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Upcoming on ClubWPT: WPT Borgata Poker Open Satellite (Sunday, July 7 @ 4:00PM ET)
| Earnings | $500,000 |
| Cashes | 1 |
| Final Tables | 1 |
| Titles | 1 |
| Tournaments Played | 3 |
Est. Current Chipcount
Est. Average Chipcount
18,660,000
Current Chipleader
-
Day 3
680,000
Day 4
7,325,000
Day 5
1st
Level 34: 125,000-250,000, 25,000 ante
By Diana Cox
On Day 1 of the WPT Legends of Poker professional head hunter Josh Hale was just one of 622 players taking a shot at the top prize of $500,000 and a WPT Title. When the final card was dealt, Hale was all that remained.
After five days of play it came down to Hale, who began the final table with a massive chip lead of 7,325,000, and 2012 World Series of Poker No Limit Hold'em bracelet winner Max Steinberg, who came in as the shortest stack in play.
Hale may have had the chip advantage, at one point holding nearly 60 percent of the chips in play while five handed, but he had to last through a final table that not only included Steinberg, but Jeff Madsen, tGreg Mueller and Ali Eslami.
When heads-up play began, Steinberg, having eliminated Madsen, Mueller, Eslami and Raouf Malek, had a massive chip lead with 14,150,000 compared to Hale's 4,550,000. But Hale quickly doubled through on a rivered flush and the tournament came down to Steinberg's decision to move all-in for his last 3,250,000 with A
K
. Hale called with JJ
and the board ran out 98
85J to eliminate Steinberg as the runner up and secure Hale's first major live tournament.
After the final card was dealt, Mike Sexton took to the stage and asked Hale if he thought back on Day 1 he had a chance to win it all.
"Of course Mike," Hale said.
The first to go was Madsen, who was seated at his first WPT Final Table after coming close on three other occasions. After starting the day with only 1,035,000, Madsen moved all-in from the big blind with A3 and found a caller in Steinberg from the small blind with AA. Madsen's hand never improved and he became the sixth place finisher.
Mueller, who had made his second WPT Final Table, soon followed when his pocket sevens failed to hold up against Steinberg's AK after a King on the flop.
Out in fourth was Eslami, who was crippled early on by Malek but managed to make a substantial comeback by tripling up then doubling up more than once. But Eslami's comeback was cut short when he lost a race with pocket twos versus Steinberg's KJ on a kQ4A5 board.
Malek, after having cracked two pairs of pocket tens held by Eslami and Hale in the same hand with A10, saw his tournament come to an end in nearly as dramatic fashion. Malek met his demise when he flipped over J6 for a King-high straight on a 1092KQ board only to be met with Steinberg's AJ for an Ace-high straight.
WPT Legends of Poker Final Table Results:
1. Josh Hale - $500,000
2. Max Steinberg - $293,490
3. Raouf Malek - $192,400
4. Ali Eslami - $133,700
5. Greg Mueller - $97,100
6. Jeff Madsen - $75,400
Level 34: 125,000-250,000, 25,000 ante
Josh Hale raises to 550,000, Max Steinberg quickly moves all in for 3.25 million, and Hale quickly calls with JJ. Steinberg turns over AK, and he'll need to improve to stay alive.
The board comes 9885J, and Josh Hale wins the pot -- and the WPT title -- with a full house, jacks full of eights.
Max Steinberg finishes as the runner-up, earning $293,490.
Josh Hale wins the WPT Legends of Poker, earning $500,000, which includes his entry into the season-ending WPT World Championship. He also wins a WPT Champions Trophy, and gets his name inscribed on the one-and-only WPT Champions Cup.
Congratulations to Josh Hale!
1st: Josh Hale - $500,000
2nd: Max Steinberg - $293,490
3rd: Raouf Malek - $192,400
4th: Ali Eslami - $133,700
5th: Greg Mueller - $97,100
6th: Jeff Madsen - $75,400
Level 33: 100,000-200,000, 25,000 ante
Max Steinberg raises to 500,000, and Josh Hale calls. The flop comes 822, Hale checks, Steinberg bets 575,000, and Hale moves all in. Steinberg thinks for a bit before he folds, and Hale takes the pot worth 2.2 million.
