2019 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure

$25,000 PokerStars NL Hold'em Players Championship
Day: 4
Event Info

2019 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a5
Prize
$5,100,000
Event Info
Buy-in
$25,000
Prize Pool
$26,455,500
Entries
1,039
Level Info
Level
36
Blinds
300,000 / 600,000
Ante
600,000

Jake Schwartz Eliminated in 12th Place ($261,750)

Level 30 : 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante
Jake Schwartz
Jake Schwartz

Jason Koonce raised to 400,000 and Jake Schwartz defended the big blind. Schwartz checked the {9-Diamonds}{3-Spades}{3-Clubs} flop and folded to a continuation bet to drop to around 2.8 million in chips.

In the next hand, Florian Duta made it 325,000 to go on the button and Schwartz moved all in from the small blind. Platinum Pass winner Marc Rivera in the big blind asked for the stack size of Duta, then moved all in over the top and forced a quick fold from Duta.

Jake Schwartz: {K-Hearts}{J-Clubs}
Marc Rivera: {A-Spades}{K-Spades}

The board came {8-Diamonds}{4-Diamonds}{2-Clubs}{8-Clubs}{7-Diamonds} and Schwartz had to settle for 12th place and a payday of $261,750.

Player Chips Progress
Marc Rivera ph
Marc Rivera
9,200,000 3,100,000
Florian Duta ro
Florian Duta
2,400,000 -480,000
Jake Schwartz us
Jake Schwartz
Busted

Tags: Florian DutaJake SchwartzJason KoonceMarc RiveraPlatinum Pass

Yiannis Liperis Eliminated in 13th Place ($261,750)

Level 30 : 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante
Yiannis Liperis
Yiannis Liperis

Yiannis Liperis moved all in under the gun for 805,000 and Florian Duta called in the big blind with {q-Hearts}{8-Spades} after brief thought. Liperis was ahead with {a-Diamonds}{10-Diamonds} but the {3-Clubs}{4-Clubs}{q-Spades} flop held the last card he wanted to see. The {8-Clubs} turn ended things early on the turn.

Player Chips Progress
Florian Duta ro
Florian Duta
2,880,000 930,000
Yiannis Liperis cy
Yiannis Liperis
Busted

Tags: Florian DutaYiannis Liperis

Bicknell: "This is What I Play Poker For; These Moments"

Level 30 : 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante
Kristen Bicknell
Kristen Bicknell

Last week, 2019 GPI Female POY and Canadian POY Kristen Bicknell announced a goal of a seven-figure cash. She's getting ever closer to it here in the PSPC.

We chatted with Bicknell in the last break, you can read how she feels about the event and her plans for 2019 and the future on the PokerNews homepage

Tags: Kristen Bicknell

Triple Up for Schwartz

Level 30 : 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

Over on the outer table, Jake Schwartz moved all in for 1,180,000 from early position and Julien Martini called on the button. Yiannis Liperis in the big blind moved all in for another 800,000 or so on top and Martini called.

Jake Schwartz: {K-Hearts}{10-Hearts}
Yiannis Liperis: {7-Clubs}{7-Spades}
Julien Martini: {7-Diamonds}{7-Hearts}

Schwartz was very excited to see himself up against identical pocket pairs with two overcards, and immediately improved on the {K-Spades}{6-Diamonds}{3-Hearts} flop. Liperis and Martini still had outs to a runner runner straight, but the triple up was secured on the {8-Hearts} turn, making the {9-Spades} river a formality.

Player Chips Progress
Julien Martini fr
Julien Martini
WSOP 4X Winner
5,325,000 -975,000
Jake Schwartz us
Jake Schwartz
3,780,000 2,700,000
Yiannis Liperis cy
Yiannis Liperis
830,000 -1,070,000

Tags: Jake SchwartzJulien MartiniYiannis Liperis

Griffin Benger Eliminated in 14th Place ($229,700)

Level 30 : 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante
Griffin Benger
Griffin Benger

Talal Shakerchi raised to 365,000 from under the gun with {j-Clubs}{10-Clubs} and Griffin Benger moved all in for 550,000 with {k-Diamonds}{9-Hearts}. Shakerchi made an easy call and Benger was at risk once again, after being down to less than one big blind.

