Event #38: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em
Day 4 Completed
Event #38: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em
Day 4 Completed
Another donkament has been done and dusted for the 2011 World Series of Poker with Event #38: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em being taken down by Arkadiy Tsinis.
Beginning several days ago with 2,192 entrants, the field was stacked with online grinders, seasoned pros and total amateurs all looking to take a piece of the $2,959,200 prizepool home. Nearly ninety-percent of the field was culled throughout day one as only 298 players managed to bag and tag and survive for a day two berth.
A bust-out here and there saw the money reached fairly quickly before a steady flow of eliminations throughout the day would leave just twenty-three players eyeing WSOP glory following Luke Staudenmaier (178th), Steve Brecher (174th), Bryan Devonshire (155th), Kai Paulson (108th), Matthias De Meulder (105th), Bernard Lee (78th), Sam Trickett (57th), Sebastian Ruthenberg (40th) and Tad Jurgens (32nd) all falling short of the (expected) final day.
The headline story was that notable female professional player Melanie Weisner was still in contention and looking not only to become another female to make a WSOP final table this series, but also prove victorious. Unfortunately for Weisner, her run would end in 14th place as the final table of nine was reached at the mid-point of the day.
Play would start slowly, but following a double elimination and then a quick exit by David Rounick in seventh, we were down to six before Perry Lin and Paul Nash fell next. With three levels remaining in the night, Randolph Lanosga would fall in third as Arkadiy Tsinis held a three-to-two heads-up chip advantage over Michael Blanovsky.
Tsinis would extend his lead to be nearly an eight-to-one favorite before Blanovsky doubled through and then closed the gap to virtually even. Tsinis would then push back out to the biggest lead of the battle before play was called for the night with Tsinis (7,110,000) holding the lead against Blanovsky (2,765,000). Returning today, Blanovsky found a double and then eventually took the lead before Tsinis would snatch it back with a double holding before eventually turning the nut-straight in an all-in preflop clash to send Blanovsky to the rail.
Place | Player | Country | Prize |
---|---|---|---|
1st | Arkadiy Tsinis | USA | $540,136 |
2nd | Michael Blanovsky | USA | $336,253 |
3rd | Randolph Lanosga | USA | $233,732 |
4th | Pim de Goede | France | $168,334 |
5th | Paul Nash | England | $123,028 |
6th | Perry Lin | USA | $91,010 |
7th | David Rounick | USA | $68,209 |
8th | Ryan Laplante | USA | $51,771 |
9th | Christopher Homan | USA | $39,756 |
For Tsinis, this marks his eleventh WSOP cash and first major victory of his poker career. However it is his old-school gamer career that now will have to do some catching up as this chess pro and top twenty world backgammon player has a gold bracelet to add to his trophy cabinet as well as $540,136 in prizemoney.
PokerNews would like to congratulate Arkadiy Tsinis on an excellently played tournament that feature bouts of aggression and timeliness to eventually topple the 2,192-player field. If you at home haven't got your $1,500 donkament fix, then head over to the Event #43: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em coverage as the best live reporting team in the business continues to provide live updates of the 2011 World Series of Poker!
Here's to you, Mr. Arkadiy Tsinis.
From the button Arkadiy Tsinis moved all in and Michael Blanovsky quickly made the call for just shy of 2,000,000 as the cards were placed on their backs.
Tsinis:
Blanovsky:
With Blanovsky in the lead for his tournament life, he would catch a pair on the flop as the dealer spread the . Unfortunately for Blankovsky, this particular flop gave his opponent Tsinis the maximum outs (excluding four-card flushes) as any king, queen, jack or eight would see him take the lead.
The dealer burned, turned and then revealed the to see Tsinis spike an unbeatable straight as the meaningless landed on the river to send Blankovsky to the rail in second place for a $336,253 payday as Arkadiy Tsinis is crowned Event #38 Champion!
From the button Michael Blanovsky moved all in and Arkadiy Tsinis folded.
The following hand saw Tsinis attempt the button shove, and Blanovsky responded with a fold.
Blankovsky wanted the last word, and on the third consecutive hand, the button player pushed with Blanovsky forcing a fold from Tsinis.
Catching the action on the turn with the board reading , Michael Blanovsky led for 550,000 and Arkadiy Tsinis made the call.
When the river landed the , Blanovsky fired again; this time for 1,350,000 and again Tsinis made the call.
Blanovsky tabled his for complete air, while it would be Tsinis' for a flush that would see him take the pot and move to over 7 million in chips.
Michael Blanovsky opened the button to 320,000 only to have Arkadiy Tsinis move all in for 2,475,000. Blanovsky quickly made the call.
Blankovsky:
Tsinis:
The board ran out to see Tsinis double through to just shy of 5 million in chips to sit just one-and-a-half antes ahead of Blanovsky.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Arkadiy Tsinis |
4,990,000
2,690,000
|
2,690,000 |
|
||
Michael Blanovsky
|
4,870,000
-2,690,000
|
-2,690,000 |
From the button, Michael Blanovsky opened to 320,000 only to have Arkadiy Tsinis move all in. Blanovsky instantly made the call for his 3,760,000 total as the cards were tabled.
Tsinis:
Blanovsky:
The flop of gave Tsinis eight outs to ship the gold bracelet his way, but when the and landed on the turn and river, Blanovsky doubled through to over 7.5 million as Tsinis slipped to 2.3 million in chips.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Michael Blanovsky
|
7,560,000
4,230,000
|
4,230,000 |
Arkadiy Tsinis |
2,300,000
-4,230,000
|
-4,230,000 |
|
Arkadiy Tsinis limped in and Michael Blanovsky checked to see a flop fall. Blanovsky check-called 160,000 before the and was checked through on the turn and river.
Blanovsky tabled his for two-pair and collected the pot.
Michael Blanovsky opened the button and Arkadiy Tsinis made the call from the big blind before checking the flop.
Blanovsky continued for 420,000 before Tsinis moved all in to put Blanovsky at risk. Blanovsky lent back in his chair while continuing to shuffle chips before making some awkward looking gestures at the pot.
Eventually Blanovsky would drop his cards towards the muck to relinquish the hand and slip to 3.3 million.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Arkadiy Tsinis |
6,530,000
1,170,000
|
1,170,000 |
|
||
Michael Blanovsky
|
3,330,000
-1,170,000
|
-1,170,000 |