WSOP Main Event: The Final Table is Set

Following Event Days 5, 6 and 7, the World Series of Poker 2012 Final Table is now set. Nine players return in October to decide the fate of the $8,527,982 first prize and the ultimate golden bracelet.

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Gaelle Baumann

282 players returned on Day 5 of the WSOP $10,000 NLHE Main Event to play it down to 97. One of the highlights of the day was a hand that is bound to be in the focus of heated debate for long throughout the industry, especially considering the events of Day 7 (see below).

Gaelle Baumann opened to 60,000 from UTG and players folded down to András Koroknai in the SB, who pushed all-in with over 2,000,000 in chips (Level 24: 4,000/15,000/30,000). Gavin Smith in the BB folded and Koroknai, apparently unaware that Baumann had previously raised, threw away his cards to take Smith’ blind. Realising his mistake, Koroknai quickly withdrew one of his cards but could not grab the other, already buried in the deck.

Dennis Jones tournament director arrived to rule over the situation and, considering it for a minute, he decided that Koroknai only lost the amount by which Baumann raised, not his entire stack. Smith gave voice to his surprise over the ruling and Baumann did not like it either. Jones then contacted WSOP Vice President Jack Effel, who confirmed Jones’ decision. Disappointed, Baumann revealed pocket kings which could have possibly ended Koroknai’s run in the Main Event.

97 players sat down to the tables on Day 6, which saw 27 players left for the end of the day, melting the field to only 3 tables. On the top of the chipcount was Marc Ladouceur, the only Canadian still in play with 15,875,000 in chips. Other notable names to return to Day 7 included two ladies, Elisabeth Hille and the aforementioned Baumann, in addition to Russell Thomas, Daniel Strelitz, Yuval Bronshtein, Jamie Robbins, Jeremy Ausmus, Scott Abrams, Greg Merson and Paul Volpe, not to mention Koroknai.

With the elimination of Nicco Maag, Jan Heitmann, Roland Israelashvili, Strelitz, Bronshtein, Cylus Watson, Robert Corcione, Volpe, Robbins, David Balkin and Robert Buckenmayer, the field of Day 7 melted down to 2 tables. Percy Mahatan came next, followed by Wilfried Harig, Danny Wong, Ladouceur, Abrams and Hille.

With only one elimination away from the final table, Baumann shoved her 5,200,000 in chips preflop from the hijack seat – and only Koroknai called from the SB.

Koroknai: A J
Baumann: A 9

Board: 3 Q Q 8 K

With an over kicker, Koroknai made it to the final table as the first Hungarian player ever, while Baumann just fell short of being the 2nd lady to make the feature after Barbara Enright (1995).

András Koroknai

The “October Nine” – because of the US Presidential Elections in November, the WSOP finale will be held in October this year – is as follows: