Level 29 (40,000/80,000/10,000)
Total BPPS Entrants: 272
Players Remaining: 3
Chip Average: 2,800,000

Joe ‘Worm’ Palma (Philadelphia, PA)

While it might not have been for a massive pot, Joe ‘Worm’ Palma just made perhaps the call of the tournament to take in a pot from John Germano with just ace high.

The hand was picked up pre flop, with Palma opening the small blind to 190,000. Germano defended his big blind to see the {Jh}{8d}{4d} flop. Palma quickly check-called a bet of 275,000 to see the {10c} fall on the turn. Palma checked for a second time, only to see Germano continue for 400,000. This time, Palma’s call was not quick by any means, as he went deep into the tank for close to two minutes.

Eventually, he did call, checking for a third time as the {4h} completed the board. After some consideration and a count of his nearly 1,600,000 chip stack, Germano checked behind and Worm immediately ask, “You miss diamonds?”

Germano shook his head and saw Palma table {Ac}{Kh}, with ace-king high being good enough to take down the pot. It certainly would have been interesting to see what Palma would have done had Germano bombed the river, but the way the hand played out, he likely could have found a call as he was right with his read the entire way.

Palma is now playing 4,500,000 and has a decent advantage on this BPPS final table.