$1,700 Main Event
Day 2 Completed
2019 World Series of Poker Circuit Potawatomi
$1,700 Main Event
Day: 2
Level 26
: 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Day 2 of the 2019 World Series of Poker Potawatomi $1,700 Main Event saw 70 of 447 players return to the felt, and after a little over ten levels of play, just seven players were left standing with Richard Bai and his 3.385 million chip stack leading the way. Bai, who boasts over $800,000 in Hendon Mob reported tournament earnings, already has one mid-major title on his record, winning an MSPT Main Event title at the same casino in 2017 for $139,086.
Hot on his heels are Jorden Helstern (2,515,000) and Matthew Levin (2,475,000). Rounding out the final table are Henry Zou (1,775,000), young phenom James Pupillo (1,450,000), Nik Stone (1,100,000), and Brett Apter (760,000), who will start the day as the short stack. Apter has plenty of final table experience under his belt, however, including a win at Event #17: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout this summer at the 2019 WSOP, earning him $238,824 and a gold bracelet.
Day 3 Seat Draw
| Seat | Name | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nikolas Stone | 1,100,000 |
| 2 | Henry Zou | 1,775,000 |
| 3 | Jorden Helstern | 2,515,000 |
| 4 | Brett Apter | 760,000 |
| 5 | Matthew Levin | 2,475,000 |
| 6 | James Pupillo | 1,450,000 |
| 7 | Richard Bai | 3,385,000 |
Day 2 Action
Only two players would go home empty-handed from the seventy that started the day, and after Jeff Trudeau busted shortly after play began, it would be nearly an hour on the bubble before Edward Dixon got his ace-queen cracked by Ravi Raghavan and his ten-deuce for Dixon's last ten big blinds.
The pace of play quickened considerably from that point on as the average stack hovered between 50-60 big blinds for a large portion of the day. Even armed with deep stacks, the eliminations came at a rapid pace. A few of those that managed to take home a portion of the prize pool was two former WSOPC Potawatomi champs as Keven Stammen (35th - $3,072) and Michael Hudson (52nd - $2,693) each earned a cash.
Others that went home with a piece of the prize pool prior to the final table were WSOPC Ameristar St. Charles champ Scott Hall (13th - $8,195), Day 1a chip leader Sohale Khalili (14th - $8,195), 2019 WSOP Main Event final tablist Kevin Maahs (23rd - $4,890), 12-time WSOPC ring winner Josh Reichard (32nd - $3,367), WSOP Bracelet winner Alex Ziskin (38th - $2,852), and Day 1a chip leader Jill Bryant (50th - $2,693).
Final Table Action
With the average stack sitting at just over 53 big blinds at the start of the final table, it took some time for the first player to fall. George Pappas started the final table as the short stack and survived for some time before finally losing a flip to Stone to hit the rail a little over an hour after the final table started.
Michael Esquivel, who earned a breakout win in last week's MSPT Canterbury Park Main Event for $98,113, followed that up with a ninth-place performance. He jammed his last 17 big blinds with ace-jack and ran into the queens of Helstern, and although Esquivel found a jack on the flop, he improved no further and hit the rail.
A mammoth pot then happened between Bai and Jack Torcolese, when Torcolese overbet jammed with a pair and a gutshot for Bai's last 60 big blinds. Bai made the call with aces, and Torcolese couldn't catch up, giving Bai nearly a third of the chips in play and a commanding lead with eight players left. Torcolese got his last 15 big blinds in a few hands later with queen-nine, but couldn't overcome the Big Slick of Apter to exit in seventh.
