Event 18: Eliacin Relaxin

$1850 + $150 No Limit Hold'em

Sam Eliacin's Table

Sam Eliacin is an Engineer from NY. He's been at table 2 since the tournament started at 11:00 am. Many have come and gone from his table since but Sam has survived. "I'm in survival mode" explained Eliacin.

Average chip stack is 71,748 and Sam is above average with 90,000.

Sam listens to music while playing to relax.

Blinds: 600 / 1200 with 200 antes.

63 players remain.

Event 19: Cutler is Chipleader

$300 + $50 No Limit Hold'em

Joe Cutler - Chip Leader - 196,000

With the 196,000 chips Joe Cutler (Long Island) has he can bully the table if he wants.

After Cutler 4-bet, his two Opponents both took forever to make a decision and both folded.

One player showed the strong 9-9 laydown causing Cutler to slowly flip his hole cards around flashing A-A. Respect.

Cutler is the current chip leader.

Event 19: In The Money

$300 + $50 No Limit Hold'em

The sound of cheering could only mean one thing:

We're down to 36 players and everyone is in the money.

28-36 pays $526.

First place = $23,649

Matt Damon burst the bubble after hitting a set of sixes on the river.

This is the only Matt Damon that matters to us at the blog.

I'd like to see our Matt Damon play Rounder's Matt Damon heads up.

I'm sure both Matt Damon's read our blog. Right?

Event 15: Just Getting Started

$2000 +$150 Heads Up Double Elimination NL


The heads up finale between Brandon Zaucha and Tim Tuveson is turning into a marathon session as one by-stander says, "they're both playing at a very high level." After 3 levels, which have been increased from 20 to 30 for the championship, the players are simply trading chips.

After a short break, the cards are back in the air and Tuveson wants to make sure everyone knows he's been rocking the Ginoble jersey all day.

Event 19: Bubble Bubble

$300 + $50 No Limit Hold'em

We're now playing hand for hand on the final four tables. Once the next person goes out, the rest will be in the cash.

Doug Adkins (Greensboro, NC) held A-Q and ran into pocket Kings bringing the total from 38 players down to 37.

Kings held on a board of 6-8-10-6-Q.

That makes Doug one before the bubble.

On the bright side, Doug is looking forward to playing in the Championship Event

Event 19: Break & Counts

$1850 + $150 No Limit Hold'em

Our 38 remaining players are on a ten minute break. We're two players away from the money as first payout is 36th place for $526.

Tom Pomponio is top three in chips with 146,200.

Other stacks include 138,000, 150,000, 160,000.

Matt "Muffins" Mazzeo has ~ 130,000.

Event 18: German Leaders

$1850 + $150 No Limit Hold'em

Michel Bittan - 150,000

Michel Bittan is among the chip leaders with 150,000.

I asked Michel how he accumulated so many chips? He pointed and said, "I skinned that kid alive" referring to Giuseppe Pantaleo, also from Germany. "I made a set of fives and slo play. I let him raise me all the way to the end and he gave me 30,000" bragged Bittan.

"We can make a last longer bet?" asked Pantaleo. "I want my chips back- every single one."

Giuseppe's other friend from Germany is Jacek Markowski, playing at the next table over.

So we'll keep an eye on our German contingent in the $1,850

Event 19: Full House That Collapsed

$300 + $50 No Limit Hold'em

Paul Myndrov senses he's beat so after much deliberation folds JJ after two all in jammers.

Both table A-K one with two clubs.

Board ends: 2 10 2 2 3.

Chips are pulled back.

Slava, a player not in the hand, exclaimed, "It's all for nothing."

A visibly frustrated Paul Myndrov was kicking himself having folded what would have been a full house.

Event 19: Happiest Bust Out Ever

$300 + $50 No Limit Hold'em

Mirsad Kovaci has to be the happiest bust out I ever saw.

His JJ was run down by K-Q so he should be upset, kicking things, screaming, etc.

Instead, he walked right over to a Flop Poker table in Borgata Casino, put down $5 and flopped a straight flush for $2500. He showed us the photographic proof of the heart str8flush.

"I busted out and still cashed" said Kovaci. "Now I have buy-in money for tomorrow's tournament".

And now he's happy that he busted out when he did. You think maybe he should give a share to the gentleman holding K-Q?

Event 18: Affleck vs. Aflac

$1850 + $150 No Limit Hold'em

Matt Affleck

It's true and I told Matt Affleck that in the hall next to us there is a big Aflac convention - their signs are up everywhere. Hear the music? "Cool. I'm guaranteed to win now." said Matt.

You should be their pitch man. "Yeah, like Vanessa with GoDaddy..." laughed Affleck.

At the start of the following hand Affleck had 80,000. I saw him peel back A-J.

He flopped top two on a club heavy 4-J-A. Matt bet every street, struck his trademark stone pose, and was called down by A-Q.

He's now right around 115,000.

10 tables remain with 87 players.

Event 15: Championship Underway

$2000 +$150 Heads Up Double Elimination NL

It seems there's a lucky spot at the table for these Heads Up matches and both players want the seat with their back to the big board. Tim Tuveson and Brandon Zaucha agree to high card for the choice and Zaucha wins the draw with a queen vs Tuveson's 5.

Zaucha takes the chair and elects to defend the South goal, while Tuveson gets the ball to start the game. Some of that information may or may not be true, but Zaucha definitely is not deferring until the second half.

Heads Up is underway. If Zaucha wins it's over, if Tuveson wins, they play again for the title, trophy and $34,920. The runner-up earns $21,825.

Event 15: Tuves Bounces Back, Into Finals

$2000 +$150 Heads Up Double Elimination NL

3rd place - Lior Barlev
$13,095

Tim Tuveson slowly chips away at Lior Barlev, and more than two hours into the heads up losers bracket championship, Tuveson finally advances to the finals. He now faces Brandon Zaucha, the only undefeated player in the field, for the championship.

