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        <title>PokerStars Poker Blog :: PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</title>
        <link>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/</link>
        <description>Poker blog offering poker tournament news for PokerStars events. Includes European Poker Tour, Asia Pacific Poker Tour,  WCOOP, and WSOP coverage.</description>
        <language>en</language>
        <copyright>Copyright 2010</copyright>
        <lastBuildDate>Thu, 14 Jan 2010 18:07:02 -0800</lastBuildDate>
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            <title>2010 PCA High Roller: Reynolds wins battle of Wills to clinch half-million</title>
            <description><![CDATA[<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" width="130" height="100" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></span>Even in the world of poker, you don't earn half a million bucks without working for it. And when today's $25,000 High Roller event at the 2010 PCA wrapped, these players were deep into their 26th hour at the table. What began at 4pm on Monday ended at 8.45pm on Thursday - and William Reynolds, from Sioux City, Iowa, emerged the victor, having high-rolled his way to a $576,240 purse.</p>

<p>"It was the most roller coaster of a ride I've ever been on," Reynolds said. "It looked like I was going to be the final table bubble. On day one, I was down to 5,800 chips. From there I won a race and it was all up from there."</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74784.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74784.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>William Reynolds, 2010 PCA High Roller champion</i></center><br></p>

<p>Few would argue that Reynolds had worked the hardest, and this was an object lesson in shifting gears at precisely the right time. He was the shortest of all of the last nine who played a gruelling session late last night, but found impeccable moments to get his chips in and earn the double ups in the right spots. With chips, he was suitably on the attack, applying pressure and chipping up until he got it heads up with last year's runner up, Will Molson.</p>

<p>"I feel great," Reynolds said. "I can't count the amount of times I was all in. I was ready to be on the beach and up in my hotel room."</p>

<p>The heads up duel - predictably dubbed the "Battle of Wills" - started with the players almost even in chips, and it's difficult to discern where either of them made anything even approaching a mistake. There were the expected swings this way and that, but it just so happened that Reynolds's continual force gradually wore Molson down. They eventually got it all in pre-flop: Reynolds had [ad][10d] when Molson had [kc][8d]. The board was ace high and we were done.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74673.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74673.jpg" width="450" height="300" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Heads up play</i></center><br></p>

<p>It wasn't all about the Wills, of course, and when we started a little after noon, there were eight players at the plate.</p>

<p>Seat 1: Adolfo Vaeza, Uruguay  - 790,000<br />
Seat 2: William Reynolds, USA - 482,000<br />
Seat 3: Michiel Brummelhuis, Holland - 394,000<br />
Seat 4: Dimitry Stelmak, Russia - 150,000<br />
Seat 5: Will Molson, Canada - 669,000<br />
Seat 6: Tobias Reinkemeier, Germany - 1,072,000<br />
Seat 7: Lisa Hamilton, USA - 440,000<br />
Seat 8: Matt Marafioti, Canada - 236,000</p>

<p>Even with the blinds wound back to the start of level 21, Dmitry Stelmak was in possession of a micro stack, the kind that had to be moved in as soon as possible. In the event, it was the second hand of the day. With action folded to him on the button, he found [kh][10h] and shoved for 150,000. Tobias Reinkemeier, the chip leader, picked him off with [ah][10c], and after a blank board Stelmak was on his way back to his room before many stragglers had even left theirs.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74435.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74435.jpg" width="383" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Dmitry Stelmak, first out</i></center><br></p>

<p>Matt Marafioti assumed the role of short stack, a position to which he had grown accustomed through a long, patient grind on day three. And he showed no urgency to change his tactics on the final table either, refusing to be drawn into the small skirmishes that broke out between Reinkemeier, Adolfo Vaeza, Molson, and a very active Lisa Hamilton.</p>

