Scott Stanko Claims WSOP-C Council Bluffs Main Event Title and Ring
Heads-up play began with Stanko at about 3.775 million to Charles Moore's stack of just over 2 million. Moore would seize the lead briefly, but Stanko retook the advantage, soon whittling Moore down before taking the last of his chips and the title.
The latest stop on the World Series of Poker Circuit came to a close late Tuesday night in Council Bluffs, Iowa with Scott Stanko of Nebraska topping a field of 290 in the Main Event to earn the WSOP-C ring and $101,266 first prize.
Following a couple of Day 1 flights the money bubble burst on Day 2 as the top 30 finishers made the cash in this $1,600 buy-in event. Among those making the money but not quite getting to Tuesday's final nine-handed table were Kevin Saul (28th, $2,861), Huy Nguyen (20th, $4,355), Allen Kessler (15th, $6,182), Ryan Eriquezzo (13th, $6,182), and Jim Devaney (10th, $7,523).
It was Stanko carrying the chip lead to the final table, sitting with over 1.48 million or about one-fourth of the chips in play with nine left. When the final table began, Stephen Ma was Stanko's closest challenger with 928,000, with Pejman Niyati not far back in third with 875,000.
Meanwhile, Jeremy Jagoda came to the final table with the shortest stack of just under 200,000, and soon after play began he'd get all of his chips in the middle with Ah-Kd versus Stanko's Qc-10c. The board ran out 8s-4c-10s-9h-Jd, ultimately giving Stanko a straight and sending Jagoda out in ninth.
Niyati experienced some difficulty early on Tuesday, and found himself suddenly short and all in with Jc-8d against James Smith's Ad-Qc. The board brought an ace to pair Smith and no help to Niyati, and he was out in eighth.
Sean Moore followed shortly thereafter in seventh, his Jc-10s failing to improve versus Smith's Ac-Jd, but Smith was soon knocked out in sixth when his Qh-Jc couldn't catch up to Charles Moore's Ad-Qs.
Just a couple of hands after that, Mark Bonsack hit the rail in fifth after getting all of his chips in on the turn with the board showing 2s-Jh-Jd-Ad with a pair of fives versus Charles Moore's 8s-8c. The river was a king, and they were down to four.
Stephen Ma was next out, victim of chip leader Stanko. Stanko shoved on the turn with the board nine-high, Ma called with 9s-2s for top pair, but Stanko showed Ah-As for the better pair, and a card later Ma was gone in fourth.
Three-handed lasted a while before Casey Cavanaugh went out in third in a tough hand in which he called Stanko's all-in shove on a 10s-3c-10c flop holding 10d-9c, but Stanko turned over Ac-10h for the same trips with a better kicker. The turn and river didn't help Cavanaugh, and just two remained.
Heads-up play began with Stanko at about 3.775 million to Charles Moore's stack of just over 2 million. Moore would seize the lead briefly, but Stanko soon retook the advantage and whittled Moore down to about 1.2 million prior to the tourney's final hand.
In that one, Moore limped, Stanko raised, Moore pushed all in, and Stanko called, tabling As-9d to Moore's Kh-8s. The community cards came 4d-8h-7s-Ac-9h, and Stanko had won.
2012 WSOP-Circuit Council Bluffs final table payouts:
1st: Scott Stanko -- $101,266
2nd: Charles Moore -- $62,584
3rd: Casey Cavanaugh -- $45,410
4th: Stephen Ma -- $33,503
5th: Mark Bonsack -- $25,127
6th: James Smith -- $19,148
7th: Sean Moore -- $14,819
8th: Pej Niyati -- $11,646
9th: Jeremy Jagoda -- $9,261
The win and cash marks Stanko's largest tourney score to date, his previous best coming at last summer's World Series of Poker when he just missed the final table of Event No. 19, the $2,500 Six-Handed No-Limit Hold'em event, earning $20,053 for finishing eighth.
The WSOP-C continues on through April and May, its next stops coming in St. Louis (Missouri), Chester (Pennsylvania), and New Orleans (Louisiana).