The penultimate event of season 12 brought a baker’s dozen to San Pablo to do battle. 5 of those players were still mathematically alive for one of the treasured WSOP seats. Others who were already in the clubhouse after having played their full 12 events would have to wait to see if their fates changed with the cards in event 19.
In what we believe is a Piranha Poker first, our first bust out occurred on the first hand. Dominic Chan raised from middle position and Jeannette Sims called from the big blind. Jeannette checked a flop of KQ9 and Dom bet. Jeannette raised and Dom re-raised. Jeannette moved all in and Dom called. Jeannette turned over JT for the flopped straight and Dom turned over 99 for bottom set. The turn brought an ace but the river sealed Jeannette’s fate when a 9 peeled off giving Dom quads and the win.
Only a few orbits later, Dom continued his early tournament dominance. Bharad Parthasarathy opened and Dom called his raise. Bharad checked a flop of QAT to Dom who also checked. Bharad check raised a turn six and Dom called. Bharad bet a river 4 and Dom pushed all in. Bharad thought long and hard before finally calling. He turned over a set of aces but Dom had flopped Broadway with KJ. The season 12 points leader would not add any additional points to his kitty in his final event of season 12.
Two more bust outs and the final table was set quite early, with the blinds at 50/100. One of the crazier hands of the season occurred early on at the final table. Christine LaMonaca opened in early position. John March three bet in late position, Dom 4 bet next to act. Alex Lum five bet jammed from the big blind. Christine looked anguished before eventually folding. John called and Dom folded. Alex had AA and John KK. Christine indicated she had folded QQ. The flop brought a K and kept John’s hopes alive for a WSOP seat. Alex survived but was the short stack at the table for the rest of the final table.
The first bust out of the final table occurred during the next level of 75/150. Dom opened and Sandi Sarmiento called. The flop of 634 with two hearts was check called. The turn brought a 6 and Sandi check raised Dom’s 1,500 bet all in for 3,400. Dom called and turned over A6. Sandi turned over A4 of hearts for a straight and flush combo draw. The river brought another 3 and ended Sandi’s run at a WSOP seat in season 12.
Later in the level a 5 player limped pot brought a flop of KT4. Jan jammed the flop for about 2 times pot. Joe called and the rest folded. Jan turned over QT for flopped middle pair but Joe turned over KT for top two pair. A turn Q brought Jan some life but the river 8 ended her season.
Another level passed before the next knockout. At 100/200/25 In a blind versus blind battle, Dom raised from the small blind and Justin Sauble called. Dom checked a flop of AT2 and Justin bet ¾ pot. Dom called. The turn was an 8 and Dom checked again and Justin moved in for a little less than twice pot. Dom took a minute before finally calling. Dom had A9 for top pair and Justin turned over JT for middle pair. The river 4 brought an end to Justin’s day in 7th place.
Later in the level Christine moved all in pre flop and was called by Joe Wiebelhaus. Christine turned over KQ and Joe turned over the dominating AQ. Christine was not able to turn a 30% shot into a win and was ousted in 6th place. Christine is still alive for a WSOP seat with the final event looming.
Still at 100/200/25, Dom raised in early position and was called by Amo Tarnoff in the big blind. Amo checked raised all in on a board of 963 and was called by Dom. Amo turned over JT for top pair but Dom turned over 63 for bottom two pair. The turn brought a T, bringing Amo’s outs from 5 to 8, but the river Q meant it was Amo’s final hand of season 12. Amo’s departure left the final 4 players vying for 12 third place points, 22 second place points, and 31 first place points.
FINAL 4
Shortly after the blinds went up to 200/400/50, Joe and John got involved in a blind versus blind battle. Joe limped in the small blind and John checked his big blind. Both players checked a flop of 875. Joe bet about little more than half pot on a turn 2. John called. The river brought a 4 and Joe checked. John jammed and despite 4 to a straight on the board Joe called fairly quickly and confidently. John had flopped a gut shot with 94 and improved to bottom pair on the river. Joe had flopped top pair with T8 and his winning hand knocked out John in 4th and on the points bubble. Like Christine, John is still alive going into event 20.
Later in the level Alex made his final stand. Despite being the shortest stack at the final table after doubling up John when his AA got cracked, Alex played a very disciplined short stack and nearly outlasted everyone. Joe opened and Alex pushed in from the big blind. Alex had A6, which is fairly strong three handed but unfortunately Joe had AA. The flop of K23 changed nothing. A turn 6 brought a small ray of hope for Alex but another K on the river ended his day and season. Alex earned 12 points for his 3rd place finish.
Heads up play began at 200/400/50. Joe and Dom were both very deep for heads up play, with Joe having 29,000 and about 72 big blinds and Dom 50,000 and 125 big blinds.
Dom maintained the chip lead through the rest of the level and through most of the next level of 300/600/75 but Joe’s aggressive and well timed moves chipped away at Dom and he eventually took control.
A few hands into 400/800/75, Joe moved all in pre flop and Dom called. Dom had about 12 big blinds left and called with A4. Joe turned over KJ. Joe took the lead with a flop of K5T and held as the turn and river blanked for Dom. Dom earned 22 points for his 2nd place finish and brought himself within striking distance of a WSOP seat. Joe’s 31 first place points moved him into 7th place overall. Only a combination of a John Marsh or Christine LaMonaca victory in event 20 with a Dominic Chan second or third place finish or a Dominic Chan victory can displace him from at least a partial WSOP seat.
The final showdown for season 12 comes on May 12.