Event 16: Joe Serock Doubles Thru Ari Engel

$1,100 Six-Max No Limit Hold’em (Freeze-out)
Level 14: 800/1,600/200 Ante

Joe Serock
Joe Serock

In the final minutes of Level 13, former WPT Player of the Year Joe Serock was all in from the small blind for 59,500 with AdKs, and he needed it to hold to stay alive against chipleader Ari Engel’s AsQs in the big blind.

The board came 10d7s2h5s9d — Engel turned a spade flush draw, but improved no further. Serock won the pot with his king kicker to double up in chips and contend for the chip lead himself.

Joe Serock  –  123,000  (77 bb)
Ari Engel  –  94,000  (59 bb)

Ari Engel
Ari Engel

In a blind-vs.-blind hand that extended into the break, Tom Dobrilovic was in the small blind, facing an all-in bet of about 30,000 from the big blind on a board of 8s7d6c6h4d. Dobrilovic thought for a while before he called, and his opponent had Qd9h for a queen-high bluff (missed straight draw). Dobrilovic turned over 5c4h for a flopped eight-high straight to win the pot, eliminating his opponent from the tournament.

Tom Dobrilovic  –  105,700  (66 bb)

The players took their 10-minute break, and in the opening minutes of Level 14, the UTG+1 players was all in preflop for 13,500 with Kc9c against the Ad9s of Darryll Fish in the big blind.

The board came Kh6s2s4h10s, and the UTG+1 player paired his king on the flop to win the pot and double up in chips.

Darryll Fish  –  66,000  (41 bb)

Here are updated chip stacks for some of the notables still alive in this field:

Alberto Rodriguez  –  127,700  (80 bb)
Joe Serock  –  123,000  (77 bb)
Tom Dobrilovic  –  105,700  (66 bb)
Ryan Tepen  –  102,500  (64 bb)
Larry Klur  –  94,600  (59 bb)
Ari Engel  –  94,000  (59 bb)
Marshall White  –  79,500  (50 bb)
Jose Litvak  –  70,900  (44 bb)
Stuart Paterson  –  67,000  (42 bb)
Darryll Fish  –  66,000  (41 bb)
Tracey Gelb  –  58,000  (36 bb)
Aaron Mermelstein  –  50,200  (31 bb)
Jamie Avila  –  50,000  (31 bb)
David Diaz  –  48,000  (30 bb)
Angel Vu  –  47,000  (29 bb)
Mike Beasley  –  33,000  (21 bb)
Matt Stout  –  31,000  (19 bb)

With 39 players remaining, the average chip stack is about 67,000 (42 big blinds). The final 24 players will finish in the money, guaranteed at least $2,190.