Event #9: $800 NLH | 2022 The Lodge Championship Series

05-18-2022 19:31 UTC-5

Golden Nugget to Host $1,100 Buy-In, $1,000,000 GTD PokerNews Cup June 24-28

MartianNews

Level 21 : 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

This summer, Golden Nugget Las Vegas will play host to the 14th Annual Grand Poker Series, which features 81 events and offers over $3 million in guaranteed prize money from May 31-July 3. One of those events is the $1,100 buy-in, $1,000,000 Guaranteed PokerNews Cup that will run from June 24-28.

The tournament will feature three starting flights beginning with Day 1a at 11 a.m. PT on Friday, June 24. Days 1b and 1c will take place at the same time on Saturday, June 25, and Sunday, June 26 respectively. The surviving players from each flight will return at Noon on Monday, June 27 to play down to the final table, which will play out at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, June 28. PokerNews will be on-site throughout the duration to offer live updates, videos, social media content, and more.

“We’re very excited to partner with our friends at Golden Nugget this summer to offer the PokerNews Cup in Las Vegas for the first time,” said Head of PokerNews Mark Powell-Bevan. “Not only will players have the opportunity at a seven-figure prize pool for an affordable buy-in, but they’ll also get to experience everything PokerNews has to offer including live updates, giveaways, videos, a live podcast, and more. It’s going to be one of the premier tournaments of the summer.”

“We’re especially excited about taking our partnership with PokerNews to the next level,” said Andy Rich, Golden Nugget Las Vegas Director of Poker Operations. “This is huge news for poker players, and we couldn’t be happier that all the action is right here at Golden Nugget during Grand Poker Series.”

For those looking to get into the PokerNews Cup event cheaper, there will be a $200 buy-in Mega Satellite guaranteeing 10 seats at 11 a.m. on Thursday, June 23.

History of the PokerNews Cup

The first-ever PokerNews Cup took place in 2007 at Australia’s Crown Casino and saw Dory Zayner become the inaugural champion. The following year, Nali Kaselias won the same event while Darren Kramer claimed the title in the 2008 PokerNews Cup South African Poker Open. In 2009, it was Con Tsapkounis winning the third edition of PokerNews Cup Australia while Marc Naalden was victorious in the PokerNews Cup Alpine (Austria).

The next PokerNews Cup wouldn’t take place until 2015 with its first stop at King’s Casino Rozvadov, where Daniel Can was crowned champion. Timur Caglan won the same tournament in 2016, which was also the first time the PokerNews Cup was held in the United States (Ryan Van Sanford won the PokerNews Cup Borgata).

In 2017, Holger Bansner claimed victory in the PokerNews Cup King’s Casino Rozvadov, and after no event in 2018, the PokerNews Cup returned in 2019 with a stop at Casino Finix in Bulgaria. Panagiotis Panagiotidis emerged victorious in that tournament, which was the last PokerNews Cup to date.

Will you be the next player to win the prestigious PokerNews Cup?

Click here to see the full schedule!

05-18-2022 18:21 UTC-5

Garcia Finds the Last Hockey Stick to Double Up

TerranceReid

Level 20 : 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Adam Garcia open-shoved his stack of 343,000 from under the gun. Action folded all the way around to John Compton in the small blind who went all in for more, covering his opponent.

Garcia showed while Compton flipped over

"I folded a seven," said another tablemate.

"Great," said Garcia. He only needed one though, and the board came to give Garcia the full house.

"Let's go, baby. Let's go!" shouted Garcia with a renewed energy and healthy chip stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Adam Garcia	700,000 245,000	245,000
John Compton	600,000 -500,000	-500,000

Tags: Adam Garcia John Compton

05-18-2022 17:35 UTC-5

Afriat Fights Back at the Wrong Time but Gets Rewarded

TerranceReid

Level 19 : 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Eric Afriat opened to 44,000 on the button. Sung Kim looked over Afriat's chip stack and decided to three-bet from the small blind to the tune of 138,000.

Afriat had 314,000 chips, and after a little thought, announced, "a in." He didn't look happy when Kim snap-called.

Afriat turned over for two live cards against the of Kim.

Afriat found a favorable flop when the showed up. The turn and river finished the hand and Afriat doubled through Kim.

Player	Chips	Progress
Eric Afriat	700,000 482,000	482,000

Sung Kim	300,000 -117,000	-117,000

Tags: Eric Afriat Sung Kim

05-18-2022 17:07 UTC-5

Cadenas Absorbs Hart's Stack

MartianNews

Level 19 : 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

On a the before the blinds increased, Taylor Hart raised to 32,000, and the action folded around to Rudy Cadenas who elected to three-bet, making it 95,000. Hart took his time on a decision but ultimately, he four-bet shoved for roughly 485,000. Cadenas snapped it off and they buckled up for a runout.

Taylor Hart:
Rudy Cadenas:

Cadenas had Hart one-pipped with his jacks. The runout was of no help to Hart who was eliminated.

The stack of Cadenas is now sitting near the top as he looks to add another Lodge Championship Series title to his resume, having already earned one earlier this week in Event 4: $400 NLH $500,000 Guaranteed, a feat that earned him $54,231.

Player	Chips	Progress
Rudy Cadenas	1,440,000
Taylor Hart	Busted

Tags: Rudy Cadenas Taylor Hart

05-18-2022 16:59 UTC-5

Snowmen Bring the Chips to Richardson

TerranceReid

Level 18 : 8,000/16,000, 16,000 ante

One player opened from middle position before Damion Richardson decided to go all in for 227,000. Nathan Hays started thinking immediately to Richardson's left and chose to put all of his own chips into the pot as well, covering all players with about 560,000.

