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Upcoming on ClubWPT: WPT Borgata Poker Open Satellite (Sunday, July 7 @ 4:00PM ET)
| Earnings | $224,706 |
| Cashes | 6 |
| Final Tables | 2 |
| Titles | 0 |
| Tournaments Played | 39 |
Ranking
4th
Payout
$133,700
Points
800
Day 1-A
33,100
Day 2
618,500
Day 3
1,065,000
Day 4
2,700,000
Day 5
4th
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 31: 60,000-120,000, 20,000 ante
Josh Hale limps from the button for 120,000, Ali Eslami moves all in from the small blind for 1,455,000, and Max Steinberg (big blind) asks for an exact count. Steinberg thinks for a minute before he calls, and Hale quickly folds.
Steinberg shows KJ, and Eslami turns over 22 for a race situation.
The board comes KQ4A5, and Max Steinberg pairs his king on the flop to win the pot and eliminate Ali Eslami in fourth place.
Seat 1. Max Steinberg - 8,625,000
Seat 3. Raouf Malek - 4,600,000
Seat 5. Josh Hale - 5,605,000
Seat 6. Ali Eslami - Out in 4th Place ($133,700)
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 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
Raouf Malek raises from the button to 210,000, and Ali Eslami calls from the big blind. Both players check to the turn on a board of 9533, Eslami bets 310,000, and Malek calls.
The river card is the J, Eslami thinks for a bit before he checks, Malek moves all in, and Eslami snap-calls with K8 for a king-high heart flush. Malek shows A6 for a lower six-high flush, and Ali Eslami wins the pot to double up in chips.
Seat 1. Max Steinberg - 5,805,000
Seat 3. Raouf Malek - 2,970,000
Seat 5. Josh Hale - 8,035,000
Seat 6. Ali Eslami - 1,590,000
Level 30: 50,000-100,000, 10,000 ante
Raouf Malek raises under the gun to 210,000, Ali Eslami calls from the small blind (leaving 40,000 behind), and Max Steinberg calls from the big blind. The flop comes A88, it's checked to Malek who bets 100,000, and Eslami calls for his last 40,000. Steinberg folds.
Malek shows 33, and he's ahead of Eslami's K7.
The turn card double-pairs the board with the A, the river is the 9, and the two pair on the board counterfeit Malek's pair. Ali Eslami wins the pot with the two pair on the board and his king kicker to triple up in chips.
Seat 1. Max Steinberg - 5,715,000
Seat 3. Raouf Malek - 3,860,000
Seat 5. Josh Hale - 8,025,000
Seat 6. Ali Eslami - 770,000
Level 30: 50,000-100,000, 10,000 ante
Josh Hale raises from the small blind, and Ali Eslami calls all in from the big blind with A10. Hale turns over 42.
The board comes 768A3, and Eslami pairs his ace on the turn to win the pot and double up.
Seat 1. Max Steinberg - 5,925,000
Seat 3. Raouf Malek - 4,120,000
Seat 5. Josh Hale - 8,035,000
Seat 6. Ali Eslami - 290,000
Level 30: 50,000-100,000, 10,000 ante
Josh Hale raises under the gun to 210,000, Ali Eslami calls from the button, and Raouf Malek thinks for a while before moving all in from the big blind for about 2.4 million.
Hale thinks for about 30 seconds before he folds, and Eslami asks for an exact count of Malek's stack. Eslami tanks for more than three minutes before he calls with KQ, but he's dominated by Malek's AK.
The board comes J4272, and Malek wins the pot with his ace to double up in chips and cripple Ali Eslami.
Seat 1. Max Steinberg - 4,230,000 (42 bb)
Seat 3. Raouf Malek - 4,130,000 (41 bb)
Seat 5. Josh Hale - 9,840,000 (98 bb)
Seat 6. Ali Eslami - 120,000 (1.2 bb)
Level 28: 30,000-60,000, 10,000 ante
There is no small blind this hand. Josh Hale raises from middle position to 130,000, and Ali Eslami calls from the cutoff. The board comes KJ10, Hale bets 210,000, and Eslami calls.
The turn card is the A, Hale bets 440,000, and Eslami thinks for about 30 seconds before he calls.
The river card is the 4, Hale checks, Eslami bets 500,000, and Hale thinks for about 30 seconds before he folds. Ali Eslami takes the pot.
Pot Size: 1,670,000
Seat 1. Max Steinberg - 2,625,000
Seat 3. Raouf Malek - 1,555,000
Seat 4. Greg Mueller - 2,970,000
Seat 5. Josh Hale - 8,210,000
Seat 6. Ali Eslami - 3,340,000
Level 27: 25,000-50,000, 5,000 ante
Hand #63 - Stephen Graner raises under the gun to 125,000, Greg Mueller calls from the button, Josh Hale calls form the small blind, and Ali Eslami moves all in from the big blind. Graner moves all in over the top for about 2.4 million, and Mueller and Hale both fold.
Graner shows 88, but he's dominated by Eslami's 1010.
The board comes 5227J, and the pocket tens hold up for Eslami to double up in chips.
Ali Eslami - 2,360,000 (47 bb)
Stephen Graner - 1,200,000 (24 bb)
