A Full Orbit With the Defending Champ
Koray Aldemir knows what it takes to take down the Main Event, he did it last year. You may not have shared a table with him, but we spent an orbit with the champ to give you a glimpse of the action.
Hand #1 (small blind): Action folded all the way to Aldemir. He raised it up to 9,500 from the small blind. Aaron Steury folded the big.
Hand #2 (button): Erikas Laugzemys raises to 5,500 from middle position. Roberto Bendeck three-bet to 15,000 from the cutoff, forcing Aldemir and everyone else to fold back to Laugzemys, who made the call.
The flop came 
. Bendeck bet 12,000 when checked to and Laugzemys made the fold.
Hand #3 (cutoff): Action folded to Roberto Bendeck in the hijack who raised it up to 6,000. Aldemir folded, as did the rest of the table.
Hand #4 (hijack): Aldemir folded, as did the rest of the table until DJ Buckley raised the button to 6,000. Jacob Connelly three-bet to 19,000 from the big blind and Buckley folded.
Hand #5 (middle position): Aldemir folded, as did everyone else until Eric Greenwood raised to 6,000 on the button. For the second hand in a row, Jacob Connely three-bet to 19,000. Greenwood called.
The flop was 
, Connely continued for 17,000 and Greenwood called.
Both players checked the 
turn. On the 
river, though, Connely led for 37,000, eliciting a fold from Greenwood.
Hand #6 (utg+2): Aldemir opened to 5,500. For the third hand in a row, Jacob Connely three-bet, this time to 17,000 from his button. Aldemir let it go preflop.
Hand #7 (utg+1): Roberto Bendeck raised to 6,000 from under the gun and the entire table folded.
Hand #8 (utg): Aldemir opened to 5,500 and only found one caller, Erikas Laugzemys on the button.
The flop came out 
. Aldemir thought for a bit before continuing for 5,000. Laugzemys wanted nothing to do with it and let his cards go.
Hand #9 (big blind): The entire table folded, giving Aldemir a walk in the big blind.
Bonus hand #10 (sb): Roberto Bendeck opened the button to 6,000. Aldemir three-bet from the small blind to 25,000. Bendeck folded to the champ.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
470,000 | 217,500 |
|
404,000 | -32,000 |
|
305,000 | 25,000 |
|
275,000 | 19,500 |
|
215,000 | 59,500 |
|
166,000 | -11,000 |
|
100,000 | -25,500 |
|
97,500 | -187,000 |
|
85,500 | -47,000 |