2017 PokerStars Championship Bahamas

$5,000 Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info

2017 PokerStars Championship Bahamas

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
aj
Prize
$429,664
Event Info
Buy-in
$5,000
Prize Pool
$3,376,712
Entries
738
Level Info
Level
31
Blinds
80,000 / 160,000
Ante
20,000

Aaron Paul on The Path to Success

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 100 ante
Aaron Paul
Aaron Paul

There is always pressure at the poker table, but Christoph Vogelsang just experienced a little of what Aaron Paul must do on a daily basis - all eyes were on him.

The two biggest names at their table, Paul had position on Vogelsang, sitting to the German's direct left, and the star of TV's Breaking Bad and The Path among many others was down to just over starting stack at the beginning of the hand.

We joined the action on a flop of {10-Diamonds}{5-Diamonds}{A-Clubs} with 6,500 in the middle already, and Paul made it 2,600 to see a turn. At that stage he had two opponents in the hand, but only Vogelsang called to the turn of {6-Clubs}. Vogelsang checked to Paul, who bet 5,000 this time, the German calling with the same casuality that Paul has displayed in making the bet, tossing a single blue chip into the middle.

The river of {K-Clubs} saw Vogelsang check again, and by this point the TV cameras were right on both players as they sat side by side. Aaron Paul moved all-in for his remaining 20,300. Suddenly the heat was right on Vogelsang, and he felt it.

"All the cameras..." he said, and Paul did nothing to help his opponent breathe easier, staring him down with the intensity his acting performances are so widely known for. Vogelsang took five minutes making a decision, by which point another opponent at the table, Erik Lemarquand, called the clock.

Vogelsang was in the tank, and Aaron Paul flexed his fingers as Kate Badurek announced '30 seconds'. All eyes were on Vogelsang, and with just eight seconds left on the clock, he called!

Aaron Paul turned over {A-Hearts}{K-Diamonds} and Vogelsang nodded, mucking his hand. Paul tapped the table in appreciation of his opponent's deliberation, and as the cameras and media drifted away, turned to Vogelsang.

"That shit was long...! My God, we were surrounded." Vogelsang smiled and the two men stacked up their chips, the German still holding more than his Hollywood opponent, but not by much.

Player Chips Progress
Christoph Vogelsang de
Christoph Vogelsang
77,000 -23,300
Aaron Paul us
Aaron Paul
68,000 -6,700

Riess Doubles Through Mizrachi

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 100 ante

We caught the action on the flop of {6-Clubs}{J-Spades}{7-Clubs} as Ryan Riess and his neighbor Robert Mizrachi got their chips in. Riess had the advantage turning over {6-Hearts}{6-Diamonds} for a set while Mizrachi had {8-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}. The {A-Clubs} on the turn was somewhat of a scary card for Riess but the {9-Hearts} on the river was a blank and he got his 11,800 back times two, plus what was in the pot already.

Player Chips Progress
Robert Mizrachi us
Robert Mizrachi
WSOP 4X Winner
WPT 1X Winner
50,000 -38,000
Ryan Riess us
Ryan Riess
WSOP Main Event Champion
WSOP 1X Winner
WPT 1X Winner
44,000 18,400

Tags: Robert MizrachiRyan Riess

Jaime Staples Doubles Through Igor Kurganov

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 100 ante
Jaime Staples
Jaime Staples

Upon walking by Jaime Staples' table we saw him all in for his remaining 17,400 chips from the big blind.

There was already about 55,000 in the pot, and the board read {k-Clubs}{j-Hearts}{3-Hearts}{a-Hearts}{2-Hearts}.

Igor Kurganov was the player facing the bet from the Team PokerStars Pro. He thought about it and eventually tossed in a few chips, indicating a call.

Staples quickly tabled {k-Hearts}{k-Diamonds} for the second nut flush and Kurganov mucked his cards.

Player Chips Progress
Jaime Staples ca
Jaime Staples
90,000 60,000
Igor Kurganov ru
Igor Kurganov
WSOP 1X Winner
73,000 -48,000

Allen Kessler Finds a Double

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 100 ante
Allen Kessler
Allen Kessler

Action folded around to Allen Kessler in the cutoff and he decided to raise it up to 3,000. The button called, and the big blind decided to defend.

The flop came {q-Hearts}{j-Clubs}{7-Spades}. The big blind checked, and Kessler bet 3,500. The button folded and the big blind wasted no time as he slid a tall stack of chips forward, clearly putting Kessler to the test for his remaining 22,500 chips.

Kessler made a few motions with his hands, clearly discussing the options with himself in his head. Eventually, Kessler called.

Kessler tabled {q-Clubs}{10-Clubs} while his opponent showed a dominated {q-Spades}{9-Diamonds}.

The turn was the {k-Diamonds} and the river was the {6-Spades}, giving Kessler the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Allen Kessler us
Allen Kessler
57,000 26,900

Tags: Allen Kessler

Pahuja Takes a Chunk From Kurganov

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 100 ante
Mukul Pahuja
Mukul Pahuja

With about 6,000 in the pot, on a board reading {10-Spades}{8-Hearts}{2-Spades}, Mukul Pahuja checked from the big blind.

