Level 25 (15,000/30,000/4,000)
Total BPPS Entrants: 272
Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 1,650,000
Eliyah Asur has made limping cool again, as he’s entered a lot of pots without a raise. That’s caused a slower pace and a lot of multi-way pots to play out over the last hour but Asur’s stack is for the better because of it, as he’s currently second in chips.
Level 24 was a quiet one, as few big pots played out and the remaining five players more or less just traded chips for an hour. Part of that reason is that the pre flop game has been very passive, with very few three-bets and even raises being put in.
Limps are not usual at this stage of a tournament but they’ve been in high demand over the last hour, with Eilyah Asur more or less setting that pace, entering a lot of pots without a raise. That multi-way activity has then not translated to action post-flop, as players are remaining passive and treading carefully.
With the blinds and antes going up, it will be interesting to see if that slow, limpy pace will continue, with an updated list of the chip counts provided below:
- Eilyah Asur – 1,600,000
- Abraham Korotki – 1,100,000
- Joe ‘Worm’ Palma – 1,300,000
- John Germano – 2,600,000
- Justin Kadet – 1,350,000
Level 24 (12,000/24,000/3,000)
Total BPPS Entrants: 272
Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 1,650,000
We expected the pace of play to slow once the shorter stacks hit the rail but we didn’t expect this final table to come to a screeching halt. Through the last half hour, it has, as players have bene doing nothing more than trading chips back and forth, with very few major, meaningful hands developing.
Justin Kadet, despite his short stack, has been pretty active, increasing his standing slightly although he still remains the only player under the 1,000,000 chip mark.
That aggression has made Eilyah Asur comment that Kadet’s massage is “definitely working”, as he’s been getting his lower back worked on by the masseuse for the last fifteen minutes or so and has seen a significant increase to his stack since.
Other than Kadet’s increase, there hasn’t been much other movement of the stacks. It should be interesting to see if this slow pace continues, as the blinds and antes are set to go up again in just under 15 minutes.
Level 24 (12,000/24,000/3,000)
Total BPPS Entrants: 272
Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 1,650,000
John Germano has regained his position as the BPPS final table chip leader, after taking a sizable portion of Abraham Korotki’s stack with the nut straight.
The first meaningful hand at this final table saw John Germano and Abraham Korotki clash and they just did again in the first meaningful hand back from break. This time, Germano cut down the six-time Borgata Poker champion with the nut straight, to move himself into a commanding position atop the BPPS leaderboard.
The action was picked up pre flop, with Eliyah Asur limping in late position and Korotki doing the same on the button. Germano checked his option in the big blind and then checked the {10s}{9h}{3d} flop. Asur bet 50,000 and both players called before all three players checked the {8s} turn card.
The {6d} river put four to a straight on board and Germano led for 150,000. Asur quickly folded and Korotki then cut out a raise to 301,000. After getting a count, Germano announced a raise of his own, pushing out more than a full stack of red 25,000 value chips. Korotki immediately called, only to see Germano table {Qd}{Js} for the nut straight.
Korotki gave out a quick, mumbled laugh before he threw his cards towards the muck and pushed a decent portion of his stack across the table. When the dust settled, Germano just over 3,500,000 while Kortoki was knocked down to just under the 1,000,000 chip mark, his lowest total of this Day 3 session.
Level 24 (12,000/24,000/3,000)
Total BPPS Entrants: 272
Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 1,650,000
After a flurry of action at the end of Level 24, just five players remain at this Player’s Series final table. The majority of the short stacks have hit the rail and the big stacks have only grown over the first two hours of play today. That should create for an interesting dynamic over the next few levels, as these remaining players are extremely deep.
A complete list of the five-handed chip counts is provided below:
- Eilyah Asur – 1,450,000
- Abraham Korotki – 2,380,000
- Joe ‘Worm’ Palma – 1,350,000
- John Germano – 2,200,000
- Justin Kadet – 650,000
Level 23 (10,000/20,000/3,000)
Total BPPS Entrants: 272
Players Remaining: 5
Chip Average: 1,650,000
Jordan Allan (Glasgow, Scotland)
In the final hand of Level 23, the shortest stack at this final table was finally looked up, as Jordan Allan moved all-in and got called in two spots. Unfortunately, he was unable to score a triple up, with John Germano continuing his final table run with another elimination.
The hand was picked up with Allan moving all-in for 355,000 from the cutoff. Abraham Korotki, who was on the button, called and after some thought, John Germano did the same from the big blind.
Both Germano and Korotki checked the {9s}{8s}{5d} flop and then Germano moved all-in after the {Jc} fell on the turn. Korotki quickly folded and the hands were then tabled, with Germano holding {Jh}{Js} for a set and Allan searching for a spade on the river as he held {Ks}{10s}.
The flush did not come in, as the {9c} completed the board, giving Germano a full house and scoring another quick knockout. Allan, who played nearly perfect short stack play for the last few levels, including the later portions of Day 2, will make just under $5,000 for his BPPS final table run.
The players are now on a quick break and a complete update of the remaining chip counts will be posted shortly.
Level 23 (10,000/20,000/3,000)
Total BPPS Entrants: 272
Players Remaining: 6
Chip Average: 1,300,000
Sundiata DeVore (Brooklyn, NY)
Almost immediately after John Manzella was sent to the rail, Sundiata DeVore was next to go, as he got his pocket aces cracked by the former chip leader John Germano to be eliminated in 7th place.