The initial opener got out of the way and left Richardson and Hays flipping for stacks.

Hays revealed his and Richardson showed his for the race.

The flop offered no help to Hays when the , but did provide promise of a backdoor flush draw. The turn kept that hope alive with the . The river came up short, though, and Richardson secured the full double.

Player	Chips	Progress
Damion Richardson	500,000 431,000	431,000
Nathan Hays	345,000 -178,000	-178,000

Tags: Damion Richardson Nathan Hays

05-18-2022 16:02 UTC-5

Weis Hits Dream Flop and Gets it All

TerranceReid

Level 17 : 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Action picked up on the turn with two players looking at a board of . Mason Barrell had position and put out a bet of 155,000 into a pot of about 250,000.

Felix Weis, who had checked it to Barrell, went into the tank for about three minutes. After pondering, he decided to jam all in with his stack of over 600,000, which covered Barrell by a bit.

Barrell didn't think too long before making the call and putting his tournament life at risk.

Weis revealed the for a flopped top set that had Barrell drawing dead when he showed his for his flopped two pair.

Weis is now one of the tournament chip leaders thanks to the very well-timed jack-high flop.

Player	Chips	Progress
Felix Weis	1,200,000 415,000	415,000
Mason Barrell	Busted

Tags: Felix Weis Mason Barrell

05-18-2022 15:53 UTC-5

Olapchenko Triples Up in Massive Three-Way All In

TerranceReid

Level 17 : 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Corey Wade raised to 20,000 from early position and found two calllers, Andrew Ostapchenko from middle position and Seth Schueler from the big blind.

The flop came and action checked Schueler led the flop for 40,000 and Wade made the call. On Ostapchenko, he decide to raise over the top of both players and went all in for 320,000.

Back on Wade, who had slightly less with 290,000 and he thought long before making the call. The initial raiser, Wade was still interested in the hand, though, and went deep into the tank himself.

"Someone's going to have to call the clock on me, that's the only way I'm going to make a decision on this one."

About three minutes went by, and players gave him plenty of time in the large pot. "Alright, I call," sending the pot into the seven figures.

Ostapchenko revealed his for middle set. "I'm dead," said Schueler, who flipped up from the small big blind.

"Yeah, that's the only hand that makes sense," said Wade, and showed .

The turn and river brought no help to Ostapchenko's two adversaries, and one of the biggest pots of the tournament was shipped his way.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrew Ostapchenko	1,000,000 780,000	780,000
Corey Wade	240,000 86,000	86,000

Seth Schueler	Busted

Tags: Andrew Ostapchenko Corey Wade Seth Schueler

05-18-2022 15:05 UTC-5

Burrow Digs his Way Out of His Short Stack

TerranceReid

Level 16 : 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Evan Burrow raised from early position to 20,000 before David Shaw went all in for 177,000. Action folded back around to Burrow who had only 158,000, so the call was for his tournament life.

He did make the call and both hands were exposed. Burrow had the and Shaw had the .

Burrow's pocket tens held up when the board came and Burrow double through Shaw, who was left with 2 big blinds.

Player	Chips	Progress
Evan Burrow	330,000 209,000	209,000
David Shaw	15,000 -185,000	-185,000

Tags: David Shaw Evan Burrow

05-18-2022 13:28 UTC-5

Winner to be Crowned Today in Event 9 of Lodge Championship Series

MartianNews

The Lodge Championship Series is now just one week away from a conclusion here in Round Rock, Texas. At the venue today is another final day, meaning another lucky hopeful will be taking home a trophy. Event 9: $800 NLH $750,000 Guaranteed was looking like an overlay until the last two flights blew up the field, having 1,116 entry slips sold to surpass the guarantee and now just 135 will battle it out on Day 2 for a chance to take home the $128,636 first-place prize.

Raul Garza advanced through the last and biggest flight. He won a flip late in the day and used his newly acquired stack to bully the rest of the table, bagging 806,000 (101 bb) for the final day. Next on the totem pole to begin the day is Aden Salazar who popped the Day 1a bubble and never looked book, finishing atop the small field of 112 with an impressive 722,000 (90 bb).

Rounding out the top five are Michael Rossitto (662,000), Jodan Mandel (660,000), and Christopher Nabors (618,000). Rossitto is one of the highlight players of the field and is known to execute as well as any when the money is on the line. Some other familiar faces include Blake Whittington (529,000), Kristen Foxen (499,000), James Calderaro (429,000), and Mohammed Bagheri (317,000).

Top 10 Stacks on Day 2

Rank	Player	Hometown	Chip Count	Big Blinds
1	Raul Garza	Alton, TX	806,000	101
2	Aden Salazar	Cleveland, TX	722,000	90
3	Michael Rossitto	Brooklyn, NY	662,000	83
4	Jordan Mande	Smithville, Texas	660,000	83
5	Christopher Nabors	San Antonio, Texas	618,000	77
6	Benjamin Anderson	Killeen, TX	592,000	74
7	Payam Saleh	Leander, TX	581,000	73
8	Vy Nguyen	San Pablo, CA	535,000	69
9	Blake Whittington	Cleveland, TN	529,000	66
10	Nathan Hays	Kearney, NE	523,000	65

The returning players will be starting at 4,000/8,000 blinds with an 8,000 ante and the duration will increase to 40-minutes in length. There will be a 15-minute break after every three levels of play and the second break will be a 60-minute dinner break.

All remaining players will now be taking home at least a min-cash of $1,326 with the top nine pulling in $12,860 for that feat.

The PokerNews live reporting team will be here with all of the updates, so stay tuned as the action unfolds.

Tags: Aden Salazar Blake Whittington Christopher Nabors James Calderaro Kristen Foxen Michael Rossitto Mohammed Bagheri