2013 SHRPO Live Updates

WPT Alpha8: Level 18 Report – Steven Silverman Wins!

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Blinds: 10,000-20,000 with a 3,000 ante
Players: 1 of 21

We have a champion at the World Poker Tour Alpha8 $100,000 super high roller event at the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open. The first-ever Alpha8 champion is Steven Silverman, who takes home the top prize worth $891,660 and a custom WPT Alpha8 trophy. The runner-up is November Niner JC Tran who added $526,890 to his career earnings, and Jeff Gross took third at another WPT final table after finishing in third at WPT Montreal a few months ago.

Action played out quick after the final three players returned from their dinner break. Gross was the first to fall when his K-10 ran into the A-K of Silverman on a board reading A-8-2-J-K. That made the chip counts nearly even for the heads-up final, but Silverman held a slight chip lead.

JC Tran soon took back the chip advantage, but Silverman doubled up in the largest pot of the tournament to cripple Tran. Silverman held pocket nines against the A-J of Tran. The board was dealt 7-5-4-4-5 and Silverman doubled to 1.8 million, a nearly insurmountable 6.5-to-1 chip advantage.

The end came a few hands later as Tran shoved all in preflop with Q-8 only to find that he was dominated by the Q-9 of Silverman. The board provided some drama as the flop came 10-8-5 to give Tran the lead with a pair of eights. The turn was a nine and that gave the advantage back to Silverman, who won the tournament after a queen fell on the river.

Congratulation to Steven Silverman, who is the inaugural WPT Alpha8 champion, and one of the biggest winners here at the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open. Stay tuned tomorrow for full final table coverage of the $10 million guaranteed SHRPO Main Event. Cards get into the air at noon ET.

Final Table Results:

1: Steven Silverman – $891,660
2: JC Tran – $526,890
3: Jeff Gross – $364,770
4: Matt Glantz – $243,180

2013 SHRPO Live Updates

WPT Alpha8: Level 17 Report

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Blinds: 8,000-16,000 with a 2,000 ante
Players: 3 of 21

Level 17 at the World Poker Tour Alpha8 $100,000 super high roller event at the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open saw two more eliminations and we are now down into the money with just the final three players remaining. Isaac Haxton was the unfortunate bubble boy, who left in fifth place, and Matt Glantz was the first player to cash, taking home $243,180.

On the money bubble Isaac Haxton moved all in preflop with pocket tens and JC Tran called with As Qc. The board ran out Kc Qs 9d 8c 7d and Haxton was the bubble boy.

Glantz was all in for 262,000 preflop on his final hand with 10h 8h in the hole. Jeff Gross called with Ah 6d and the board ran out Ac 8d 7h 9d 4d. After the elimination of Glantz the final three players took a 30-minute dinner break.

Former short stack Steven Silverman is now the chip leader with 850,000, although Jeff Gross (735,000) and JC Tran (505,000) have chips to work with as well.

Seat 2: Isaac Haxton – Eliminated
Seat 3: Jeff Gross – 735,000 (45 bb)
Seat 4: Steven Silverman – 850,000 (53 bb)
Seat 6: JC Tran – 505,000 (31 bb)
Seat 8: Matt Glantz – Eliminated

Here is the prize money they are gunning for:

1: $891,660
2: $526,890
3: $364,770

2013 SHRPO Live Updates

WPT Alpha8: Level 16 Report

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Blinds: 6,000-12,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players: 5 of 21

Level 16 at the World Poker Tour Alpha8 $100,000 super high roller event at the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open saw a pair of Steve Silverman double ups bookend the action.

His first brush with elimination saw Silverman all in with A-3 and he was ahead of the J-9 of Matt Glantz. The board ran out 10-6-3-8-A and Silverman survived. The next time he moved all in near the end of the level Silverman held A-K to dominate the A-9 of Isaac Haxton. The board fell Q-7-4-6-3 and Silverman doubled once again.

The chip stacks really evened out during the last level, with JC Tran holding the slight advantage with 530,000.

Seat 2: Isaac Haxton – 420,000 (35 bb)
Seat 3: Jeff Gross – 430,000 (35 bb)
Seat 4: Steven Silverman – 260,000 (21 bb)
Seat 6: JC Tran – 530,000 (44 bb)
Seat 8: Matt Glantz – 450,000 (37 bb)

Here is the prize pool they are gunning for:

1: $891,660
2: $526,890
3: $364,770
4: $243,180

2013 SHRPO Live Updates

$10M GTD: Blair Hinkle & Justin Bonomo Lead the Final Six

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With the elimination of Panagiotis Nifakos in seventh place, the six-handed final table is set. The action resumes at 12:00 noon ET tomorrow (Wednesday), and we will be providing complete hand-for-hand coverage here, with updated chip counts after every hand.

Here are the official seating and chip counts for tomorrow’s six-handed final table, followed by the prizepool they’re playing for. There is still an hour and 27 minutes left in Level 33, with blinds at 75,000-150,000 and a 25,000 ante.

