[Music] the wait is finally over this one tournament could change my life right here right now I think that I'm the best player at the table that's the type of attitude you need to take it's been months since the last card was dealt tonight the anticipation becomes the now winning it all would be the most amazing part of my life it's the main event I mean it's the number one thing out there the 2012 World Series of Poker main event final table Dean chip leader is amazing I recommend it you dream that someday you'll win the World Series of Poker it's the biggest thing to us a chance for one player to move forward to take a Monumental leap into poker history to become a main event Champion let's [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] go welcome to the 2012 World Series of Poker main event final table presented by Jack Links beep jerky months of anticipation will finally reach its climax nine chairing sections out in full force to support one eventual Champion hi everybody Lon McCarron with Norman Chad and Caris Scott before joining the pp and Circumstance at the penet tellar theater the October 9th gathered in the pazo Suites at the Rio to catch up and size each other up but now it's game time 8 and 1/2 m million dollar to the champion plus the gold bracelet desired by every poker player one of the more boisterous sections belongs to chip leader Jesse Sylvia but maryn's Greg meren is on everyone's radar he's probably the best player at this final table but will he end up with all the chips Sylvia does come in as the chip leader you know if he ends up with all the chips maybe he'll buy Martha's Vineyard Texan Rob salaburu hopes to make quick work of this group well this is no limit Texas hold him it would be nice to see someone from Texas as world champion again this group has been on cloud n for months and tonight they come down to earth and play a mostly young mostly Pro Final Table Norman put this group in perspective for us what separates them from others we've seen this final table has something for everyone drama Greg meren gunning for Player of the Year and Jake Baler trying to become youngest ever to win the main event personality Rob salaburu Mr Personality fills that void all his own but most of all there's Talent eight pros and would be Pros plus Commodities broker Michael Esposito all of them gunning for the biggest commodity in poker the main event bracelet all right let's meet this year's Final Table Jeremy Osmos 33 Las Vegas Nevada I'm truly living the dream and my dream ends being world champion Jake figer eighth place I want to become the youngest ever to win the main event Rob salaburu seventh place I'll do some talking tonight but my chips will have the last word Michael S Pito 44 playing for anybody who's ever had the dream Steve G fifth place I may be the oldest but I have experience on my side Russell Thomas fourth place I think I've outworked everyone during the break 8.5 million would be unreal Greg meren 24 years old from Laurel Maryland I'm more so just taking it one hand at a time don't think too far in advance just play the best that I can and my second biggest deck my plan sit down and clean up the table Jesse James Sylvia chip leader the wait is finally over it's time to win a [Music] bracelet and so they reconvene to decide a championship Ninth Place money already been paid to all of them top seven earn at least 1.2 million Jesse James Sylvia the chip leader with Jack Trey of clubs folds to Rob salaburu with two kings and a quick raise to 620,000 yeah if you're putting together a team for a bank robbery salaburu is the guy you want driving the getaway car fold that over to Michael S bazito Ace jack off suit the 44-year-old amateur had a birthday during the break he looks like he's about to be in a police lineup and he's a little nervous about it I think everyone's nervous here he makes the call on the button is the youngest man at the table 21-year-old Jake Baler folds to Jeremy osus who gives it up to the big blind Steve g king queen of clubs 45 years poker experience that's the entire life of Russell Thomas and Jake Boler combined G probably has some unpacked boxes still in his newly bought Las Vegas home he calls for 320,000 more three players will see this flop at this championship table Duce 510 G with a flush draw no I definitely would he checks it over to salaburu with the King still best but vulnerable a million from salaburu a fold from Esposito you know if it were up to salaburu he would put out a bet and pull in the pot at the same time to save time well these two are on a collision course with that flop Lon and they have some history now with Salo buo caught on camera making a derisive remark about G on day seven with his draw G calls Trey of spade Salo Bru King still lead G missed his flush and he checks again and salaburu checks free River Card well Rob slows down I guess he doesn't want to play a big pot early another Deuce G now can only win it by pushing Rob off his hand L this is the main event final table we're looking at three of spades on the turn and a deuce of hearts on the river come on get me an action deck everyone's just trying to warm up a bet from g a snap call from salahu and he'll take that pot that's why you got to love salahu he makes the call just turns over his hand doesn't even wait for G to table his hand turbo poker and early wo's friend Charles moment for Rob salaburu let's go down to Caris Scott now for a report on salaburu and his history with Steve G Rob salaburu told me that he is aware of the general reaction to his more in- yourface Antics from the earlier days of the main event but he's surprised by how polarized that reaction has been he told me that people either really love him or they really want horrible things to happen to him but there is a method to his Madness his table Persona is actually part of his game he uses table talk to put his opponents off their stride to disrupt their game Flow but one thing that he actually does really feel badly about is having called Steven G an idiot on day seven this actually happened away from the table it wasn't directly to Steve either and uh he didn't really think it would be picked up like that it was a heat of the- moment thing he didn't mean it he has apologized as well he apologized as soon as he could so there is a softer side to rob ziburu in fact a lot of the players at the table say they've Ely really like him he's a lot of fun to be around even if he is playing the villain and Greg meren even said you know a little trash talk at the table it's not a bad thing he's no villain and gives salaburu credit he owned up to the remark he apologized to Steve G for it and we move on and underway Greg meren open for a race to 700,000 with 108 of diamonds small blind Michael Esposito with suited king queen you know I was competing in a triathlon with Mike Esposito last week and he called you an idiot line but no one made a big deal about that I got no phone calls either esito made the call heads up it'll be the Orioles jersey of Adam Jones worn by Greg meren and Michael Esposito Jack King seven top pair for Esposito got shot for meren and Michael cheex not sure why Esposito is checking top pair meren says I'd love a free one and he gets a free one turn card now Deuce of diamonds Esposito still good but meren does pick up a flush draw now Esposito does bet 800,000 that's a small bet with a straight draw and now a flush draw meren is priced into call here if he's in the mood and he is indeed in the mood it's not only a small pot lawn it's a small and Silent pot River card now Queen of Diamonds meren gets there with the flush that gives Esposito top two pair that's a nasty card for Esposito a million 250 from Esposito that's actually another small value bet from Esposito with top two it may get a little more expensive for him right here though I call a raise to meron a quick call and meron shows the flush well Esposito smelled Bluff I guess and he smelled wrong he ends up taking a good siiz hit here an early punch to the gut to Michael espito shrinking his chip stack to below 10 million sending more than a third of his chip to Greg meron putting him in second place meron looking to win this title and win the World Series Player of the Year title at the same time Greg is in fourth place right now in that race he is trailing Pro John manette who picked up a bracelet this summer as did meren Antonio sandari is currently in second place having won a bracelet in Vegas and in Europe and in first place right now is Phil Helu who also won a bracelet in Vegas and Europe a win would give meren an additional $400 points and the title player of the year that would make the poker brat runner up for Player of the Year a second straight time and could induce a global helth meltdown the biggest chip in play is the red oversized chip worth a half million the smallest right now the green 25,000 chip on the jackings beef jerky hole cam Steve G with pocket eights In This Crowd G's like the old guy sitting on his front porch yelling at the kids to get off his lawn his first bracelet and only bracelet came in 2010 a raised to 900,000 meren now with pocket nines his bracelet came the day before he started his main event this year five of these final tablist are 20 somethings meron 24 g57 a call from meren with the nines with four Deuce is the chip leader brought a lot of Martha's Vineyard here he folds the Hungarian Pro andr coric noi with king queen off and trying to become the first Hungarian to win the main event andr folds to Esposito still stinging from that lost to meren he folds to the button Russell Thomas with two queens the actuary has got to like this Actuarial Table just a call with the Queens small blind ballar folds as does the big blind Jeremy osus so three players see a flop you got nines against eights against Queens seven four five all three with over pairs to the board G with a gut shot Russell Thomas feeling pretty good with those Queens meron coming up way short with his nines G with a bet of 1.6 million now to meren with a pocket nines and meren lays it down good lay down Thomas now with those Queens during the main event Thomas gave his girlfriend probabilities he'd survive he told her there was a 50% chance he'd still be playing on day two 20% chance on day three 5% chance on day four 1% chance on day five he knows probability but he beat the odds his coach Jason Somerville hoping he makes all the right decisions here a call of 1.6 million from Thomas with the best hand Jack of clubs no help to G Steve G looks determined to press on he likes the pocket eights a bet of 3 and A4 million chips Thomas still with an overpair to that board but G Rays pre flop and he's let out on the flop in the turn so what can Russell beat right now not much Russell calls for a third time here and so they have built a pot of almost 135 million River card now Trey of Spades well a busted draw and an inferior pocket pair I'm all in and G moves all in WoW G turns his table image on its head what a risky play and now Russell Thomas with a big decision Jeep at all in like he's got a set or rivered a straight Thomas has to risk 80% of his stack to make this call with one pair I call Thomas does find it in himself to call and Steve G will be the first casualty of this championship table big call from Thomas big collapse from je and a huge chair goes up in the pen and tellar theater for Russell Thomas Steve G is gone Steve G thought he'd be the last one standing but he's the first one out a series of congratulatory handshakes for Steve G from his final table mates as he exits in Ninth Place Russell Thomas nearly doubles his stack he takes over second place after a gut-wrenching call that goes right high drama and we're off and running the best poker content on the internet your super high roll roller Bowl seven Champion oh yeah wheels are coming off that's the craziest hand I've ever seen what was that fight go to get. go.com y24 for $20 off a new annual subscription I play pretty crazy I have a good time and uh it is it is it is what it is and when it comes off to certain people it comes off a certain way and some people like it some people don't it is what it is kind of portrays me as a kind of crazy fun I don't know I just feel like a crazy person I am a crazy person so it's it's pretty funny how it comes off on TV Rob salaburu who was the talk of the main event on day six and seven salaburu says he's not the poker Ambassador type he's more the poker agitator type Rob with a middle of the- pack stack with pocket Jack he raised to 825 from early position folded to Greg meren in the big blind 97 of clubs like salaburu meren generally acts quickly but nobody plays as fast as rob a call from meren salaburu being a little quieter than we have seen him in the past here the Flop 9 10 six a pair of nines with a gut shot for meren salaburu still ahead with the Jacks check for meron and salaburu says let's go another nine and meren grabs a big Advantage with trips meren reaching that's a million three and now it's on salaburu that right I call no it's not says puts out some weird amount of chips hang on a second how much he put some confusion on salaburu action so tournament director Jack eel has come over I did but I said he did okay he released 2 million all right the original raise was the original bet was 1.3 right so he'd have to put out 1.95 he put out at least 1.95 so we got to make him raise the minimum here6 we got to leave the 2 million out is what he left out that's what he left out there that's what we're going to leave out there so what is it six 600 more you said we're going to leave the 2 million out there so curu forced to make a minimum rise to 2.6 million he has to make the raise full to double this bet here because it was at least half well this opens the door for meren to R ra if he wants I don't think Greg is folding to The Accidental Min raay Greg with trip nines well the sportsmanlike thing to do there is just call that's what Greg does River card now seven of diamonds and Greg's KN gets better with a rivered full house Four Diamonds on board meren now with chips in hand betting his Full House a bet of three and a half million a snap fold from Rob well that was odd meren blows a kiss while betting and salaburu insta folds Greg still in third place but moving closer to Second Place Russell Thomas as salaburu stack gets a little lighter I wanted to R I to Jack I understand I don't think Rob wanted to raise chant goes up for gregy as he picks up almost 4 million chips you say you didn't want to raise I wanted to [Applause] raise poker Pro Phil ivy in the crowd in meron's corner here tonight you know I discovered meren first Ivy has jumped on the bandwagon another gun is Jeremy osus Queen jack off suit osus the local Pro and what an eventful and blessed time he's had before this Final Table his wife Adria gave birth to their second child little Kai was born September 25th a raise from Jeremy to 800,000 Sylvia with Ace queen off suit the other Las Vegas Pro here by way of Martha's Vineyard Jeremy and Jesse have played a bunch in cash games against each other here in town Sylvia is going to get involved with a call curu with queens and a quick raise to 2.8 million no doubt about a salow Buu raay this time every time Rob bets I half expect him to bang one of those clocks they have in speed chest not a bad idea to bring it to poer espito folds his button over to the big blind Baler he looks down at Kings 21-year-old wearing the same shirt he wore throughout the main event he can get away with that because he's a college kid I somehow get away with it too A lot of the crowd here wearing that same shirt all in Jake says all in for 10.3 million aesus Folds silia baller four bets all in it'll be tough for salahu to fold Queens but he knows baller has a pretty tight range here it'll be 7.5 million more from salaburu to make the call a critical moment for [Applause] both Salah Buu does call baller at risk but in great shape Kings over Queens I guess Salah Bo was hoping to see Ace King there he knew Aces or Kings were very possible for Baler Kings Kings Queens Baler at risk Salo buo risking half his stack good feeling about this one of course Rob doesn't know the other two queens were folded so his best hope is to find another way to win and after that flop all of Rob's outs are gone an unusual situation where nobody knows that of course the outs and percentages you see are coming from the players perspective Jake balcker working his way towards a double up and with that River card it is official baller with almost 23 million while Rob stack cut in [Applause] half baller pumped Salu pummeled yeah baby we are ling coolers right now Ling coers bers hopes of making history still alive Rob salaburu was anxious to get this Final Table underway but he's quickly bleeding chips Jake baller riding the high of a big double [Applause] up welcome back to the 2012 World Series of Poker main event final table presented by Jack Link beef jerky just before the break Rob salaburu took a big hit to his stack leaving him in seventh place he now sits with about 20 big blinds action on the chip leader Jesse Sylvia in the small blind Queen five of clubs not a big hand but Sylvia sitting on that chip lead this is blind versus blind maybe Jesse thinking of putting pressure on Rob one of the short stacks Rob still to act in the big blind all in all in he really wants the big blind that and he's I call with pocket seven Salo buru calls for his tournament life Rob needs a double up to get back his Mojo he's been quiet and Rob in pretty good shape with the s against the chip leader yeah yeah yeah I think it's all right like we got five with what's his name I guess I could just raise but like I figur he Jam a lot more hands or whatever Jesse talking with his Coach Vanessa s salaburu watching his fate unfold for Ace Ace Rob still good with two pair now salab looking to hold on Sylvia with the ssian move but it was for 177% of his stack he stands to lose the chip lead if he doubles up Sal Breer the deuce gives Sylvia a wheel draw now Sylvia has shown some great comfor behind abilities in this Main Event saloo needs to dodge a queen or a three to stick around the River card is the queen oh Sylvia catches the river salaburu out yeah I thought you first he ran into Kings now he runs into tough luck a short quiet stay at this final table for Rob Salah group boy Sylvia's steel went wrong then went right on the river costing Rob Salo his seat and the visibly shaken Texan walks down that Boulevard of Broken Dreams we have just lost Rob unfortunately you lost a really big hand against Jake earlier does that play on your mind at all uh no I mean at the time it was really close but at the time I just kind of went with it but uh uh there's a pretty tight range he has there so I might go back and fold it but you know what happens happens you know were you able to play your own game coming in here you have a really particular style you know it's a slower table than normal yeah I was I was real comfortable for sure well you looked comfortable out there and you're always entertaining thank you appreciate it what are we going to see from Rob salaburu going forward I mean try to go deep again I guess see what happens you know okay well thank you so much it was great to speak to you and we do lose you in eighth place sending it back to you Lon in the booth thank you rob certainly left his own unique mark on this Main Event Sylvia increasing his lead after that fortunate River Card his aggression from the small blind ends up working out a move perhaps he can attribute to his final table Coach Vanessa [Music] SST I think Jesse's biggest strength is that he you know he's a very good deep stack cash game player and he's also very aggressive he likes to make a lot of moves things like that and at a final table where there's going to be a lot of pressure on people for their tournament life um having him make really good aggressive decisions on turns and rivers especially is going to be a really big asset to [Music] him Vanessa says she doesn't try to change a player's style she takes that style and tweaks it Jesse plays aggressively like Vanessa and it's hard to believe he could have found a much better Coach than her so action has been folded to her pupil Jess syvia the chip leader on the button 8 seven of Spades it's a good thing the World Series gives out bracelets not necklaces I believe all of Jesse's neck real estate is taken up Jesse told us before this championship table his big chip stack would allow him to push the edges and recover if he was wrong hence the move against salaburu aace to 900,000 from Jesse corak noi with A7 R raises to 2.3 million no small blind as salaburu would have occupied that slot well Jesse made Queen five work against salaburu a moment ago the chip leader in balen will give it a go with 87 he will not back down now so this is going to be an old school Hungary Martha's Vineyard battle there's the Flop Ace 4 six top pair for coroi a gut shot for Jesse Sylvia coroi with an engineering degree from the University of Debon 32,000 students there I think the Big 10 just added them last year a bet of 2 and a half million from coric noi Sylvia now needs a five to make his straight yeah Jesse just with eight High and a gut shot what does Jesse's inner sups say here call is what it says they've built the pot of almost 10 million chips turn card another four coroi with aces up now still good the checks this time is Jesse going to try to steal it here the paired board with the ace out there Jesse will see a free River Card nine of diamonds that diamonds got there I knew I should have played the hand can see how much andrush likes that third diamond on the river he checks again and now Jesse Sylvia the chip leader with a busted draw but he's going to put pressure on the shorter stack this is where that big stack comes into play for Sylvia 5.2 million about half the pot Sylvia makes a move and as our colleague Antonio esfandiari would ask does a story makes sense will coric noi give him credit for a hand here coric noi calls with the two pair and that will be a winner nice call a nice pot for coroi to pump up his Andres lets his homies know they can cheer he did real good there score one for Hungry here at the pen and tell theater coroi of for in Sylvia's side there you're watching the World Series of Poker main event final table presented by Jack Link beep jerky Russell Thomas made a great call Andres coroy induced a bluff Jake baller doubled up with Kings to win the bracelet you have to play well and run well action underway Michael S bazito rised all in with Ace Jack was called by the Ace King of Greg meron Esposito without a whole lot to work with tonight he moves in with a big Ace unfortunately meron has a bigger Ace espo was down to just a little more than 20 big blinds Esposito looking to survive meren looking to take the chip lead the Flop 497 two Spades espo can now rout for Runner Runner along with the Jack espo competed and finished the New York City Triathlon the day before the main event Marathon began and looking for a great finish here there is another Spade on the turn Esposito motionless meren composed as usual Esposito's got to have a Jack or any Spade the River card the eight of Clubs not the card Esposito wanted to see as this commodi Trader triathlete ends his main event run in seventh place the recreational player in a darn good one walks away a main event millionaire he wins almost $1.3 million and look who is the chip leader Greg meron with 48 million jumping past Thomas and Sylvia well Mike Esposito will be going back to work after this the 704 a.m. commuter train to his commodities for a job well done here in Las Vegas Michael S bazito makes his poker skills payoff in a big way so as ESP bazito found out Greg meren certainly is one of the more feared players at the table and his opponents will tell you [Music] why Greg's a very tough player he has a ton of experience online and live he's capable doing of a lot of different stuff at the poker table so I need to be prepared for everything Greg's a a nice kid I I like Greg we've actually uh battled a good amount online before Black Friday we have a a high mutual respect for each other's games Greg the player is very solid he's a very tough opponent um he's probably my favorite person that I could possibly have on my right going into the final [Music] table Jesse likes his spot at the table because he gets to act after Greg ax in most hands I like my spot at the table when I have a spot at the table that is the best seed at the table indeed well ESP bazito was our first millionaire to leave this championship table top prize over 8 and a half million meron on the button with King seven and a raise to an even million meron trying to become the first bracelet winner since Chris Ferguson in 2000 the win the main event Sylvia in the small blind with Queen Jack Jesse says if he wasn't playing poker he might be an actuary like his former roommate Russell Thomas frankly I think he's bluffing on that one Sylvia knows his buddy meron is capable of anything he says Two Can Play That Game there's a r ra to 2.6 million in the big blind now coroi with ace four of hearts andrush with the best hand and says yeah three can play at that game as he forb bets it to almost 5 million meren out of the hand does this look like an actuary to you no it looks more like Jesse James channeling Vanessa sups well Jesse has been a little more stubborn lately and he's got some of the big red chips worth a half million mixed with some of the others a five bet to 10.7 million and coroy gives it up quickly what a move by Sylvia that's an aggressive wouldbe actuary Sylvia reclaiming the chip lead as his crowd gets fired up Andres Cory trying to find consistency here at this table but he keeps banging into road blocks on his path to a title back in Las Vegas six-handed for the the 2012 World Series of Poker main event final table championship so much on the line here tonight 8 1.2 million to the winner almost 8 million more than Ninth Place Greg meren can become the World Series of Poker Player of the Year only with a victory 21-year-old Jake Baler can become the youngest ever to win the main event meren boliger and corgy all with one remarkable thing in common each lucky to be alive literally meren battling drug addiction Baler was hit by a truck while riding his bicycle last year and suffered a cracked skull and cork was laid up for several months after a moped accident in Greece 6 years ago folded over to Greg meron on the button Ace King of Spades he puts out a raise 1 million the blind still 250,000 500,000 Jesse Sylvia in the small blind with Jack n and it appears that Jesse's inner Vanessa sups again is manifesting itself and that's more than a million in his hand with Jack nine a re raise to 2.6 million in the big blind coroi now andr with a lot of action coming his way looks down at King queenof at the time of his moped accident andr was in Greece because he had just had a relationship gone bad who Among Us hasn't ended up in Greece after breaking up with a girlfriend well Coro says make it 5.3 million back to meron now with his Ace King on the button we are six-handed now and meron one his bracelet in the six-handed event six-handed is his bread and butter and he pushes the action to 9.2 million Jesse's inner I'm a mama's boy and I want to go home should manifest itself here he does fall now to Cork noi who takes a peek up at the in-house big screen with player chip counts he's he's barely covered by meren well andr has been pretty snug he's made a move but meren woke up with a big hand all and from coroi meren calls for almost all of his chip and he's got Coro in [Applause] trouble I was just telling Jesse how he was just going to it off osus and Sylvia both mouthed wow when they saw the hands they realized the best player at the table is about to be gifted an 84 million chip pot it's insane Lon 80 big blinds to start the hand and all of Andress coro's chips are in the Middle with king queen off coroi the 3 to one dog with just one Live card here's the Flop dece Trey eight about as blank blank blank as it gets for andrush coroy in the midst of a massive blowup meren poised to take command of this Championship a turning point at this championship table now the turn card seven of Spades and that steals one of onr's outs as meren adds a flush [Applause] draw coroy has to have a nons spade Queen the River card is another seven that brings it in to quite an eventful main event for Hungarian andr coroy what a misstep from coroi and in very matter of fact fashion Greg meren is now in a dominant position coroi sixth place wins over 1.6 million look at that chip count for Greg meron almost 86 million coroy made quite a splash at this year's main event and Greg meron's rail has plenty of reasons to cheer he owns over 40% of the chips in play for coroi a pre flop move that might haunt him forever it would be a lot of fun to see my face on the huge Banner that's something that I think about a lot you know walking in every year for the main event and just seeing yourself you know holding bricks of cash would be pretty nice there's a look at PS Hind last year's champ and next to him the empty spot that Jake Baler hopes to fill will there be plaid on the next Banner just five players remaining including this 21-year-old blinds at 300 600,000 Andy 75,000 on the button Sylvia with Ace eight of hearts and a raise to 1.4 million Russell Thomas with 96 folds over to Baler Baler with a Jack Links beef jerky Wild Card hand Championship Edition when Joe cata won the main event 2009 he was 8 days short of his 22nd birthday Baler about 2 and2 months younger than Kat was Baler wants to play with Sylvia calls for 800,000 more there are your choices sir well I don't think he'd slow play pocket aces from the big blind so I'm going to go with a b or c the Flop Ace Jack n well Jake caught a piece of that but which piece he checks Sylvia with top pair the self-proclaimed mama's boy says he wants to buy his Mama a house with his main event winnings you might need to win to buy a house in Martha's Vineyard though 1.6 million is a bet from Sylvia well with every pay jump that's probably three more bedrooms for Jake I'm ruling out pocket aces with a b or c he got a piece of that flop so I am now going to narrow it down to a b or c a call from Jake baller with a b or c you say turn card Queen of Clubs third Club on board it's a scary board for both both of them another check from Jake well with Jake checking it's pretty much as I have diagnosed it a b or c Your Role here is to narrow it down this is not an exact science it's a process River guard King of Spades as a board gets even scarier Sylvia winds up with A Pair of Aces huh you were right and now this guy's betting 2 and a half million well he feels safe Jesse doesn't have a flush but he can only be betting here with a 10 in his hand for Broadway it's Elementary it's got to be C Sylvia lays it down Baler manages to get the pot push to him holding a 8 for bottom pair to win the jacklink beef jerky wildcard hand I what supposed to figure out some 15-year-old wearing a blue plaid shirt for the 104th straight day please Jake's Bluff comes through solidifying his third place spot on the leaderboard so Jake a unique character here just 21 years old still a student at ASU no high stakes experience at all prior to the main event not to mention he lost his sense of taste and smell in a bicycle accident earlier this year Jesse Sylvia has got Vanessa SS Russell Thomas has Jason Somerville and Jake Boler is being coached by Mike timx McDonald who was the final table coach last year for Champion PS Hine next player out over 2.1 million on the button Jeremy osus with 10-7 when we were near the money bubble on day four Jeremy's wife Adria called him he had locked her out of the house it was a hot day she was pregnant and he had to go home to let her in good thing he did a raise to 1.2 million from osus in the big blind now Sylvia with ace9 Jesse of course here with his girlfriend Ashley but I would advise him to remain single because you don't want to be in a position where your wife calls you when you're on the muddy bubble the main event Sylvia calls for 600,000 more with the ace heads up to the Flop Trey 89 top pair top kicker for Sylvia osus with an open Ender could be an action FL like in the movies Sylvia checks and a check from osus well this is a silent movie with no action turn card another try Sylvia still bests now with two pair checks again looks like Jeremy hoping to take it down right here he will take a shot at it 1.5 million there is his wife Adria watching her husband get in a little deeper with his short stack well as Vanessa s said Jesse would be active and pressure his opponents looks like it's going to be a check raise watching carefully as Sylvia does pounce with the raise to 3.6 million come on osus raises all in I call and Sylvia makes the call and Jeremy says uh-oh yeah Jeremy osus hope to push Jesse Sylvia off his hand 10 ball instead Jeremy now needs to get lucky with one card to come Sylvia with a chance to knock out the very skilled Jeremy osmus Adria looking very concerned 11 out pretty good the River card is a five of Spades a blank for osus his draw comes up short Sylvia wins the pot and Jeremy osus knocked out of the main event in fifth place nice job by osus moving up from the short stack to fifth he played really well man like that good luck man good Lu you play amazing man you played amazing good luck buddy Jesse now with 63.5 million chips still finds himself 23 million behind Greg meren as those two pull away from the rest Cara Scott is with our fifth place finisher Jeremy you came in as a short stack talk to me about your thinking here in this last hand I was pretty happy with how things were going and uh I hadn't really gotten too crazy or anything and I think everyone kind of realized it I thought that was a decent spot where uh Jesse might just have draws a lot and he would fold all of them um I could have a three you know I could have checked back a big hand but uh you know he that ace9 was the one hand I was worried about and or like ace3 maybe that's about it but you've been a poker Pro for a very long time made a very good living at it this is a $2 million win over $2 million what does this do for your life uh a lot I mean this is by far the biggest score I've ever had so uh it's huge it's it's great uh it felt good to you know the goal is to win but to move up uh another 1.3 million 1.4 million is is huge it's great a class act all the way osus out in fifth one I call Four remain with meron and Sylvia way out in front good luck to the best poker content on the internet your super high roller Bol seven Champion oh yeah wheels are coming off that's the craziest hand I've ever seen what was that Bight go to get. go.com y24 for $20 off a new annual subscription down to four players here at the pen and tellar theater meron Sylvia and Thomas started in the top four baller started in eighth he's into third place now Thomas with ace9 in the small blind and a raise to a million5 Baler in the big blind on the jackling speed jerky hole cam Ace King blind versus blind both with a big hand ever since he made that great call to knock out Steve G Thomas has slowly been Whitted down Allen fer puts Thomas all in Thomas with about 25 big blinds left you got to know one to hold him no one to fold him no one to walk away and no one to run you know Kenny Rogers might have been an actuary yo so baller making Thomas squirm call Thomas calls all in and he's in trouble Ace King versus ace9 and for Russell Thomas it's ace9 versus Ace King and you can feel the weight of that reality on his shoulders and baller's plaid clad cheering section on their [Applause] feet here's the flop Thomas at risk eight Queen five no immediate help for Russell Thomas Jake Boler closing in on The Knockout and a shot at three-handed play to become youngest main event champ ever Thomas said he worked harder than anyone else before this championship table Thomas's coach Jason Somerville no doubt feeling a bit helpless about now five of diamonds pairs the board so now with a river queen or an eight they would chop the pot Thomas needs a nine to win the whole pot otherwise the 2012 main event will be over for the 24-year-old actuary Thomas's Twitter name is run good Russell and boy does he need it now the River card seven of Hearts ends the main event for Russell Thomas in fourth [Applause] place and the former roommates Embrace Thomas disc consulate an amazing performance by Russell Thomas winning almost $2.9 [Applause] million and now we're down to just three do baby at the moment it's Jake Baler blue plaid World Russell Thomas walks away from the championship table oh my you up honey Jake Baler has done his mom proud moving up from eighth place into the final three but it's Greg meren who's in control with over 88 million chips Jesse Sylvia in second with most of Martha's Vineyard here to support him everyone is welcome in Las Vegas but just three players have invitations to become the 2012 World Series of Poker Main Event Champion chip leader Greg Bon is hungry for a main event Player of the Year combo Jesse Sylvia the kid from Martha's Vineyard remains a force and 21-year-old Jake Baler could rewrite history becoming the youngest ever to win the main event welcome to Las Vegas this is going to be one of those moments I'll never forget welcome to the main event final table I think that I'm the best player at the table welcome to the night that will change someone's life forever just seeing yourself you know holding breaks of cash would be pretty nice right here right now [Music] welcome to Las Vegas and indeed the Rio allet Hotel in Casino for the World Series of Poker main event final table presented by jacklink beef jerky just three players now fighting for first place prize money of over $8.5 million a permanent spot in poker history and the coveted Championship bracelet I'm Lon McCarron with Norman Chad and Caris Scott what a scene here at the pen and tellar theater Jake baller is the youngest player and shortest stack but he's got life he's got life he's got a big smile he's got a blue plaid shirt he's almost got it all Jesse Sylvia started as chip leader now sits in second he might be the Chris money maker of Martha's Vineyard that Island's going to become a hold of paradise Greg meron recent bracelet winner is the current chip leader I first noticed him in a Maryland Mall when he was 4 years old I knew he'd be a winner and meron's Corner one of the best in the world Phil Ivy you don't see him often on the sidelines Phil Ivy sees a lot of himself in Greg meron but hey I saw it first L from a field of almost 6600 we are down to our final three a compelling mix of playing Styles about to clash and Norman if you had to pick three stories to still be here it would be these three right these are three likable talented 20s somethings Jesse Sylvia just living the dream by way of Martha's Vineyard Greg meron from the great state of Maryland battling back from drug addiction an Arizona State student Jake Baler just old enough to play here and just young enough to perhaps become the next kid with a dream record-breaking Main Event Champion all right let's take a look at how these players set up three players remain after six have been eliminated meren with more than half the chips in play has a good shot at player of the year the chip leader is usually the favorite and with his talent and his stack meron is the favorite here Sylvia about 50 million behind meron after leading the table nanded anytime someone hires Vanessa SS as a coach you can't count them out and Jake baller is the short stack but plenty of play left he's got more than 70 big blinds and despite his youth Boler does not seem Stage Struck here under the bright lights the next to go out will collect nearly $3.8 million the blinds at 300 600,000 a 75,000 chip Annie big chip in play is that red oversized half million chip the smallest chip the green worth 25,000 on the button Jesse syia looks down at pocket kings Jesse says he can live with no money and be very happy well now he's going to have to live with a lot of money and be very happy Sylvia and meren have scored two Knockouts one for Baler a raise to 1.2 million for Sylvia on the jackling speed jery ham Baler with Ace jack off suit Baler now unofficially Arizona State's first student Millionaire on campus this Academic Year and with the ace Jack Baler with a ray to 32 million the big blind Greg meron folds so Sylvia now his Coach Vanessa SST on the sidelines and with the Kings he makes the call Sylvia originally Min raised and he'll now sit on those kings just calling Ballers three bet all right here's the Flop 679 no Ace for Jake so Sylvia's kings hold up so far Baler First Act here after the Flop and he will bet 3.9 million both of these players very methodical like they have the rest of their lives in front of them Jesse with those kings not going anywhere just a call Jesse still slow playing his Kings and he may know that Jake often continues with his Bluffs on the turn another six on the turn another Miss for Jake looks like another bet from Jake is forthcoming 21-year-old playing well beyond his years with a bet of 7.2 million baller calmly fires another round of squad douche hooy I'm all in Jesse Rises baller all in yeah this would be for the rest of Jake's chips but there won't be any more of Jake's chips going into this pot Jake Baler does give it up Jesse's girlfriend Ashley and the rest of the Martha Vineyard Society to support Jesse Sylvia on their feet Jake Baler takes a pretty good hit to his stack Jesse said if he made this Final Table he'd bring all of Martha's Vineyard with him it sounds like he did obviously a lot at stake tonight for the champion 8.5 million bucks and the most coveted piece of Poker jewelry meren with the added bonus of Player of the Year Main Event champ combo Jesse Sylvia could become a legend on his home Island at 21-year-old Jake Baler trying to overtake Joe cata as the youngest ever to win the main event can't wait to go on vacation going to take some time off of poker after this yeah's idea of time off is playing poker in another country n no I want to go lay on the beach syvia has the action almost 652 million chips and pocket nines right now Jesse and his girlfriend Ashley are moving to La soon I imagine they'll run in different circles than I do syvia with the pocket pair and a raised to 1.2 million Baler with a bigger pocket pair the Jacks ah the sho's on the other foot this hand last time the shoe was on the left foot this time it's on the right foot which is Ballers the small blind Baler repops it now 3 and2 million meren folds 87 back to Sylvia Last Time Jake three bet with Ace Jack and was behind this time he three bets with Two Jacks and he's ahead of Jesse a fresh faac baller way behind in chip count to Sylvia and this a ray from Sylvia to 7.2 million last time Sylvia just smooth called with pocket kings and he was ahead this time he four Bets with pocket nines and he's behind poker's a tricky game L all in you heard him Jake is all in back to Jesse I call he makes the call and he'll be looking for help to get heads up Jack n now Jesse was hoping he was in a race instead he's a 4 to one [Applause] Underdog Sylvia about to double up Jak baller if he doesn't get lucky five de Deuce a good flop for Jake Baller in great shape here to keep his bit alive to be youngest ever to win the main event neither one of these players looked like they can breathe very well right now the 10 baller needs to fade one more streak to double up Jake acts like he's on a carnival ride and he loves the bumps and the turns Jake's mom Debbie could see her son take over second place Baler needs to dodge a nine to stick around it's a six and balls scker makes the pocket jacks work he's healthy again with 572 million chips Sylvia now with the fewest just over 37 million they're not sending the kid home to bed yet so Jesse Sylvia giving up his spot on the leaderboard to the 21y old so the big money in the main event bracelet is still very much up for grabs the best Boer con content on the internet your super high roller bow s Champion oh yeah wheels are coming off that's the craziest hand I've ever seen what was that fight go to get. go.com y24 for $20 off a new annual subscription the view of the Las Vegas Strip at night never gets old mainly because a new building seems to go up every few days inside the penell theater it's Marilyn's Greg meren with about half the chips in play with Jake Baler and Jesse Sylvia in second and third place Greg meren on the button with pocket sevens and a raised to 1.6 million to Sylvia in the small blind on the Jack Links beef jerky hle cam looks down at King Jack Jesse's been a waiter and he's been a lifeguard and you know he looks as if he's been a waiter and a lifeguard he calls for a million two more over to Baler in the big blind queen Trey baller's too young to have been anything and he'll fold so heads up meron who would have been hired by Jesse Sylvia had he not made this Final Table we'll go up against Sylvia here the Flop is for King Jack Sylvia hits top two pair and looks like he's going to lead into the pre- Flop Razer 2.2 million 2.2 meron says matter of factly this is my year and he is so close now to making it a year for the ages eight-time bracelet winner Phil Ivy big fan of merens meren hoping that Jesse missed the blop the answer no that's a raise to 7 million from Greg all three of these guys are Money Maker poker Boomers each got into the game largely after watching Chris Money Maker win the 2003 Main Event Jesse with a big stack of the red chips worth half million each with a re ra to 15.3 meren folds [Applause] quickly that was relatively easy money for Jesse James Sylvia meron put pressure on Sylvia but ran into a big hand meron still in first place with over 83 million Jesse mixing it up playing that pot aggressively perhaps the result of keeping his poker game sharp during the break my preparation for the final table has included a lot of different things you know I hired a coach I talked to a lot of players I um studied videos I studied my opponents and I did everything I could I was probably putting in like 68 hours a day of just either practicing poker or studying exactly what I need to be doing at the final table there's his Coach Vanessa SS but she says Jesse has done 95% of the work himself has gotten him three handed for the world championship action on meren on the button Queen Jack of Hearts and he limps in for 800,000 the small blind Sylvia 10 of Spades nine of [Music] clubs and Jesse wow what is this a holiday truce of the raising Wars just a call Queen 10 for Baler in the big blind well we saw Greg meron limping on the buttton that used to be a sign of inexperience or weakness now it's a sign of creativity or mixing it up the big blind baller says enough of this 3.7 million is his raise ball with a little squeeze play here sensing weakness back to meren now looks like Greg has other ideas there's a call for 2.9 Million more before Sylvia gets out of the way bolar's raise there would take down the pot pre flop a lot of the time not this time it's Greg Mera a 10 million chip lead and baller both with two over cards to the board meron's kicker has him ahead Jake first to act both have gut shots to a queen High straight at Arizona State baller's majoring in political science with a minor in continuation betting science and he has learned a continuation bet of 42 million often will take the pot down but not against Greg Mur apparently once again I would have thought that bed would end this thing most of the time not this time there's a call from Greg so 17.5 million chips up for grabs and we're just going to the turn card four of Hearts now no help to baller meren does pick up a flush draw both these guys still without a hand baller with guts 75 million you're right right line ballar is 21 and most of the time when he acts the chip leader and the best player at the table is acting right behind him this kid shows a lot of Poker heart biger started the hand with 70 million meren with 80 million meron's not giving up on the pot of course he doesn't know it but he's a 93% favorite right now there's the call 325 million chips in the middle Jake has to squirm a little bit now he's got nothing River card six of Spades no flush or straight for meren but his Jack kicker makes him best but can he believe that Jake right now is thinking in for a dime in for 30 or 40 dimes he knows he can't win unless he bets at it again wow he's going to test Greg further 13 million straight I got to believe firing this third barrrel is going to work Jesse Sylvia a very interested Observer as is Phil Ivy meren doesn't usually Hollywood it I would have thought he would have folded here immediately what was that hold oh my Jake gave it the college try but folds and meren shows what he thinks is a bluff meren Channel his inner ivy with that one two busted draws a Powerhouse move by Greg meren gets the shorter stack to fold I would have always thought a main event title a huge cash game pot or maybe a woman would bring out the softer gentler side of Phil Ivy turns out it's Greg meren it is Marty gr time in Greg meron's cheering section see my hands really shaky after you dirty dog you got to go for it sometimes back in Las Vegas hard to imagine a World Series bracelet with more diamonds on it retail value 150 grand for chip leader Greg meron having Phil Ivy at eight time BRAC winner in his corner has to be comforting well Greg's a very talented player um I was really impressed with his uh table demeanor when I played with a few times I played with him uh he's very calm and table uh he's very likable uh very easy to play with um he's uh he has all the tools to be a great player he's already been very successful in poker poker tournaments with the few tournaments he's played and uh you I just like the guy normally I just like the guy wouldn't be a ringing endorsement but context is everything this is Phil Ivy talking Ivy keeping an eye on meren sitting there with two-time bracelet winner Jennifer Harmon meron with King seven of diamonds on the button a rais to 2 million the blinds are up to 500,000 1 million Ace Queen off for Sylvia in the small blind you know meren like Ivy shows very little emotion at the table hard to tell whether he's winning or losing Sylvia facing a Min ra from meron calls for 1.5 more to the big blind Jake Baler with Ace 10 he's short stacked Ace 10's pretty good three-handed meren could have raised with anything on the button and Sylvia just called so what do you do shove so Jake with all his chips pushed into the middle mer actually could raise here to get rid of syvia and try to isolate Baler meron with King seven of diamonds does he want to go with that hand no he does not so Sylvia now I call he makes the call and is a big favorite to make this a heads up match by knocking Jake out the Jesse James Camp close to getting to heads up Jake Baler close to seeing his dream to be youngest ever champ end and that's a self shouting for Ace Queen to hold the pla clad crew with not much to cheer about you got to love this kid he just rolls with the punches Baler At Risk Jack 48 no immediate help for him there the clock about to strike midnight on Jake baller's Fair tale this will get Jesse in decent shape heads up against Greg meren with just a three to2 chip disadvantage all right now the turn card is a 10 baller gets new life he got a lot of outs Sylvia does have outs picking up a two-way straight draw yeah Sylvia can still end baller's main event with a king nine or queen so many ramifications here on this River card it's a seven of hearts baller does score the double up the clock doesn't strike midnight for the 21-year-old and it's important to note Baler didn't wait till his stack got too tiny to try to double up he went for it early so now Jake's a factor with about 40 big blinds nothing Jesse James Sylvia could do to keep from getting robbed there Jake still the short stack but not by much as he doubles through Sylvia again meron misses out for the moment on a guaranteed pay bump with baller surviving just just a few million ahead of the 21-year-old now Jesse takes it very well this is a classy group of Young Guns what a three-handed battle we have here at the pen and Teller theater Sylvia on the button on the jackling beef jerky hul cam Ace King another premium hand pen and Teller theater still buzzing from that 10 on the turn a raise to 2 million baller folds suited 6'4 meren in the big blind with two red kings boy Jesse Sylvia just took the bad beat now he picks up Ace King on the very next hand and runs into pocket kings meren no doubt will be raising here how much he makes it 4.8 million this is not a collision course Jesse Sylvia can afford so now Jesse started the hand with 42 million Mercy with almost 117 million that's a r ra to 14.2 million and onethird of Jesse's remaining stack already in this is now the bit 14.2 Greg said let's play for your stack I call and a call from Sylvia with Ace King he's going to need help to stick around King Jess a a SS exasperated by the developments meren in his usual zen-like pose and Sylvia with two backto back big hands about to get swept out of here a hand to go Sylvia had 60 million and Baler on the ropes now Sylvia could be out of this Main [Applause] Event all right now the Flop with Sylvia at risk Trey five Deuce a wheel draw for Jesse what have the best blocks in CHS meron still in great position to get to heads up with a huge chip lead on Jake Baler Ashley wanting to comfort Jesse Ivy hoping gregy can hang on kind of feeling an ace turn card eight of Hearts meron still good in one card from heads up with a dominating chip lead I'm sure Jesse loves Ashley but getting consoled while staring at a seven outer is not what I'd want Jesse Sylvia needs a four or an ace to survive and the River card oh is the [Applause] four Sylvia does it the hard way filling his straight we've seen this before at the main event Sylvia surviving on a river card against the stoic Greg meren and taking the chip lead once again meron was so close to the next step but he's nothing if not resilient at the main event and at life and if you didn't know it already you know it now in poker nothing goes in the books until the river has its [Music] say what a scene before the break baller ready for heads up Sylvia resigned to a third place finish only to find a four on the river leaps into the chip lead as meren takes it in stride I'm going to have to win the main event twice sucks what that I'm going to have to win the main event twice all right here we go again good luck the blinds are up to 800,000 for the small blind 1.6 million for the big 200,000 is the ATI Sylvia with King n off suit we have seen Jesse with