We've been keeping an eye on the race for Casino Champion here at the 2012-13 WSOP Circuit Harrah's Resort Atlantic City stop.
We mentioned earlier how Brandon Fish — 14th-place finisher in this event and winner of Event #2 ($365 NLHE) — had by virtue of his cash in this event pushed out to the points lead in the Casino Champion race. There were no other players in the Main Event (#10) who could challenge Fish's lead, but with two other events also finishing today (#11 and #12) there were other possibilities to consider.
Now of those two events only Event #12 ($365 Turbo NLHE) is still ongoing, having played down to a final table. And as it happens there is one player at that final table — Richard E. Ward — who has a shot at passing Fish, but can only do so with a win in Event #12. This marks Ward's second final table in a $365 Turbo NLHE event at this stop, as he finished sixth in the earlier event.
But Ward fails to win the ring in Event #12, the Casino Champion title — and invite into the $1 Million WSOP National Championship in May 2013 — will go to Fish.
We've had another hand involving some significant chip movement, with Adam Teasdale having taken the lead as a result.
Teasdale opened the hand with a raise to 125,000 from the hijack seat, and Sung Kim called from the big blind. Both checked the flop. The turn then brought the and another check from Kim, and Teasdale responded with a bet of 135,000, which Kim called.
The river was the . Kim bet 250,000 this time, and when Teasdale raised to 675,000, Kim folded.
Play has slowed considerably over the last stretch, with players' mostly content to be patient. The average stack at the moment is nearly 50 big blinds, with all but Wade Woelfel sitting with more than that at present.
Just now came a hand involving Sung Kim, Adam Teasdale, and Pete Rios that saw a bit of action to contrast with the otherwise quiet play.
That hand began with Kim raising to 100,000 from the hijack seat and both Teasdale (cutoff) and Rios (big blind) calling. The flop came , and Rios fired first for 160,000. Kim then made it 400,000 to go, and Teasdale reraised up to 675,000, enough to make both of his opponents fold.
Terry Grimes has finished serving his one-round penalty, and on his first hand back he opened with a raise to 110,000 from the cutoff seat. Sung Kim reraised to 300,000 from the big blind, and Grimes called.
The flop came , and when Kim fired 400,000, Grimes stepped aside.
Much as he has done for nearly every hand since we've returned for Level 30, Pete Rios opened with a raise to 125,000 — from the button this time — and Sung Kim reraised again to 300,000 from the small blind.
Adam Teasdale then reraised to 1 million from the big blind, forcing folds from both opponents.
They are continuing four-handed a little longer while Terry Grimes sits out his one-round penalty.
Terry Grimes is sitting a one-round penalty at the moment for exposing his hand out of turn.
The incident occurred during the preflop deal of a hand. When the dealer delivered Grimes's second hole card to him, the card hit the button and was seen to be a . It had to be taken out and used as the burn card, and when Grimes was dealt a replacement card he turned both of his hole cards over — — frustrated that he missed being dealt a pair of kings.
As Grimes had exposed his hand out of turn, he has been made to sit out for an orbit.
flop. The turn then brought the 
and another check from Kim, and Teasdale responded with a bet of 135,000, which Kim called.
. Kim bet 250,000 this time, and when Teasdale raised to 675,000, Kim folded.
, and Rios fired first for 160,000. Kim then made it 400,000 to go, and Teasdale reraised up to 675,000, enough to make both of his opponents fold.
, and when Kim fired 400,000, Grimes stepped aside.
. It had to be taken out and used as the burn card, and when Grimes was dealt a replacement card he turned both of his hole cards over — 
— frustrated that he missed being dealt a pair of kings.
flop.
turn, as well as the 
river.
for queens and sevens, but Rios had it beat when he rolled over 
for queens and tens.