2020 WSOP Circuit – February
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
$400 Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Entry)
Entries: 166
Prize Pool: $54,780
February 6-7, 2020

The $400 Pot Limit Omaha tournament was not the first on the WSOP Circuit schedule but it did award the first rings of the series. Event 2 was a two-day tournament and it drew a big 165-entry crowd to the new Event Center. Tampa cash game regular Michael Raimon made his return to a tournament field and walked away with the win along with $13,894.

For the first, big non-Hold’em game played in the tournament area, the turnout was fantastic. The big field created a prize pool worth $54,780 and once again proved the area loves its PLO. The last 25 players made the money and the final table nine advanced to Day 2.

Raimon had the chip lead coming back but Austin Clanton quickly built a huge stack after five players busted before the first break. He held 75% of the chips in play three-handed but that’s where the good news ended for him.

Raimon found a huge double against Clanton when he turned a full house versus a flopped straight then Likang Berninger finished him off. Raimon stayed hot and ended the tournament shortly after the heads-up match began by defeating Berninger for his second career WSOP ring.

“We just played slow all three of us. This guy (Clanton0 had 2,000,000 and we each had like 150,000 for about an hour and a half but we all picked our spots.” Raimon said of his run. “He kept doubling everybody up one after another, then I finally got one big hand with him where he flopped a straight and I turned a full house.”

Event 2 results:

1st: Michael Raimon – $13,894 + WSOP Circuit ring
2nd: Likang Berninger – $8,586
3rd: Austin Clanton – $5,985
4th: Ramses Rosa – $4,274
5th: Joseph Orsino – $3,127
6th: Bruce Gans – $2,346
7th: Peter Walsworth – $1,807
8th: Blake Whittington – $1,428
9th: Jessica Francis – $1,161
10th: Alan Fidelo – $970
11th: Robert Winsler – $970
12th: William Herzing – $970
13th: Melisa Singh – $834
14th: Griffin Komar – $834
15th: Michael Lim – $834
16th: Phillip Grimes – $738
17th: Matthew Rose – $738
18th: Austin Marks – $738
19th: Joshua Gilkerson – $674
20th: Duff Charette – $674
21st: Max Shuster – $674
22nd: Benjamin Miner – $635
23rd: Jeffrey Higgins – $635
24th: Dennis Moroni – $635
25th: David Prociak – $619

$400 Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 27:  25,000/50,000

Likang Berninger had the chip lead when he began heads-up with a healthy chip lead but it did not last long. Michael Raimon barely lost a pot during the match and cruised into the lead.

On the final hand of the tournament, Raimon limped his button, Berninger moved all in and Raimon called.

Raimon:
Berninger:

Berninger was ahead but Raimon moved out front with a paired deuce on the flop. The board finished turn and river and Raimon won his second WSOP Circuit ring.

1st: Michael Raimon – $13,894 + WSOP Circuit ring
2nd: Likang Berninger – $8,586

$400 Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 26:  20,000/40,000
Players Remaining:  2 of 165

The WSOP Circuit ring is on the table and heads-up play is underway with Likang Berninger holding a nice lead.

Seat 2: Likang Berninger – 1,700,000
Seat 7: Michael Raimon – 775,000

Remaining payouts:

1st: $13,894 + WSOP Circuit ring
2nd: $8,586

$400 Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 26:  20,000/40,000
Players Remaining:  2 of 165

Austin Clanton had all the chips at the first break but didn’t make it to the second. Small double ups turned into bigger ones until he was in trouble.

His last two hands saw him raise from the small blind to 100,000 and Michael Raimon called in the big to the flop. Both players checked, Clanton bet 150,000 after the turn and Raimon raised all in for 285,000 total to get a call.

Raimon:
Clanton:

Clanton flopped the Broadway straight and Raimon flopped a set of jacks that turned into a full house on the river to give Raimon the double.

On the next hand, Clanton opened to 140,000 from the button and the other two players called. Raimon checked from the small blind, Likang Berninger checked from the big, and Clanton moved all in for his last 225,000.

Raimon called and Berninger announced “pot” to get a quick fold from Raimon.

“I know you have a five,” Raimon said. “I’m folding queens.”

Berninger:
Clanton:

Berninger did have trip fives then the hit the turn. The river finished with the to send our former chip leader out in third place.

Likang Berninger – 1,700,000
Austin Clanton – Eliminated in 3rd Place ($5,985)

$400 Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 25:  15,000/30,000
Players Remaining:  3 of 165

There were a handful of short stack doubles after the break but the dynamics didn’t really change. Ramses Rosa tried for a double and got his 245,000 in the middle against Austin Clanton.

Clanton:
Rosa:

Rosa needed help to double up, missed the flop, but he picked up a wrap draw. The turn took away his club outs and he blanked the river to exit in fourth place.

Austin Clanton – 1,980,000
Ramses Rosa – Eliminated in 4th Place ($4,274)

$400 Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 25:  15,000/30,000
Players Remaining:  4 of 165

Level 24 came to an end and tournament staff sent the four remaining players on a break. Austin Clanton is the runaway leader with 1.85 million of the 2.45 million in play at the four-handed tabled.

When they return, the other three players have some work to do.

Seat 2: Likans Berninser – 200,000
Seat 4: Ramses Rosa – 315,000
Seat 6: Austin Clanton – 1,850,000
Seat 7: Michael Raimon – 110,000

Remaining payouts:

1st: $13,894 + WSOP Circuit ring
2nd: $8,586
3rd: $5,985
4th: $4,274

$400 Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 24:  10,000/25,000
Players Remaining:  4 of 165

Action folded to Joseph Orsino in the small blind, he limped, Austin Clanton raised to 75,000 from the big blind and Orsino called.

The flop came and Orsino slid out a stack worth 100,000. Clanton announced “pot” which was enough to cover Orsino’s 260,000 total. Orsino called and Clanton rapped the table when he saw the hands.

Clanton:
Orsino:

Orsino flopped trip nines to put him the lead but that all changed on the turn. Clanton turned a full house, kings full of nines, and Orsino was eliminated after the river.

Austin Clanton – 1,540,000
Joseph Orsino – Eliminated in 5th Place ($3,127)

$400 Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 23:  10,000/20,000
Players Remaining:  5 of 165

Austin Clanton opened to 45,000 from middle position, Bruce Gans moved all in for 119,000 from the cutoff and Clanton called with his big stack.

Clanton:
Gans:

Gans had a big hand to double but the board gave Clanton two pair, jacks and sevens, to send him out in sixth place.

Austin Clanton – 960,000
Bruce Gans – Eliminated in 6th Place ($2,346)

$400 Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 23:  10,000/20,000
Players Remaining:  6 of 165

Blake Whittington was all in from the button for about 120,000 and Joseph Orsino had him at risk from the small blind for only a little bit more.

Orsino:
Whittington:

The dealer spread the to give Orsino a club flush on the river and Whittington was eliminated in eighth place.

Soon after, Peter Walsworth’s day came to an end when he was unable to spin up his short stack.

Joseph Orsino – 270,000
Blake Whittington – Eliminated in 8th Place ($1,428)
Peter Walsworth – Eliminated in 7th Place ($1,807)

$400 Pot Limit Omaha (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 22:  8,000/16,000
Players Remaining:  8 of 165

Bruce Gans was the shortest stack remaining at the final table and put his last 62,000 against Peter Walsworth who didn’t have much more.

Gans:
Walsworth:

“I really like your hand,” one of the players said after Gans thought he was in bad shape.

It turned out to be a great hand for Gans when the board ran out to give him an eight-high straight.

Bruce Gans – 148,000
Peter Walsworth – 24,000