2011 World Series of Poker

Event #38: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em
Day: 3
Event Info

2011 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
qj
Prize
$540,136
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$2,959,200
Entries
2,192
Level Info
Level
32
Blinds
80,000 / 160,000
Ante
20,000

Event #38: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em

Day 3 Completed

Three Days and Nights Not Enough to Finish Event # 38, $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em

Level 30 : 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
Arkadiy Tsinis Will Enter Day 4 With the Chip Lead
Arkadiy Tsinis Will Enter Day 4 With the Chip Lead

After thirty full levels of play spanning three days and nights, a champion has yet to be been crowned in Event #38, the $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em tournament. After starting the day with 23 surviving players, a final table of nine was reached in relatively short order. Notable players Hoai Pham (19th Place) and Melanie Weisner (14th Place) fell early on, as did the big stack of Jonathan Spinks (15th Place).

The final table action progressed at a brisk pace, with Day 2 chip leader Perry Lin (6th Place), succumbing to a brutal beat on the river. Paul Nash (5th Place) and his British buddies on the rail were dispatched shortly afterwards, and soon we were down to our last two competitors.

Michael Blanovsky and Arkadiy Tsinis then waged an epic battle in which the lead was exchanged multiple times, but by the end of the night, each man still had chips in front of him. Whereas in years past, this heads-up duel would have lasted until the sun was up and somebody was bankrupt, in 2011 the new ten-level rule means we will return tomorrow to settle the score.

Blanovsky will begin tomorrow's action with 2,765,000 chips and will have to make some moves to overcome Tsinis' and his big stack of 7,110,000.

Check back in with PokerNews tomorrow at 2:30 PDT to follow the stirring conclusion of this clash between two men seeking to secure their first WSOP bracelet.

Tags: Arkadiy TsinisHoai PhamMelanie WeisnerMichael BlanovskyPaul NashPerry Lin

Last Hand of the Night

Level 30 : 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante

After a few insignificant flops, the last hand of Day 3 played out between Arkadiy Tsinis and Michael Blanovsky, although the way it played out, it might have just been a little something to cap it off for us here at media row.

Tsinis limped in from the button and Blanovsky checked before check-calling Tsinis' bet of 100,000 after the flop of {10-Diamonds}{A-Spades}{K-Clubs}.

Both players then checked down the turn of the {7-Diamonds} and the river {Q-Hearts} before Blanovsky showed {K-Hearts}{3-Spades} for a pair. Tsinis mucked and that's the ball game - we'll be coming back tomorrow for Day 4!

Tags: Arkadiy TsinisMichael Blanovsky

Blanovsky Struggling

It's not looking promising for Michael Blanovsky, who has slipped to less than 1.4 million and is just praying that he either scores a double-up soon or gets saved by the bell.

Earlier, Blanovsky raised to 200,000 and Arkadiy Tsinis called before check-calling Blanovsky's bet of 225,000 after the flop of {8-Spades}{6-Hearts}{7-Diamonds}. Both players then checked the turn of the of the {J-Spades} before Tsinis fired out 500,000 on the river of the {K-Diamonds}. Blanovsky mucked his hand.

A while later, Blanovsky raised from the button again to 200,000 and Tsinis called before they both checked the flop of {10-Hearts}{7-Diamonds}{A-Diamonds} and the turn of the {6-Hearts} before leading out for 150,000 on the river of the {J-Clubs}. Tsinis then mucked after Blanovsky raised to 550,000.

Some time passed before again, Blanovsky came in with the min-raise of 200,000 from the button and Tsinis called before they both checked the flop of {J-Clubs}{7-Diamonds}{9-Spades}. Tsinis led out for 200,000 after the turn of the {5-Spades} and Blanovsky called, only to fold after Tsinis fired out 500,000 on the river of the {A-Hearts}.

"You probably had me," Blanovsky sighed, flashing the {7-Clubs} as he folded.

