| Buy-In: | $1,500 |
|---|---|
| Prize Pool: | $3,403,305 |
| Entrants: | 2521 |
O’Neal Wins Event 42, O’Neal Finishes Runner-Up ($375,627)
Around 3 hours into a back and forth heads up battle, Thomas O’Neal raised to 700,000 after Dean Hamrick had limped from the button. Hamrick re-raised all in and O’Neal made the quick call. Their hands:
Hamrick: A
Q
O’Neal: A
9
The flop hit both players, running A2
K, but Hamrick’s queen kicker had him in the lead. The turn brought the 7 and O’Neal needed a 9 to win the pot or for the board to pair to chop it.
The 8 came on the river and at around 5:30 a.m. Hamrick took the pot to eliminate O’Neal in 2nd place ($375,627). Hamrick earned his first WSOP bracelet and $604,222.
River Floats Wiley Out in 3rd ($265,869)
Dean Hamrick made it 260,000 to go and Ian Wiley moved all in for his last 1,830,000. Hamrick took a few minutes to think it over, then made the call. Their hands:
Wiley: J6
Hamrick: A3
Hamrick made the right call, as his hand was a slight favorite over Wiley’s, but the flop hit Wiley right away, running JQ7 to pair his jack. The 2 came next, and Hamrick was down to one last chance to hit an ace.
Sure enough, the A landed on the river and Hamrick eliminated Wiley in 3rd place. Wiley went to the rail $265,869 richer.
With Wiley gone, Hamrick was heads up with 6.3 million in chips against Thomas O’Neal and his 5 million.
Kaiser Loses Flip, Out in 5th Place ($140,013)
Aaron Kaiser got all in preflop and was called by Dean Hamrick from the small blind. The two showed:
Hamrick: 77
Kaiser: Q9
Kaiser held two overs but the flop didn’t connect with either of them, running 46J. The turn brought the 6 and Kaiser was in need of a queen or nine to stay alive. The 2 fell on the river and Kaiser was the 5th place finisher, making $140,013.
With the pot Hamrick held a nice chip lead with 3.9 million compared to the next closest stack of 2.4 million for Niccolo Caramatti.
Caramatti Gone in 4th ($191,744)
Niccolo Caramatti had been an active player at the final table, knocking out three of the first four victims, but he ended up on the other end when he collided with chip leader Dean Hamrick.
Hamrick raised to 180,000 and Caramatti moved all in from the big blind. Hamrick made the quick call and they showed down:
Hamrick: AQ
Caramatti: K8
Caramatti was caught with the worst hand but the flop gave him reason to celebrate, running K6J to pair his king.
Hamrick still held an overcard and a 10 would give him the broadway straight. The turn was the 3 and Hamrick’s good call seemed as if it was going to cost him big time.
Hamrick’s rail called for the 10, and their calls turned out to be prophetic. The 10 landed on the river to give Hamrick the straight and bust Caramatti in 4th place, for which he earned $191,744.
Hamrick was already the chip leader, but in eliminating Caramatti he increased his stack to 6.8 million — well above Thomas O’Neal’s next largest stack of 2.1 million and Ian Wiley’s 1.5 million.
Gustavson Busts In 9th Place ($44,856)
Aaron Gustavson, winner of the 2009 EPT London main event, pushed all in for 440,000 and Niccolo Caramatti took a look at his cards and quickly called from the big blind. Their hands:
Gustavson: QJ
Caramatti: A6
Gustavson was trailing and hoping to see some paint, but the flop missed him completely. It ran 868, keeping Caramatti ahead with two pairs, sixes and eights.
The turn was closer, as the 10 fell to give Gustavson some more outs with a gutshot straight draw.
But his hopes of staying alive ended with the 3 on the river. Gustavson finished 9th for $44,856, and Carmatti jumped into the chip lead with 2.5 million in chips.
Kings Let Johnson Down in 8th Place ($58,571)
Niccolo Caramatti made it 110,000 to go and Thomas Johnson saw him chance to move all in for his last 375,000. Caramatti called and they showed down:
Caramatti: A9
Johnson: KK
Johnson was the favorite to win the hand and double up but the flop was unkind to him, running A36.
Caramatti took the lead and Johnson was down to two kings or running hearts to save his tournament. He got neither, as the 3 hit on the turn and the 2 finished the board. Johnson finished in 8th place for $58,571.
Flopped Set KOs Rosskamm in 7th Place ($77,392)
Andrew Rosskamm raised to 125,000 and was called by Thomas O’Neal. The flop ran 1034 and O’Neal checked to Rosskamm who fired 80,000 into the pot only to have O’Neal check-raise to 200,000. Rosskamm raised again, putting himself all in and O’Neal called.
O’Neal showed 44 for a flopped set.
The J landed on the turn and the 3 officially ended Rosskamm’s run, busting him in 7th place for $77,392. O’Neal had around 2.2 million in chips after the hand.
Hemmel Runs Into Caramatti’s Ladies, Out in 6th ($103,461)
Niccolo Caramatti had already eliminated the first two players from the final table, and he was back at it again when he opened to 115,000 and Ryan Hemmel reraised all in for 680,000. Caramatti called and they showed down:
Caramatti: QQ
Hemmel: AJ
The flop of J8K connected with Hemmel, giving him some hope, but the K on the turn left him dead to another jack or an ace. The 7 came on the river and Hemmel was gone in 6th place, making $103,461.
Known for his fighting skills inside the Octagon, UFC fighter Mike “Quick” Swick showed a ton of fight on the felt in recent days. He came up one spot short of the official final table for event No. 42 when his big slick ran into the pocket aces of Thomas O’Neal.
With that, the final table was set:
Dean Hamrick
Niccolo Caramatti
Aaron Kaiser
Thomas Johnson
Andrew Rosskamm
Ian Wiley
Thomas O’Neal
Aaron Gustavson
Ryan Hemmel
The final 12 players are now on dinner break. They are:
Niccolo Caramatti
Aaron Gustavson
Dean Hamrick
Ian Wiley
Andrew Rosskamm
James Schaaf
Thomas O’Neal
Craig Bergeron
Thomas Johnson
Michael Swick
Aaron Kaiser
Ryan Hemmel
They are guaranteed at least $34,748, with the winner taking $604,222.
Stay tuned to CardPlayer.com for final table coverage.
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