Eric Blair Wins World Series of Poker Circuit The Lodge Casino for $116,325
The penultimate stop of the 2013/2014 World Series of Poker Circuit wrapped up its $1,675 Main Event on Monday at The Lodge Casino in Blackhawk, Colorado.
The tournament attracted 330 entries to create a prize pool of $495,000. After three days of play, Eric Blair walked away with the $116,325 first-place prize and a seat into the 2014 National Championship.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Hometown | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eric Blair | Las Vegas, NV | $126,325 |
| 2 | Nicholas Petitti | Denver, CO | $71,924 |
| 3 | Craig Varnell | Ft. Collins, CO | $52,237 |
| 4 | Alexander Greenblatt | Atherton, CA | $38,585 |
| 5 | Corey Zedo | Denver, CO | $28,967 |
| 6 | Gino Levrini | Las Vegas, NV | $22,092 |
| 7 | Jonathan Haidsiak | Laramie, WY | $17,112 |
| 8 | Michael Wolf | Aurora, CO | $13,454 |
| 9 | Brian Hartner | Northglenn, CO | $10,737 |
Notable finishes: Tim West (21st - $5,039), Jesse Capps (23rd - $4,321), Alex Masek (24th - $4,321), Bernard Lee (25th - $3,757), Joe Kuether (29th - $3,312)
According to the WSOP Blog, the final table was reached late on Day 2. In Level 23 (8,000/16,000/2,000), a short-stacked Brian Hartner moved all in and was in bad shape against Alex Greenblatt.
Hartner: Q♦8♣
Greenblatt: A♣Q♥
Hartner had some kicker issues, and he would receive no help as the board ran out 10♠2♥7♣5♥5♠. Hartner took home $10,737 for his ninth-place finish.
After Jamie Wolf and Jonathan Haidsiak fell in eighth and seventh place, respectively, Gino Levrini followed them out the door in sixth for $22,092, and play was halted for the evening.
Five players returned to action on Day 3, which kicked off in Level 26 (15,000/30,000/5,000). Corey Zedo was the first to go in fifth place for $28,967 after his pocket sixes ran into Blair’s kings, and then it was Greenblatt’s turn to go after his nines lost a race to Craig Varnell’s A♣J♠.
A little later on, Varnell moved all in from the button holding the K♣8♦ and Nicholas Petitti called with the A♣K♥. The 9♣8♥3♥ flop gave Varnell the lead with a pair of eights, but it was short lived as the dealer burned and turned the A♦. Petitti retook the lead and kept it as the 4♥ blanked on the river. Varnell took home $52,237 for his third-place finish.
Blair began heads-up play with a sizeable lead over Petitti, but it proved to be a back-and-forth affair. The final hand played out in Level 29 (30,000/60,000/10,000) and began when Petitti opened for 130,000 from the button only to have Blair three-bet to 370,000. Petitti responded with a four-bet to 680,000, and then hit the tank hard when Blair moved all in. Petitti thought for a few minutes before making the call, and he was ahead.
Blair: A♦Q♥
Petitti: 10♥10♠
It was another race, and while Petitti had a bit of a head start, Blair pulled ahead on the Q♣9♠3♠ flop. The 8♦ turn gave Petitti a gutshot straight draw, but he missed as the 4♦ appeared on the river. Petitti had to settled for runner-up and a $71,924 consolation prize.
Congratulations to Eric Blair, winner of the WSOP Circuit The Lodge Casino Main Event for $116,325, a gold ring, and a seat into the 2014 National Championship.
The 2013/2014 WSOP Circuit continues at Harrah’s New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana, which will play out May 8-19. You will be able to find a recap from that Main Event upon its completion right here on PokerNews.com
Photos and data courtesy of the WSOP.
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