Level 28 (30,000/60,000/5,000)
Total BPPS Entrants: 272
Players Remaining: 3
Chip Average: 2,800,000
Three handed play, as suspected, as been slow and methodical, as the stacks remained close until the end of the last level. At the end of Level 27, Joe ‘Worm’ Palma moved himself into the chip lead, while six-time Borgata Poker champion Abraham Korotki has fallen slightly off the pace as he’s now under the chip average.
With these high blind levels, anything can happen, as the swings over the next few hours could be drastic with every pot. That means that even thought Korotki is the current short stack, he’s just one hand away from moving into the chip lead.
Regardless how those swings play out over the next few levels, the BPPS blog will follow the action, with an updated list of the counts provided below:
- Abraham Korotki – 1,810,000
- Joe ‘Worm’ Palma – 3,300,000
- John Germano – 3,040,000
Level 27 (25,000/50,000/5,000)
Total BPPS Entrants: 272
Players Remaining: 3
Chip Average: 2,800,000
Joe ‘Worm’ Palma has drawn first blood three-handed, taking a sizable pot off John Germano with a rivered nut straight. These final three players are now all within touching distance, as the stacks are extremely close.
Through the first few orbits, Joe ‘Worm’ Palma has been the only player to win a meaningful hand, cutting down John Germano with the nut straight to move all three players into a more or less tie for the BPPS final table chip lead.
That action was picked up on a board of {10s}{5h}{3c}{9c}, with Palma leading out for 300,000. Germano, who was in position, called to see the river. The {8d} completed the board and after close to two minutes of thought and a count of his own stack, Palma slid out 640,000. Without getting a count, Germano verbalized “call”, only to have Palma say, “Nuts.” before tabling {Qs}{Jc}.
Germano shook his head and cut the necessary chips out of his stack, sending them to his right to Palma, who is now playing just over 2,500,000. These three players are now all within touching distance with just over 20 minutes remaining in Level 27.
After this level, there will be a short break and a complete update of the remaining player’s chip counts.
Level 27 (25,000/50,000/5,000)
Total BPPS Entrants: 272
Players Remaining: 3
Chip Average: 2,800,000
Justin Kadet (New York, NY)
Justin Kadet worked his short stack to near perfection but after getting cut down by Abraham Korotki, Korotki just finished the job he started a few levels ago, hitting another river to send Kadet to the rail in 4th place.
The hand was picked up with Korotki limping from under the gun and after Joe ‘Worm’ Palma folded his button and John Germano completed his small blind, Kadet announced himself “all-in” from the big blind. His all-in amount was for just under 600,000 and after looking across at Kadet’s stack, Korotki announced himself “all-in” as well.
Germano quickly got out of the way and as he tabled {10h}{10s}, Kadet seemed happy with his spot, saying, “Let’s do this.” as Korotki turned over {Qc}{9c}.
The short stack was happy with his situation until the river, as the board ran out {9h}{6c}{4d}{5h}{9d}, with Korotki hitting another huge river card against Kadet, this time to score the knockout.
Kadet will make just under $7,500 for his final table run and Korotki now looks like he’ll enter three-handed play tied with John Germano for the chip lead with just over 3,000,000. Joe ‘Worm’ Palma is within touching distance though, as he’s playing just over 2,000,000.
Level 27 (25,000/50,000/5,000)
Total BPPS Entrants: 272
Players Remaining: 4
Chip Average: 2,000,000
Eliyah Asur (Pittsburgh, PA)
Almost just as we posted that we’ve gone three hours without an elimination, Eliyah Asur was sent to the rail in 5th place, as his pair and massive draw was unable to best John Germano’s pocket queens.
The hand was picked up with Germano and Asur in a leveling war on a board of {JH}{7s}{5s}, with Asur moving all-in for just under 1,000,000 chips and Germano calling to put the short stack at risk. Asur held {Js}{10s} for top pair and a flush draw and Germano had to hold as he held {Qd}{Qc}.
He did, as the {5d} paired the board on the turn and the {9h} completed the board and confirmed the knockout. Asur, who rode a roller coaster stack throughout the last two days, graciously accepted defeat and will make just under $6,000 for his BPPS final table run.
Germano, who lost the chip lead after doubling up short stack Justin Kadet during the last level, is now back leading this final table, as he’s playing just under 3,200,000.
Players are now in Level 27, where the big blind will cost 50,000 chips.
Level 26 (20,000/40,000/4,000)
Total BPPS Entrants: 272
Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 1,650,000
It’s been over three hours since the last elimination, as these five players have been doubling each other up and swapping chips for the last few levels. Those chips have found their way to the shorter stacks, as both Eliyah Asur and Justin Kadet have each increased their stacks significantly over the last level.
A complete list of the updated five-handed chip counts is provided below:
- Eilyah Asur – 1,350,000
- Abraham Korotki – 1,650,000
- Joe ‘Worm’ Palma – 2,200,000
- John Germano – 2,400,000
- Justin Kadet – 900,000
Players are just a few minutes from Level 27.
