2012 PokerStars.net LAPT Punta del Este

It took just more than nine levels of Day 3 action, but we are down to a final table of nine at LAPT Punta del Este.

The day started with 76 hopefuls looking to find their way into the money. It took Bolivar Palacios running into for the bubble to burst, but his elimination guaranteed the remaining 56 players an LAPT cash. From there, many others hit the rail. Team PokerStars Pro Nacho Barbero, LAPT Season 4 Colombia champion Julian Menendez, and Day 1 chip leader Juan Garcia were among them.

Garcia held the chip lead with 15 players remaining, but finished in 15th place after losing a gigantic pot to Francisco Baruffi Neto. A series of raises between the two culminated with Baruffi Neto all in and at risk with against the of Garcia. The flop changed nothing, but the spiked on the turn. The river completed the board, giving Baruffi Neto the chip lead and leaving Garcia on life support.

From there, Baruffi Neto maintained the lead and will enter the final table as chip leader. Here is how the final nine players stack up:

Play resumes Sunday at 1pm local time, so be sure to keep it here at PokerNews to see who becomes the newest LAPT champion. Until then, good night from Punta del Este!

Gasperino Loiacono raised to 40,000 and Francisco Baruffi Neto called. Angel Guillen got out of the way and Guido Ruffini peered down at his cards, thought for a moment, and pushed out a three-bet to 140,000.

Loiacono opted to move all in and Neto quickly folded. Ruffini snap called and flipped up . An exasperated Loiacono shot up from his seat and flung his onto the felt.

The board came and Loiacono was forced to settle for a tenth place finish.

With this elimination the final table is set!

Guido Ruffini put in a preflop raise and it folded around to Team PokerStars Pro Angel Guillen who moved his entire stack in from the big blind. Ruffini snap called with but was slightly behind Guillen's .

Guillen paired up on the board and made two pair when the came on fourth street. Ruffini still had outs going to the river, but bricked out with the .

Vladimir Dobrovolskiy made a hijack raise to 35,000 that was met by a three-bet to 80,000 from Carlos Leoncio Mironiuk. Dobrovolskiy would seemingly have none of that, however, as he moved all in for 341,000. Mironuik pondered for a moment before calling.

Dobrovolskiy:
Mironiuk:

Dobrovolskiy took the lead, pairing his ace on the flop and leaving Mironiuk in search of just the queen of diamonds.The turned and the rivered, clinching a double up for Dobrovolskiy.

Osvaldo Silvio Resquin made it 34,000 and Thiago Camilo three-bet all in for about 140,000. Resquin called and showed the which was racing with Camilo's .

The pocket fours held up through a board and Camilo was sent to the rail to collect his $11,440 in tournament winnings.

Guido Ruffini raised to 42,000 from the hijack and was called by Francisco Baruffi Neto from the big blind. A flop of was placed in front of the two players. Neto checked and Ruffini pushed out 64,000. Neto called and the turned. Neto checked for a second time and this time Ruffini pushed out a cool 100,000. Neto made the call.

The river brought a third five in the form of the and Neto checked yet again. Ruffini double fisted 200,000 into the middle and Neto called. Ruffini flipped up and Neto tossed his hand to the muck.

Fresh off of eliminating Diego Vilela, Carlos Leoncio Mironiuk raised to 38,000 from the cutoff. Fabio Baduy responded by moving all in for roughly 230,000 and Mironiuk called.

Mironiuk:
Baduy:

Baduy held the lead through the flop and the turn, but Mironiuk was able to spike a on the river, giving him the best hand and sending Baduy packing.

Action folded around to Diego Vilela who moved all in for 110,000 from the hijack. Carlos Leoncio Mironiuk called from the small blind and the hands were flipped over:

Vilela:
Mironiuk:

Mironiuk was far ahead and Vilela was not able to get any help when the board of was spread out in front of him. Vilela will collect $9,100 in prize money.