The flop came {j-Diamonds}{7-Spades}{2-Spades} to give Shakerchi a pair of jacks and the lead. The turn was the {7-Diamonds} and the river brought the {a-Clubs} as Benger headed for the payout desk in 14th place.

Player Chips Progress
Talal Shakerchi gb
Talal Shakerchi
Day 1 Chip Leader
4,110,000 210,000
Griffin Benger ca
Griffin Benger
Busted

Tags: Griffin BengerTalal Shakerchi

Jason Koonce - Not Jason Koon - Running Deep in the $25K PSPC

Level 30 : 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante
Jason Koonce
Jason Koonce

When Jason Koonce checked into the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas at the start of the PCA, they gave him high-roller regular Jason Koon’s room. It’s pretty obvious how the mistake could be made, especially considering they were both expected to check in within a day of each other.

Koonce is no Koon, but he’s by no means out of his league playing in the $25,000 buy-in PokerStars Players Championship. A frequent cash game player 8-10 years ago, Koonce still hops in the occasional $25/$50 or $50/$100 game in his home area in Michigan or when traveling to L.A. or Vegas for work.

“I used to play a lot but work and family start to take priority.”

These days, Koonce stays busy running his sports memorabilia and talent company One Team International Agency (OTIA) and spending time with his wife and three young children. Read the interview with Koonce on the PokerNews Homepage.

Tags: Jason KoonceJason Koon

Chris Johnson Eliminated in 15th Place ($229,700)

Level 30 : 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante
Chris Johnson
Chris Johnson

Chris Johnson pushed all in first to act over on the outer table for 1,875,000 and Julien Martini did so on the button with the superior stack, forcing folds from the blinds.

Chris Johnson: {K-Diamonds}{Q-Clubs}
Julien Martini: {8-Clubs}{8-Hearts}

The board ran out {J-Hearts}{6-Diamonds}{6-Spades}{5-Clubs}{9-Diamonds} and Johnson failed to improve, bowing out in 15th place for a payday of $229,700.

Player Chips Progress
Julien Martini fr
Julien Martini
WSOP 4X Winner
5,200,000 1,900,000
Chris Johnson us
Chris Johnson
Busted

Tags: Chris JohnsonJulien Martini

Padhila's Rail Explodes

Level 30 : 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

One of the last Platinum Pass winners Pedro Padhila moved all in for 2,430,000 from the hijack with {4-Hearts}{4-Clubs}. Griffin Benger made a quick call in the big blind with {a-Spades}{j-Clubs}.

The flop came {k-Hearts}{7-Hearts}{5-Spades} to leave Padhila in the lead with the only pair. The {k-Spades} on the turn gave Benger plenty of counterfeit outs heading to the river. The dealer burned and turned the {6-Spades} and Padhila's rail exploded as he doubled up.

Player Chips Progress
Pedro Padilha br
Pedro Padilha
5,100,000 3,155,000
Griffin Benger ca
Griffin Benger
2,330,000 -2,590,000

Tags: Griffin BengerPedro Padhila

Rivera Collects Two Martini Barrels

Level 30 : 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

Marc Rivera defended big blind from a min-raise by Julien Martini in middle position and {k-Clubs}{3-Hearts}{10-Hearts} flopped. Martini bet 420,000 and 875,000 more on the {7-Diamonds} turn, with Rivera calling both bets. The {j-Spades} river checked through and Martini couldn't beat {k-Spades}{9-Spades}.

Player Chips Progress
Marc Rivera ph
Marc Rivera
5,700,000 1,910,000
Julien Martini fr
Julien Martini
WSOP 4X Winner
3,300,000 -1,450,000

Tags: Julien MartiniMarc Rivera