Level 26 (20,000/40,000/4,000)
Total BPPS Entrants: 272
Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 1,650,000
Justin Kadet (New York, NY)
Justin Kadet’s stack size doesn’t allow for much maneuverability, as he’s more or less stuck in a fit or fold mode of play. So far though, he’s making that strategy work, as he’s increased his stack over the last few hands by getting a few shoves through.
While those shoves might not be increasing his stack like a double up would, he’s still picking up close to 80,000 chips every time he takes down a pot pre flop and even more if he’s forcing a fold with a three-bet shove.
The only problem with this strategy, is that those increases to his stack aren’t lasting very long, as the button is circling fast as play is still five-handed. So, it should be interesting to see what happens the next time Kadet is looked up, as a double up would completely change the dynamic at this final table.
As we were typing this post, Kadet got that double up, as he moved all-in over the top of John Germano’s pre flop raise, with Germano calling to have the short stack dominated {As}{Ks} to Kadet’s {Ah}{Jc}.
The board ran out {10s}{8d}{3s}{9c}{7d} and Kadet rivered a straight to score the double, moving himself over the 1,000,000 chip mark for the first time since his run-in with Abraham Korotki.
Level 26 (20,000/40,000/4,000)
Total BPPS Entrants: 272
Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 1,650,000
Justin Kadet returned from break as the shortest stack and while he just got all-in and rivered a straight, that river card didn’t increase his stack, as it also gave Eliyah Asur a straight with both players chopping the pot.
That action was picked up pre flop, with Kadet moving all-in for just under 500,000 from the cutoff. Asur, next to act on the button verbalized “call” and then Joe ‘Worm’ Palma folded {4h}{4c} face up in the big blind. Kadet held {Ah}{7c} to Asur’s {As}{Ks} and needed to hit a three-outer of his own to score a much needed double up.
A three-outer wasn’t going to be any good after the {Kh}{Jd}{Jc} flop but his tournament life was saved as the {Qd} came on the turn and the {10h} gave both players broadway on the river.
Kadet now has a second chance at life at this final table, still working the shortest stack with close to 15 big blinds.
Level 26 (20,000/40,000/4,000)
Total BPPS Entrants: 272
Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 1,650,000
Two full levels have passed since our last elimination and the remaining five players will now return to Level 26 with two short stacked players needing to find quick doubles. That likely means that the slow pace that we saw through the last two hours will not hold this side of break.
Either way, the BPPS blog will be here to catch all the action, with a complete list of the five-handed chip counts is provided below:
- Eilyah Asur – 897,000
- Abraham Korotki – 1,909,000
- Joe ‘Worm’ Palma – 2,220,000
- John Germano – 2,631,000
- Justin Kadet – 489,000
Level 25 (15,000/30,000/4,000)
Total BPPS Entrants: 272
Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 1,650,000
Abraham Korotki just scored a massive double up, hitting the river to cripple Justin Kadet and moving himself back over the 2,000,000 chip mark.
The biggest pot of the tournament just played out at the final table and it’s seen Abraham Korotki regain his stop near the top of the BPPS leaderboard while crippling Justin Kadet.
The action was picked up pre flop with Kadet opening the button to 65,000 and Eilyah Asur called in the small blind. Korotki, who was in the big blind, then three-bet to 290,000 and after some thought, Kadet announced himself “all-in”. Asur quickly folded and Korotki snap called, tabling {Qh}{Jd}.
He needed help and needed it fast, as Kadet held {Ad}{Jh} and had the shorter stack dominated. That domination held until the river, as the board ran out {10s}{6d}{3h}{8c}{Qs}, with Korotki smashing the river, saving his tournament life and welcoming the double with a celebratory shout and fist pump.
Kadet was left bemoaning his luck, or lack thereof, as he was cut down to just over 500,000. Korotki on the other hand is now back over the 2,000,000 chip mark and is back to being a serious threat to take down this title.
There are just over 20 minutes remaining in Level 25.
Level 25 (15,000/30,000/4,000)
Total BPPS Entrants: 272
Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 1,650,000
Joe ‘Worm’ Palma is now over the 2,000,000 chip mark after forcing a fold on the river to take in a sizable pot with the second nut flush. He’s now looking like one of the leaders at this final table with play still five-handed.
Joe ‘Worm’ Palma and Eilyah Asur have more or less switched spots on the BPPS leaderboard, after Palma moved all-in on the river to force a fold from the former final table big stack.
The hand was picked up on a board of {Ac}{8c}{7h}{2c} with Asur leading out for 225,000. After some thought, Palma called to see the {Qs} completed the board. Asur didn’t slow down, firing out 425,000, which was a sizable portion of Palma’s remaining stack.
After an inventory of his stack, Palma announced himself “all-in”, with Asur leaning back in his chair and cursing to himself before he rechecked his cards. Those cards then got ripped into the muck, with Palma asking, “You want to see the bluff?”
Asur didn’t answer but Palma didn’t have a bluff to show, instead turning over {Qc}{6c} for the second nut flush. Asur shook his head before saying, “I was afraid of that.”
Asur now needs to be afraid of something else, as he’s the shortest stack left at this final table, with just over 1,000,000 chips. Palma on the other hand is trending upwards through the first half of Level 25, currently playing close to 2,200,000.