Seat 1.  Samuel Bernabeu Guilabert  –  4,675,000  (31 bb)
Seat 2.  Justin Bonomo  –  18,500,000  (123 bb)
Seat 3.  Blair Hinkle  –  22,800,000  (152 bb)
Seat 4.  Greg Lehn  –  2,200,000  (14 bb)
Seat 5.  Ray Qartomy  –  13,050,000  (87 bb)
Seat 6.  Mukul Pahuja  –  10,200,000  (68 bb)

1st:  $1,745,245
2nd:  $1,163,500
3rd:  $872,625
4th:  $639,925
5th:  $494,490
6th:  $378,138
7th:  $290,875

Blair Hinkle

2013 SHRPO Live Updates

WPT Alpha8: Level 15 Report

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Blinds: 5,000-10,000 with a 1,000 ante
Players: 5 of 21

Level 15 at the World Poker Tour Alpha8 $100,000 super high roller event at the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open saw both Daniel Alaei and Joseph Cheong hit the rail and we are now down to the money bubble.

Daniel Alaei fell when his Ad 7c ran into the pocket nines of Steve Silverman on a board that was dealt As 9h 4d Qs 2s. It was right near the end of the level when Joseph Cheong met his demise. His 6h 5s was behind the Qc 4c of Jeff Gross but he charged to the lead on the 9h 6c 5c flop. The 10c on the turn gave Groff the flush though and Cheong’s tournament run came to an end after the 3s fell on the river.

Glantz still holds the chip lead with 650,000 but after a big double up Isaac Haxton is also above half a million. Steve Silverman is the shorty with less than 10 big blinds.

Seat 1: Daniel Alaei – Eliminated
Seat 2: Isaac Haxton – 525,000 (52 bb)
Seat 3: Jeff Gross – 355,000 (35 bb)
Seat 4: Steven Silverman – 95,000 (9 bb)
Seat 5: Joseph Cheong – Eliminated
Seat 6: JC Tran – 400,000 (40 bb)
Seat 8: Matt Glantz – 650,000 (65 bb)

Here is the prize pool they are gunning for:

1: $891,660
2: $526,890
3: $364,770
4: $243,180

2013 SHRPO Live Updates

Hand #64: Panagiotis Nifakos Eliminated 7th by Samuel Bernabeu Guilabert

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Samuel Bernabeu Guilabert (seated, left) watches the dealer put out the river card that will eliminate Panagiotis Nifakos (center) in seventh place.
Samuel Bernabeu Guilabert (seated, left) watches the dealer put out the river card that will eliminate Panagiotis Nifakos (center) in seventh place.

Hand #64  –  Ray Qartomy raises under the gun to 400,000, Samuel Bernabeu Guilabert moves all in from the hijack for 2,200,000, and Panagiotis Nifakos calls all in for 1,615,000. Qartomy thinks for a bit before he folds 6d 6s face up.

Nifakos turns over Qc Qs, and Guilabert turns over Ad Kd — it’s a race situation between the two short stacks.

The board comes Ks 10d 8c 2d 6h, and Guilabert pairs his king on the flop to win the pot, eliminating Panagiotis Nifakos in seventh place.

Samuel Bernabeu Guilabert  –  4,675,000  (31 bb)
Panagiotis Nifakos  –  Out in 7th Place  ($290,875)

The remaining six players are now bagging up their chips and filling out bio sheets. Stay tuned for official chip counts.

2013 SHRPO Live Updates

$10M GTD: Official Chip Counts

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Here are the official chip counts for the final seven players from the break:

Seat 1.  Samuel Bernabeu Guilabert – 2,225,000 (14 bb)
Seat 5.  Panagiotis Nifakos – 1,700,000 (11 bb)
Seat 6.  Justin Bonomo – 18,525,000 (123 bb)
Seat 7.  Blair Hinkle – 22,900,000 (152 bb)
Seat 8.  Greg Lehn – 2,375,000 (15 bb)
Seat 9.  Ray Qartomy – 13,475,000 (89 bb)
Seat 10.  Mukul Pahuja – 10,225,000 (68 bb)

1st:  $1,745,245
2nd:  $1,163,500
3rd:  $872,625
4th:  $639,925
5th:  $494,490
6th:  $378,138
7th:  $290,875

2013 SHRPO Live Updates

$10M GTD, Hands #58-63: Final Seven Players

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Hand #58  –  Samuel Bernabeu Guilabert raises UTG+1 to 250,000, and Blair Hinkle calls from the button. The flop comes 9c 7h 4c, Guilabert checks, Hinkle bets 550,000, and Guilabert calls. The turn is the 3h, and both players check. The river is the 8c, Guilabert checks, Hinkle bets 1,350,000, and Guilabert folds. Hinkle takes the pot.

Hand #59  –  Everyone folds to Mukul Pahuja, giving him a walk in the big blind.

Hand #60  –  Mukul Pahuja raises from the small blind to 300,000, winning the blinds and antes.

Hand #61  –  Samuel Bernabeu Guilabert moves all in from the small blind, winning the blinds and antes.

Hand #62  –  Samuel Bernabeu Guilabert raises from the button to 250,000, Panagiotis Nifakos moves all in for about 1.2 million, and Guilabert folds. Nifakos takes the pot.

Hand #63  –  Ray Qartomy raises UTG+1 to 300,000, Justin Bonomo calls from the small blind, and Blair Hinkle calls from the big blind. The flop comes Jc 10h 4c, and action checks to Qartomy, who bets 425,000. Bonomo calls, and Hinkle folds. The turn is the 5c, Bonomo bets 1,350,000, and Qartomy folds. Bonomo takes the pot.