$1,650 Eight-Handed No Limit Hold ‘Em (Single Re-Entry)
Level 15: 1500/3000/500 Ante

If anyone needs some advice on how to play a short stack, Roman Valerstein is your guy.  Unfortunately, his luck ran out here in Event 15.

Valerstein bet 6,000 and saw chip leader Steele Sutter go over the top putting Valerstein to a difficult decision.  After humorously asking Sutter for a chip count, Valerstein decided to make the call.

Valerstein:
Sutter:

Unfortunately for Valerstein, the board ran out giving Sutter aces and sending Valerstein to the rail. Valerstein was congratulated for his play by the rest of the players as he left the table to pick up a $5,265 payday.

Roman Valerstein (Langhorne, PA) – $5,265

$1,650 Eight-Handed No Limit Hold ‘Em (Single Re-Entry)
Level 16: 1500/3000/500 Ante

The first short stack to fall after the bubble burst is Victor Sbrissa.

The Brazilian pushed in with and was called by John McDonald holding . Sbrissa did not catch up and ends his day in 8th place with a $3,510 payout.

Victor Sbrissa (Brazil) – $3,510

$1,650 Eight-Handed No Limit Hold ‘Em (Single Re-Entry)
Level 16: 1500/3000/500 Ante

It turned out not to be Justin Zaki’s night.

After nearly 6 hours of play, Zaki is victimized on the bubble.

Zaki’s lost a critical hand to fellow short-stack Roman Valerstein as his tens fell to queens leaving him with only 14,000 chips.

A few hands later, Zaki made his last stand with but ran into aces to finish it and sending him home empty-handed.

The rest of the players let out a collective sigh of relief as this bubble finally cracked and we’re in the money on Event 15 plus have our official eight-handed final table.

$1,650 Eight-Handed No Limit Hold ‘Em (Single Re-Entry)
Level 15: 1200/2400/400 Ante

Roman Valerstein put his tournament on the line going all-in and was called by Joe Reddick.

Valerstein:
Reddick:

Valerstein was dominated and the flop of brought no help but the board ran out to put quads on the board and get Valerstein the chop to stay alive.

$1,650 Eight-Handed No Limit Hold ‘Em (Single Re-Entry)

Level 15:  Binds 1.200/2,400/400 Ante

Victor Sbrissa (bb) and Justin Zaki (utg+1) got to the turn with a board of and Sbrissa checked, Zaki fired 12,200, Sbrissa check-raised to 25,800.

Zaki tanked for a minute, then called.  River was the and Sbrissa shoved for 30,800.  Zaki again gave it some thought before calling.  He showed for top two pair.

Sbrissa showed for Broadway, catching a 4-outer on the river.  “Oh My God” was all Zaki could say.   Roman Valerstein said “No justice in poker.”

Sbrissa doubled up to ~135k while Zaki’s stack dropped to ~30k.

$1,650 Eight-Handed No Limit Hold ‘Em (Single Re-Entry)
Level 15: 1200/2400/400 Ante

Level 15 has turned to already be as exciting as the last level was dull. Both Justin Zaki and Konstantinos Pantaridis have managed to double their short stacks but the big hand so far went to Ardit Kurshumi.

Kurshumi ended up in hotly contested hand with chip leaders John McDonald and Steele Sutter.

Facing a flop of and the hand checked to him, Kurshumi bet out 18k and got calls from both of his opponents. The turn brought out the putting a flush draw on the board. Once again, the hand was checked to Kurshumi who pushed the remainder of his stack in the middle.

After taking some time, McDonald made the call leaving Sutter with a huge decision. Sutter tanked for a couple of minutes and then folded leaving Kurshumi in for his tournament life on the bubble.

Kurshumi:
McDonald:

McDonald’s decision to chase the straight flush draw and full house did not pay off as he missed the river and Kurshumi raked in the massive pot. He is now one of the table leaders as this table still waits for the bubble to burst.

$1,650 Eight-Handed No Limit Hold ‘Em (Single Re-Entry)
Level 13: 800/1600/200 Ante

Joe Reddick has been steady and deliberate through this entire tournament and this play showed his cool and calculating side.

With players on the bubble, Keller got in a hand with Victor Sbrissa. On a board, Reddick had checked to Sbrissa who fired a bet to 26,500. After taking some time to consider his options, Reddick called.

The river brought a prompting a check from Reddick. Sbrissa fired a bet of 44,500 and then shockingly Reddick went over the top pushing his stack all-in. Sbrissa went into the tank for a few minutes tensing up and counting out chips trying to make a decision. After a final look at his cards, Sbrissa put his head down and threw his cards into the muck.

Reddick then showed for a busted flush draw and raked in the pot while Sbrissa said he had J-10.

$1,650 Eight-Handed No Limit Hold ‘Em (Single Re-Entry)
Level 13: 800/1600/100 Ante

Immediately after Matt Shepsky’s jacks lost to queens, Shepsky’s day came to a screeching halt.

This time, Shepsky found himself all-in against Justin Zaki with his tournament life on the line.

Zaki:
Shepsky

Shepsky had some help on a flop but got no help from the rest of the board and exited Event 15 in 10th Place.

The field has now been consolidated to one nine-player unofficial final table. With one more elimination, the event will be in the money and a final table set.