2010 NAPT Venetian Main Event | 2010 NAPT Venetian

02-24-2010 16:43 UTC-12

Back from Dinner

Donnie Peters

The players have returned from their dinner break and are back in action. The level hasn't changed though, we're still going to be playing 60,000-120,000 with a 15,000 ante for another 20 minutes. Here's how the chips look coming out of the break.

Sam Stein - 14,550,000
Daniel Clemente - 5,520,000
Tom Marchese - 3,675,000
Yunus Jamal - 2,875,000

Oh, and Clemente has changed shirts since returning from dinner.

02-24-2010 15:20 UTC-12

Dinner Break

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And with that hand, the players have been sent on a dinner break. Play will resume at 8:30pm local time with 20 minutes left in Level 30.

02-24-2010 15:20 UTC-12

What's Going On Here? Stein's Aces Cracked!

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Maybe we spoke just a little too soon about Sam Stein's ability to win any pot. He opened for 255,000 pre-flop and was called by big blind Daniel Clemente.

The flop came {9-Diamonds}

. Clemente checked to Stein, who followed with a continuation-bet of 330,000. Clemente check-raised to 800,000, then called all in after Stein pushed.

Improbably, Stein had pocket aces, {A-Diamonds}

. Clemente could only muster middle pair, {K-Diamonds}

. But he decided to take a page out of Stein's book and went runner-runner, {5-Diamonds}

and

, to make a king-high flush.

Tags: Daniel Clemente Sam Stein

02-24-2010 15:12 UTC-12

So He Can Lose

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Donnie Peters

Level 30 : 60,000/120,000, 15,000 ante

Y. Jamal moved all in for 1,350,000 and Sam Stein tank-called from the big blind. Stein held two red fours while Jamal held .

The flop came down and Jamal added a spade flush draw. The turn was the and a cheer erupted from Jamal's fan section.

With the way Stein has been running, everyone expected the to come off on the river. Maybe the run-bad has started because the rolled off and Jamal made a flush to double up to 3.8 million chips. Stein still has over half of the chips in play.

Tags: Sam Stein Y. Jamal

02-24-2010 15:07 UTC-12

Can Anyone Truly Beat Stein?

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We're searching Sam the Steamroller Stein's phone for Satan's number at the next break.

Yunus Jamal made his one move from the button -- he moved all in for 1,245,000. Action passed to Sam Stein, who tanked for a minute before calling. Jamal couldn't have felt good about that.

Showdown

Jamal: {A-Clubs}

Stein:

Sure, Stein was dominated by Jamal. But that hasn't stopped Stein for the last three days. A shudder went through the crowd on a flop of {J-Diamonds}

. Each player caught a piece. We all theorized about the ways Stein could get a piece of the pot as we prepared for the turn.

{10-Clubs}

"Chop it up," came the call from the gallery. "Queen ball coming." Everyone in media row knew there was no possible way Stein was losing this pot. The river...

{Q-Spades}

"Yunus, you got there!" joked the gallery. Yep. Each player made a Broadway straight. Chop that pot up, and don't try to stand in the way of Sam the Steamroller Stein.

02-24-2010 14:56 UTC-12

Race for Second?

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Yunus Jamal, Tom Marchese and Daniel Clemente all seem very hesitant about tangling with Sam Stein. Action folded to Clemente in the small blind and he limped in. Stein checked, then bet 180,000 after Clemente checked a {6-Diamonds}

flop. Clemente immediately folded.

02-24-2010 14:51 UTC-12

Big Money

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Donnie Peters

With the elimination of David Paredes in fifth place, each of the remaining four players are guaranteed over $240,000. That's greater than the largest score any of these remaining players have had in the past. With almost a quarter of a million dollars already locked up, let's see how these players react to playing for the most money they've ever played for.

Yunus Jamal and Daniel Clemente have never had a score worth six figures so this is new territory for them. Sam Stein and Tom Marchese are both coming off six figure pay days in January, but those were both under $200,000 each.

02-24-2010 14:50 UTC-12

Someone Beats Stein!

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We weren't sure we really saw it, but someone beat Sam Stein out of a pot. Tom Marchese opened the button with a raise to 255,000 that Stein called from the big blind. On a flop of {A-Diamonds}

, Stein check-folded to a bet of 175,000.

Tags: Sam Stein Tom Marchese

02-24-2010 14:49 UTC-12

David Paredes Eliminated in 5th Place ($184,816)

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Only a few hands after doubling with pocket aces, David Paredes raised to 275,000. Sam Stein made a big reraise to 880,000. Paredes four-bet to 1.7 million, and Stein shoved over the top. Paredes snap called.

Showdown
Paredes: {A-Spades}

Stein:

Paredes had picked up aces again, but against Stein, even pocket rockets are on shaky ground. The only question in the audience was whether Stein would hit a set or a straight. He couldn't river a flush in this hand since Paredes had him suit-dominated.

The suspense didn't last long with a jack on the {Q-Spades}