so many lives at this main event I would gladly travel with him anywhere and figure it nothing bad can happen to me the energy in this room remains at a fever pitch the unpredict nature of this three-handed battle growing with every hand just a call from syia baller with pocket kings last year Baler thought his life was over when he was hit by a truck while riding his bike now this year Jake Baler is sitting here at the main event staring at life-changing events Jake with a raise to 3.7 million gets rid of meron now Sylvia calls for 2.1 million more and Sylvia heads up and dominated once again this time by Baler the flop nine Trey Trey baller with Kings up now Jesse hit that flop with a lesser two pair Baler putting chips together the BET of 4 half million to Jesse dangerous flop for Sylvia he's not worried about Baler having a three in his hand so he likes pairing his nine Jesse with a raise to 11.2 million of course Jesse has seen Bluff in this spot a lot but it's no Bluff this time now Baler with the best of it all in all in says all in I call Jesse calls again and here we go again baller a big favorite a quick call from Jesse and he's disgusted and don't look now but Jake Baler can it be is about to become chip leader he still has to survive two more streets here to make it official couldn't at least have Queens n ball turn card a jack Jake now one card from taking the lead or being out Sylvia about to get short stacked only a nine would knock out Jake Baler the river is an ace Jake baller doubles through Sylvia again it's Candy Land in here the kids got the Chipley oh how far he has come Jesse Sylvia now with just 37 million and [Applause] change Jake baset in the glory he got the ice cream float and Jesse got the Gumdrop you do know your candy Jesse nearly had Jake out of here with Ace queen versus Ace 10 now Jake is Top Dog well it didn't seem possible when that hand went down but baller can still become the youngest ever to win the main event Phil helmuth was just shy of 25 years old when he won his world championship in ' 89 that record lasted 19 years before Peter eate shattered it in ' 08 just a year later Joe cat won the main event before he turned 22 now Jake Baler with the chip lead can become the youngest ever to win the main event at 21 years 9 months and 8 days old what a trend the last four main event winners including Jonathan daml and PS Hines all younger than helmuth was this year we'll have our fifth straight 20-some Champion ball scre on the button with King nine that came up short for Sylvia when he was the chip leader Baler will now try it as the new chip leader Baler limped in Sylvia with eight deuce in the big blind after meren folded I think the Jake and Jesse show should go on the road it might sell out Arenas Sylvia checks his option happy not to pay any more to see a flop the Flop is eight dece King bottom two pair for Sylvia top pair for baller a check from Jesse Sylvia checks his big blind special knowing baller often will fire away and This Time Jake's got a hand anyway top pair Jake does bet 2.2 million what an opportunity for Jesse Sylvia to climb right back into the mix now Jake sees that Jess he's not going anywhere Sylvia with a check raised to 7.6 million Jake's got a like top pair here and he might put Jesse on a flush draw all in all in that puts Jesse all in and he makes the call with the best hand but syvia uneasy with his tournament life at s Sylvia a 3 to one favorite but he doesn't look too comfortable as you mentioned his main event on the line so these two young poker players clashing once again here's a turn card another deuce and Sylvia turns a boat but not over yet hold on this is no time for them to be saying I love you this isn't the Titanic it's the main event River card is a tray of hearts and Sylvia does come back to double through Jake baller Jake the chip lead hardly knew you meren back as Top Dog so baller back as the short stack there's more magic going on here than when Penn and T are working this stage meren and innocent bander as Sylvia and Baler trade blows at this championship table welcome back to the World Series of Poker main event final table presented by Jack linkx beef jerky Lon McCarron with Norman Chad and Cara Scott as we play three to a champion at some point pretty tightly bunched Trio quite a ride to get here M and the chip leader now but just by a few million I just like forgot where I was again it's so cool at least it would all be ever at some point I don't know if I ever want this s Man Bon raises the 3.2 million and it's Sylvia with the jacklink beef jerky wild card and Championship Edition well people don't understand lot three-handed any two cards can be in play we're not talking hand ranges here pre L we're talking the entire deck Sylvia with a call for 2.4 million there are your choices okay I'm going to be non-committal until I need to be committal baller with king8 of clubs calls for a million six more ball screw with king8 Mercy with 97 Sylvia with Jack 10 77 Queen 10 or 88 you call a flop 8 10 Ace Sylvia first to act I am studying Jesse Sylvia Joe novaro studies a department store mannequin for TS check he checked that tells me nothing I will not commit balls here with bottom pair he checks to meren who picked up an up and down straight draw he checks okay I'm now committing I believe the most logical hand Jesse would have checked is with a set of eights Queen of Clubs gibes baller straight in flush draws now Jesse's going to bet see he was hoping someone would stab at it on the Flop 5.2 million now over to Baler with his draws yeah that was a huge turn card for Jake one card gave him two draws that's like a two-sided card one side gave him a flush draw the other side gave him a straight draw Jake calls Greg gets out of the way I am studying Jesse like Joe Navaro studies an avocado at Safeway River Card head up King of Diamonds hits baller not with a straighter flush but with Kings up now oh set of eights can't like that card Sylvia putting chips together again this time it's 9.2 million now Baler with Kings up well Jesse can only be betting with a Jack in his hand so I was wrong he didn't slow play a set of eights he has Jack 10 now Jake might think Jesse is bluffing Jesse would never value better pair or a worse two pair Than Jake so in Jake's mind Jesse might have Squad douch call bser calls Sylvia turns over Jack 10 for the straight to win the Jack Links beef jerky wildcard hand I'm calling that a win for you Norman and I finished the year in Jack Links 14- 12 so Jake baller once again in the danger zone with his stack as Jesse James Sylvia again in the lead at this championship table with over 90 million Jesse by no means an arrogant player he was definitely confident back on day six with 97 players remaining he filled out our ESPN questionnaire and wrote at the bottom I am the next Champion of the World Series of Poker when I filled out that questionnaire I wrote I will finish the year 14 and 12 on Jack Link's Wild Card hands congratulations on your season pocket four is for Sylvia on the button Jesse wants to enroll in film school he should make his first movie The Jesse Sylvia Story how I survived 8,000 allins to become Main Event Champion syvia with a raise to 4 million that's a minimum raise now with the blinds now at 1 million 2 million baller with Queen tenof all in he says all in for his 20, 300,000 meron with king queen well 10 big blinds left for Jake Queen 10's pretty good meron thinking of coming in not giving Sylvia too much credit for his button raise meren getting an exact count from the dealer up car he makes the call now to Sylvia with a pocket pair I had l or something he gives it up and baller will need to pull another rabbit out of his hat to stick around baller at risk he would rather a face the pocket Fours meren has him dominated so Jake Baler on the hook again his mother looking nervous but he's been through this before the Flop is 666 King High still best for meren I you feel my heart it's I even beat it Jake survived Ace 10 versus Ace queen against Sylvia turn card is paint but only a jack Baler still in trouble well with a river Jacker Queen they would chop the pot Baler needs a 10 to win it all otherwise his attempt to become youngest main event Champion will be over the River card is the five of Hearts baller can't make it happen this time as Greg meren takes the last of his chips good game Jesse some good spots well it was amazing good luck man no record for baller but what a run he had and now it's down to just two who will play for the game's biggest title ah he was a kid with a dream what a showing indeed Norman almost $3.8 million for the 21-year-old a lifetime of earnings and he hasn't graduated uated college syvia and meron left to compete for top spot let's go down to Cara Scott who's with the third place finisher when we spoke to you back in July you said that you know you put a lot of work into your game just this year you didn't think that you were as good a player before tell me how you feel about your game now after this incredible showing I'm feeling great about my game right now you like talk to my friends you know they're better players