2024 WSOP Paradise
Level: 14
Blinds: 25,000/50,000
Ante: 50,000
Action folded to Danny Tang in the hijack, and he raised to 80,000. It then folded to the big blind Stephen Chidwick, who three-bet all in for Tang's stack of 955,000, which Tang called.
Danny Tang: A♠Q♥
Stephen Chidwick: J♥J♦
It was a race for Tang's tournament life, but the A♦J♣10♣ flop put Chidwick in a dominant position after flopping a set. The A♥ on the turn improved Chidwick to a full house, but did give Tang outs to make a bigger full house. However, the 4♣ on the river was no help to Tang, and Chidwick took the pot and sent Chidwick to the rail with his full house, jacks full of aces.
Life Outside Poker is a new podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level.
In the 21st episode, Connor speaks with Survivor legend Boston Rob, aka Rob Mariano, about growing up near Fenway Park, learning poker at the age of 6, studying psychology at Boston University, applying for Survivor and winning Season 22, his recent appearance on Deal or No Deal Island and filming an upcoming season of The Traitors.
Boston Rob also revealed a story about Costa Rican authorities raiding a mansion known to host high-stakes poker games during a 2006 filming that included Daniel Negreanu, Josh Arieh, David Williams, Michael Mizrachi and actress Cheryl Hines.
"(Gambling mogul) Calvin (Ayre) had a big party at the house, and they came in guns drawn," he said. "And we were fine, but we all had to stay at the party until they checked our passports and everything. I think it was a little bit of a shakedown. But we had a good weekend."
The Life Outside Poker podcast is available on major streaming platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud and iHeartRadio. You can also watch the interview with Boston Rob by heading to the PokerNews YouTube channel.
Adrian Mateos opened in the cutoff and Taylor von Kriegenbergh called on the button as Ryan Feldman came along in the small blind.
Feldman checked on the flop of 10♦2♥J♥ and Mateos continued for 120,000. Only Von Kriegenbergh called. Mateos sized up to 380,000 on the 7♣ turn and Von Kriegenbergh again called.
Mateos then sized down to 180,000 on the Q♦ river and Von Kriegenbergh called. Mateos showed A♦A♣ to win the pot as Von Kriegenbergh revealed A♥10♥.
Juan Pardo opened the action with a raise to 80,000 from the hijack, which was called by Michael Moncek in the cutoff, and the big blind Jared Bleznick.
The flop came 4♦7♦J♥ and after Bleznick checked, Pardo bet out 100,000, before Moncek raised to 375,000. Bleznick got out of the way, and Pardo decided to three-bet to 700,000. Moncek then four-bet all in for Pardo's stack of 2,100,000, and Pardo made the call to put himself at risk.
Juan Pardo: A♠A♣
Michael Moncek: K♦J♦
Moncek flopped top pair and a flush draw, but the pocket aces of Pardo were still in front. That was only momentarily, as the K♥ on the turn put Moncek ahead with two pair. The 2♥ on the river gave Moncek the massive pot with his two pair, successfully cracking the aces of Pardo, and sending him to the rail in brutal fashion.
Ferdinand Putra opened to 80,000 from under the gun and Matthias Eibinger three-bet to 160,000 on the button with just 15,000 behind. Putra four-bet and Eibinger called off to be at risk.
Matthias Eibinger: K♥Q♥
Ferdinand Putra: A♥Q♠
Eibinger was dominated and didn't improve despite flopping a flush draw as the board ran out 8♥3♥10♦10♠10♣ to mark his elimination.
Kannapong Thanarattrakul opened to 85,000 in the cutoff and Juuso Koskela three-bet jammed a stack of 225,000 in the small blind. David Einhorn then four-bet to 650,000 in the big blind and Thanarattrakul laid it down.
Juuso Koskela: A♠10♥
David Einhorn: A♥J♣
Koskela was pipped and didn't improve as the board ran out 8♦2♣K♥10♦Q♠, giving Einhorn Broadway, to mark his elimination.
Action folded to Jared Bleznick in the cutoff, and he raised all in for 315,000. It then folded to the small blind Juan Pardo who three-bet all in for his stack of 1,700,000, and Saya Ono in the big called her stack of 685,000.
Jared Bleznick: Q♥9♠
Saya Ono: K♥J♦
Juan Pardo: A♠K♣
Pardo had Big Slick looking to score a double knockout, but once the board ran out 3♦4♠2♣9♣7♣ it was Bleznick with the best hand, taking the main pot with his pair of nines to triple up. Pardo took the smaller side pot with his ace-king high, eliminating Ono.