$2,700 No Limit Hold'em Main Event | 2008 PokerStars.net LAPT Punta del Este

08-09-2008 19:33 UTC-3

Heads Up, Cards in the Air

[user66118]

We're back in action, as we go heads up for the championship here at the PokerStars.net LAPT Punta del Este!

08-09-2008 19:48 UTC-3

The two remaining players are clearly in a bit of a feeling-out period, comparable to the start of the day. Out of seven hands, we have seen just two flops. In the other five, a preflop raise has won the pot every time. The pace is fine, but we can already feel the tension building a little bit. The stacks are deep though, and there is plenty of play left without the players feeling the need to get too crazy, too fast.

08-09-2008 19:54 UTC-3

Back and Forth

[user66118]

The two men are basically trading chips back and forth, and after nearly a half-hour of heads-up play, the stack sizes are almost exactly where they began.

08-09-2008 20:23 UTC-3

Status Quo

[user66118]

Fifty minutes into heads-up play now, and still there is virtually no change in the chip stacks of our two players. The spectators have grown a little disinterested as play is creeping along. As soon as there is a flop though, they all seem to perk right up as they pine for any shred of post-flop action.

08-09-2008 20:35 UTC-3

Dinner Time

[user66118]

The clock has been paused while we take 25 quick minutes for dinner.

Level: 25

Blinds: 20,000/40,000

Ante: 4,000

08-09-2008 21:10 UTC-3

Play Resumes

[user66118]

After a little bit of searching, we have found our two players and ordered them back to their chairs. They have assumed the position, and the cards are in the air once more!

08-09-2008 21:11 UTC-3

Updated Chip Counts

[user66118]

Jose Miguel Espinar - 2,257,000
Alex Brenes - 1,264,000

08-09-2008 21:26 UTC-3

A Showdown!

[user66118]

Alex Brenes has the button.

He limps in, and Jose Miguel Espinar checks his option. The flop comes out {5-Spades}

. Both players check.

Turn: {8-Spades}

. Espinar leads out with 60,000 chips, a full pot bet. Brenes makes the call.

The river brings the {4-Diamonds}

. Espinar reaches for chips and pushed out a bet of 180,000. Brenes pauses for just a minute before making the call. As the chips are going in, Espinar taps the table and slides his cards into the muck. Brenes shows his {A-?}

in order to win the pot, and he draws back close to even after pulling in about 550,000 chips.

08-09-2008 21:45 UTC-3

Some Big Action

[user66118]

Jose Miguel Espinar has the button.

He raises the bet, making it 105,000 to play. Alex Brenes calls. The two men watch as the flop reveals {9-Diamonds}

. Brenes checks, and Espinar continues out with a bet of 150,000. Brenes makes the call.

The turn comes the {4-Spades}

. This time, Alex Brenes seizes control and leads out with a sizable 400,000-chip bet. After about 15 or 20 seconds, Espinar announces, "All in," having Brenes covered. Immediately, the room falls silent as all in attendance shift their gaze toward the man with the decision, Alex Brenes.

Brenes stands up, shaking his head. He counts his chips several times, riffling a stack of blue T5,000s. He gazes down at the board, contemplating his options. After three or four minutes, he lets his hand go, and Jose Miguel Espinar adds more than 650,000 of Brenes' chips to his own stack.