2019 WSOPC Potawatomi Main Event Final Table Results
| Position | Player | Location | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TBD | TBD | |
| 2 | TBD | TBD | |
| 3 | TBD | TBD | |
| 4 | TBD | TBD | |
| 5 | TBD | TBD | |
| 6 | TBD | TBD | |
| 7 | TBD | TBD | |
| 8 | Jack Torcolese | Niles, Illinois | $15,742 |
| 9 | Michael Esquivel | Clarendon Hills, Illinois | $12,478 |
| 10 | George Pappas | Park Ridge, Illinois | $10,037 |
Day 3 will kick off at noon local time on Monday at the start of Level 27 (25,000/50,000/50,000). Play will continue until a winner is crowned. Be sure to stay tuned right here to PokerNews as we determine which of the seven remaining players will walk out of Potawatomi Hotel and Casino with $138,317, a coveted WSOPC ring, and a seat at the 2020 WSOPC Global Championship!
Level 26
: 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
3,385,000
-315,000
|
-315,000 |
|
2,515,000
-285,000
|
-285,000 |
|
2,475,000
275,000
|
275,000 |
|
1,775,000
25,000
|
25,000 |
|
1,450,000
-250,000
|
-250,000 |
|
1,100,000
320,000
|
320,000 |
|
760,000
-345,000
|
-345,000 |
|
||
Level 26
: 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Richard Bai raised to 90,000 from under the gun, and Jorden Helstern called in the cutoff. Matthew Levin three-bet to 400,000, and both Bai and Halstern quickly folded.
That hand was the final hand of Day 2, and players are now bagging and tagging for the night. Stay tuned for updated chip counts, as well as a full recap of the day's action.
Level 26
: 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Jorden Helstern raised to 85,000 on the button, and Matthew Levin three-bet to 265,000 from the big blind. Helstern called.
Levin bet 350,000 on the 
flop, and Helstern said, "All in."
"Can I get a count?" Levin immediately asked. Helstern had 1.805 million in chips, and Levin counted up the amount to call and stacked it up, leaving himself 660,000 behind. He contemplated his decision for a few minutes before folding.
"Wow," Helstern said, then showed the 
from his hand before raking in the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,800,000
330,000
|
330,000 |
|
|
2,200,000
-100,000
|
-100,000 |
Level 26
: 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Matthew Levin raised to 125,000 from the hijack, and James Pupillo three-bet to 300,000 from the cutoff. Levin called.
Levin checked the 
flop, and Pupillo bet 150,000. Levin called.
Both players checked the 
turn, and Levin bet 250,000 on the river. Pupillo quickly folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,300,000
350,000
|
350,000 |
|
|
1,700,000
-350,000
|
-350,000 |
Level 26
: 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,700,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
2,470,000
170,000
|
170,000 |
|
|
2,050,000
-100,000
|
-100,000 |
|
|
1,950,000 | |
|
|
1,750,000
700,000
|
700,000 |
|
|
1,105,000
-295,000
|
-295,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
780,000
-95,000
|
-95,000 |
Level 26
: 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Jordan Helstern raised to 85,000 from the hijack, and was called by James Pupillo in the small blind and Richard Bai in the big blind.
Action checked to Helstern on an 
flop, and only Bai called.
Both players checked through the 
turn and 
river, and Bai showed 
for aces-up. Helstern mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,600,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
|
2,300,000
-200,000
|
-200,000 |
|
|
2,150,000
-50,000
|
-50,000 |
Level 26
: 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Matthew Levin raised to 80,000 from the hijack, and Richard Bai three-bet to 250,000 from the big blind. Levin called.
Both players checked the 
flop, and Levin bet 150,000 on the 
turn. Bai called.
Levin bet 305,000 on the river, leaving himself 500,000 behind. Bai flicked in a single chip to call, only to muck after Levin tabled 
for a full house.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,400,000
-600,000
|
-600,000 |
|
|
1,950,000
500,000
|
500,000 |
Level 26
: 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Jorden Helstern raised to 85,000 from the hijack, and Richard Bai called in the big blind.
Both players checked the 
flop, and Bai checked the 
turn. Helstern bet 100,000 and Bai called.
Bai checked again on the 
river, and Helstern bet 300,000. Bai folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,000,000
-200,000
|
-200,000 |
|
|
2,500,000
225,000
|
225,000 |