The final 12 players are on another 15-minute break. Things have been fast and furious down to the final 12, but the tournament seems to be at a standstill for now until we can lose a few more. The final table is within everyone's reach and they can surely feel it.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,396,000
41,000
|
41,000 |
|
||
|
1,060,000
60,000
|
60,000 |
|
941,000
246,000
|
246,000 |
|
|
||
|
892,000
-213,000
|
-213,000 |
|
|
||
|
811,000
-29,000
|
-29,000 |
|
715,000
155,000
|
155,000 |
|
||
|
541,000
-109,000
|
-109,000 |
|
|
||
|
521,000
111,000
|
111,000 |
|
|
||
|
350,000
-106,000
|
-106,000 |
|
345,000
-159,000
|
-159,000 |
|
274,000
-231,000
|
-231,000 |
|
|
||
|
228,000
-72,000
|
-72,000 |
|
|
||
![[user116926]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
As we wait for the players to take their seats again, take a look at some of the highlights from the PokerStars party on the eve of the Main Event. We find out how some of the Team PokerStars Pros recovered from the World Series of Poker.
Level: 23
Blinds: 12,000/24,000
Ante: 4,000
Action folded to Erik von Buxhoeveden in the cutoff seat and he raised all in for approximately 280,000. Oded Minond moved all in himself from the small blind to isolate and everyone else got out of the way.
Minond: 
Von Buxhoeveden: 
The board ran out 
and von Buxhoeveden was eliminated in 12th place. The PokerStars qualifier took home nearly $11,000 for his finish while Minond nearly doubled his stack.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
650,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
From the cutoff seat, Engelberth Varela raised to 60,000. Carlos Watanabe reraised all in for 242,000 from the small blind and Varela called. Varela held the to Watanabe's 
.
The eights held up as the board ran out 
and Watanabe doubled.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,130,000
-266,000
|
-266,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
528,000
254,000
|
254,000 |
|
|
||
Action moved to Alex Komaromi in the small blind and he raised all in. Luis Alberto Bonnet called all in for less from the big blind. Bonnet was all in for 350,000 or so and held the 
. Komaromi held the 
.
Although Komaromi held an inferior hand preflop, the board ran out 
and he was able to win the hand. Bonnet earned $10,830 for his finish while Komaromi moved to 1.1 million in chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,100,000
796,000
|
796,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
Busted | |
Andrey Tsitovich began the day second in chips and in the second-to-last player to hit the rail before we reach the official final table here in Punt del Este.
Tsitovich raised from under the gun to 48,000 and action folded to Alex Komaromi in the big blind. He reraised to 116,000 and then Tsitovich moved all in for about 875,000 in chips. Komaromi called holding the 
. Tsitovich held the 
.
Tsitovich was unable to find any help as the board ran out 
and he was eliminated in 10th place. Tsitovich took home $12,700 as the players are now redrawing to one final table of nine before play resumes.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,920,000
1,616,000
|
1,616,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
| Seat | Player | Chips |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rafael Monteiro | 830,000 |
| 2 | Felipe Pasini | 495,000 |
| 3 | Nelson Trad Neto | 720,000 |
| 4 | Carlos Watanabe | 450,000 |
| 5 | Alex Komalomi | 1,920,000 |
| 6 | Claudio Piedrabuena | 700,000 |
| 7 | Oded Minond | 570,000 |
| 8 | Fernando Araujo | 1,000,000 |
| 9 | Engelberth Varela | 1,210,000 |
We haven't had much action since moving to one table left in play, but here's something for your reading eyes.
From middle position, Carlos Watanabe raised to 75,000. Action then folded to Engelberth Varela in the big blind and he reraised all in for over a million in chips. Varela had Watanabe well covered for his 500,000 or so. Watanabe took a minute to think and then mucked his hand, dropped back to 430,000 on chips.
This may be Watanabe's first LAPT cash, but it's not his first deep run in a PokerStars-sponsored tournament. In November 2010, Watanabe placed 15th out of 701 players in the NAPT Los Angeles Main Event. For that finish he earned $21,000. In order to get a larger sum of money here, Watanabe will have to finish in seventh place or higher. Right now, he's doing what he can to stay alive, albeit at the bottom of the pack. Still, he's just one double up from being right back in the middle of things.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,380,000
170,000
|
170,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
430,000
-20,000
|
-20,000 |
|
|
||
