2011 World Series of Poker

Event #12: $1,500 Triple Chance No-Limit Hold’em
Day: 3
Event Info

2011 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a10
Prize
$352,808
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$1,809,000
Entries
1,340
Level Info
Level
27
Blinds
25,000 / 50,000
Ante
5,000

Another Break

They have played two more levels just like that and the three remaining opponents will take a short 20 minute break. As you can see by the chip counts below, Andrea Dato will have to figure out what to do when he returns to get back into this match.

Player Chips Progress
David Diaz us
David Diaz
WSOP 1X Winner
2,720,000 -155,000
Anders Meli
Anders Meli
2,410,000 160,000
Andrea Dato it
Andrea Dato
885,000 -15,000

Every Little Bit Helps

Level 26 : 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante

Players have mostly been raising and three betting without a flop or showdown. But in this hand, our short stack, Andrea Dato, was able to take a little more than just the blinds.

Dato raised his button to 80,000 and David Diaz called from the big blind. The board came {A-Spades}{4-Diamonds}{k-Clubs}{6-Spades}{2-Clubs} as both players had checked through the turn. On the river, Diaz checked to Dato who bet 125,000 and Diaz made the call. Dato shipped the pot with the {K-Spades}{10-Hearts} to pick up about 230,000 on that hand and get his stack back to around the 1 Million chip mark.

Tags: Andrea DatoDavid Diaz

King-High Call is Good

Level 26 : 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante

Anders Meli raised his button to the standard, 80,000. David Diaz folded but Andrea Dato made the call from the big blind.

The flop came {J-Diamonds}{4-Clubs}{2-Clubs} and both players checked. Dato bet out 100,000 on the {j-Hearts} turn, a bet which Meli called. The river was the {5-Diamonds}, both players checked and Dato showed {Q-Clubs}{10-Clubs} for a missed flush draw. The King-high of Meli's {K-Diamonds}{6-Hearts} was good enough to take the pot and make Dato's stack that much shorter.

Tags: Anders MeliAndrea DatoDavid Diaz

Oh, The Irony

Level 26 : 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante
Andrea Dato and Anders Meli chop a pot.
Andrea Dato and Anders Meli chop a pot.

Of our three remaining players, David Diaz has arguably been the most fortunate with preflop all in situations today. His inferior Ace was able to catch up and chop with a stronger Ace against each of his two remaining opponents. Now it was Andrea Dato's turn to catch up, except he did it to Anders Meli, who must be wondering when it's his turn to get there.

Meli raised his button to 80,000 and David Diaz re-raised from the small blind to 180,000. Dato took a look at his cards and quickly moved all in. Meli isolated by moving all in behind him and Diaz let go of his hand. Meli had the {A-Hearts}{Q-Clubs} and was in good position to knock out Dato's {A-Clubs}{6-Clubs}. But the board paired twice by the turn as it ran out {2-Hearts}{4-Spades}{2-Spades}{4-Hearts}. The {10-Diamonds} river bricked both players and the pot was chopped... again.

Tags: Anders MeliAndrea DatoDavid Diaz

Five Bets Enough to Give Meli a Rebound

Level 26 : 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante

David Diaz raised on his button to 80,000 and Andrea Dato folded his small blind. Andres Meli decided to three bet his big blind to 200,000 before Diaz four bet to 350,000. Meli thought for a bit before deciding to move all in to which Diaz mucked his hand.

Meli picked up nearly 400,000 chips on that hand and is back within sight of our other two competitors.

Tags: Anders MeliAndrea DatoDavid Diaz

Meli Falling

Level 26 : 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante

Anders Meli opened his button with a raise to 80,000. David Diaz got out of the way and Andrea Dato called from the big blind.

The flop came {10-Spades}{6-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds} and Dato checked to Meli who fired out 90,000. Dato took a chunk of green 25,000 chips and moved them in front of his cards. Meli quickly folded and is now clearly the short stack with 1.2 Million. He still has 30 big blinds left and is not in any immediate trouble.

Tags: Anders MeliAndrea DatoDavid Diaz

Diaz is Unstoppable

Level 26 : 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante

After Anders Meli folded his button, David Diaz raised to 105,000 from the small blind. Andrea Dato three-bet to 235,000 and action went back to Diaz. After thinking a moment and thoroughly looking over Dato's stack, Diaz announced he was all in.

Dato immediately took off his hat and put down the hood on his sweatshirt. After tanking hard, including a count of Meli's stack, Dato let his hand go and Diaz' supports erupted in a roar.

Tags: David DiazAndrea DatoAnders Mali

Level: 26

Blinds: 20,000/40,000

Ante: 5,000

The Final Three

Level 25 : 15,000/30,000, 5,000 ante

All three players have played tremendously well throughout the three days of play here in Event 12. As their reward, each of them have over 50 big blinds to play with. So far at the final table, the standard open has been a min-raise so they will have plenty of room in their stacks to play poker. Whoever does win this bracelet will be especially deserving having beaten two exceptional opponents with about even chip stacks heading into three-handed play.

Right now it is David Diaz with the chip lead, holding about 45% of the chips in play. Anders Meli and Andrea Dato have about the same size stack and most imporantly, both are easily within striking distance of Diaz.

Tags: Anders MaliAndrea DatoDavid Diaz