Tuveson held a 2-1 chip lead and couldn't finish Barlev off when they chopped a pot with Tuveson's AK way ahead of A6. Two hands later Barlev was poised to double up with A5 vs KQ and both players flopped their high card, but a river queen gave Tuveson two pairs to end the match.

Barlev, who defeated Tuveson in the winner's bracket semifinals, finishes in third place earning $13,095.

In the Championship round if Zaucha defeats Tuveson he wins the title, but if Zaucha loses, both players will have one loss and they'll rematch for a winner take all final game.

Event 19: Busto With Gusto

$300 + $50 No Limit Hold'em

Robert Renner (Hillsborough, NJ) just sent a player to the rail.

It was an easy call for Renner who had to put 5,000 into a 15,000 pot with a flush draw.

Renner's K♣ 5♣ vs. Opponent's 8♥ 8♦

Board: 2♥ J♣ 2♣ 7♣ 9♠

After scooping the pot, Renner waxed, "Tough to beat suited cards. They beat me all the time so I know the power."

Event 18: Stack Building

$1850 + $150 No Limit Hold'em

Nick Ricciardi

Nick Ricciardi is the unofficial 100-chip chip leader. Nick is going to build his stack as high as it will go. Ever play Jenga Nick - keep her steady.

"I've been mixing it up a lot with the 5-seat over there" said Ricciardi who has over 100,000 for the tournament.

The 5-seat belongs to Mark Tyson who admitted Ricciardi got the best of him in their several show-downs.

11 Tables remain
94 Players
Average Stack: 48,085

Event 19: Cap Your Cards

$300 + $50 No Limit Hold'em

Matthew Ackley & Cotton Stuffer

Matthew Ackley was seated next to Cotton Stuffer and thought to himself, "I got the best looking hat in the place and they sit me down next to the guy with the second best hat in the place".

Cotton Stuffer called it a "hat trick". Cotton knows about card tricks and sleight of hand as he grew up learning the art of the steal (when it comes to poker of course).

Cotton got his hat in a poker tournament in Cincinatti. "Matthew's hat is for style, mine is for covering up ugly" said Stuffer in his Southern accent.

Ackley is hovering around 60,000 while Cotton is short stacked and ready to shove.

Event 19: Dinner Digesting

$300 + $50 No Limit Hold'em

Dinner is over. Bloggers have passed batons.

Event 19 players are back at their tables full of caffeine and energy.

We're playing down to one winner tonight.

We'll get your bust-outs, your bad beats, and your pay-outs.

Level 12: Blinds: 1000 / 2000 with 300 antes.

Event 18: Chip Counts

$1850 + $150 No Limit Hold'em

As players return from break and filter their way back into the Event Center, we're finding out who the bigger stacks are. Only a few players have more than 100k, including Mark Tyson who appears to be leading the way with 130k

A look at some of the larger stacks in the room:

Mark Tyson 130k
Alex Santiago 115k
Donald Boivin 113k
Joshua Hillock 110k
Tara Forte 102k
David Voulo 94k
Christian Harder 90k
Aaron Steury 85k

There are a lot of chips on table 10 as Boivon, Voulo and Santiago are all here.

PPI Update

Eric "Pools" Siegel has forwarded the PPI "Play for the Main" Leader Board*:

PTS: PLAYER

85: JAMES BOYLE
85: RYAN ERIQUEZZO
80: JASON YOUNG
75: MATTHEW MAZZEO
70: MICHAEL SICA JR
65: ALBERT RICCOBONO
60: JOSEPH CUTLER
60: BRENT KELLER
55: LAURENCE GOLDSTEIN
55: ADAM LIPPERT
50: JOSHUA BRIKIS
50: STEVEN DANNENMANN
50: MICHAEL DENTALE
50: CARL RESTIFO
45: DAVID INSELBERG
45: IAN PALOMO
40: MICHAEL CASTALDO
40: KATHRYN DOUGHERTY
40: DAVID ZEITLIN
35: VINEET PAHUJA
35: JAMES SALTERS
30: MICHAEL CASTALDO
30: CHRIS RESLOCK
30: JAMES STENELLA
25: ANTHONY CASAGRANDE
20: KELLY ARMENTROUT
20: CARLOS DELAFUENTE
20: GORDON ENG
20: JONATHAN WERZ
15: MICHAEL BROWN
15: ALEXANDER CUKAR
15: LISA PICKELL
10: EMANUEL FAILLA
10: ELIZABETH GREY-PARDO
10: ROBERT HWANG
10: ROSLYN QUARTO
10: EUGENE TODD
10: JEFFREY VANCHIRO
5: ANTHONY CAMPAGNA
5: CARLOS COLON
5: ADAM GERBER
5: CHARLES MARCHESE
5: JONATHAN SORSCHER

(Includes: Main 1-14, 16 & Secondary 27-45)

*Note to all PPI players - If you have participated or cashed in any events and do not see your name on the leader board, please contact me at eric@ppipoker.com.

Event 18: Dinner Time

$1850 + $150 No Limit Hold'em     

At the end of level 8, dinner time was declared.  Players were dispatched on a one-hour dinner break.  Play will resume at about 8:45pm.

101 players remain, making the average stack about 45k.

Event 19: Chip Leader at Dinner Time

$300 + $50 No Limit Hold'em 

With 65 players remaining, the dinner bell has rung and players have been sent on a one-hour dinner break.  Play will resume at 8:30pm.

Joe Carpenter

After the last hand, Joe Carpenter (Calvert County, MD) was stacking chips and it appears he's the chip leader with 146k.

Average stack is ~46k.