That action was picked up on a board of {Ks}{5c}{4s}, with Germano checking to the in position DeVore, who bet 83,000. Quickly, Germano check-raised to 200,000 and after some thought, and a count of his own stack, DeVore moved all-in for just over 550,000. Germano snap called and threw over {4c}{4h}, leaving DeVore and his {Ad}{Ac} searching for just two outs on the turn and river.
They didn’t come, as the {9s} and the {8h} completed the board to confirm his final table elimination. When the dust settled, he was earning just under $4,000 for his run, while John Germano was chipping up to just over the 1,500,000 mark, back to where he started this final table session.
There are just a few minutes remaining in Level 23, after which there will be a ten minute break.
Level 23 (10,000/20,000/3,000)
Total BPPS Entrants: 272
Players Remaining: 7
Chip Average: 1,150,000
John Manzella (Midland Park, NJ)
John Manzella arrived a half hour late for this final table and then only lasted close to a half hour. After scoring a knockout of Daniel Sewnig, he took a tough beat to lose a decent portion of his stack to Joe ‘Worm’ Palma and then took an even tougher beat to get sent to the rail in 8th place.
That action was picked up with Manzella opening in early position. The table folded to Abraham Korotki, who was in the big blind, and he three-bet, only to see Manzella four-bet shove. Korotki then called, as he was priced in, only to see that he was dominated.
Manzella held {Ad}{Kh} to Korotki’s {Ac}{10d} but that advantage didn’t hold for very long, as the board ran out {6h}{5s}{2h}{10s}{5c}, with Korotki hitting his three-outer on the turn.
It was a rough, up and down day for Manzella, but he’ll make just under $3,000 for his 8th place finish. While he’s heading to the payout cage, Korotki continues to move up the leaderboard, increasing his lead on the rest of this final table.
A complete update of the remaining counts will be posted shortly, as players are just a few minutes from the first break of the day.
Level 23 (10,000/20,000/3,000)
Total BPPS Entrants: 272
Players Remaining: 8
Chip Average: 1,000,000
Joe ‘Worm’ Palma (Philadelphia, PA)
John Manzella’s roller coaster ride at this final table has continued, as he just lost potentially the biggest pot of the day to Joe ‘Worm’ Palma, as the river card improved both players. Palma, improved to a straight though and is now up and over the 1,000,000 chip mark.
That action was picked up on a board of {As}{Jd}{7s}, with John Germano checking from the blinds and Palma, in the cutoff, betting 77,000. Manzella, who was on the button, called and Germano folded to send two players to the turn.
The {8d} fell and Palma bet again, this time pushing out 112,000. Manzella then counted down his entire stack before just calling to see the river in position. The {10c} completed and put four to a straight on board but Palma was undeterred. He bet for a third time, sliding out 242,000, a bet which Manzella snap called.
That four straight board was just what Palma needed, as he tabled {Jh}{9s} for a rivered straight, while Manzella threw over {Ah}{10d} for rivered two pair. It was the perfect card for Palma and it would have been interesting how both players would have reacted if the river had been a blank.
It wasn’t though and that perfect river card moved Palma up the BPPS leaderboard, as he’s now one of just three players over the 1,000,000 chip mark.
Level 23 (10,000/20,000/3,000)
Total BPPS Entrants: 272
Players Remaining: 8
Chip Average: 1,000,000
Daniel Sewnig (Yardville, NJ)
Daniel Sewnig came into this final table as the shortest stack and while he got a few shoves through and made a pay jump, he was unlucky to be sent to the rail in 9th place.
That action was picked up pre flop, with Sewnig opening to 45,000 and after some folds, John Manzella put in a three-bet to 125,000 from late position. Sewnig counted his short stack and eventually elected to four-bet shove, with Manzella quickly calling, only to see that he was dominated.
Sewnig turned over {Ah}{Ad} and Manzella could only say, “What the hell is going on?” before turning over his own {Kd}{Ks}. After showing up late, he was at risk of losing another portion of his stack that was until he hit a two-outer to score the knockout.
The board ran out {7s}{5s}{4d}{Kc}{8d} and Manzella fist pumped as the turn card fell, with Sewnig graciously accepting defeat despite the brutal beat. He’ll make just under $2,000 for his 9th place run and John Manzella is now peaking over the 1,000,000 chip mark.
Level 23 (10,000/20,000/3,000)
Total BPPS Entrants: 272
Players Remaining: 9
Chip Average: 880,000
Justin Kadet was quiet through yesterday’s Day 2 session but has announced himself already at this final table. He just picked off a bluff with pocket aces and is now trending upwards with over 800,000 in front of him.
John Manzella mistakenly thought that this final table started at 1 PM, so his stack went unattended for the first half hour of play and he likely wish he didn’t play his first hand back. That’s because he just lost a sizable portion of his stack to Justin Kadet, as Kadet just picked off a ill-timed bluff with pocket aces.
That hand was picked up with Manzella limping in middle position and after a few folds, Kadet raised to 68,000. Manzella called to see the {Qc}{Qh}{2c} flop and both players checked to the turn.
Manzella check-called the {5d} turn card after Kadet bet 80,000 and the late arriver then led the {7d} river card for 80,000. Kadet thought for a few seconds and then called, only to see Manzella turn over {Kc}{9h} for nothing more than king high.
Kadet then tabled {Ad}{As} and his pocket pair was good enough to take in the pot, although he was forced to tread carefully with two queens on board. Nevertheless, he’s now playing the better part of 800,000, while John Manzella has quickly dropped below the chip average.
