbert, and the turn brought the  . Both players checked.

The   fell on the river, Rose checked again, and Tolbert tossed out two blue T100,000 chips. Rose called.

Tolbert turned over    for a pair of queens, and won the pot.

Clint Tolbert	5,900,000	150,000
Jonathan Tamayo	3,820,000	170,000
Mark Rose	3,680,000	-120,000

Board:     

Jonathan Tamayo led for 210,000 and Mark Rose flat called to the river. The dealer finished off the board with the   and Tamayo checked. Rose pushed out a bet of 330,000 and Tamayo wasted little time moving all in.

"Ugh," sighed Rose. "Why didn't I just check back?"

Rose released after about a minute and Tamayo picked up the pot.

Mark Rose	3,800,000	-810,000
Jonathan Tamayo	3,650,000	1,130,000

Clint Tolbert made it 205,000 to go from the small blind. Jonathan Tamayo looked at his cards and announced a three-bet to 560,000. Tolbert four-bet shoved for just over 3 million and Tamayo called.

"Every time? You just have it every time?" lamented Tolbert who tabled the   .

Tamayo showed the    and was ahead for the moment. That all changed, however, as the flop dropped down with    . Both players paired but Tolbert's kings were in the lead. The   hit on fourth and the   on fifth, sealing the deal for Tolbert's double up back into the chip lead. He now has about 6.1 million to Tamayo's 2.9 million.

Clint Tolbert	6,100,000	3,615,000
Jonathan Tamayo	2,900,000	-3,700,000

Clint Tolbert held the button. He made it 160,000 to go and received a call from Mark Rose from the big blind.

The dealer fanned a flop of    . Rose checked and Tolbert continued for 200,000. Rose stuck around and fourth street brought the  . Another check from Rose prompted 375,000 to come out of Tolbert's stack and into the middle. Rose called again.

The   rivered. Rose checked and Tolbert sighed and checked behind.

"Nine-high," said Rose.

No response from Tolbert.

Rose showed   . Tolbert simply shook head head and flashed    for eight-high and the worst hand. The pot was pushed to Rose.

Tolbert turned around to his rail.

"...That sucks."

Rose is now sitting on about 4.4 million while Tolbert has fallen to 5.65 million.

Clint Tolbert	5,650,000	-450,000
Mark Rose	4,400,000	490,000