Yesterday, the WSOP Circuit Event in at Caesars Las Vegas came to an end, as an extremely tough final table convened. The $5k buy in event attracted 334 total entries, with 36 players getting paid. Here were the stack sizes going into the final table.

Ben Fineman: 828,000
Thomas Hover: 407,000
Kelly Samson: 385,000
Blair Hinkle: 382,000
Doug Lee: 324,000
Ralph Perry: 319,000
Allen Cunningham: 296,000
Justin Bonomo: 272,000
Motoyuki Mabuchi: 142,000

This was quite the established final table, with Allen Cunningham being the most decorated player at the final table. Ralph Perry and Doug Lee are both professional players, and Justin Bonomo has become well known in the live venues. Blair “blur5f6” Hinkle has begun to hit huge strides live, making deep runs in several WPT events. The chip lead, Ben Fineman, is a talented player that spends his time playing online and live.

Here were the payouts that awaited these nine players.

1. $499,162
2. $257,637
3. $128,816
4. $112,714
5. $96,612
6. $80,510
7. $64,408
8. $48,306
9. $32,204

With the blinds starting off at 6k/12k, with a 2k ante, there would be no time to waste as every trip around the table would reduce your stack by 36k. The blinds promised to force the action, as just a bit into the final table, the blinds bumped up to 8k/16k, with a 2k ante.

Doug Lee was the first casualty at the final table. He quickly found himself down to 70k, and got in his remaining chips with AJ. He was called by Ben Fineman, with Q9. The KJ9 flop was good for Lee, but the 9 on the turn was terrible. The T river sealed it, and Doug Lee was eliminated in 9th place. He took home $32,204.

The eliminations didn’t slow down by any stretch of the imagination. Ralph Perry got in his remaining stack, and was all in with JJ against Allen Cunningham’s QQ. The board came out 8 high, and the Russian pro was eliminated in 8th place, for $48,306.

Just a few hands later, Thomas Hover doubled up Blair Hinkle, and was left crippled, getting in the last of his chips in with Q2 of hearts against Kelly Samson’s pocket sevens. Hover was lucky, and turned a flush, however, Samson made a river full house, which sent Hover packing. Hover was eliminated in 7th place, taking home $64,408.

After the first three eliminations, here were the stack sizes.

Ben Fineman: 958,000
Blair Hinkle: 850,000
Kelly Samson: 550,000
Justin Bonomo: 390,000
Allen Cunningham: 368,000
Motoyuki Mabuchi: 175,000

The players took a short break, and when they returned, the blinds were up to 10k/20k with a 3k ante, which would once again force the action. Just a short time after the break, Blair Hinkle and Ben Fineman got involved in a blind versus blind altercation, and got all of their chips in. Hinkle held Q9, for a failed resteal, while Fineman held AQ. Despite Hinkle having a two way straight draw, and a flush draw going into the river, Fineman held on to attain a massive stack. Blair Hinkle left in 6th place, for $80,510.

Just a few hands later, Bonomo found himself extremely short stacked, and got in his remaining short stack with K3, running into the AQ of Allen Cunningham. Bonomo hit nothing, and Cunningham’s Ace high was good, dispatching Justin in 5th place, for $96,612.

The table continued its breakneck pace as Mabuchi and Fineman saw a KJ5 flop. Fineman put Mabuchi all in, and Mabuchi called. Fineman held KQ, while Mabuchi was dominated with K2. Mabuchi couldn’t make anything materialize on the turn or river, and exited in 4th place, for $112,714.

Par for the course, another elimination came just a bit after. Samson and Fineman saw a 497 flop, with two hearts. Samson lead at it for 75k, and was raised by Fineman to 200k. Samson made the call. The turn was the 9 of hearts, and both men got their chips in. Samson tabled 89 for trip nines, however Fineman held JT of hearts for a flush, and an inside straight flush draw, which took away an out of Samson’s. The river brought the needless two of hearts, and Samson was out in third place, for $128,816.

Here were the stack sizes going into heads up, with the blinds up to 15k/30k, and a 4k ante.

Ben Fineman: 2,630,000
Allen Cunningham: 710,000

Despite all his accolades, Cunningham would have to overcome a big chip deficit against a more than capable player. However, luck was on his side as just a bit into heads up, he doubled up with Q9 vs. Fineman’s 77.

Just a few hands later, the ultimate hand occurred. Fineman raised on the button to 80k, and Cunningham called from the big blind. Both men checked a KQK flop with two clubs. The turn T of clubs prompted Cunningham to lead for 100k. Fineman raised to 400k, and Cunningham moved all in over the top, barely covering Fineman. Fineman called, flipping over AJ with no clubs. However, Cunningham held the 45 of clubs, for a turned flush, against Fineman’s turned straight, which was a tough cooler for Fineman. The river was irrelevant, and Fineman was busted in 2nd place, for $257,637.

Cunningham laid low for most of the final table, but bought his time and played flawlessly. For his great decisions, and great play, he took down the WSOP Circuit Event in Caesars Las Vegas, and $499,162.