PPC Team Pro Chris Bolek has had quite a run over the last year and a half. It all started with a win in January of 2013 that netted him $96,000. He continued with a sixth place finish in a $1,000 World Series of Poker event which was good for another $58,348. Fast forward to 2014 and Bolek would add another $47,061 to his bankroll after taking down a WSOP Circuit event and then would go on three deep runs at the WSOP including a 50th place finish in the Monster Stack tournament that would see him collect $26,534.
All told, Bolek now has $446,948 in reported lifetime winnings and is proud to represent the PPC as they look to grow their tour. He's here today looking to win his first PPC Main Event title.
When it comes to top poker destinations, there aren't many places in the world that rate as high as Aruba, and for the third year running the PPC Poker Tour will return to the beautiful island for the PPC Aruba World Championship.
Taking place this year from October 15-21 at the Radisson Aruba, the series will feature nine events highlighted by a $200,000 guaranteed Main Event with a buy-in of $2,200. The Main Event will begin on Saturday, October 18, feature two starting days, and allow for reentry.
In 2012, Joe Serock won the event for $40,574 after he and Jesse Chinni chopped up first- and second-place prize money. Then in 2013, it was Germany's [Removed:65] taking the top prize of $59,139 after a heads-up deal with Joe Ebanks. Remarkably, Serock placed third in that event for $26,000 in an impressive back-to-back performance.
Handfuls of players have already won a package to Aruba through various PPC Poker Tour events, and there's still plenty of time for you to do the same, or simply book a trip for the event.
To book your trip now, you may contact Bridget Stein at (561) 883-3523 or email [email protected]. To view information about upcoming PPC Poker Tour stops, please click here.
Natasha Barbour enticing her opponent to make a call
Facing a 1,500 raise from the player in Seat 10, Natasha Barbour raised it up to 3,500. It was folded back to her opponent who made the call.
Barbour threw out a bet of 3,000 in the dark causing her opponent to laugh. "How you like me now?" asked a grinning Barbour.
"Just a minute and I'll tell you," said her opponent as he waited for the dealer to put out the flop. The dealer fanned out and Barbour's foe said "I like you just a tad less" as he put out the call.
Before the dealer could put out the turn Barbour again bet in the dark, this time for 6,000. The turn was the and Barbour's opponent pump-faked a call leading Barbour to say "we both know you aren't going to call. Quit wasting time." He did make the call though and looked at Barbour and told her "I just like seeing the look on your face when I call."
Barbour bet in the dark for a third time with the wager being 8,000 this go around. The river was the and Barbour's opponent said to her "say the magic word."
"Pay me off," Barbour said, a sly smile on her face. It looked as if he was going to call and Barbour said "thank you" before the chips hit the center. Then a fold looked as if it was coming. "Nooooo," said Barbour. A look of resignation came over her opponent's face and without moving a chip he said "I call."
Barbour turned over and her opponent flashed for a pair of jacks. "Nice hand," he said, adding "remember me on Day 2."
"You won't be there," deadpanned Barbour to laughter from the table.
Chris Thompson moments after winning a massive pot
Players were surrounding the table and when we got there the board was already complete with it showing and Chris Thompson was all in for 54,125 with close to 30,000 already in the pot. His lone opponent had him slightly covered and was contemplating whether or not to put in the majority of his stack in to make the call.
Finally he announced a call and Thompson quickly turned over the nuts with his . "You have to be kidding me," his opponent said as he flung his cards into the muck.
Already one of the chip leaders prior to the start of the hand, Thompson now has moved clearly into the lead with 140,000 in chips.
Not wanting to be outdone by Chris Thompson, Evlys Gutierrez has retaken the chip lead with 152,000 in chips after winning a sizable pot in which he "called a million chips with ace high and was right" according to table mate Natasha Barbour. Here are a few other chip counts from around the tournament room.
72 of the original 134 remain with five minutes left in the level.
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and Barbour's foe said "I like you just a tad less" as he put out the call.
and Barbour's opponent pump-faked a call leading Barbour to say "we both know you aren't going to call. Quit wasting time." He did make the call though and looked at Barbour and told her "I just like seeing the look on your face when I call."
and Barbour's opponent said to her "say the magic word."
and her opponent flashed 
for a pair of jacks. "Nice hand," he said, adding "remember me on Day 2."
and Chris Thompson was all in for 54,125 with close to 30,000 already in the pot. His lone opponent had him slightly covered and was contemplating whether or not to put in the majority of his stack in to make the call.
. "You have to be kidding me," his opponent said as he flung his cards into the muck.
