Event 17: Steven Bennett Opens Up a 4-to-1 Lead Over Mark Edward Kerness

$1,100 Deep Stack Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  8,000/16,000 with a 16,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 117

Steven Bennett
Steven Bennett

Steven Bennett limped from the button for 16,000, and Mark Edward Kerness checked his option in the big blind.

The flop came 8h5d2s, Kerness bet 55,000, and Bennett called.

The turn card was the Ks, Kerness bet 110,000, and Bennett called.

The river card was the As, Kerness checked, Bennett bet 350,000, and Kerness tanked for a while before he called. Bennett turned over 4c3s to win the pot with a five-high straight, and Kerness mucked.

Steven Bennett  –  1,900,000  (119 bb)
Mark Edward Kerness  –  440,000  (28 bb)

Here are the payouts they’re playing for:

1st:  $33,010 + SHRPO Trophy
2nd:  $20,700

Event 17: Steven Bennett Leads Mark Edward Kerness at the Break

$1,100 Deep Stack Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  8,000/16,000 with a 16,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 117

Level 20 came to an end, and the players took a 15-minute break before the blinds increase to 8,000-16,000 with a 16,000 ante.

Here are the official chip counts from the break:

Steven Bennett  –  1,496,000  (94 bb)
Mark Edward Kerness  –  845,000  (53 bb)

And here are the final table payouts:

1st:  $33,010 + SHRPO Trophy
2nd:  $20,700

3rd:  Julio Delgado  –  $12,370
4th:  Thomas Kornechuk  –  $8,000
5th:  Alan Schein  –  $6,015
6th:  Shelly Griffith  –  $5,000
7th:  John Holley  –  $4,315
8th:  Giuseppe Iadisernia  –  $3,800
9th:  Jack Rolnitzky  –  $3,350

Event 17: Steven Bennett Takes the Lead Against Mark Edward Kerness

$1,100 Deep Stack Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  6,000/12,000 with a 12,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 117

Steven Bennett
Steven Bennett

Mark Edward Kerness raised from the button to 32,000, Steven Bennett reraised from the big blind to 105,000, and Kerness called.

The flop came Ks10d6c, Bennett bet 75,000, and Kerness called.

The turn card was the 2d, Bennett bet 225,000, and Kerness tanked for a while before he folded. Bennett took the pot.

Steven Bennett  –  1,100,000  (92 bb)
Mark Edward Kerness  –  1,250,000  (104 bb)

A short while later, after a flop of Js10h5s, Bennett checked, Kerness bet 45,000, and Bennett called.

The turn card paired the board with the 5c, Bennett checked, Kerness bet 100,000, and Bennett check-raised to 300,000. Kerness thought for a while before he folded, and Bennett took the pot — and the chip lead.

Steven Bennett  –  1,235,000  (103 bb)
Mark Edward Kerness  –  1,100,000  (92 bb)

A few hands later, with the board showing QdJc5d10h on the turn, Kerness bet 75,000, and Bennett called.

The river card was the 7d, Kerness checked, Bennett bet 100,000, and Kerness called. Bennett said “Two pair,” and showed Qh10d. Kerness mucked, and Bennett won the pot to increase his lead.

Steven Bennett  –  1,400,000  (117 bb)
Mark Edward Kerness  –  950,000  (79 bb)

Here are the payouts they’re playing for:

1st:  $33,010 + SHRPO Trophy
2nd:  $20,700

Event 17: Mark Edward Kerness Wins a Heads-Up Pot with Trips

$1,100 Deep Stack Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  6,000/12,000 with a 12,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 117

Mark Edward Kerness
Mark Edward Kerness

With both players sitting on massive chip stacks, heads-up play has been pretty slow so far.

Mark Edward Kerness limped from the button for 12,000, and Steven Bennett checked his option in the big blind.

The flop came Ac7h4h, Bennett bet 35,000, and Kerness called.

The turn card paired the board with the 4d, and both players checked.

The river card was the Ks, Bennett checked, Kerness bet 100,000, and Bennett thought for a moment or two before he called. Kerness showed 10c4c to win the pot with trip fours, and Bennett mucked.

Mark Edward Kerness  –  1,500,000  (125 bb)
Steven Bennett  –  840,000  (70 bb)

Here are the payouts they’re playing for:

1st:  $33,010 + SHRPO Trophy
2nd:  $20,700

Event 17: Julio Delgado – 3rd Place ($12,370)

$1,100 Deep Stack Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 19:  5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 117

Julio Delgado
Julio Delgado

With the board showing 9d7d2hKh on the turn, Julio Delgado checked from the big blind, Mark Edward Kerness bet 125,000 from the button, and Delgado called.

The river card paired the board with the Ks, Delgado moved all in for about 290,000, and Kerness quickly called.

Delgado showed Qh5h for a bluff, and Kerness turned over KdJd for a flopped flush draw that caught running kings to win the pot with trip kings. Delgado was eliminated in third place.

Julio Delgado  –  Eliminated in 3rd Place  ($12,370)

Here are the approximate chip counts for the start of heads-up play:

Mark Edward Kerness  –  1,425,000  (143 bb)
Steven Bennett  –  925,000  (93 bb)

As you can see, they are both very deep, so this could end quickly with a cooler, or go on for several more hours.