Player Chips Progress
Arkadiy Tsinis us
Arkadiy Tsinis
8,550,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Michael Blanovsky
Michael Blanovsky
1,350,000

Tags: Arkadiy TsinisMichael Blanovsky

Both Players Pushing the All-In Button

After a lull in the proceedings in which pots were dragged with single raises, both Michael Blanovsky and Arkadiy Tsinis have realized that they're playing No-Limit Hold'em.

In the last eight hands, we have seen both players attempt min-raises when holding the button. While this move was good enough to earn the win a half hour ago, now it is being met with an all-in declaration. The min-raiser has folded in the face of pressure each time, however, and we have settled into a pattern of a different sort.

Player Chips Progress
Arkadiy Tsinis us
Arkadiy Tsinis
8,450,000 1,050,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Michael Blanovsky
Michael Blanovsky
1,400,000 -1,100,000

Tags: Michael BlanovskyArkadiy Tsinis

Give a Little, Get a Little...

Level 30 : 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante

The last five or six hands have seen preflop raises take the pot down uncontested.

The pattern of chip trading was established long ago in this heads-up duel, and neither player seems willing to mix things up.

Blanovsky Waves the White Flag In Jest

Level 30 : 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante

Michael Blanovsky has just thrown his hands up and surrendered to Arkadiy Tsinis, although the latter's play had nothing to do with it.

Apparently, Blanovsky has a friend named Ilya who serves as sort of a bad luck charm, and in Blanovsky's word, he "can't win a pot with Ilya here."

The relationship between the two appeared to be nothing but friendly, and Blanovsky even stood and came to the rail to shake his friend's hand and welcome him to the final table area. We will be sure to keep an eye on Blanovsky's chip stack since the arrival of Ilya, to see if his premonition was accurate or if he was actually attempting the classic reverse-jinx.

Tags: Michael Blanovsky

The Battle Marches Onward

On the button, Arkadiy Tsinis opted to limp in and Michael Blanovsky checked to bring a flop of {7-Spades}{6-Spades}{J-Hearts} to the table. Blanovsky then led out for 125,000 and Tsinis made the call. Both players checked the {K-Spades} on the turn and after the river came {Q-Hearts}, Blanovsky check-folded to a bet of 500,000.

Later, Tsinis limped in again from the button and Blanovsky checked once more. The flop came {A-Clubs}{7-Clubs}{K-Diamonds} and Blanovsky check-called a bet of 100,000. On the {10-Diamonds} turn card, both players checked and the {J-Clubs} arrived on the river. After another round of checks, Blanovsky revealed his {K-Clubs}{8-Spades} for a pair of kings and took the pot down.

With just a half hour or so left in the last level of tonight's action, both players seem willing to remain patient and return tomorrow if necessary.

Player Chips Progress
Arkadiy Tsinis us
Arkadiy Tsinis
7,400,000 100,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Michael Blanovsky
Michael Blanovsky
2,500,000 -100,000

Tags: Arkadiy TsinisMichael Blanovsky

Blanovsky's Chips Blowing in the Wind

With the button in front of him, Michael Blanovsky opened for 275,000 and Arkadiy Tsinis made the call. The flop came {7-Hearts}{J-Spades}{10-Spades} and both players elected to see another card. The dealer turned the {4-Diamonds} and Tsinis led out for 350,000. This was enough to push Blanovsky off of his hand and the pot was shipped to Tsinis.

Shortly after that hand, Tsinis held the button and he limped into the pot. Blanovsky checked it and the flop fell {7-Spades}{5-Clubs}{10-Diamonds}. Both players tapped the table and the {6-Clubs} arrived on the turn. Blanovsky tried a 150,000 bet and Tsinis released, giving the small pot to his opponent.

Player Chips Progress
Arkadiy Tsinis us
Arkadiy Tsinis
7,300,000 400,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Michael Blanovsky
Michael Blanovsky
2,600,000 -400,000

Tags: Arkadiy TsinisMichael Blanovsky