Event 6: John Merchant Leads the Final 9

$350 Seniors (50+) No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 15: 1,500/3,000/500 Ante

John Merchant
John Merchant

Robert Transue was eliminated in 12th place, Robert Wiercinski busted in 11th, and the remaining 10 players in the Seniors’ Event had a draw for random seats at the final table.

In the first few minutes, Benoit Barral got it all in from middle position with QsQd, but he ran right into the AsAd of Morris Heider in the small blind. The board came 8s8d7h6c5d, and the pocket aces held up for Morris to win the pot and eliminate Barral in 10th place.

Level 14 came to an end shortly after that, and it was time to color up the black (100) chips off the table. Here are the official chip counts for the final nine players from the break, with the blinds increasing to 1,500-3,000 with a 500 ante:

Seat 1.  Marsha Wolak  –  96,000  (32 bb)
Seat 2.  Morris Heider  –  110,000  (36 bb)
Seat 3.  Alan Franco  –  60,500  (20 bb)
Seat 4.  Grady Yeager  –  58,500  (19 bb)
Seat 5.  Phyliss Jefferson  –  17,000  (5 bb)
Seat 6.  Harry Eisenberg  –  37,500  (12 bb)
Seat 7.  Robert Tanner  –  49,000  (16 bb)
Seat 8.  John Merchant  –  121,000  (40 bb)
Seat 9.  Richard Riviello  –  52,500  (17 bb)

Only the final seven will finish in the money, and here are the payouts:

1st:  $7,400
2nd:  $4,400
3rd:  $2,700
4th:  $1,900
5th:  $1,500
6th:  $1,200
7th:  $900