WSOP 2012 Final Table: Merson And Sylvia Go Heads-Up For Poker Glory

After a record setting 11 hours of three-way action, the 2012 WSOP Main Event has reached the heads-up phase after Jake Balsiger (photo) was eliminated in 3rd place for $3,799,073.
At 21, the Arizona State University student was on track to supplant the 2009 WSOP champion Joe Cada as the youngest ever winner. However, despite briefly rising to a chip lead, Balsinger mostly found himself the short-stack at the table and was down to 10bb when his final hand was played.
With blinds at 1m/2m and a 300k ante, Jesse Sylvia on the button raised the action to 4m, only to have Jake Balsiger on a 20.3m stack raise all-in holding Q-10. Greg Merson with K-Q then made the call with Sylvia subsequently folding out. The 6-6-6-J-5 board brought no relief to Balsiger, who walked away from his WSOP 2012 odessey to a standing ovation from the crowd.
The heads-up between the two remaining players is now sure to be an entertaining contest, as they are both seasoned pros with still plenty of chips behind them. Greg Merson currently has 113,900,000 in chips to Jesse Sylvia’s 84,300,000.
Greg Merson, 24, is an online cash game pro who has also enjoyed an absolute magnificent 2012 WSOP. In addition, Merson can still overtake Phil Hellmuth as this year’s WSOP Player of the Year, if he takes down the Main Event, having already cashed in three prior events for $1,222,327, including a bracelet win at the $10k NL Six Handed event for $1,136,197.
Jesse Sylvia, 24, too, is a cash game specialist but in the live arena and moved from his native Massachusetts to Las Vegas in 2011, where he continues to ply his trade.
Good luck to both players as they continue their marathon to decide the 2012 WSOP Main Event champion.