Elton Tsang opened to 25,000 from under the gun with 9♦9♣ and Michael Moncek called in the next seat with 4♦4♣ before Alejandro Lococo three-bet to 110,000 in the hijack with Q♥J♦. Only Tsang called.
Tsang checked on the flop of 8♥5♣J♥ and Lococo continued for 90,000. Tsang called.
Tsang checked again on the 4♠ turn, and Lococo checked back. Tsang checked once more on the 3♦ river, and Lococo bet 330,000. Tsang went deep in the tank and called before seeing the bad news — his pocket nines were beaten by Lococo's pair of jacks.
Last year, the first-ever World Series of Poker (WSOP) Paradise Main Event champion was crowned as Germany's Stanislav Zegal took down the $5,000 buy-in event for $2 million and his first WSOP bracelet. The GGPoker qualifier defeated heads-up opponent Michael Sklenicka of Czechia to wrap up a final day that only lasted four hours.
The inaugural WSOP Paradise Main Event at the five-star Atlantis Resort in The Bahamas drew 3,010 players for a prize pool that climbed above the $15 million guarantee. The field included dozens of online qualifiers, including Zegal, who was able to parlay his online poker prowess into a life-altering seven-figure victory.
“I was so lucky, the cards just fell my way all the time," Zegal told PokerNews. "I think I played well too, but obviously (there’s) tons of luck... This is what you call life-changing money, I guess.”
Action folded to Punnat Punsri who raised to 78,000 from the cutoff. It then folded to Juan Pardo in the small blind who three-bet all in for 118,000. It folded back to Punsri who quickly made the call to put Pardo at risk.
Juan Pardo: J♦J♣
Punnat Punsri: A♦9♦
Pardo who found himself short, was in a great spot to double up. Once the board ran out 5♦7♠10♠2♠Q♠ he did just that, as his pocket jacks remained best to give him the double up.
In a heads-up pot between the blinds on a board of 8♣4♠4♥9♥, Andrew Pantling checked and Sinan Unlu bet 130,000 with around 400,000 already in the middle. Pantling check-raised all in and Unlu quickly called with a bigger stack.
Andrew Pantling: 8♦6♦
Sinan Unlu: K♥K♣
Pantling had run into kings and was drawing to just two outs as the Q♦ bricked off on the river to mark his elimination.
Action folded to Santhosh Suvarna in the cutoff who raised to 18,000 with A♠6♥. He was called by Ryan Feldman on the button with 8♦8♣ and Wai Kin Yong in the small blind with K♦10♦.
The flop came Q♠Q♦A♥ and all three players checked to the 8♠ on the turn. Yong bet 30,000 with his gutshot straight draw, which was called by Suvarna with top pair, before Feldman raised to 95,000 with his eights-full. Yong folded and Suvarna made the call.
The river was the J♣ and Suvarna check-called a bet of 165,000 from Feldman. Once Suvarna saw the turned boat of Feldman, he tossed his hand in the muck as Feldman took in the sizable pot.
Action folded to David Yan in the hijack, and when he looked down at 10♦9♦ he raised to 20,000. It then folded to Joao Vieira who three-bet to 72,000 with 5♥4♥. It folded back to Yan who made the call to see a flop.
The flop came 3♦10♣J♣ and Yan check-called a bet of 55,000 from Vieira.
After the 7♥ on the turn, Yan checked to Vieira, who sized up to 205,000, which got Yan to fold the best hand and give the pot to Vieira.
