2021 May Deep Stack Poker Series
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event 5
$1,700 Deepest Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$200,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  398
Prize Pool:  $597,000
May 27-30, 2021

The 2021 May Deep Stack Poker Series rolled out its headliner on May 27 and the $1,700 buy-in Deepest Stack tournament featured a $200,000 guaranteed prize pool. It drew 398 entries and Cosmin Joldis conquered a very tough final table to take home the title along with more than $120K.

There were three starting flights for Event 5 and the 398 entries pushed the $200,000 guarantee up to a prize pool worth $597,000. The last 50 players earned a piece of that prize pool with defending champ Paul Domb taking the 50th spot.

The tournament structure gave players plenty of room to make moves with 50,000 starting stacks and Day 1 levels that last 40 minutes with them going up to 60 and 90 minutes as the tournament progressed.

Day 2 saw 109 players return plus another 19 who bought in before the restart. The slow structure meant there were still eight players remaining in the early morning hours of Day 2 and they returned for Day 3 to play out the final table.

It took more than ten hours to settle the matter but Cosmin Joldis went into heads-up play against Steve Karp holding a big lead. Most of his stack came courtesy of a double knockout; he eliminated both Stuart Greenbaum and Richard in the same hand, sending them out in third and fourth respectively.

Karp put up a fight but the deficit was too great. Joldis defeated the South Florida pro and took home $120,410 for the title while Karp had to settle for his $80,250 runner-up score.

Congrats to Cosmin and thank you to all our old friends and new for another tremendous series.

Final table results:

1st: Cosmin Joldis – $120,410
2nd: Steve Karp – $80,250
3rd: Stuart Greenbaum – $58,985
4th: Richard Zipes – $43,880
5th: Jason Wandling – $33,045
6th: Rafiki Brown – $25,190
7th: Tony Cappadona – $18,445
8th: Dien Le – $13,620

$1,700 Deepest Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$200,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 30:  75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante

Steve Karp opened to 275,000 from his button and Cosmin Joldis raised to 850,000. Karp checked his stack, called the raise, and the flop came .

Joldis bet 675,000, Karp moved all in for 2,175,000 and Joldis quickly called.

Joldis:
Karp:

Karp flopped middle pair of jacks but Joldis was ahead after his big slick flopped top/top. The turn and river finished the board and Joldis had all the chips in the tournament. Karp banked $80,250 for his runner-up finish while Joldis took home $120,410.

1st: Cosmin Joldis – $120,410
2nd: Steve Karp – $80,250

$1,700 Deepest Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$200,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 30:  75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 398

Cosmin Joldis had the button, he announced all in, and Steve Karp quickly called for 1,375,000 looking for a double.

Joldis:
Karp:

Karp was dominating and pulled a needed double after the dealer spread the board.

Seat 1: Cosmin Joldis – 17,025,000 (136 bb)
Seat 2: Steve Karp – 2,875,000 (23 bb)

$1,700 Deepest Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$200,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 30:  75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 398

There were no major parts over the first part of the heads-up match but the chips continued to slide towards Cosmin Joldis giving him a big lead.

But anything can happen when playing heads-up.

Seat 1: Cosmin Joldis – 16,275,000 (130 bb)
Seat 2: Steve Karp – 3,600,000 (29 bb)

$1,700 Deepest Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$200,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 30:  75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 398

The heads-up match is underway for the May Deep Stack Poker Series Event 5 title. Cosmin Joldis begins with the chip lead after his double KO to get them down to the last two.

Once this level is complete, they will go to 40-minute levels for the duration.

Seat 1: Cosmin Joldis – 12,325,000 (99 bb)
Seat 8: Steve Karp – 7,575,000 (61 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st: $120,410
2nd: $80,250

$1,700 Deepest Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$200,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 30:  75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 398

After on early open, Stuart Greenbaum raised to 600,000 and Cosmin Joldis called. Richard Zipes shipped in for 1,625,000 and Greenbaum had questions.

“If we both go out (himself and Zipes), do I get 3rd?” Greenbaum asked.

When he heard the answer was yes based on chip stacks, Greenbaum moved all in himself for 3,750,000. Joldis stuck around with a chance to knock two players out.

Joldis:
Zipes:
Greenbaum:

Joldis had a dominant hand again Greenbaum and a flip with Zipes. With everyone on their feet, the dealer ran the board and Joldis held with the queens.

Greenbaum was awarded $58,985 for third place while the 82 year-old Zipes earned $43,880.

Cosmin Joldis – 12,325,000 (99 bb)
Stuart Greenbaum – Eliminated in 3rd Place ($58,985)
Richard Zipes – Eliminated in 4th Place ($43,880)

$1,700 Deepest Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$200,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 30:  75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 398

Richard Zipes limped and Steve Karp raised to 550,000 from the small blind. Zipes called and the flop looked interesting. Karp checked, Zipes announced all in, and Karp quickly called.

Karp:
Zipes:

“Oh boy,” was about all Zipes could say about the development.

The board finished with turn and river to give Karp the pot. They counted down the stacks and Karp was the at risk player for 2,675,000.

Steve Karp – 6,700,000 (54 bb)
Richard Zipes – 750,000 (6 bb)

$1,700 Deepest Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$200,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 30:  75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 398

Another break rolled around and the four remaining players took a ten-minute breather from the final table. They returned to blinds at 75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante and the average stack 4,975,000 (40 bb).

Seat 1: Cosmin Joldis – 7,250,000 (58 bb)
Seat 3: Richard Zipes – 3,850,000 (31 bb)
Seat 7: Stuart Greenbaum – 5,625,000 (45 bb)
Seat 8: Steve Karp – 3,150,000 (25 bb)

Remaining payouts:

1st: $120,410
2nd: $80,250
3rd: $58,985
4th: $43,880

$1,700 Deepest Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$200,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 29:  50,000/100,000 with a 100,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 398

Steve Karp opened to 225,000 and Cosmin Joldis three-bet to 600,000 from the button. The blinds folded and Karp put in a fourth bet to 1,475,000. After a couple of minutes, Joldis called to create a three million chip pot preflop.

Both players checked down the entire board and Joldis showed to get a muck from Karp.

Cosmin Joldis – 6,550,000 (66 bb)
Steve Karp – 3,900,000 (39 bb)

$1,700 Deepest Stack NLH (Re-Entry)
$200,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 29:  50,000/100,000 with a 100,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 398

Richard Zipes opened to 250,000 from under the gun and Jason Wandling moved all in for 1,600,000 next to act. Stuart Greenbaum reshipped with a bigger stack from the button and Zipes folded.

Greenbaum:
Wandling:

Wandling was behind but two suited live cards to try to catch. Then it was Greenbaum improving on the flop with his paired ace. The turn gave Wandling 12 rivers out, diamonds and a gutshot, but he missed the river to go out in fifth place for $33,045.

Stuart Greenbaum – 7,025,000 (70 bb)
Jason Wandling – Eliminated in 5th Place ($33,045)