<p>But Marafioti finally found pocket sevens at the same time Reynolds found [ah][ks]. They got it all in. Reynolds, who had managed to double up his own short stack on countless occasions the night before, continued flipping good. An ace on the turn skewered Marafioti, and he was sent back to the high stakes online cash games with $87,465, or a couple of buy ins at the nosebleeds.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74491.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74491.jpg" width="388" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Bad news for Matt Marafioti</i></center><br></p>

<p>It was around this point that we saw our first major pot between big stacks. Indeed, it couldn't have been bigger: Molson and Reinkemeier were <i>the</i> daddies at the time they got all their chips in the middle with big draws. Each of them was open ended on a [jc][8d][td] flop: Molson had [kh][qh] but Reinkemeier was favourite with [kd][9d], an added flush draw.</p>

<p>But why follow a straightforward script? The rivered [as] gave Molson a broadway straight and a huge double up. He vaulted close to two million in chips - the most he had had since about this time last year and that match up with ElkY. </p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74578.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74578.jpg" width="337" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Will Molson seeks help from above</i></center><br></p>

<p>The willingness of the big stacks to lock antlers encouraged those with smaller holdings to do the same. Michiel Brummelhuis and Lisa Hamilton got it all in -- aces for the Dutchman against pocket nines for Hamilton. When a nine flopped, it looked as though Brummelhuis was going to be marched directly to the bad beat exchange. But then an ace rivered to leave Hamilton contorted into a shape gymnasts call "The Rivered Two Outer".</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="_MG_8916_Neil Stoddart.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/_MG_8916_Neil%20Stoddart.jpg" width="300" height="450" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Lisa Hamilton contorts at a rivered two outer</i></center><br></p>

<p>This hijinks didn't stop there, and we went straight back to the Molson v Reinkemeier show. After Brummelhuis opened from the button, Molson three bet from the small blind and Reinkemeier shoved for 446,000 from the big. Brummelhuis' involvement was over, but Molson thought about calling, then did just that. But his [ah][jh] never caught up with Reinkemeier's [ad][kd] and the balance seemed to shift in favour of the German again.</p>

<p>It was, however, a false dawn for Reinkemeier. He had gone from chip leader to the man most picked on in less than three hours - but he didn't seem the type to chip down to a silent demise. When it came to it, the only thing awry was his timing. Reynolds opened in early position and Reinkemeier shoved with pocket eights. Reynolds, though, was hiding pocket kings and the executioner's axe fell swift and clean. Reinkemeier was out in sixth, the first player to earn a six-figure pay-day.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74593.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74593.jpg" width="381" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Reinkemeier makes his way out</i></center><br></p>

<p>Reynolds was now comfortable, while Brummelhuis and, in particular, Hamilton were the short stacks. When you're in that position and find pocket jacks in the big blind, there's as good a reason as any to squeeze when the two chip leaders go raise (Reynolds, button) and call (Molson, small blind). Hamilton re-raised and couldn't fold when Molson set her all in. </p>

<p>But Molson's [ac][qh] plus a [qc] on the turn sent Hamilton to the cash cage on a promise of $133,770. It was Hamilton's second major cash in the past year and he champion of the WSOP ladies event is now the highest grossing woman player at the PCA.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74601.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74601.jpg" width="374" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Lisa Hamilton, out in fifth</i></center><br></p>

<p>Last night's titanic struggle to make nine players into eight was hardest on the Dutchman Brummelhuis. He was a dominating chip leader at the time they went down to that pseudo final table, but many of the short-stack double ups were at his personal cost. It meant that when he came to the final table, his natural game was also hindered, and although he clung on though escalating blinds for as long as seemed decent, he perished in fourth. </p>

<p>Having had their fun, the poker gods didn't torment Brummelhuis too much longer. When he shoved the last of his stack in with [qs][9h], Reynolds had found another big hand: aces. Call, flop, turn, river, out.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74635.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74635.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>The last moments of Brummelhuis' tournament</i></center><br></p>