Igor Kurganov was in middle position and bet 2,500. Action was back on Pahuja and he decided to put in a check-raise to 8,000. Kurganov called.

The turn was the {3-Clubs}. Pahuja led out for 14,000. Kurganov went into the tank and called.

The river was the {7-Spades}. Pahuja checked to his opponent and Kurganov fired out a bet of 40,000.

Pahuja thought about it for a full minute before piling some chips in the middle, indicating a call.

Kurganov tabled {j-Spades}{j-Diamonds} for a pair of jacks, and Pahuja tabled {10-Hearts}{2-Hearts} for two pair, tens and twos. Kurganov was left with just 22,000 from the 121,000 chip stack he started with today.

Player Chips Progress
Mukul Pahuja us
Mukul Pahuja
175,000 67,500
Igor Kurganov ru
Igor Kurganov
WSOP 1X Winner
22,000 -51,000

Tags: Igor KurganovMukul Pahuja

Sometimes Taking a Chance Can be Costly

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 100 ante
Chance Kornuth
Chance Kornuth

Allen Kessler raised to 2,500 from middle position and was called by Chance Kornuth from the hijack. The small blind came along, as did Christopher George in the big blind.

The flop came {8-Hearts}{5-Spades}{4-Clubs}. The small blind checked, and George bet 4,500. Kessler folded, and Kornuth called. The small blind thought about it and eventually decided to fold.

The turn was the {j-Clubs}. George checked this time and Kornuth bet 6,000. George called.

The river was the {3-Diamonds}. George checked once again and Kornuth put out a bet of 22,000. George went into the tank for a full minute before deciding to call.

Kornuth tabled {8-Spades}{8-Clubs} for a set of eights. George mucked his cards.

Player Chips Progress
Chance Kornuth us
Chance Kornuth
WSOP 3X Winner
WPT 1X Winner
135,000 72,700
Christopher George us
Christopher George
35,000 -29,200

Tags: Allen KesslerChance KornuthChristopher George

Level: 10

Blinds: 600/1,200

Ante: 200

Kaverman and Mateos

Level 10 : 600/1,200, 200 ante
Byron Kaverman
Byron Kaverman

Byron Kaverman and Adrian Mateos both ran deep in yesterday $50,000 Single Day High Roller, and find themselves as tablemates today. While Mateos eventually busted just outside the money places, Kaverman laddered to third place, where he cashed for $452,220.

In the latest hand involving the two, there was a pot of 9,800 in the middle by the time we arrived on the turn of a board showing {10-Spades}{4-Diamonds}{5-Spades}{2-Spades}. Mateos, in middle position, made it 6,200 and Kaverman called from the big blind.

On the river of {Q-Clubs}, Kaverman checked to Mateos, who made it 17,500 to call. Kaverman didn't call, but he did raise...to 42,000! Mateos went from applying pressure to dealing with it in that move and he moved his hand through his hair and agonized over the decision. He eventually decided to fold, but didn't look happy to do so.

While Mateos still has one of the bigger stacks in the room, so too now does Kaverman, with just a few chips less than his opponent.

Player Chips Progress
Adrian Mateos es
Adrian Mateos
EPT Main Event Champion
WSOP 4X Winner
EPT 1X Winner
128,000 7,100
Byron Kaverman us
Byron Kaverman
WSOP 1X Winner
114,000 31,200

Tags: Adrian MateosByron Kaverman

$50K High Roller Champ Bryn Kenney Enters the Field

Level 10 : 600/1,200, 200 ante

Bryn Kenney, who was busy until 3 a.m. winning the PokerStars Championship Bahamas $50,000 Single-Day High Roller for $969,075 — which you can read about by clicking here — entered the field at the tail end of Level 9.

Kenney had actually signed up earlier before registration closed at the start of Day 2, but decided to get some extra rest before taking his seat. As such, the tournament staff docked him a round of blinds and antes, meaning he'll start the Main Event with 27,800.

Player Chips Progress
Bryn Kenney us
Bryn Kenney
WSOP 1X Winner
27,800

Tags: Bryn Kenney

Aaron Paul and Christoph Vogelsang Square Off Yet Again

Level 10 : 600/1,200, 200 ante

In the last hand before the level went up, Christoph Vogelsang raised to 2,300 and Aaron Paul called from the cutoff. The button and blind all folded, and the two saw a flop of {10-Diamonds}{j-Clubs}{6-Clubs}, which they both checked.

After the dealer burned and turned the {10-Spades}, Vogelsang led out for 4,000 and Paul called just as the TV cameras began to swarm. When the {3-Spades} completed the board on the river, Vogelsang paused for a few beats and then bet 19,000, which elicited a snap-fold from Paul.

Player Chips Progress
Christoph Vogelsang de
Christoph Vogelsang
90,000 13,000
Aaron Paul us
Aaron Paul
50,000 -18,000

Tags: Aaron PaulChristoph Vogelsang