Main Event
Day 3 Completed
2017 PokerStars Festival Uruguay
Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2017 PokerStars Festival Uruguay
Buy-in
$1,650
Entries
261
Level
29
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
10,000
Julio Belluscio Leads The Final Table of the PokerStars Festival Uruguay Main Event
Level 23
: 12,000/24,000, 4,000 ante
The final table of the PokerStars Festival Main Event has been reached and after 24 levels it's Julio Belluscio who leads the way by a wide margin. Belluscio bagged up almost twice what his nearest competitor has. During level 23, Belluscio had a down level, losing almost 700,000 chips, but he recovered in a big way after hitting some flops and pulling off some well time bets. In one of the last hands of the day he bullied out Ernesto Panno from a massive pot to extend his lead over the field.
Belluscio is definitely the most accomplished player left in the field with almost $300,000 in live tournament earnings, with results from both the EPT, and the WSOP. Belluscio's largest cash to date is a win in an EPT side event for $56,743 so a win here in Uruguay would be his largest cash ever. He'll look to carry his chip lead to a victory here on Friday.
The day began with 24 players and several players dropped off fairly quickly, including Jose Moure, Mathias Duarte, and Brazilian poker phenom Hugo Marcelo. Marcelo came into the day fairly short and on his last hand he shoved all in with a pair, straight, and flush draws, but he found himself up against Renan Toniolo's flopped straight. Marcelo couldn't catch up and he hit the rail in 22nd place.
Also failing to make it through the day were Carlos Curi, Roberto Piazza, Carlos Segarra, Nicolas Malandre and PokerStars Cup Urugauy Winner Gustavo Prato. Prato found himself on a short stack and moved all in with king-jack against Osvaldo Naves' king-queen. He couldn't catch up and was sent home in 18th place.
It didn't take long to reach the unofficial final table, but once it was reached it took nearly four levels for players to cut the field down from nine to eight, with players doubling up and trading pots left and right. Eventually, Juan Guillenea was the one to fall. He shoved all in with 
and was called by Ernesto Panno's 
. Guillenea turned a pair of kings, but Panno rivered a flush to eliminate Guillenea from the tournament.
The final eight players will return Friday at 12 p.m. local time where the plan is to play down to a winner. Players will continue at level 24 with blinds of 15,000/30,000 and an ante of 5,000. PokerNews will be here to cover the entirety of the event and we'll be right back with them, so make sure to stay tuned for updates from throughout the day.
End of Day Chip Counts (full)
Level 23
: 12,000/24,000, 4,000 ante
A full recap will be available shortly.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,350,000 | 50,000 |
|
1,254,000 | 134,000 |
|
703,000 | 253,000 |
|
586,000 | -114,000 |
|
485,000 | 25,000 |
|
393,000 | 33,000 |
|
393,000 | -157,000 |
|
279,000 | -131,000 |
Juan Guillenea Eliminated in 9th Place ($7,940)
Level 23
: 12,000/24,000, 4,000 ante
Juan Guillenea had lost a few pots to blinds and without showdowns, and he found himself on a short stack. Action folded to him and he moved all in for 180,000. Ernesto Panno was in the small blind and he moved all in over the top with a slightly larger stack. The big blind folded and that brought the players to a showdown.
Guillenea:
Panno:
The flop brought some extra outs to Panno when it came 
giving him outs to a jack or ten now. The turn was the 
which put him in the lead as well, but now Panno was the one who picked up extra outs. He could catch a heart for the elimination. The river was the 
which gave Guillenea two-pair, but it also completed Panno's flush and that was it for Guillenea who hit the rail in 9th place, brining the field down to eight players and finishing play for the day.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
460,000 | 180,000 |
|
Busted |
Belluscio Bouncing Back
Level 23
: 12,000/24,000, 4,000 ante
Ernesto Panno opened with a raise to 100,000. He was called by Julio Belluscio on the button.
On the 
flop, Panno continued with a bet of 100,000 which Belluscio called.
The turn was the 
and this time both players checked to see the 
on the river. Panno decided to bet again, making it 150,000 and instantly Belluscio raised to 300,000. Panno dropped into the tank for a long while toying with his options. He and Belluscio exchanged words for a bit, with Panno asking what Belluscio was holding and Belluscio responding with possible hands.
Eventually, Panno decided to fold. Belluscio asked if Panno wanted to see the hand to which he responded that he didn't want to see it. So Belluscio took down the pot without a showdown.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,300,000 | 500,000 |
|
|
280,000 | -190,000 |
Big Flop For Belluscio
Level 23
: 12,000/24,000, 4,000 ante
Renan Toniolo opened with a raise to 60,000 from early position and he was called by Julio Belluscio in middle position. Everyone folded so the two headed to a flop.
The flop was 
and Toniolo checked. Belluscio put out a bet of 36,000. Toniolo thought for a bit, then decided to raise, making it 122,000. Belluscio didn't take too long to put in a reraise. He made it 212,000 to which Toniolo promptly folded.
Belluscio decided to show his hand though, revealing 
for a flopped straight with a backup flush draw as well. He took down the pot and regained some of the chips he let go of in the last level.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,800,000 | 250,000 |
|
|
410,000 | -125,000 |
Toniolo Doubles Through Belluscio
Level 23
: 12,000/24,000, 4,000 ante
Renan Toniolo shoved all in from middle position for 263,000 and he was called by Julio Belluscio. Everyone else folded and that brought the two players to a showdown.
Toniolo: 
Belluscio: 
The flop gave Toniolo two pair when it came 
and he held onto his lead through the turn and river allowing him to double up through Belluscio.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,550,000 | -160,000 |
|
|
535,000 | 205,000 |
Garcia's Turn to Shove
Level 23
: 12,000/24,000, 4,000 ante
Julio Belluscio raised from under the gun to 66,000. Juan Perez called from the cutoff. Action folded to Alejandro Garcia in the big blind and he shoved all in for over 500,000. Belluscio folded his hand and Perez followed suit allowing Garcia to take down the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,710,000 | -140,000 |
|
|
700,000 | 195,000 |
|
|
550,000 | -60,000 |
Raise and Take Action
Level 23
: 12,000/24,000, 4,000 ante
Action has mostly been raise and take it as of late, or shove and folds. In the meantime, here is an updated list of chip counts:
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,850,000 | -80,000 |
|
|
1,120,000 | 20,000 |
|
|
610,000 | -105,000 |
|
|
505,000 | -170,000 |
|
|
470,000 | -140,000 |
|
|
450,000 | -50,000 |
|
|
380,000 | -350,000 |
|
|
360,000 | -165,000 |
|
|
330,000 | 20,000 |
Arocena Shoves Twice, Shows Once
Level 23
: 12,000/24,000, 4,000 ante
Julio Arocena is in the mode of shoving lately. He just moved in the last two hands. In the first hand, Julio Belluscio limped in from middle position. Juan Guillenea called from the small blind before Arocena shoved all in from the big. Both players folded and Arocena took down the pot.
On the second hand, Belluscio once again limped in. This time Arocena shoved all in from the small blind. Belluscio sighed and mucked. Arocena showed an first, but later the as well. With those two shoved he's now moved back to almost 500,000 chips, which is still a bit below average.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,930,000 | -470,000 |
|
|
500,000 |