<p>Throughout all this ridiculousness, Vaeza had looked on like a man who knew his A-B-Cs but had landed in the land of 今日は, ждали and här i år slutspurten. He had gone on a spectacular surge on day three, and had been remarkably solid throughout. But by the time they were three-handed, he found his monster stack diminished. He was in shove/fold territory for a long while. Until suddenly he wasn't.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74563.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74563.jpg" width="348" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Adolfo Vaeza in happy times</i></center></p>

<p>The critical hand came when Vaeza called a Reynolds raise in the big blind and all the money was destined to go in. Reynolds had nailed top-pair, top-kicker, while Vaeza was open-ended. This time, the draw did not get there, and Vaeza replicated his third-placed finish from the High Roller event at EPT London. Taking into account currency fluctuations, his $218,150 here is pretty similar to the prize he took on the other side of the Atlantic. This guy is a High Roller specialist, and long may it continue.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74659.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74659.jpg" width="450" height="300" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>The end of the road for Vaeza</i></center><br></p>

<p>So began the battle of Wills. The 22-year-old Molson, from Montreal, against the 21-year-old Reynolds from Sioux City, Iowa. This was a close to a coin flip as any ace-king pocket pair showdown: each of these can play - and play very well indeed.</p>

<p>This time, it was the American who prevailed. "The smile is from ear to ear," Reynolds said.</p>

<p>This tournament is detailed gust-by-gust at the following links:</p>

<p><A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-dario-minieri-leads-063170.html">Day 1 wrap</a> <br />
<a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-minieri-minieri-and-063216.html">Day 2 wrap</a> <br />
<a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-reinkemeier-leads-f-063265.html">Day 3 wrap</a><br />
<A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-final-table-player-063268.html">Final table player profiles</a><br />
<a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-4-levels-21-and-063296.html">Levels 21 and 22 updates</a><br />
<A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-4-levels-23-and-063304.html">Levels 23 and 24 updates</a></p>

<p>And the critically bored could pass a couple of hours by running the output of our <br />
<a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.nu">Swedish</a>, <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.de">German</a>, <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/it">Italian</a>, <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.la">Spanish</a> and <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.net/br">Portuguese/Brazilian</a> blogs through an online translator and seeing how similar it is to its original version, which appeared here about ten minutes before. </p>

<p>And so there we have it for another year. The adventure is over. <A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-harrison-gimbel-youngest-ever-p-063158.html">Harrison Gimbel's glorious triumph in the Main Event</a> made him $2.2 million richer, and maybe next year we'll see him trying to prise the High Roller's trophy from the hands of Reynolds.</p>

<p>No doubt your A.C.E. reporting team of Stephen Bartley, Howard Swains, Alex Villegas, Brad Willis and Simon Young will be here to find out. And our peerless photographers Joe Giron and Neil Stoddart will likely be wielding their © signs over their terrific snaps this time next year too.</p>

<p>The <A href="http://www.europeanpokertour.com/">EPT</a> now moves on to Deauville in France next week, while the newly-commissioned <A href="http://www.napt.com/">NAPT</a> train will chug towards the Venetian in Las Vegas next month. Then it's all the fun of the <A href="http://www.lapt.com/">LAPT</a> with a trip to Punta del Este in Uruguay. PokerStars Blog will have coverage of them all.</p>

<p>Thanks for reading this week and goodnight from the Bahamas. Here's where we turn into Kalik-battered conch.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74779.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74779.jpg" width="314" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>The winner</i></center></p>]]></description>
            <link>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-reynolds-snatches-half--063311.html</link>
            <guid>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-reynolds-snatches-half--063311.html</guid>
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PCA</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
            <pubDate>Thu, 14 Jan 2010 18:07:02 -0800</pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title>2010 PCA High Roller: Day 4, levels 23, 24 and heads up live updates</title>
            <description><![CDATA[<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" width="130" height="100" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></span><i>Live updates from Day 4, levels 23 and 24 of the $25,000 High Roller brought to you by Stephen Bartley, Howard Swains, Brad Willis.<br />
Click <b>refresh</b> to see the latest updates below. Click through to the <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/tournaments/pca/2010/high-roller-1/chipcount.html">chip count page</a> for the chip counts, updated regularly throughout the day.</p>

