LAPT Playa Conchal Main Event Day 2 | 2009 PokerStars.net LAPT Playa Conchal

LAPT Playa Conchal Main Event

Day 2 Completed

11-20-2009 21:37 UTC-5

El Segundo Día es en los Libros

[user38449]

Another day in Paradisus has come and gone, and we’re left with just 30 players in the 2009 PokerStars.net APPT Playa Conchal Main Event.

It took just under eight hours of play to shrink the field from 119 players down to 41 (the money bubble), at which point the action slowed to a crawl. Several players were, for lack of a better word, desperate to cash in the event, so much so that they allowed themselves to whittle away until they were left with a single blind or ante.

The infamous ‘Bubble Boy’ tag went to Brad Stebeleski who was forced all in from the small blind for his last 1,100 chips and found himself up against two opponents – Gustavo Justiniano (who was also all-in for his last 200 chips) and Edgar Cruz who made the call by default simply by posting his big blind. Justiniano managed to claim the main pot with a mere pair of sevens and Cruz took down the sidepot with a pair of fives, sending Stebeleski to the rail in 41st place, moneyless.

Despite the large contingent of Team PokerStars Pros who made it through to Day 2, only two of them will advance to Day 3. Alex Gomes and Maria ‘Maridu’ Mayrinck, both from Team PokerStars Pro Brazil, finished the day with 87,100 and 97,900 in chips respectively.

Of note, Mayrinck is also the only female remaining in the field.

Your overnight chip leader is Eric Levesque, who eliminated Icelandic player Garoar Hauksson on the final hand of the night to move to 420,500 in chips.

Official chip counts and a list of the players who finished in the money will be posted as soon as the tournament staff makes them available to us.

Action resumes tomorrow afternoon at midday when the remaining 30 players play down to an eight-handed final table.

Until then, from the Paradisus Playa Conchal Resort and Casino in Guanacaste, Costa Rica – good night and good luck!

11-20-2009 21:26 UTC-5

Hauksson Rivered

donpeters

Garoar Hauksson reraised after Eric Levesque raised. Levesque then moved all in and Hauksson called. Hauksson was the one at risk with roughly 105,000 chips.

Levesque held {A-Clubs}

against Hauksson's red pocket jacks.

The board ran out {10-Diamonds}

, nailing Levesque on the river and sending Hauksson to the rail.

Tags: Eric Levesque Garoar Hauksson

11-20-2009 21:11 UTC-5

New Chip Leader Emerges

[user38449]

Eduardo Hernandez, who, to be quite honest, we know absolutely nothing about, has moved into the chip lead with just under 400,000.

Not far behind are Carlos Giron (330,000), Rogelio Pardo (326,000) and Fred Dykes (322,000).

11-20-2009 21:03 UTC-5

Dropping Fast

donpeters

As expected, it's double-up-or-go-home time for the short stacks in the room. Once we hit the money, the shorter stacks have been moving in left and right trying to get a stack or get on their way. We're down to 36 players. Once we lose four more, the night is done.

11-20-2009 21:01 UTC-5

Graham Doubles

donpeters

Sol Bergren opened with a raise and Steven Merrifield called. Rory Graham then moved all in and the whole room heard his announcement. Action got back over to Bergren and me reraised to isolate. Merrifield folded, leaving Graham and Bergren heads up.

"Here we go New Hampshire!" yelled Graham, pointing to one of our reporters. "Flop me a straight! No, wait, flop me ace-queen-queen! No wait! Flop ace-ace-ace, baby!"

The dealer burned and dealt the flop: {A-Clubs}

"Ace! Queen! Baby!" exclaimed Graham.

The dealer then put the {J-Hearts}

on the turn and the chanting began.

"Chugga-chugga! Chugga-chugga! Chugga-chugga!" yelled Graham, pumping his fist each time.

The river then landed the {10-Clubs}

and Graham let out one more big 'Yeah baby!" before sitting down and collecting his chips. He's back up to 100,000.

Tags: Rory Graham Sol Bergren Steven Merrifield

11-20-2009 20:57 UTC-5

Dan Williams Eliminated

donpeters

Dan Williams raised to 10,700 before Eric Levesque reraised to 35,000. Williams then moved all in when action fell back on him and Levesque snap-called.

Levesque tabled two kings and Williams held two tens.

The board ran out {Q-Spades}

and that was the end of the road for Williams.

Tags: Dan Williams Eric Levesque

11-20-2009 20:56 UTC-5

Bubble Bursts; Normal Play Resumes

[user38449]

It would be an understatement to suggest that the players in this tournament are/were willing to do whatever it takes to make the money, as was exemplified on the table where the money bubble burst.

Super short stacks Gustavo Justiniano and Brad Stebeleski both found themselves all in before the cards were even dealt to them. Justiniano was all in for his ante on the button and Stebeleski all in for his last 1,100 in the small blind.

Action folded all the way around the table to Edgar Mauricio Vindas Cruz, better known as "Machito Lu," who was already in for the full big blind and thus made the call by default.

Once all of the hands finished up across the other active tables, the players' cards were revealed:

Cruz: {K-Diamonds}

Justiniano: {J-Diamonds}

Stebeleski: {A-Spades}

The table was smothered with spectators, all fighting for floor space to watch the dealer fill out the board: {3-Clubs}

Justiniano managed to spike a seven on the turn to make the best hand and claim the main pot, and Cruz took down the side with a pair of fives, leaving Stebeleski the odd man out as the tournament's 41st place finisher.

Normal play has since resumed and the tournament director has added 30 minutes to the clock, meaning we'll be playing another 36 minutes in level 15 until we reach tonight's cutoff point of 32 players.

11-20-2009 20:40 UTC-5

Parker Triples On Bubble

donpeters

Kenneth Parker was all in preflop and called in two spots. After all of the other hands completed, the dealer ran the flop. It came down {10-Spades}

. The first player checked and the second player bet. The first player mucked his hand.

The player that had bet the flop turned over {10-Clubs}

and the at-risk Parker revealed {A-Hearts}

.

The turn was the {A-Diamonds}

and the river the {A-Clubs}

. Parker was able to stave elimination and earn the triple up on the bubble.

Tags: Kenneth Parker

11-20-2009 20:32 UTC-5

Hicks Jr. Chipping Up on the Bubble

[user38449]

Kenny Hicks Jr. has been in this spot before and is taking full advantage of the tight bubble play that's been exhibited over the past hour or so.

In one particular hand, action folded around the table to Hicks on the button and, holding {Q-Clubs}

, he opened with a raise to 9,200.

The player in the big blind (BB) made the call and the flop came down {Q-Diamonds}

. The BB player led into Hicks with a 13,000 bet, but Hicks hung around to see the turn -- {9-Hearts}

.

On 4th Street, the BB player fired again, this time making it 26,000 to play. Hicks called again, opting to take the hand to the river.

Another nine on the end ( {9-Clubs}

) prompted both players to knuckle the felt and move straight to the showdown.

The BB player declared he had a pair of fives, tabling {7-Diamonds}