Here are the final table payouts:

1st:  $33,010 + SHRPO Trophy
2nd:  $20,700

3rd:  Julio Delgado  –  $12,370
4th:  Thomas Kornechuk  –  $8,000
5th:  Alan Schein  –  $6,015
6th:  Shelly Griffith  –  $5,000
7th:  John Holley  –  $4,315
8th:  Giuseppe Iadisernia  –  $3,800
9th:  Jack Rolnitzky  –  $3,350

Event 17: Thomas Kornechuk – 4th Place ($8,000)

$1,100 Deep Stack Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 19:  5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 117

Thomas Kornechuk
Thomas Kornechuk

After putting 10,000 in for the big blind ante, Thomas Kornechuk was forced all in from the big blind for 1,000. Julio Delgado raised from the cutoff, and the other players folded. Delgado took the side pot.

Kornechuk turned over Jd7s, and he needed to improve to stay alive against the Ks9c of Delgado.

The board came Kd8d2dAd4h, and Kornechuk turned a diamond flush to win the pot and add two 1K chips to his stack.

Thomas Kornechuk  –  13,000  (1 bb)
Julio Delgado  –  555,000  (56 bb)

The next hand, Kornechuk was all in from the small blind for 13,000 with 6s4c, but he was dominated by the As6d of Mark Edward Kerness on the button, needing to improve to survive.

The board came Jc9h2h2s10d, and Kerness won the pot with his ace to eliminate Kornechuk in fourth place.

Mark Edward Kerness  –  875,000  (88 bb)
Thomas Kornechuk  –  Eliminated in 4th Place  ($8,000)

With three players remaining from a field of 117, the average chip stack is around 780,000 (78 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $12,370 each.

Event 17: Alan Schein – 5th Place ($6,015)

$1,100 Deep Stack Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 19:  5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 117

Alan Schein
Alan Schein

With the final board showing Ks10s3c4cAh on the river, Alan Schein got it all in from the big blind for about 160,000 with As10c for two pair, aces and tens.

But Steven Bennett turned over AdKc in the cutoff to win the pot with a higher two pair, aces and kings, eliminating Schein in fifth place.

Steven Bennett  –  820,000  (82 bb)
Alan Schein  –  Eliminated in 5th Place  ($6,015)

With four players remaining from a field of 117, the average chip stack is around 585,000 (59 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $8,000 each.

Event 17: Steven Bennett Doubles Thru Thomas Kornechuk; Kornechuk Down to One Big Blind

$1,100 Deep Stack Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 19:  5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 117

Steven Bennett
Steven Bennett

Thomas Kornechuk raised from the cutoff to 35,000, Steven Bennett reraised from the button to 105,000, and Kornechuk tanked for a long time before he called.

The flop came Qs10d2s, Kornechuk moved all in for 212,000, and Bennett called all in for 201,000 with AsAh.

Kornechuk turned over KcQh, and Bennett needed his hand to hold to stay alive.

The turn card was the 5h, the river card was the 3d, and the aces held up for Bennett to win the pot and double up in chips. Kornechuk was knocked down to a single big blind.

Steven Bennett  –  637,000  (64 bb)
Thomas Kornechuk  –  11,000  (1 bb)

With five players remaining from a field of 117, the average chip stack is around 468,000 (47 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $6,015 each.

Event 17: Shelly Griffith – 6th Place ($5,000)

$1,100 Deep Stack Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 19:  5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining:  5 of 117

Shelly Griffith
Shelly Griffith

After a flop of 8s8d5s, Mark Edward Kerness checked from the big blind, Alan Schein checked under the gun, and Shelly Griffith moved all in from the hijack for 75,000. Kerness called, and Schein quickly folded.

Griffith turned over 2s2c, and she needed to improve to stay alive against the 9s9d of Kerness.

The turn card was the 5h, the river card was the 4d, and the pocket nines held up for Kerness to win the pot and eliminate Griffith in sixth place.

Mark Edward Kerness  –  860,000  (86 bb)
Shelly Griffith  –  Eliminated in 6th Place  ($5,000)

With five players remaining from a field of 117, the average chip stack is around 468,000 (47 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $6,015 each.

Event 17: Mark Edward Kerness Doubles Thru Alan Schein

$1,100 Deep Stack Seniors 50+ (Re-Entry)
Structure | Payouts
Level 19:  5,000/10,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining:  6 of 117

Mark Edward Kerness
Mark Edward Kerness

After a flop of Qh6s3s with about 110K already in the pot, Mark Edward Kerness got it all in from the cutoff for 328,000 with KsKc for an overpair.

Kerness needed his hand to hold to stay alive against the 9h9c of Alan Schein on the button.

The turn card was the Kh, the river card was the 5c, and Kerness clinched the pot with a turned set of kings to double up in chips.

Mark Edward Kerness  –  765,000  (77 bb)
Alan Schein  –  330,000  (33 bb)

With six players remaining from a field of 117, the average chip stack is around 390,000 (39 big blinds), and the remaining players are guaranteed at least $5,000 each.