<p>Previous coverage: <A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-dario-minieri-leads-063170.html">Day 1 wrap</a> | <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-minieri-minieri-and-063216.html">Day 2 wrap</a> | <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-reinkemeier-leads-f-063265.html">Day 3 wrap</a> <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-4-levels-21-and-063296.html">Levels 21 and 22</a></p>

<p><b>Blinds:</b><br />
Level 23:  15,000-30,000 (3,000 ante)<br />
Level 24:  20,000-40,000 (4,000 ante)<br />
Level 25:  25,000-50,000 (5,000 ante)<br />
Level 26:  30,000-60,000 (5,000 ante)<br />
</i></p>

<p><b>8:44pm: Reynolds wraps it up</b> <br />
And it is over. William Reynolds is the 2010 PCA High Roller champion. Will Molson moved all-in pre-flop and Reynolds snap-called. Molson held [kc][8d] to Reynolds [ad][td]. The board ran out [5h][7h][9s][jh][ac]. Molson wins $322,075 for second place. Reynolds picks up $576,240. A full wrap up of the day is coming up. </p>

<p><b>8.30pm: Approximate chip counts</b><br />
William Reynolds -- 3,000,000<br />
Will Molson -- 1,200,000</p>

<p><b>8:29pm: Reynolds gets it back</b> <br />
It some lightning-fire betting, Reynolds made it 125,000, Molson moved all-in, and Reynolds snap-called with [7s][7d]. Molson held [ah][3h]. The board gave Molson a wheel draw, but his out didn't hit and Reynolds is back to a 3-1 chip lead. </p>

<center><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74742.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74742.jpg" width="357" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><br>
<i>Molson in trouble</i></center><br>

<p><b>8.22pm: Blinds up</b><br />
End of the level means new blinds as we creep into level 26. Blinds are now 30,000-60,000 with a 5,000 ante.</p>

<p><b>8.18pm: Approximate chip counts</b><br />
That hand swings the advantage in Will Molson's favour:<br />
Will Molson -- 2,400,000<br />
William Reynolds -- 2,000,000</p>

<p><b>8:17pm: Molson doubles through Reynolds</b> <br />
William Reynolds came in for his standard 110,000 raise and Molson almost immediately shoved all-in. "Do you have a hand?" Reynolds asked. He didn't wait long before announcing call. <br />
 <br />
Molson: [as][9c] <br />
Reynolds: [ad][8h] <br />
 <br />
The flop brough two nines, nearly sealing the deal for Molson. He faded the runners and doubled up to 2.4 million. He now has a slight chip lead over William Reynolds for the first time since heads up play began.</p>

<center><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74732.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74732.jpg" width="321" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><br>
<i>Reynolds sees what he's up against</i></center><br>

<p><b>8.10pm: All in</b><br />
This is the first all in declaration of the heads-up duel. Reynolds raises to 110,000 and Molson shoves for 1,100,000 approx. Quick fold.</p>

<p><b>8.09pm: Approximate chip counts</b><br />
William Reynolds -- 3,100,000<br />
Will Molson -- 1,100,000</p>

<p><b>8:08pm: Nearly 3-1</b> <br />
William Reynolds came in for a raise to 110,000 and Will Molson called. The players checked the flop and turn on a [8d][2d][jc][as] board. On the [9s] river, Reynolds bet 170,000 and Molson called. Reynolds held pocket tens for the win. Reynolds now has Molson almost 3-1 in chips.</p>

<p><strong>8pm: Two to Reynolds, no showdown</strong><br />
Molson completes Reynolds' big blind and they see a [4c][3s][2s] flop. Molson bets 75,000, which Reynolds calls, and they both check the [10s] turn. The river is [2d] and Reynolds bets 165,000, which is enough to get rid of Molson.</p>