than me they play high stakes you know they said they were happy with pretty much everything you know they're rooting me on so looking forward to the next tournaments in the future what is the biggest thing that you're going to take from this Main Event experience it's a good question $3.8 million yeah that would be one of them I do enjoy that can't complain about that and incredible supporters that came out to watch you they've been here the whole time yeah the rail was great you know they stayed late they're super excited you know they really kept me going so that was awesome okay well thank you so much and it is $3.8 million for third place for Jake Ballinger Jake's exit leaves Jesse Sylvia and Greg meron heads up for the bracelet the cash and the Fame this is the World Series of Poker main event final table presented by Jack Links beef jerky the best poker content on the internet your super high roller bow s Champion oh yeah wheels are coming off that's the craziest hand I've ever seen what was that fight go to get. go.com y24 for $20 off a new annual subscription first you dream of making the final table then you dream about getting heads up now Jesse Sylvia and Greg meren can dream about winning the World Series of Poker Main Event bracelet here's how the two stack up meren with more experience and more to show on his poker resume most of his career World Series earnings come from his bracelet win earlier this year and it Bears repeating what a remarkable Journey Greg meren has made to get here he had a serious drug addiction when attending the University of Maryland and then rehab then last year while living in Toronto playing online poker he had a relapse he detoxed himself over New Year weekend in a Las Vegas hotel room and now Greg meron has been sober and clean all of 2012 just to make this moment even more spellbinding first place money has been delivered in between our final two some Sylvia calls for a million more with Queen five of clubs meren in the big blind with King four and what a journey at this main event for him entering day three meron was 1728 out of 1765 players then on day five he had under three big blinds left and here he is meron with a pair of kings Sylvia a pair of fives in that flop the ace no fun for either they both check Che that's a couple of times most players would have folded their tent 1728 out of 1765 then two days later three big blinds left wow trip fives for Sylvia on the turn Jesse's going to bet now that's what my 35 years of Poker experience would tell me meren checks his Kings up now Sylvia with the best of it and Sylvia praying that meren got a piece of that board 4 million5 from syia my 35 years cannot tell me what Greg meron's going to do he calls and my 35 years tell me we will see a river card now very nicely done all right the River card is a queen and fives full for Sylvia meren checks again I believe meren could patent that wrist check I like it Sylvia now with the full boat a lot of those red chips 12 million 7 and meren folds immediately not too much damage to Greg meron there Sylvia could not get any more from meron on the river but Jesse takes a small step forward though meron still holds 60% of the chips if Jesse wins this thing he's going to travel the world with a big smile on his face and even if he doesn't win it he's still going to travel the world with a big smile on his face so the long grind of the main event has come down to these two Greg meron cut down to just under three big blinds on day five as you mentioned Norman and Jessie Sylvia lucky to survive day seven before charging into the chip lead by the end of that day meren King six in heads up if you've got a king chances are you are a favorite against any random hand men raised to 4 million Sylvia looks down at Queen 8 off suit in the 1970s only something won the main event Bobby Baldwin in the 1990s only won 20-some won the main event hu seed and now we're about to Crown our fifth straight 20s something Champion you know L I can't believe I might not live long enough to see a 30-year-old win this thing again Sylvia putting together a r ra making it 9.1 million Sylvia would love to just take this pot down right now 9.1 Greg meron may have something to say about that yeah he's putting chips together ra he says Ray he sees something fishy about Jesse's three bet 18.4 million now I don't think Phil Ivy would have used two hands to make that fourth bet but he's got to love it meren flexes his muscle and takes down that pot with the final raise Greg meren in control he's applying the pressure at the right time and he's the man in charge right now this is the World Series of Poker Main Event presented by Jack linkx beef jerky for the last five men event Champions forign born Michigan's Joe cata did win in 2009 and now it will be either Marilyn's meren or Martha's Vineyard Sylvia meren actually born in Washington DC Sylvia born in Malden Massachusetts meron with King five of diamonds and a men raised to 4 million Sylvia raised to 4 million looks down at Queen Jack of Spades on the jacklink speed jerky hle cam now heads up these are two strong suited hands before the main event final table began Jesse said he had hoped to go heads up against his former roommate Russell Thomas Jesse also said that Greg meren was the best player at this Final Table Sylvia not going anywhere as you said with a very playable hand and he actually re raises to 9 and a half million I'm not sure what's more surprising that the Orioles were a contender in 2012 or that the chip leader at the main event is wearing an oral Jersey an Adam Jones Jersey all in meren raises Sylvia all in Moment of Truth for Jesse Sylvia Main Event title aside Jesse would be getting the right price to call here but he did start the hand with 35 big blinds and I don't believe he thinks his hand is best right now so difficult to put your opponent on a narrow range of hands pre flop especially under these circumstances especially heads up this would be for all his chips I call and he makes the call Sylvia at risk but he's got two Live cards we have like a suit in Queen Greg meren now one clean board away from Main Event Glory I don't think Vanessa's too happy Jesse's girlfriend Ashley is hopeful meren stays in character just another day at the office Sylvia joins his rail they're Racing for Jesse's tournament life meren a clean board away from the title The Flop six train nine no help for Sylvia meren two cards from the win meron now a 3 to one favorite to become world [Applause] champion everyone on their [Applause] feet the turn card another six Greg meren one card from a day of 82 million Sylvia hit a seven outer earlier against meren to stay alive can he hit a six outer now will it be all over for Jesse and his game queen or a Jack or Greg meron is world champion will Greg meron give up the chip lead [Applause] here and the River card is a seven Sylvia is out Greg meron is the 2012 Main Event Champion good man congratulations they both played like Champions Greg meren gets to call himself one Greg cleared so many hurdles on and off the felt to make this final table and has now announced himself as one of the game's brightest stars Sylvia wins almost $5.3 [Applause] million good job a family that has been through so much together can now celebrate Greg meren puts his name on top of the most important leaderboard of the year the final one $8.5 million and his second bracelet of the year here along with the main event meren becomes the World Series of Poker Player of the Year surpassing Phil helmuth who finishes second for the third time in his career let's go down to Caris Scott it's been an incredibly emotional day for you can you tell us you've been so stoic at the table you've been so even tempered you've been so balanced tell us what's going on inside now I mean I can't really describe it I this is I feel like this is the same interview I gave uh in July when I won cuz they just stick a mic in your face and I'm crying and I don't know it's just absurd it doesn't even seem like real life everyone's been talking about how amazing your game has been you're now also the player of the year at the World Series of Poker and uh all I can do is congratulate you on that thank you so much take congratulations congratulations this is a bracelet that's fitting for a champion and with us here Jason of Beverly Hills we're honored to present this bracelet to you the 2012 WSOP Champion congratulations youth is served again but for 24-year-old Greg meren fighting his drug addiction it must seem like it took several lifetimes for him to get here he could have been countered out more than once during this main event but his perseverance and skills resulted in the ultimate payoff Greg meren came to this final table with a rich poker background and a rich life story tonight he leaves Las Vegas a lot richer to commemorate his impressive 2012 two banners will hang in the Rio Greg meren Main Event champ and World Series of Poker player of the year for Norman Chad and Caris Scott I'm Lon McCarron thanks for being with us this season we'll see you again in 20 133 this has been a presentation of ESPN the worldwide leader in sports
