Nipun Java Defeats Shane Schleger Heads Up to Win WSOP Circuit Bicycle Casino Main Event
On Feb. 24, Nipun Java had $331,485 in career live tournament earnings, and had never recorded a six-figure score. The following day he finished second in the World Poker Tour L.A. Poker Classic Playboy $500,000 Guarantee for $114,955, and on Wednesday he won the World Series of Poker Circuit Bicycle Casino Main Event for $226,785, doubling his career tournament earnings in roughly three weeks.
“This feels great,” Java told the WSOP after his victory. “If you play poker, you play to win. That’s one of the goals when you start playing — especially tournament formats. So yeah, this feels pretty awesome.”
Java also earned a seat into the $10,000 WSOP National Championship.
Java defeated former Team PokerStars Online member Shane “shaniac” Schleger, who “came out of retirement” to record his first live six-figure score since July of 2007. Schleger now has over $1.3 million in career live tournament earnings.
People asking: Never "quit" or "retired" poker, just can't grind full time anymore. Instead, gamble on my creativity + play occasionally.
— Shane Schleger (@ShaneSchleger)
WSOP Circuit Bicycle Casino Main Event
| Finish | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nipun Java | $226,785 |
| 2 | Shane Schleger | $139,820 |
| 3 | David Chase | $103,080 |
| 4 | Danny Illingworth | $76,830 |
| 5 | Jack Duong | $58,025 |
| 6 | Bao Dao | $44,395 |
| 7 | Christopher Hyden | $34,395 |
| 8 | Zewdie Wondimagegnehu | $26,980 |
| 9 | Javid Javani | $21,420 |
The third and final day started with 13 players, and Java was the chip leader. Piotr Brodzik, James Buckley, and Everett Carlton were the first three players to exit, and the final 10 players formed an unofficial final table.
Joshua Thai and Javid Javani quickly exited in 10th and ninth place, respectively. Thai lost a race to Schleger with AxJ♥ against the 10♠10♦ — Thai flopped an ace and Schleger rivered a ten — and Javani was busted by tens as well.
Java jumped out to a massive lead when he knocked Zewdiw “Woody” Wondimagegnehu out in eighth place, and maintained his advantage as Chris Hyden, Bao Dao, Jack Duong, and Danny Illingworth all exited. Illingworth too was done in by Java, losing a race with the K♦Q♥ against Java’s 8♣8♥. The board ran out J♣6♥3♣10♠7♣, Illingworth was off to the rail to collect $76,830, and Java chipped up above seven million chips.
David Chase doubled through Schleger at the start of three-handed play with the A♣K♠ against the K♣J♦, but ran into the Java buzz saw. Chase got all of his chips in the middle with the A♥9♠, but was crushed by Java’s A♣K♦, and hit the rail.
On the second hand of heads-up play, the tournament came to a close. Schleger four-bet shoved with Ax7♦, but he too was dominated by Java. Java’s A♥K♦ held as the flop, turn, and river all produced bricks, and he was the champion.
The Main Event at the Bike drew 756 entries, generating a total prize pool of $1,134,000 – surpassing the $1 million guarantee. The WSOPC rolls on to St. Louis for the Lumière Place Casino festival starting on March 20. The Main Event kicks off on Friday, March 28.
Photos and data courtesy of the WSOP blog..
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