<p>On the next hand, Reynolds raises pre-flop, making it 110,000, and Molson calls. The flop is [ac][ad][6c] and Molson check-calls Reynolds' 75,000 stab. They check the [qd] turn and on the [8c] river, Molson checks, Reynolds bets 285,000 and Molson folds.</p>

<center><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="_IJ74687.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/_IJ74687.jpg" width="450" height="300" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><br>
<i>Will Molson</i></center><br>

<p><b>7.52pm: Approximate chip counts</b> <br />
William Reynolds -- 2,700,000 <br />
Will Molson -- 1,500,000</p>

<p><b>7.49pm: Update</b><br />
Some pre-flop betting and some pre-flop folding. That's your first ten minutes of play back from the break. </p>

<p><b>7.39pm: Cards in the air</b><br />
We're back from the break, fed and watered. Blinds are still 25,000-50,000 with a 5,000 ante for the remaining 41 minutes of this level.</p>

<p><b>7pm: Pause in play</b><br />
Players are taking a 30 minute break midway through the level to allow the TV crew to eat after a long shift. Chip counts are as follows:</p>

<p>William Reynolds -- 2,600,000<br />
Will Molson -- 1,570,000</p>

<p><b>6:46pm: First hand at the new level</b> <br />
On a raise to 120,000 from Molson, Reynolds called. The flop [ks][qc][5h], Reynolds checked and Molson did the same. The [3d] came on the turn. Reynolds bet 185,000 and Molson folded. There are only 80 or so big blinds left at the final table. Thing is, the guys are pretty evenly matched, so the big bets aren't coming right now.</p>

<p><b>6.45pm: We play on</b><br />
Time is called on this level. Players have already agreed to delayed the dinner break so will play on. Blinds now increase to 25,000-50,000 with a 5,000 ante as we enter level 25.</p>

<p><b>6.40pm: Check check</b><br />
A hand gets checked down on a board of [7h][6h][8c][5s][jh]. Williams Reynolds shows [ts][4h] for a straight, taking the pot.</p>

<p><b>6:34pm: Reynolds stays ahead</b> <br />
Molson completed from the small blind and Reynolds checked. The flop came [4s][4d][9s]. Reynolds checked, Molson bet 65,000, and Reynolds called. The [7c] on the turn brought checks from both players. The [3c] came on the turn and Reynolds bet 135,000. He got the call and his [9h][7h] was good for the win.  </p>

<center><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="_IJ74679.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/_IJ74679.jpg" width="450" height="300" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><br>
<i>William Reynolds</i></center><br>

<p><b>6:29pm: Well that was weird</b> <br />
There was no action at all on the [th][5d][8c][jc][js] board. At showdown the players turned up a pair of black nines and a pair of red nines.The chop makes us think we'll be here until sometime this Sunday.</p>

<p><b>6.25pm: Approximate chip counts</b><br />
William Reynolds -- 2,400,000<br />
Will Molson -- 2,000,000</p>

<p><b>6:16pm: Reynolds outkicked</b> <br />
Reynolds raised to 85,000 pre-flop and Molson made the call. When the flop came down [js][kh][3h], Molson checked and Reynolds checked behind. The [9d] on the turn drew a 115,000 bet from Molson. Reynolds called. The river brought the [jc]. Molson checked this time and Reynolds put out a 150,000 bet. Molson raised to 420,000 and Reynolds called. Both players had a jack, but Reynolds eight kicker was no good against Molson's queen.</p>

<p><b>6:09pm: First hands of heads up goes to </b> <br />
On the first hand of heads-up play, it was a raise to 110,000 from Molson and a call fromo Reynolds. Both players checked the [th][2d][4h] flop. On the [9h] turn, Reynolds led for 165,000 and Molson called. The river came the [Ah]. Both players checked and the [js][ts] for Reynolds was better than Molson's nine. </p>

<center><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="_IJ74673.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/_IJ74673.jpg" width="450" height="300" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><br>
<i>Will Molson (left) and William Reynolds</i></center><br>

