WSOP National Championship

On Wednesday, the final eight players of the 2012 World Series of Poker National Championship reconvened on the ESPN Main Stage to battle down to a winner. The 157-player field had created a prize pool of $1,570,000, of which $416,051 was reserved for first. After six levels of play, Ryan Eriquezzo, who qualified for the event by winning the $1,600 Main Event at Caesars Atlantic City, emerged victorious to capture his first WSOP gold bracelet.

The ESPN cameras were rolling to capture the action for an August 7th broadcast, and they weren't disappointed as chip leader Yung "Andy" Hwang, who started with 1.224 million, and an eclectic mix of WSOP Player of the Year Leaderboard buy-ins and qualifiers from around the country put on quite the show.

Action started fast as it took less than a level for the first elimination, which came when David "ODB" Baker raised to 28,000 from middle position and Amanda Musumeci moved all in for 217,000 from the hijack. Nikolas Stone made the call from the big blind, which inspired Baker to get out of the way.

Showdown

The board ran out       and Musumeci exited the stage through the ESPN Main Stage tunnel in eighth place, good for $48,576.

It took awhile for the next elimination to occur, but it happened when Sam Stein moved all in for 195,000 total and was called by Stone in the small blind.

Showdown

Stein was behind, but he was drawing to live cards. Unfortunately for him, the board would run out an uneventful       and Stone scored his second elimination of the day.

From there, Baker moved all in from under the gun and was called by Huy Nguyen in the hijack. The rest of the field got out of the way and it was off to the races.

Showdown

Baker was the one at risk and in need of improvement, but he was put in a bad spot when the flop fell     to give Nguyen a set. Baker, who won a bracelet in Event 37: $2,500 Eight-Game Mix and finished tenth in the $50,000 Poker Players Championship (not to mention two other final tables), would finish in sixth place and add another accomplishment on his already impressive 2012 WSOP résumé when the   was put out on the turn followed by the   on the river.

Another player fell just before the dinner break when Hwang, who began the day as a big chip leader, grew short and moved all in preflop for 319,000 and was called by Stone.

Showdown

Hwang was in bad shape and in need of some help, but the     flop was anything but. Stone's supporters, of which there are a lot, erupted in celebration when their man hit a ten to extend his lead. The   turn did give Hwang a wheel draw, but the   river would not complete it. Hwang no doubt had high hopes heading into the final table, but he leaves with a $103,322 consolation prize for his fifth-place finish.

After the dinner break, a whole level passed before the next knock out. It finally came in Level 28 when Stone put in a standard raise from under the gun and was called by Matt Keikoan on the button. Both blinds got out of the way and it was heads-up action to the     flop. Stone check-called a bet of 100,000, bringing about the   turn.

Stone checked once again, but this time he check-raised Keikoan's bet of 200,000 up to 600,000. Keikoan thought for a few moments before moving all in, and Stone snap-called.

Showdown

Stone held the nuts with a queen-high straight, but Keikoan held a set and could still win if the board paired on the end. The crowd was on its feet as the dealer burned and put out the  . Keikoan became Stone's fourth elimination of the final table and exited in fourth place, good for $137,485.

Not long after, Eriquezzo moved all in from the small blind and put the pressure on Nguyen, who only had 365,000 in the big blind. The latter made a quick call and was the favorite to double.

Showdown

Nguyen's supporters were optimistic, but their hope was drowned out when Eriquezzo's rail erupted on the     flop. Their man had paired his king to take a commanding lead. Nguyen sat helplessly as the   turn and   river put an end to his National Championship run in third place.

Stone entered heads-up play with a slight chip lead over Eriquezzo, but the latter notched an early double. From there, the two battled back and forth, but in the end the WSOP Circuit Caesars Atlantic City Main Event champion finished the job by eliminating Stone in second place.

Congratulations to Ryan Eriquezzo, winner of the 2012 National Championship!

2012 WSOP National Championship Final Table Results

That does it for our coverage from the 2012 WSOP National Championship, but there is still plenty of action to follow in the $10,000 Main Event, which you can view simply by clicking here.

We didn't catch the preflop action, but we do know that on a flop of    , Ryan Eriquezzo check-called a bet of 110,000 and saw the dealer burn and turn the  . This time Eriquezzo led out for 235,000, but Stone raised it up to 535,000.

Not to be deterred, Eriquezzo moved all in and Stone thought for about 20 seconds before mucking his hand. At that point, Eriquezzo rolled over    offsuit for a bluff and ran over to his rail to celebrate.

Ryan Eriquezzo	3,880,000	580,000
Nikolas Stone	830,000	-580,000

Nikolas Stone opened to 105,000 and Ryan Eriquezzo moved all in. Stone called and the hands were tabled.

Stone:    
Eriquezzo:    

The board ran           and Stone stayed alive.

Ryan Eriquezzo	2,930,000	-880,000
Nikolas Stone	1,780,000	880,000

Nikolas Stone limped from the button and Ryan Eriquezzo raised to 95,000. Stone re-raised to 540,000, Eriquezzo shoved and Stone called.

Eriquezzo:    
Stone:    

The board ran           and Eriquezzo doubled up and took the lead.

Ryan Eriquezzo	3,520,000	1,260,000
Nikolas Stone	1,190,000	-1,360,000

The heads up battle features two champions from the WSOPC trail. Ryan Eriquezzo won the Caesars Atlantic City Main Event and Nikolas Stone won the Casino Championship at the Harrah's St. Louis stop.

Ryan Eriquezzo moved all in from the small blind and put the pressure on Huy Nguyen, who only had 365,000 in the big blind. The latter made a quick call and was the favorite to double.

Showdown
Nguyen:   
Eriquezzo:   

Nguyen's supporters were optimistic, but their hope was drowned out when Eriquezzo's rail erupted on the     flop. Their man had paired his king to take a commanding lead. Nguyen sat helplessly as the   turn and   river put an end to his National Championship run in third place.

Huy Nguyen

0

-550,000

Nikolas Stone put in a standard raise from under the gun and was called by Matt Keikoan on the button. Both blinds got out of the way and it was heads-up action to the     flop. Stone check-called a bet of 100,000, bringing about the   turn.

Stone checked once again, but this time he check-raised Keikoan's bet of 200,000 up to 600,000. Keikoan thought for a few moments before moving all in, and Stone snap-called.

Showdown
Keikoan:   
Stone:   

Stone held the nuts with a queen-high straight, but Keikoan held a set and could still win if the board paired on the end. The crowd was on its feet as the dealer burned and put out the  . Keikoan collected his card protector and exited in fourth place, good for $137,485.

Nikolas Stone	3,000,000	1,250,000
Matt Keikoan	0	-1,200,000

The cards are back in the air following the break.

Players are now on a ten-minute break.

Matt Keikoan was under the gun and opened to 60,000. Action folded to Nikolas Stone in the big blind and he called. The flop came       and both players checked. The turn came  , Stone bet 65,000 and Keikoan folded.