Event #2: $400 Monster Stack | 2024 WSOP International Circuit Playground

04-16-2024 02:45 UTC-4

Marc Lavergne Eliminated in 11th Place ($4,900 CAD)

Ryan Lashmar

Level 28 : Blinds 100,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Marc Lavergne shoved for 815,000 from the hijack and was called by Joshua James on the button who had a covering stack to put Lavergne at risk.

Marc Lavergne: A♠4♣ All in
Joshua James: A♣10♦

Lavergne was in rough shape with the smaller ace and found no help on the K♥9♣3♠Q♦5♥ runout, resulting in his elimination while James continued to add chips to his stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Joshua James	8,900,000 1,700,000	1,700,000
Marc Lavergne	Busted

Tags: Joshua James Marc Lavergne

04-16-2024 02:35 UTC-4

Maxim Kogay Eliminated in 12th Place ($4,900 CAD)

Ryan Lashmar

Level 28 : Blinds 100,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Brian Bond opened to 330,000 from the hijack. Maxim Kogay three-bet shoved for roughly 1,800,000 and Anthony Comand moved all in for slightly more. Bond thought for a minute before deciding to fold leaving Kogay at risk against Comand.

Maxim Kogay: K♦Q♥ All in
Anthony Comand: A♦A♣

The board ran out 8♥8♣5♠8♠2♥ giving Comand aces full to eliminate Kogay and take down a sizable pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Brian Bond	7,500,000 2,900,000	2,900,000
Anthony Comand	4,900,000 4,225,000	4,225,000
Maxim Kogay	Busted

Tags: Anthony Comand Brian Bond Maxim Kogay

04-16-2024 02:16 UTC-4

Fady Habashi Eliminated in 13th Place ($3,800 CAD)

Ryan Lashmar

Level 28 : Blinds 100,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Fady Habashi moved all in for 175,000 from the cutoff and was called by Joshua James in the small blind and Sergey Hovakimyan in the big blind.

Both players checked the 4♣A♣2♣ flop leading to the J♥ turn. James bet 200,000 and Hovakimyan called.

James bet again for 800,000 on the 3♦ river and was once again called by Hovakimyan. Habashi had A♦5♦ for a straight but Joshua James turned over J♣6♣ for a flush. Hovakimyan flashed a 5x in his hand for another straight but James' flush was good at showdown and he took the pot while Habashi was sent to the rail in 13th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Joshua James	7,200,000 1,100,000	1,100,000
Sergey Hovakimyan	4,800,000 -725,000	-725,000
Fady Habashi	Busted

Tags: Fady Habashi Joshua James Sergey Hovakimyan

04-16-2024 02:01 UTC-4

Grant Douglas Eliminated in 14th Place ($3,800 CAD)

Ryan Lashmar

Level 28 : Blinds 100,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Grant Douglas, who had recently become very short-stacked, moved all in from the small blind and was called by Wing Seto in the big blind.

Grant Douglas: 9♥8♣ All in
Wing Seto: 7♥5♣

The board ran out 3♦10♦5♠A♣10♠ giving Seto two pair to send Douglas to the rail and take the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Wing Seto	2,200,000 1,000,000	1,000,000
Grant Douglas	Busted

Tags: Grant Douglas Wing Seto

04-16-2024 01:56 UTC-4

Quang Hoang Ngo Eliminated in 15th Place ($3,800 CAD)

Ryan Lashmar

Level 28 : 100,000/150,000, 150,000 ante

Quang Hoang Ngo was all in from the cutoff and up against Joshua James in middle position who had Ngo covered.

Quang Hoang Ngo: Q♣9♣ All in
Joshua James: A♦9♠

James had his opponent dominated with a bigger nine but the A♣6♣7♦ flop gave Ngo some outs in the form of a flush draw. The flush did not come in on the J♠ turn or J♥ river and James scored another knockout.

Player	Chips	Progress
Joshua James	6,100,000 1,950,000	1,950,000
Quang Hoang Ngo	Busted

Tags: Joshua James Quang Hoang Ngo

04-16-2024 01:53 UTC-4

Paolo Balopoulos Eliminated in 16th Place ($3,000 CAD)

Ryan Lashmar

Level 27 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

In a preflop blind on blind confrontation, Paolo Balopoulos was all in and at risk against Joshua James.

Paolo Balopoulos: 10♥10♦ All in
Joshua James: Q♣J♠

It was a preflop flip that Balopoulos caught the best of on the K♣5♣2♠ flop but the Q♦ turn gave James second pair leaving Balopoulos drawing to just two outs. No ten came on the 4♥ river and Balopoulos made his exit from the tournament area while James took down a nice pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Joshua James	4,150,000 1,250,000	1,250,000
Paolo Balopoulos	Busted

Tags: Joshua James Paolo Balopoulos

04-16-2024 01:45 UTC-4

Nicholas Mackenzie Eliminated in 18th Place ($3,000 CAD), Alex Plourde Eliminated in 17th Place ($3,000 CAD)

Ryan Lashmar

Level 27 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

In a preflop confrontation, Nicholas Mackenzie and Alex Plourde were both all in and called by Sergey Hovakimyan who covered both players.

Nicholas Mackenzie: A♦7♦ All in
Alex Plourde: 7♣7♥ All in
Sergey Hovakimyan: K♥K♣

Hovakimyan's pocket kings had the best of it preflop and he remained ahead on the 5♥5♦6♠6♣10♠ runout to eliminate both opponents and take down a colossal pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sergey Hovakimyan	5,525,000 2,925,000	2,925,000
Nicholas Mackenzie	Busted
Alex Plourde	Busted

Tags: Alex Plourde Nicholas Mackenzie Sergey Hovakimyan

04-16-2024 01:39 UTC-4

Andrew D'Amato Eliminated in 19th Place ($2,475 CAD)

Ryan Lashmar

Level 27 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

In a preflop confrontation Andrew D'Amato was all in and at risk against Wei Han Zhang.

Andrew D'Amato: A♦8♥ All in
Wei Han Zhang: 6♥6♦

Zhang pulled way ahead with a set on the 6♣J♣Q♥ flop. The 6♠ turn improved Zhang to quads leaving D'Amato drawing dead and the latter player made his exit from the tournament area after the 10♠ river while Zhang began to stage an impressive comeback after losing most of his stack in the last level.

Player	Chips	Progress
Wei Han Zhang	2,900,000 1,150,000	1,150,000
Andrew D'Amato	Busted

Tags: Andrew D'Amato Wei Zhang

04-16-2024 01:17 UTC-4

Colin Grant Eliminated in 20th Place ($2,475 CAD)

Ryan Lashmar

Level 26 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Although the action was missed, Colin Grant was recently eliminated by Boyan Shi, who currently holds the biggest chip stack in the room.

Player	Chips	Progress
Boyan Shi	6,600,000 3,150,000	3,150,000
Colin Grant	Busted

Tags: Boyan Shi Colin Grant

04-16-2024 01:15 UTC-4

Rafik Zouaghi Eliminated in 22nd Place ($2,050 CAD), Aaron Grayer Eliminated in 21st Place ($2,475 CAD)

Ryan Lashmar

Level 26 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

In a preflop confrontation, Rafik Zouaghi was all in from middle position, Aaron Grayer was all in from the small blind for slightly more and Maxim Kogay had called from the big blind covering both players.

Rafik Zouaghi: 7♠7♣ All in
Aaron Grayer: Q♣10♣ All in
Maxim Kogay, Q♠Q♥

The board ran out 4♠9♣4♦J♦Q♦. Kogay was good at showdown with a set of queens to score the double knockout and drag in a massive pot.