|
Live: $25,500 WPT World Championship
Live: $100,000 WPT Super High Roller
| Earnings | $463,459 |
| Cashes | 5 |
| Final Tables | 2 |
| Titles | 0 |
| Tournaments Played | 16 |
Est. Current Chipcount
Est. Average Chipcount
9,600,000
Current Chipleader
-
Day 1-B
106,000
Day 2
232,000
Day 3
900,000
Day 4
570,000
Day 5
4th
Level 20: 5,000-10,000, 1,000 ante
By BJ Nemeth
The money bubble burst on Day 3, though it happened so quickly there was no need for hand-for-hand play. In a twist, players who made the money were paid by having bills stapled to their foreheads.
No, not really.
At the end of the day, Will Failla once again organized a $100 pool where players bet on which card would be drawn with 10 minutes left to see how many more hands would be played. But when James Calderaro won, Failla was reluctant to pay off his $100, so he stuck it to his forehead until Calderaro came over from the other table to claim it.
Farid Jattin (pictured) entered the day with a big chip lead, but it looked like he was going to take a big hit in the first level when Jaspreet Panchhi got it all in with K
K
against Jattin's Q
Q. But a queen on the flop gave the pot to Jattin to push him to nearly a million in chips.
WPT Raw Deal Analyst Tony Dunst (center, standing) was all in early, but he had the best of it with QQ
to the JJ of Andrew Touchette. The best hand held up, and Dunst doubled up to an above-average chip stack.
In addition to the WPT's Raw Deal segment, Dunst is also the lead commentator for the WPT Live Stream, which shows all the action at WPT Final Tables -- with hole cards -- on a 30-minute delay. Of course, Dunst can't be in the sequestered booth watching hole cards if he is also at the final table -- and Dunst is still alive with 16 players left.
James Dempsey (foreground, center) began the day near the chip lead, but took a few hits before he got it all in with KK. Unfortunately for Dempsey, Alan Percal had AA. The best hand held up, and Dempsey was crippled down to four big blinds with 38 players remaining -- and only 36 would get paid.
A few moments later, Brian Haas was eliminated at another table, and it was time to begin hand-for-hand play on the money bubble. But Dempsey's hand had already begun, and when he looked down to see 88, he moved all in. But he'd have to survive against Matthew Schulte's AQ.
Will Failla (foreground, right) came over to sweat the board with Dempsey, but Schulte paired his queen on a board of Q42109 to win the pot, and Dempsey became the unfortunate Bubble Boy before hand-for-hand play even began.
With the board showing AK8J9, Tony Dunst (left) bet 81,000 into Robert Gorodetsky, who tanked for a while before he called with KJ for two pair, kings and jacks. But Dunst turned over A9 for a higher two pair, aces and nines.
At this point, Gorodetsky was one of two remaining under-21 players in the field, along with Alan Percal. Whichever one lasted longer would receive a customized surfboard.
WPT Champions Club member and recent WSOP November Niner Matt Giannetti gave a brief interview to the WPT cameras during the second break. Giannetti was holding strong at this point, but would have a rough time after dinner, busting out in 22nd place.
Daniel Buzgon (pictured) was short-stacked after dinner, and moved all in for 99,000 (16 big blinds) after Fred Goldberg and Matt Giannetti entered the pot. Both players called, and when Goldberg bet 100,000 into a dry side pot after a flop of 875, it looked like Buzgon was in trouble.
Giannetti sensed that Goldberg had a big hand, so he folded JJ face up. He was right, because Goldberg turned over AA. Buzgon was in trouble with his 1010.
But the turn card was the 10, and Buzgon tripled up to 314,000 with a set of tens. Buzgon went on a rush after that, and in less than an hour he built his stack from 99,000 to 1,000,000.
Will Failla (left) clashed in a couple of big pots against start-of-day chipleader Farid Jattin (right). Failla won a very large pot earlier by check-raising all in on a board of Q9889, but Jattin won this one by five-betting all in preflop.
Matt Marafioti (top) studies Tony Dunst (foreground, right) during a hand in the final level of Day 3.
With the board showing 1073A on the turn, David Tuthill (right) three-bet all in against Darren Elias (foreground, left). Elias would call with A10 for top two pair, and Tuthill turned over A8 for top pair with a spade flush draw.
Elias was on the verge of contending for the lead with 1.1 million in chips, but the 4 on the river gave Tuthill his flush -- and a big double up.
When 19-year-old Alan Percal was eliminated in 21st place, Robert Gorodetsky (pictured) officially won the bonus under-21 prize -- this customized surfboard. Unfortunately, Gorodetsky was eliminated himself in the final minutes of the day, finishing 17th.
A smile like this can only mean one thing -- Will Failla is crazy. But he is also the chipleader with 16 players remaining, and if he finishes 8th or higher, he will also retake the lead in the WPT Player of the Year race. Failla is also trying to become the first player since Season III to win two WPT titles in the same season.
Here are the official chip counts for the final 16 players:
1. Will Failla - 1,360,000 (136 BBs)
2. Peter Campo - 1,269,000 (126 BBs)
3. Daniel Buzgon - 900,000 (90 BBs)
4. Byron Kaverman - 815,000 (81 BBs)
5. David Tuthill - 687,000 (68 BBs)
6. Amelio Amato - 666,000 (66 BBs)
7. Farid Jattin - 618,000 (61 BBs)
8. Matt Marafioti - 617,000 (61 BBs)
9. Shawn Cunix - 555,000 (55 BBs)
10. Tony Dunst - 459,000 (45 BBs)
11. James Calderaro - 423,000 (42 BBs)
12. Blake Purvis - 346,000 (34 BBs)
13. Justin Conley - 335,000 (33 BBs)
14. Robert LeBeau - 304,000 (30 BBs)
15. Darren Elias - 262,000 (26 BBs)
16. Tony Parille - 131,000 (13 BBs)
Day 4 begins tomorrow (Tuesday) at 2:00 pm ET. The field will play as many 90-minute levels as it takes to get down to six players for Wednesday's televised WPT Final Table.
