Travel Report: 2012-13 WSOP-C Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City, Main Event, Day 3

Am sitting in Philadelphia International Airport, awaiting another flight home after having helped cover another poker tournament. The WSOP-C Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City Main Event wrapped up just before 2 a.m. last night, with Adam Teasdale ultimately winning after making a helluva call in a final hand when heads up versus Wade Woelfel.

The day had begun at noon, so by the time that last hand arrived we were nearly 14 hours into Day 3 (including breaks). And it appeared we might well be sticking around a lot longer given that even though Teasdale had edged out to a 2-to-1 chip lead, Woelfel still had about 60 big blinds. The levels get lengthened at the end of WSOP-C Main Events as well (to 75 minutes) -- we’d just started a new one -- and with two strong, careful players sitting behind those tall towers of chips, it definitely seemed like we’d be there for quite some time.

Speaking of those chips, you might be able to make out the stacks of pinks (10k) and grays (5k) sitting in front of the players in the picture above. The 10k chips are kind of strange, actually. I believe they are only used in Atlantic City and a few other spots, and I know I’ve rarely if ever had to count them when covering tourneys. Despite there being over 12 million chips in play, they continued to use just the 5k and 10k chips to the very end, never introducing any 25k ones.

All came to an end, however, in a hand that saw Teasdale float a flop with nothing, make a small pair on the turn, then call a bold all-in raise by Woelfel who had but ace-high himself. (Here’s the hand, if you’re curious.) Not quite the ending I saw at APPT Macau last month, when two players ended six hours’ worth of heads-up play by deciding to chop the prize pool evenly and go all in blind on the last hand. But a fairly abrupt conclusion nonetheless, involving some inspired play by both players.

This was the second WSOP Circuit event I’ve done, the first having also been in Atlantic City (at Caesars) about a year-and-a-half ago. It’s a neat tour, really, and has been around long enough by now -- since 2005 -- to have developed its own tradition. And with 20 stops in 2012-13, it’s pretty much a year-round affair, with many players hitting multiple stops to play in the low buy-in prelims and affordable Main Events.

For those of us reporting, it’s an intense, brief grind. Just three days of play, but each day saw us there working for about 15 hours, which didn’t leave a lot of time for anything else. Unlike the last AC trip, I didn’t step foot outside the venue at all during my stay. But the accommodations were fine, and the WSOP staff were especially helpful and fun to work alongside, so all in all it was a good trip. And it is always enjoyable to work with tourney reporter extraordinaire and master chip counter Mickey, too.

Have to cut it short as my flight will be boarding soon. As I mentioned last week, I’ll be heading right back out again for another quick event, this one in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania starting later in the week. Should be another interesting one, but I’ll admit I’m already looking forward to returning from that one and getting some real rest while visiting family over the holidays.