2010-11 World Series of Poker Circuit - Harrah's Atlantic City

Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info

2010-11 World Series of Poker Circuit - Harrah's Atlantic City

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
33
Prize
$117,797
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$512,160
Entries
352
Level Info
Level
31
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
10,000

Main Event

Day 3 Completed

Matthew Waxman Takes the Gold! ($117,797)

Level 31 : 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Matthew Waxman - Champion!
Matthew Waxman - Champion!

The final nine players returned to the ballroom inside Harrah's Atlantic City today to play it out for the title of champion at the World Series of Poker Circuit Main Event. After just about eight hours of play, Matthew Waxman took the crown, pocketing $117,797, the gold ring, and a golden ticket to the season-ending National Championship in May.

Brandon Croft came into the day with the big stack, but he could not manage to hang on to his chips. Croft would't be the first player out, but it was close. It was Manish Patel who fell first, getting his 10 big blinds in with {A-Hearts} {10-Diamonds} against Waxman's {K-Hearts} {Q-Hearts}. The {2-Clubs} {Q-Spades} {Q-Diamonds} flop all but ended Patel's hopes, and he was out the door in ninth place to give Waxman the chip lead once again with close to 2 million. A few minutes later, Croft lost his last 309,000 chips when his {Q-Clubs} {J-Hearts} ran into Jesus Cabrera's {A-Hearts} {Q-Hearts} to send him out in eighth place.

Once the knockouts began, they did not relent. Tam Ly lost a flip to go out in seventh place, and Mike Summers followed him right out the door when his flush draw failed to materialize against Waxman's pocket aces. Just a couple hands later, Waxman woke up with aces again, and this time Dave Cubeta gave him all-in action with {10-Diamonds} {10-Spades}. A {4-Clubs} {K-Clubs} {7-Diamonds} {3-Spades} {Q-Clubs} board full of blanks sealed Cubeta's demise, relegated to the rail in fifth place.

It was only another few hands before Chris Bonita was ushered to the door in fourth place, and Mark Sykes went right behind him in third. He had about 12 big blinds when he went with {Q-Hearts} {10-Clubs}, but Cabrera had the chips to call with {Q-Clubs} {J-Clubs}. No ten on board ended Sykes' day early and concluded a brutal Level 28 that was responsible for five eliminations.

When the match went heads up, Matthew Waxman had about a 3:2 lead over Cabrera, and the battle was a good one. Cabrera drew even with a couple quick pots, but Waxman recovered to once again whittle Cabrera down toward the felt. After about 45 minutes of dueling, the big one finally came. Waxman opened the pot with a raise, and the betting action ended with him calling a five-bet shove for Cabrera's last 2.11 million. The {A-Diamonds} {K-Spades} of Waxman was dominating Cabrera's {A-Spades} {9-Diamonds}, and the first four board cards were blanks ({2-Diamonds} {8-Hearts} {7-Spades} {7-Hearts}). There were a few chop outs to be had, but there would be no chop. The {9-Spades} slammed the river, saving Cabrera's tournament life and stealing the ring off Waxman's finger.

That pot turned the tables and gave Cabrera the 3:2 lead, but Waxman worked it back to all square within a few hands. The duel continued for more than three hours, and Cabrera got himself short on a couple different occasions before finding a tournament-saving double up.

Just before 8:00, the final hand was dealt. A preflop raising war saw Matthew Waxman's {3-Hearts} {3-Clubs} up against Cabrera's {6-Hearts} {6-Spades}, and it looked like another double up was going to give Cabrera life once again. The flop was a miraculous {3-Diamonds} {4-Clubs} {J-Spades} to all but end it, and the {Q-Clubs} turn meant the at-risk player was dead to a six. The river was the {5-Diamonds}, though, and Waxman and crew celebrated his first Circuit win. Along with it comes the gold ring, a ticket to the National Championship at Caesars in May, and $117,797 in cash.

Here's the full list of payouts for the finalists:

PlacePlayerPayout
1Matthew Waxman$117,797
2Jesus Cabrera$72,824
3Mark Sykes$53,126
4Chris Bonita$39,406
5Dave Cubeta$29,685
6Mike Summers$22,704
7Tam Ly$17,618
8Brandon Croft$13,869
9Manish Patel$11,073

That wraps up our coverage for this Main Event, but we're not done at Harrah's Atlantic City just yet. The $10,000 Northeast Regional Championship kicks off right here next Sunday, and we'll be back in these seats to bring you some high-stakes action and crown our final ring winner of the 2010 calendar year.