<p><b>6.07pm: Play resumes</b><br />
Handshakes and hugs and we're playing again with 35 minutes remaining on the level.</p>

<p><b>5.55pm: Heads-up chips counts</b><br />
William Reynolds --  2,455,000 <br />
Will Molson -- 1,747,000</p>

<p>Players are taking a ten minute break before we rejoin the Battle of the Wills.</p>

<p><b>5.50pm: Adolfo Vaeza out in third earning $218,150</b><br />
William Reynolds made it 90,000 pre-flop and Adolfo Vaeza called. They went to a flop of [4d][6h][ad] and Reynolds fired 90,000. Vaeza moved all in over the top and it was an insta-call from Reynolds.</p>

<p>Reynolds: [as][ks]<br />
Vaeza: [3c][5c]</p>

<p>So, it was top pair, top kicker for Reynolds and Vaeza needed to fill an open-ended straight draw to stay alive. He didn't. The turn was [jh] and the river [5s]. Vaeza departs in third, the second time he's finished in that spot in High Roller events.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74659.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74659.jpg" width="450" height="300" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><center><i>Goodbye to Vaeza</i></center></p>

<p><br />
<b>5:34pm: Approximate chip counts</b> <br />
Will Molson -- 2 million      <br />
William Reynolds -- 1.5 million      <br />
Adolfo Vaeza -- 700,000 </p>

<p><b>5.30pm: Michiel Brummelhuis out in fourth, earning $154,350</b><br />
Michiel Brummelhuis shoved under the gun for his last 350,000-odd. William Reynolds had the easiest decision of his tournament so far: he had woken up in the big blind with [ac][ah]. Brummelhuis' [qs][9h] needed a lot of help - and the flop of [10s][6d][3c] wasn't it. The turn, though, was great for Brummelhuis: [jd] and he had picked up eight outs for the unlikely double through. However, the [7d] river quashed his chances and he was gone.</p>

<center><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74643.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74643.jpg" width="358" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><br>
<i>Michiel Brummelhuis resigns himself to fourth place</i></center><br>

<p><b>5.25pm: Blinds up</b><br />
Will Molson wins a small pot at the end of the level. We move now into level 24 and 20,000-40,000 blinds with a 4,000 ante.</p>

<center><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJG0230.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJG0230.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><br>
<i>The final four</i></center><br>

<p><b>5:15: From the files of The Blue Lagoon</b> <br />
William Reynolds raised to 70,000 and sent Will Molson back to his think-tank. When Molson emerged, he made it 171,000 from the small blind. Back to Reynolds who folded. This hand went nowhere, but gave us an opportunity to look at Reynolds a little more. It's made us decide he might be related to Christopher Atkins, the man made famous by his appearance opposite Brooke Shields in the 1980 film "The Blue Lagoon."</p>

<p><b>5:10pm: Molson gives up</b> <br />
Will Molson raised to 77,000 and William Reynolds re-raised to 192,000 out of the small blind. Michiel Brummelhuis got out of the way in the big blind. Molson assumed this thinking pose, then mucked.</p>

<p><b>5.06pm: Brummelhuis shoves</b><br />
Michiel Brummelhuis just moved all in on the button for 330,000. Will Molson folded the small blind, Adolfo Vaeza did the same with the big.</p>

<p><b>5:04pm: Blind check-raising the blind</b> <br />
William Reynolds called from the small blind and Michiel Brummelhuis checked his option to the [7d][4s] [9c] flop. Reynolds checked, Brummelhuis bet 40,000, and Reynolds called. On the [8c] turn, Reynolds checked again, Brummelhuis bet 95,000, and Reynolds almost immediately announced all-in, Brummelhuis insta-mucked.</p>

<p><strong>4.50pm: Break-time chip counts</strong></p>

<p>Will Molson - 1,483,000<br />
William Reynolds - 1,199,000<br />
Adolfo Vaeza - 1,026,000<br />
Michiel Brummelhuis - 488,000</p>

