An Update on "Pauly Walnuts"
Way back on Day 1c we told you the story of Pauly "Walnuts" Bianchi, a Chicagoland player that waited until the last minute to play the Main Event, and got in via very unique circumstances.
Here's the story as previously written:
You see, late Sunday night a group of Chicago players were deep in a poker game when the idea was floated about of getting someone in the 2014 WSOP Main Event. The problem was there was only one remaining starting flight beginning in less than 12 hours and they had only managed to pool together $1,200, well short of the $10,000 buy-in.
After the game broke earlier this morning, the motley crew decided to do what any true degens would do and headed to the local casino to try and spin it up playing blackjack. The problem was the closest gaming venue, the Rivers Casino, closes their table games at 7:00 a.m., so by the time they got there, they literally only had time to play three hands.
With a "go big or go home" attitude, the group promptly placed a $1,200 bet, which they won. The next bet of $2,400 turned into $4,800, and on the third hand they let it ride. The group ended up making a 20 with the dealer showing a seven, and Bianchi literally started dancing and yelling, "I'm going to Vegas."
The 20 held, and the group left the casino with $9,500 — still shy of the buy-in, but close enough to drum up a couple thousand more from another investor to cover expenses. Just like that Bianchi was on the first flight out of Chicago and now finds himself inside the Rio playing in poker's most prestigious tournament.
As fate would have it, Bianchi has turned that initial $1,200 investment into at least $25K as he is in the money, albeit as a short stack.
In a recent hand, Ian Simpson opened for 17,000 from the cutoff and Jacob Phillips called from the small blind. Bianchi, who began the hand with around 100,000, came along from the big blind and three players saw a flop of 
.
Phillips checked, Bianchi bet 17,000, and Simpson called. Phillips called as well and then all three players checked the 
turn as well as the 
river. Phillips rolled over the 
for a rivered flush, and it was good as both Bianchi and Simpson mucked.
In the very next hand, Robert Park raised to 17,000 from the cutoff and Bianchi decided to shove all in for 71,000 total from the small blind. The big blind folded and Park did the same.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
630,000
86,000
|
86,000 |
|
100,000 |