As we depart for now, we send our congratulations go out to Matthew Waxman for a fine performance here in the Main Event!

Tags: Matthew Waxman

Jesus Cabrera Eliminated in 2nd Place ($72,824)

Level 31 : 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Jesus Cabrera - 2nd place
Jesus Cabrera - 2nd place

Matthew Waxman raised to 180,000 on the button and Jesus Cabrera re-raised to 500,000 from the big blind. Waxman four-bet shoved and Cabrera called all in for his tournament life.

Cabrera: {6-Hearts}{6-Spades}
Waxman: {3-Hearts}{3-Clubs}

It was looking bad for Waxman until the flop came down {J-Spades}{4-Clubs}{3-Diamonds} to give him the lead with a set of threes. The turn card was the {Q-Clubs}, leaving Cabrera just two outs to survive. The river brought the {5-Diamonds}, no help to Cabrera, out in second place.

Tags: Jesus CabreraMatthew Waxman

Waxman Chipping Away Again

Level 31 : 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante

Matthew Waxman's standard opening raise is 180,000 now, and we pick up another pot that he entered first. Jesus Cabrera called out of postion, and they watched the dealer flop {7-Diamonds} {2-Hearts} {3-Clubs} on board. Cabrera checked and called a bet of 160,000, and they arrived on the {8-Diamonds} turn. Waxman bet again, doubling it to 320,000, and this time Cabrera was forced to surrender his hand.

Waxman - 4.535 million
Cabrera - 2.52 million

Tags: Matthew WaxmanJesus Cabrera

Level: 31

Blinds: 40,000/80,000

Ante: 10,000

Cabrera Flops the Joint

Level 30 : 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante
Jesus Cabrera
Jesus Cabrera

Matthew Waxman opened to 140,000 from the button, and Jesus Cabrera called.

The flop was {J-Hearts} {Q-Diamonds} {9-Spades}, and both players checked to the {7-Diamonds} river. Cabrera bet 200,000 there, and he bet another 260,000 following the {9-Diamonds} river. Waxman paid off both bets, and Cabrera showed him {K-Diamonds} {10-Spades} for the nut straight. It was good; Waxman returned his cards to the muck, and Cabrera has picked up a few more fightin' chips.

Waxman - 4.055 million
Cabrera - 3 million

Tags: Matthew WaxmanJesus Cabrera

The Scales Are Tipping

Level 30 : 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante

Matthew Waxman raised to 140,000 from the button, and Jesus Cabrera came along with the call. The two of them watched the flop come {Q-Hearts} {10-Hearts} {8-Clubs}, and they check-checked to the {J-Diamonds} turn. Cabrera put out 100,000, and Waxman called, and Cabrera fired another 200,000 after the {A-Hearts} river. Waxman needed some time in the tank to make sure, but he eventually put in the call with {A-Clubs} {10-Diamonds}.

Two pair was good; Cabrera surrendered his cards into the muck, and Waxman is once again beginning to assert his growing chip stack.

Waxman - 4.415 million
Cabrera - 2.64 million

Tags: Jesus CabreraMatthew Waxman

Waxman Turning the Tables Again

Level 30 : 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante

Jesus Cabrera limped the button, and Matthew Waxman took a free flop from the big blind.

It came {J-Diamonds} {9-Hearts} {J-Hearts}, and Cabrera called a bet of 80,000. The {10-Clubs} saw both men check, and Cabrera called another 140,000 chips on the {2-Spades} river.

Waxman tabled his {10-Diamonds} {4-Hearts}, and he and Cabrera's {10-Spades} {7-Clubs} split the pot in half with no damage to either player. Waxman has been winning the majority of the small pots lately, and he's once again taken a bit of a chip lead.

Waxman - 4.005 million
Cabrera - 3.05 million

Tags: Matthew WaxmanJesus Cabrera

Back and Forth We Go

Level 30 : 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante

Jesus Cabrera has won a few small pots in the last few orbits to stretch his chip lead out a bit, but Matthew Waxman has just recouped his losses. It was Cabrera opening the last pot to 140,000 from the button, and Waxman came along from the big blind.

The two men checked through the turn on the {A-Diamonds} {9-Diamonds} {4-Diamonds} {A-Clubs} board, and Waxman fired a bet of 300,000 on the {A-Hearts} river. Cabrera called, and Waxman tabled {A-Spades} {6-Diamonds} for quads.

Cabrera - 4 million
Waxman - 3.055 million

Tags: Matthew WaxmanJesus Cabrera