<center><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74618.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74618.jpg" width="362" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><br>
<i>Will Molson</i></center><br>

<p><b>4.45pm: Adolfo Vaeza moves all-in</b><br />
Will Molson raised to 80,000 from the small blind and Adolfo Vaeza called from the, for a flop of [8c][jc][ks]. Molson bet another 90,000 before Vaeza moved all-in for 427,000. Molson called showing [ac][3c] for a flush draw, against Vaeza's [kh][8h] two pair.<br />
The turn gave Molson a flush but filled Vaeza up, coming [kc]. That was that. A [3h] on the river and Vaeza doubles up. Players are now taking a 15 minute break.</p>

<p><b>4:39pm: Between the blinds</b> <br />
A battle of the blinds between William Reynolds and Michiel Brummelhuis ends when Brummelhuis bets 36,000 on a checked board showing [qs][6s][ah][4d][3d]. He'd made it 36,000 which prompted Reynolds to fold.   </p>

<p><b>4:36pm: Lisa Hamilton eliminated in fifth place earning $133,770</b> <br />
William Reynolds opened to 70,000 which Will Molson called in the small blind. Lisa Hamilton was in the big blind and raised another 110,000 on top. Reynolds folded but Molson announced all-in. Hamilton called showing [jc][js] while Molson turned over [qh][ac]. The board came [8c][4h][6c][qc][ks]. The turn was the killer for Hamilton, the card that sends the WSOP Ladies event bracelet winner out in fifth place.</p>

<center><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74611.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74611.jpg" width="360" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><br>
<i>Players bid farewell to Lisa Hamilton</i></center><br>

<p><b>4.20pm: Who knows</b> <br />
It's difficult to guess what anyone had here, but here's how the hand played out. William Reynolds made up Michiel Brummelhuis' blind and they saw a flop of [6d][3c][ad] and both checked. The turn was [ac] and Reynolds check-called Brummelhuis' 45,000 bet. The river was [5d] and Reynolds led at it for 132,000. The optimistic prediction that this was an ace-five versus [kd] [qd] cooler did not come true:  Brummelhuis folded.</p>

<p><br />
<b>4:14pm: New level, new chip counts</b><br />
We've moved up to a new level. Here's some approximate chip counts.</p>

<p>Vaeza: 560,000<br />
Reynolds: 1,150,000<br />
Brummelhuis: 650,000<br />
Molson: 1,350,000<br />
Hamilton: 550,000<br><br />
<span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74422.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74422.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><center><i>Will Molson</i></center></p>]]></description>
            <link>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-4-levels-23-and-063304.html</link>
            <guid>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-4-levels-23-and-063304.html</guid>
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">High Roller</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PCA</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
            <pubDate>Thu, 14 Jan 2010 16:12:26 -0800</pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title>2010 PCA High Roller: Day 4, levels 21 and 22 live updates</title>
            <description><![CDATA[<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" width="130" height="100" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></span><i>Live updates from Day 4, levels 21 and 22 of the $25,000 High Roller brought to you by Stephen Bartley, Howard Swains, Brad Willis.<br />
Click <b>refresh</b> to see the latest updates below. Click through to the <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/tournaments/pca/2010/high-roller-1/chipcount.html">chip count page</a> for the chip counts, updated regularly throughout the day.</p>

<p>Previous coverage: <A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-dario-minieri-leads-063170.html">Day 1 wrap</a> | <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-minieri-minieri-and-063216.html">Day 2 wrap</a> | <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-reinkemeier-leads-f-063265.html">Day 3 wrap</a></p>

<p><b>Blinds:</b><br />
Level 22:  12,000-24,000 (2,000 ante)</i></p>

<p><b>4.12pm: Level done</b><br />
That was the last action of the level and we've smoothly moved into level 23.</p>

