Americas Conference Final
Day 1 Started
2016 Global Poker League Finals
Americas Conference Final
Day: 1
Montreal Nationals Face Los Angeles Sunset in First Ever Americas Conference Final
Earlier today, the Montreal Nationals defeated the San Francisco Rush to claim their spot in the Americas Conference final after a seven game series. Then the Los Angeles Sunset defeated the Sao Paolo Metropolitans in seven games to earn the second spot in the Conference final.
Now the top two seeds from the Americas division will face each other in a best-of-seven series for a spot in the GPL Grand Final. The winner will face the winner of the Eurasia Conference final, to be determined tomorrow.
The matches will start in about 10 minutes.
Game #1: Chance Kornuth v. Mike McDonald
The Americas Conference Finals are underway with Mike McDonald returning to the cube to face Chance Kornuth in game #1. Kornuth won both of his games against the Sao Paolo Mets, so he is looking to continue his win streak. McDonald is now playing fifth match after playing four of his team's seven matches earlier when the Nationals defeated the San Francisco Rush.
Here is what the team managers had to say before the match started.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
260,000 | |
|
240,000 |
McDonald Holds the Lead in Game 1
Mike McDonald and Chance Kornuth are more talkative than most of the players who have played so far today. McDonald has stretched out his lead and is up almost three to one.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
322,000 | 62,000 |
|
|
107,000 | -133,000 |
Kornuth Catches a Diamond to Double Up
Mike McDonald flopped a set of kings against Chance Kornuth, who flopped a pair of kings. Kornuth bet 18,000 on the turn with a pair and a diamond flush draw and McDonald shoved all in. Kornuth took a moment to decide his next move and called. He hit a diamond on the river to complete a flush and earn the double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
333,000 | 11,000 |
|
|
153,000 | 46,000 |
Mike McDonald Wins Game 1 For the Montreal Nationals
Chance Kornuth has finally lost a game in the cube and it came at the hands of Mike McDonald in game one of the Americas Conference Finals.
McDonald earned a big chip lead and was running out of time on his action clock. He quickly shoved queen-high and Kornuth quickly called with ace-high. McDonald hit a queen on the flop and stayed ahead to win the first game of the series.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
500,000 | 167,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Game #2: Pascal Lefrancois v. Olivier Busquet
Pascal Lefrancois earned all his points this season in heads up play. His opponent, Olivier Busquet earned a large majority of his teams heads up points and just closed out the previous series against the Sao Paolo Mets to put the LA Sunset in the Americas Conference Finals.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
260,000 | |
|
240,000 |
Lefrancois Makes Three Calls and Only Wins One
Pascal Lefrancois made three calls in a row and lost the first two, before finally beating Olivier Busquet in a pot to take the chip lead. Busquet had built up a nice lead after two rivers where he bet the best hand and Lefrancois called. Finally, Lefrancois raised Busquet's flop bet holding only jack-high. Busquet called with king-high and Lefrancois hit a pair on the turn. Both players checked and Lefrancois checked again. Busquet bet big on the river, making it 42,000. Lefrancois called, but didn't seem thrilled.
He won the hand and took over the chip lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
332,000 | 72,000 |
|
|
171,000 | -69,000 |
Pascal Lefrancois Puts Nationals Up 2-0
Olivier Busquet shot out of the gate in game two, looking poised to win another match for his team. He got value from Pascal Lefrancois two times on the river, before he put in a big river bet with king-high. Lefrancois called with a pair and won the hand to take a big lead. On the final hand, Lefrancois shoved the river with a straight, putting Busquet at risk. Busquet called with a set of eights and fell to Lefrancois, giving the Montreal Nationals a 2-0 series lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
500,000 | 168,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Game #3: Marc Andre Ladouceur v. Maria Ho
The managers are next up for game three of the Americas Conference Finals. Maria Ho comes into the match needing to get a win with the LA Sunset down two games to zero. Marc Andre Ladouceur comes in with his team sitting with a comfortable lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
260,000 | |
|
240,000 |