WSOP Main Event Final Table: Neil Blumenfield Out in Third Place
When the World Series of Poker Main Event final table reconvened on Sunday night, the buzz around nine-handed play was a new Neil Blumenfield. The amateur from San Fransisco, California came out firing, putting in multiple preflop raises, three-bets and four-bets, easily announcing himself as the most aggressive member of the November Nine.
That aggression kept Blumenfield near the top of the leaderboard heading into Monday’s six-handed restart and while he returned Tuesday second in chips, a few early hands left him handcuffed throughout the next few orbits. The first of those hands involved Blumenfield’s first mis-timed act at this final table, as he bluffed off nearly half his stack, increasing Joe McKeehen’s chip lead in the process.
With the blinds at 500,000/1,000,000/150,000, McKeehen completed the small blind and then called after Blumenfield raised to 3,000,000 from the big blind. McKeehen then check-called a bet of 2,200,000 after the Td 6c 3c flop fell, with McKeehen checking for a second time after the 7d came on the turn.
Blumenfield didn’t slow down, as he continued for 3,500,000. McKeehen called again to see the 5c complete the board. A third check brought a trip to the tank from Blumenfield, who returned to bet 7,000,000. It was then McKeehen’s turn to go into the tank and when he emerged, he did with a call. It was the correct decision, as he caught Blumenfield in the act, bluffing with Qh8d. McKeehen turned over Kc 10s for top pair, good enough to win the pot and knock Blumenfield down to just a 20 big blind stack.
He then hovered as the short stack for a few orbits but he did manage to claw some chips back from McKeehen. On a board of 4s 3s 2c Tc Qc, McKeehen rivered a pair with Qd 8d but Blumenfield held a king-high flush, picking up a small pot after his river raise forced a fold from the big stack and moved Blumenfield up near the 30 big blind mark.
Blumenfield and McKeehen have had a bit of a dynamic at this final table but Blumenfield and Josh Beckley hand’t gotten involved over the last two nights. That all changed just a few hands later, as Beckley’s four-bet shove with KsJc dropped Blumenfield back down to a 20 big blind stack. That action was picked up with Beckley opening the button to 2,300,000 and Blumenfield, from the big blind, three-betting to 6,000,000. Almost immediately, Beckley announced himself “all-in” and almost just as quickly, Blumenfield folded, electing to not call off for his Main Event life with Ah 7h.
A 20 big blind stack is short but anything lower can be considered the danger zone and after another encounter with chip leader Joe McKeehen, Blumenfield found himself in that danger zone. After McKeehen completed the small blind and Blumenfield checked his option in the big, McKeehen bet 1,000,000 on the Ad 8s 4s flop. Blumenfield called and then both players checked the Js turn card. The 3c fell on the river and McKeehen quickly bet 1,800,000. Blumenfield called with 9d 4c but his pair was no good, as McKeehen held Ac 5s for top pair.
Blumenfield was more or less in fit or fold mode after getting dropped down to a 15 big blind stack and after more big stack bully play from McKeehen, the short stack finally found a hand to get his 12,000,000 chips in. Unfortunately, that big stack was waiting with a better hand, as Joe McKeehen notched another final table knockout.
Antonio Esfandiari called Blumenfield ‘The Legend’ throughout the ESPN final table telecast and his legend came to an end in the 172nd hand, after Josh Beckley opened to 2,000,000 from the button and McKeehen three-bet to 5,400,000 from the small blind. Blumenfield four-bet shoved for 12,000,000 from the big and after Beckley folded, McKeehen snap called. He tabled Qh Qs and Blumenfield was drawing to just two outs with 2d 2h.
There was no live saving deuce for Blumenfield, as the board ran out Th 7h 4c 4s Ks, scoring McKeehen another knockout and officially elimination Neil Blumenfield in 3rd place. He’ll make $3,398,298 for his podium finish and Joe McKeehen and Josh Beckley are now heads up for the 2015 WSOP Main Event title, with McKeehen holding a nearly 5:1 chip advantage.
