Event #1: $500 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold'em

After 21 hours of grueling, crazy poker, we have our first bracelet winner of the 2012 World Series of Poker! A big congratulations goes out to Chiab "Chip" Saechao, who came into today as the chip leader, and rode that momentum to a final table victory in Event #1 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold'em. He will take home almost $71,000, and of course, the coveted gold bracelet, for his efforts.

732 entrants ponied up the $500 entry fee for the opening event of the series, and 81 of those players walked away with money in their pockets. 46 of those players came back today, including WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart. Stewart played very well but, ultimately bowed out in 19th place.

Despite entering today as the chip leader, Saechao remained fairly quiet for the first half of the day. He entered the final table 8th in chips, and seemed very content with sitting back and letting the other players take each other out. With five players left, Saechao won back-to-back coin flips, including a roller coaster hand against Patricia Baker, the eventual runner up. Action began with Patricia Baker opening under-the-gun for 32,000. Action folded around to Saechao in the small blind who immediately pushed his entire stack in for about 260,000 more. Ray Pulford folded from the big and Baker fell into the tank. She eventually slid a calling stack into the middle.

Baker:   
Saechao:   

"It's a race!" Saechao shouted.

The flop came     and a clearly dejected Saechao groaned and shouted, "Ten!"

Turn:  

Ask and you shall receive.

A   fell on the river, giving Baker trips, but improving Saechao to a full-house as he doubled.

From there, Saechao never looked back, notching three of the final four eliminations, on his way to victory! Once again, a big congratulations go out to Chiab Saechao, our first bracelet winner of the summer!

Chaib Saechao called from the small blind, and Patricia Baker checked her option. The flop came out    , and Baker fired out a big bet of 100,000. Saechao went into the tank for about 20 seconds, before announcing all in. Baker had less then 400,000 behind, but she was reluctant to call off the rest of it. After about 30 seconds, she said "I should have raised preflop" and folded her hand. This dropped her down to 360,000, while Saechao now has almost 2 million.

Chiab Saechao	1,840,000	240,000
Patricia Baker	360,000	-240,000

Action began with Chiab Saechao, who opened for 60,000 from the button. Patricia Baker folded from the small blind and James Routos announced he was all in from the big for his last 300,000. Saechao quickly called and hands were revealed.

Routos:   
Saechao:   

The board ran out      , failing to improve Routos' hand and sending him to the rail in 3rd place.

Chiab Saechao	1,600,000	1,449,400
James Routos	0	-146,900

Action began with Patricia Baker, who completed from the small blind. James Routos checked his option.

The flop came     and Baker led out for 100,000. Routos mulled over his decision and announced he was all in. Baker looked pained and eventually gave it up.

Baker is down to her last 300,000.

James Routos	800,000	140,000
Patricia Baker	300,000	-210,000

All three players are back in their seats and cards are in the air!

The three remaining players are now on break. We will try to crown a champion when they get back in 20 minutes.

In case you forgot how brutal a game poker can be, this will remind you. Patricia Baker and Ray Pulford just dueled in back to back hands that led to the stunning elimination of Pulford, who was the chip leader for much of this final table.

On the first hand, Pulford limped on the button, Baker called in the small blind, and James Routos checked his option. Baker checked in the dark before the flop came down    . Routos checked as well, and Pulford bet out 40,000. Baker was the only caller, and the turn came the  . Baker moved all in for 144,000, and a clearly upset Pulford threw his hand into the muck, saying "I flopped the nut straight!"

Now here's the brutal one. Baker limped in from under the gun, and it folded around to Pulford, who decided to check. The dealer fanned out a flop of    , and Pulford checked to Baker, who fired out an over bet of 80,000. Pulford made the call, and the turn came the  . In the blink of an eye, Pulford checked, Baker moved all in, and Pulford snap called. The cards were flipped, and Pulford had trapped Baker to perfection.

Pulford:   
Baker:   

Baker had turned two pair, but Pulford had flopped bottom set. Baker would need a queen or an eight to take down the pot and pull out an incredible suck out. Well I'm sure you can guess what happened.

River:  

An understandably frustrated Pulford said, in not so kind words "are you kidding me?!?!" When the stacks were counted, it was determined that Baker had more, and Pulford hit the rail in truly stunning fashion.

We are now three handed, with Chaib Saechao holding half the chips in play.

Patricia Baker	600,000	400,000
Ray Pulford	0	-350,000

Well that was sudden. On the very next hand, Chiab Saechao limped in under the gun, and action folded all the way around to Nicolas Vaca-Rondon. He moved all in for around 200,000, and Saechao insta-immediately-snap called, and yelled "aces"!

Saechao:   
Vaca-Rondon:   

The flop brought a couple scary looking cards, but it was safe for Saechao, coming    . Saechao told the dealer to keep it high, and the   on the turn was right in like with his request. The river was the  , and Saechao increased his chip lead, while Vaca-Rondon went to the rail.

Chiab Saechao	850,000	200,000
Nicolas Vaca-Rondon	0	-160,000

Ok seriously...who is writing these hands?! For the second time in five hands, a miracle turn card helps one player survive. This time, Patricia Baker was on the right side of it, as she doubled through Nicolas Vaca-Rondon. Ray Pulford raised in the cutoff to 37,000, and Baker moved all in on the button for 98,000 total. Action folded to Vaca-Rondon in the big blind, and after thinking for about 20 seconds, he announced all in for about 275,000. Pulford got out of the way, and we had another coin flip on our hands.

Baker:   
Vaca-Rondon:   

Vaca-Rondon shot out to the lead when the flop came down    . Baker was now well behind, but in what was a carbon copy of the hand that crippled her, Baker spiked her two outer, as the   hit the turn. Vaca-Rondon was now drawing dead, but just for good measure, Baker hit quads with the   on the river. After the hand, Baker is sitting on 240,000, while Vaca-Rondon is now on the short stack with 160,000.

Patricia Baker	240,000	115,000
Nicolas Vaca-Rondon	160,000	-245,000