2012 World Series of Poker

Event 61: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info

2012 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
k5
Prize
$8,531,853
Event Info
Buy-in
$10,000
Prize Pool
$62,021,200
Entries
6,598
Level Info
Level
42
Blinds
1,000,000 / 2,000,000
Ante
300,000

Hall Bests Lunkin

Vitaly Lunkin raised to 1,050 from under the gun and action folded around to Galen Hall in the big blind, who quickly tossed in a call.

The flop came {4-Hearts}{10-Clubs}{J-Diamonds} and Hall donk-bet for 1,400, sending Lunkin into the tank. After about a minute, Lunkin slid his hand into the muck - conceding the pot to Hall.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Galen Hall
Galen Hall
38,000
-2,000
-2,000
Profile photo of Vitaly Lunkin
Vitaly Lunkin
33,000

Tags: Galen HallVitaly Lunkin

Beckley and Bucky Chop

Jeff Beckley raised to 1,100 from early position. Shawn Buchanan called from middle position and the player in the big blind called as well.

The flop came down {J-Hearts}{8-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds} and the big blind checked it to Beckley who bet 2,500. Buchanan was the lone caller to see the {10-Spades} turn where Beckley bet 5,000. A call from Buchanan landed the {6-Spades} river where once again Beckley bet 5,000. Buchanan popped it to about 12,000, Beckley called, and the hands were revealed.

Beckley: {9-Diamonds}{9-Clubs}
Buchanan: {9-Spades}{8-Spades}

Both players had a straight and chopped the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Jeff Beckley
Jeff Beckley
157,000
8,000
8,000
Profile photo of Shawn Buchanan
Shawn Buchanan
95,000
-1,000
-1,000

Tags: Jeff BeckleyShawn Buchanan

Scotty Sent Packing

We heard the announcer from the main stage say that Scotty Nguyen was all in, so we ran over to investigate. When we got there, we saw that Nguyen got it in with {7-Spades}{7-Hearts} on a flop of {4-Spades}{4-Diamonds}{5-Spades}. However, Nguyen was up against the {8-Diamonds}{8-Hearts} of Marc Karam. Nguyen would need a ton of help to survive, but the board ran dry for him, coming {2-Hearts} and {10-Spades}.

Nguyen wished everyone good luck, and as he left the stage, a spectator yelled "Love you Scotty." Nguyen quickly responded "Love you too baby!" as he left the mothership.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Scotty Nguyen us
Scotty Nguyen
Busted
WSOP Main Event Champion
WSOP 5X Winner
Poker Hall of Famer

Tags: Scotty Nguyen

Pellegrino Perseveres

Bryan Pellegrino raised to 925 from early position, then an opponent in late position pushed all in for her last 7,700. It folded back to Pellgrino who called, turning over {Q-Hearts}{Q-Diamonds} to his opponent's {7-Spades}{7-Diamonds}.

The dealer spread the flop and a seven appeared in the window, the cards coming out {7-Clubs}{3-Spades}{A-Clubs}. The turn was the {9-Spades} and river the {8-Diamonds}, and Pellegrino takes a small hit though still sports a 100,000-plus chip stack.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Bryan Pellegrino
Bryan Pellegrino
105,000
-34,400
-34,400

Tags: Bryan Pellegrino

Diaz Fills Up, Chips Up

David Diaz raised from middle position and got one caller from the big blind. The flop came {9-Spades}{6-Spades}{7-Clubs}. The big blind checked, Diaz bet 1,300, his opponent raised to 2,950, and Diaz called. The turn was the {9-Hearts}, and this time the big blind led out for 3,900. Diaz then raised to 10,000, and his opponent called with his remaining chips, totaling 8,900.

Diaz had {A-Hearts}{9-Clubs} for trip nines while his opponent had {8-Spades}{5-Spades} for the straight. The dealer then burned a card and delivered the river... the {7-Hearts}! Diaz had made a full house to scoop the pot and send another player to the rail.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of David Diaz us
David Diaz
42,500
11,700
11,700
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: David Diaz

Chip Counts from the Brasilia Gold Section

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Matt Woodward us
Matt Woodward
170,000
84,000
84,000
Profile photo of Shaun Deeb us
Shaun Deeb
131,000
51,000
51,000
Team Lucky
WSOP 6X Winner
Profile photo of Cody Wang
Cody Wang
122,000
Profile photo of Jeremy Kottler
Jeremy Kottler
115,000
5,000
5,000
Profile photo of Andrew Lichtenberger us
Andrew Lichtenberger
66,000
10,000
10,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Abe Mosseri
Abe Mosseri
54,000
11,000
11,000
Profile photo of Ali Eslami
Ali Eslami
52,000
21,200
21,200
Profile photo of Tom Franklin
Tom Franklin
38,000
13,000
13,000
Profile photo of Christina Lindley
Christina Lindley
33,000
6,000
6,000
Profile photo of Michael Aron
Michael Aron
29,000
-11,000
-11,000
Profile photo of Minh Ly
Minh Ly
26,000
2,000
2,000
Profile photo of Erik Seidel us
Erik Seidel
16,000
11,500
11,500
WSOP 10X Winner
Poker Hall of Famer
Profile photo of Nikolai Yakovenko
Nikolai Yakovenko
10,000
-8,000
-8,000
Profile photo of Robert Iler
Robert Iler
Busted

Measuring the Range of Risk

Level 5 : 200/400, 50 ante
Some run with bulls, some swim with sharks, others play the WSOP Main Event
Some run with bulls, some swim with sharks, others play the WSOP Main Event

For some, playing in the World Series of Poker Main Event is one of those rare opportunities, perhaps a "bucket list" item or once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. It's also a daunting proposition for some, especially if their experience at the WSOP is at all limited.

Perhaps those factors are inspiring the conversation over at Table 417, where the table talk has turned to discussing other, similarly risky adventures, such as running with the bulls at Pamplona, Spain.

"Now you can run with the bulls and not even see the bulls," explained one player. "Or you can run with them and try to pet their noses."

"What do you mean?" asked another. "Well, have you ever gone swimming with sharks?" "No." "But you've swam in the ocean, right?" "Right." "Well you've swam in shark-infested waters, then."

"What I'm sayin' is... there's a range..."