Max Steinberg - 3,975,000
Josh Hale - 14,725,000
Level 33: 100,000-200,000, 25,000 ante
Josh Hale raises to 500,000, Max Steinberg reraises to 1,350,000, and Hale thinks for about a minute before he moves all in. Steinberg quickly folds, and Hale takes the pot worth 2.75 million.
Max Steinberg - 5,075,000
Josh Hale - 13,625,000
Level 33: 100,000-200,000, 25,000 ante
Max Steinberg raises to 500,000, and Josh Hale calls. The flop comes 10106, Hale checks, Steinberg bets 550,000, and Hale thinks for about 30 seconds before he moves all in.
Steinberg asks for a count, and it's 4,950,000. Steinberg calls with Q6 for two pair, tens and sixes, and Hale turns over Q2 for a heart flush draw. Hale will need to improve to stay alive.
The turn is the 4, the river is the 3, and Josh Hale rivers a heart flush to win the pot and double up in chips.
Max Steinberg - 6,750,000
Josh Hale - 11,950,000
Level 32: 75,000-150,000, 25,000 ante
Here are the official chip counts from the table, with 3:20 left in Level 32, with blinds at 75,000-150,000 and a 25,000 ante:
Max Steinberg - 14,150,000 (94 bb)
Josh Hale - 4,550,000 (30 bb)
Reminder: In heads-up play, the button has the small blind and acts first before the flop.
Level 31: 60,000-120,000, 20,000 ante
Ali Eslami limps under the gun for 120,000, Max Steinberg limps from the button, and Raouf Malek moves all in for about 1.5 million. Hale moves all in over the top for nearly 7.3 million, and Eslami quickly calls all in for nearly 3.2 million.
Steinberg smiles as he folds to get out of the way. Here are their cards in descending order of chip counts:
Josh Hale: KK
Ali Eslami: KK
Raouf Malek: A10
The board comes Q77A8, and Raouf Malek spikes an ace on the turn to win the pot and triple up in chips.
Seat 1. Max Steinberg - 6,460,000
Seat 3. Raouf Malek - 4,640,000
Seat 5. Josh Hale - 5,855,000
Seat 6. Ali Eslami - 1,745,000
Level 31: 60,000-120,000, 20,000 ante
Raouf Malek raises under the gun to 250,000, Josh Hale reraises from the button to 550,000, Malek moves all in, and Hale calls all in for 3,550,000 with 77. Malek turns over A10, and it's a race situation.
The board comes Q9243, and Josh Hale wins the pot with his pocket sevens to double up in chips.
Seat 1. Max Steinberg - 6,680,000
Seat 3. Raouf Malek - 1,740,000
Seat 5. Josh Hale - 7,325,000
Seat 6. Ali Eslami - 2,955,000
Level 30: 50,000-100,000, 10,000 ante
Raouf Malek raises under the gun to 210,000, Josh Hale calls from the button, and Ali Eslami tanks from the small blind for about a minute before he effectively moves all in -- he has a single 10k chip behind as a card protector. Eslami's bet is 1,510,000, and he isn't technically all in yet.
Malek thinks for more than a minute before he folds, and then Hale thinks for about 20 seconds before he calls with K9. Eslami turns over 99, and he's a favorite to double up yet again.
The board comes Q5458, and Ali Eslami's pocket nines hold up to win the pot and double up in chips.
Seat 1. Max Steinberg - 5,715,000
Seat 3. Raouf Malek - 2,760,000
Seat 5. Josh Hale - 6,525,000
Seat 6. Ali Eslami - 3,400,000
Level 30: 50,000-100,000, 10,000 ante
Max Steinberg limps from the button for 100,000, Josh Hale raises from the big blind to 275,000, and Steinberg calls. Both players check to the turn on a board of AQ64, Hale checks, Steinberg bets 360,000, and Hale calls.
The river card is the 3, Hale checks, Steinberg thinks for a while before he bets 1,000,000, and Hale quickly calls. Steinberg shows Q4 to win the pot with two pair, queens and fours, and Hale mucks.
Pot Size: 3,370,000
Seat 1. Max Steinberg - 5,925,000
Seat 3. Raouf Malek - 4,120,000
Seat 5. Josh Hale - 8,195,000
Seat 6. Ali Eslami - 110,000