Return to WPT.com for continuing live coverage, including hand-for-hand updates starting with the final ten players.
Level 20: 5,000-10,000, 1,000 ante
Sorted In: Featured Blog, ClubWPT Player of the Day, Jessica Welman, Daniel Buzgon, Season X, bestbet JacksonvilleLevel 19: 4,000-8,000, 1,000 ante
Daniel Buzgon (left) raises to 17,000 from under the gun and Byron Kaverman (right) reraises to 47,000 from midde position. Buzgon calls and the two go heads-up to a flop of AKJ. Buzgon checks and Kaverman checks back.
The turn is the 2. Again, Buzgon checks and, again, Kaverman checks behind. The river is the 3 and Buzgon checks a third time.
Kaverman announces check, then tells Buzgon, "King-queen," implying he has second pair.
Buzgon slams the pile of chips he's been shuffling on the table and turns over JJ for a flopped set of jacks to take the pot.
Daniel Buzgon - 940,000 (118 BBs)
Byron Kaverman - 795,000 (99 BBs)
Level 19: 4,000-8,000, 1,000 ante
Dan Buzgon raises to 17,000 from the hijack and Blake Purvis calls from the cutoff. The flop comes KJ4 and both players check. The turn is the Q and Buzgon bets 18,000. Purvis calls.
The river is the 5 and Buzgon bets 27,000. Purvis calls again. Buzgon turns over K7 for top pair, but Purvis has him bested with KJ for two pair.
Blake Purvis - 245,000 (31 BBs)
Dan Buzgon - 910,000 (114 BBs)
Level 19: 4,000-8,000, 1,000 ante
Joe Serock may have busted this event yesterday, but he still has something to sweat in this tournament, as there are still four players who can take or tie for the lead in this fied (Keep in mind these numbers don't reflect the standings should more than one of these players finish in the top three).
The obvious player to keep an eye on is Will Failla. He spent almost the entire season on top of the ranks, but currently sits in second place with 1,650 points to Serock's 1,800. Failla needs an eighth-place finish or better here in order to retake the lead heading into the WPT World Championship.
Dan Buzgon is sitting on 1,150 POY points after a third place finish at the Borgata Poker Open and a cash at the fall Jacksonville event. If he finishes third or higher, he could be the new player to beat in the race.
Darren Elias is yet another Borgata Poker Open final tablist who can make an impact here. He needs to win in order to pass Serock, but considering he's been first or second in chips at the end of each day so far, that isn't out of the realm of possiblity.
Byron Kaverman can't pass Serock here at Jacksonville, but it is worth noting that he can tie him for a lead if he adds a win here to his third place finish at Grand Prix de Paris.
Level 18: 3,000-6,000, 1,000 ante
Ona flop of K94, Daniel Buzgon gets it all in for 281,000 with KK for top set against Matt Giannetti's bottom set with 44.
The turn and river are the 7 and the 8, and Buzgon doubles up yet again.
Buzgon came back from the dinner break only thirty minutes ago with just over 100,000 and now sits amongst the leaders with 650,000, currently fifth in chips.
Daniel Buzgon - 650,000
Matt Giannetti - 120,000
Level 18: 3,000-6,000, 1,000 ante
Fred Goldberg (foreground, left) raises from middle position to 14,000, Matt Giannetti (top left) calls from late position, and Daniel Buzgon (right) moves all in from the button for 99,000. Goldberg thinks for a bit before he calls, and then Giannetti thinks for a bit before he calls as well.
The flop comes 875, and Goldberg bets 100,000 into the dry side pot. Giannetti goes into the tank.
Buzgon seems relaxed, not like he's overly confident of winning, but simply as if he will take whatever comes. A waitress comes by to take orders, and Buzgon says, "Can I have a Bud Light, please?" She asks whether he wants draft or a bottle, and he requests a bottle, shrugs, and says he's going to "live a little." Tony Dunst is amused by this, and gives Buzgon an affirmative fist-bump.
After thinking for a little while, Giannetti says he has a hand, but looks at Goldberg and says, "I know you're not bluffing." Giannetti folds JJ face up.
Goldberg shows AA, and Buzgon turns over 1010. Buzgon needs to improve to stay alive.
The turn card is -- the 10!
Buzgon turns a set of tens to take the lead, and the 5 on the river gives him a full house to win the pot and triple up in chips.
Daniel Buzgon - 314,000 (52 BBs)
Matt Giannetti - 470,000 (78 BBs)
Fred Goldberg - 365,000 (60 BBs)
Photo (below): Daniel Buzgon stacks his chips after the hand.
Level 17: 2,500-5,000, 500 ante
Fred Goldberg raises from middle position to 11,000, and Barry Weidemann moves all in from middle position for 90,500. Dan Buzgon thinks for a bit on the button before calling all in for 79,500, and Goldberg folds.
Weidemann looks to his close friend Buzgon and says, "It's gotta be us, huh?"
Weidemann shows AQ, but he's dominated by Buzgon's AK. The board comes 7653K, and Buzgon wins the pot with a pair of kings to double up and cripple Weidemann.
Daniel Buzgon - 171,000 (34 BBs)
Barry Weidemann - 11,000 (2 BBs)
The WPT cameras are on Buzgon as he stacks his chips, and Buzgon says about his friend, "Don't worry, he busted me here last year."