<p><b>4.10pm: Hamilton squeezes</b><br />
William Reynolds started this one off, raising to 56,000 from the cut off. Michiel Brummelhuis called from the button. Will Molson folded his small blind, but Lisa Hamilton found the squeeze play in the big blind and made it 206,000 to go. No thanks, said Reynolds, and folded. Brummelhuis took longer, but did the very same thing.</p>

<p><b>4:02pm: From outside the curtain</b><br />
The High Roller final table is the last thing that will be televised here from the 2010 PCA. It currently is playing out surrounded by a giant black curtain. There are a couple of small side events finishing up outside, and a few straggling cash games. This is just about the end of this year's PCA. Meanwhile, a few players have set up some sort of odd game remeniscent of the fabled Lime Tossing done at the WSOP and around the world. This version involves a red five dollar chip and some unused chairs. Anything for action.</p>

<p><b>3:53pm: Reinkemeier out in sixth, earning $108,045</b> <br />
Tobias Reinkemeier's miserable day is done. After losing all those chips to Will Molson, he couldn't play his aggressive three-betting game with such precision and he was forced to shove pre-flop. His timing was off. After William Reynolds raised to 56,000 from mid position, Reinkemeier shoved for about 450,000. Reynolds snap-called and showed [kh][kd]. Reinkemeier had [8h][8c]. Although we know not to expect anything to hold until the very last card is revealed, this time it did. The flop came [jd][4c][7h], the turn was [ac] and the river was [qh]. Reinkemeier was sent out and Reynolds has more than a million. </p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74593.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74593.jpg" width="381" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Tobias Reinkemeier makes his way to the door...</i></center><br></p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74590.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74590.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>...pausing only to bid Lisa Hamilton goodbye. (His other opponents did not get a kiss.)</i></center><br></p>

<p><b>3:45pm: From the blinds</b> <br />
On a flop of [jc][jh][2h] William Reynolds and Michiel Brummelhuis engaged in a battle of the blinds. Renolds made it 46,000 from the small which Brummelhuis called for a [ac] turn. Reynolds now made it 102,000 which Brummelhuis called again for a [8h] river card. Check this time from Reynolds before Brummelhuis moved all in for roughly 300,000. Reynolds folded, showing [ad][2d]. Brummelhuis took the chips showing [ks][4c].</p>

<p><b>3:27pm: A battle of Wills</b> <br />
William Reynolds and Will Molson see a flop of [4h][qh][ah]. Both check for a [qd] turn. Reynolds made it 104,000 which Molson called. On the [kd] river Reynolds made it another 232,000 to play. Molson removed his sunglasses and rubbed his head. He folded, reluctantly, showing [ac][th]. </p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74417.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74417.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><center><i>One of the Wills (in this case, the chip leading Molson)</i></center></p>

<p><b>3:28pm: Molson from the button</b> <br />
Will Molson opened for 58,000 on the button which Lisa Hamilton called from the big blind. "Just the call?" asked Molson before the saw a [kc][4s][4d] flop. They each checked the flop for a [ts] turn. Hamilton bet 55,000, enough to force Molson to fold.  </p>

<p><b>3:16pm: Hamilton all-in</b> <br />
William Reynolds opened for 57,000 from under the gun. The action reached short stack Lisa Hamilton on the small blind who moved all-in for around 220,000 more. Reynolds thought about it, opted to fold.  </p>

<p><b>3:10pm: Back in action</b><br />
We're in action and playing higher now. We'll be at 12,000-24,000 (2,000 ante) for the next hour.</p>

<p><b>Level 21:  10,000-20,000 (2,000 ante)</b></p>

<p><b>2.45pm: Reynolds raises Reinkemeier; on break</b> <br />
On the last hand of the level, William Reynolds raised to 46,000 from the cut off and Tobias Reinkemeier called from the big blind. The flop was [9h][jh][8d] and they both checked. But there was some trapping going on it seemed, because when the [9d] turned, Reinkemeier bet 65,000 and Reynolds raised to 160,000 total. Reinkemeier flicked them into the muck, and allowed everyone to drift off on a 20-minute break.  Action resumes at 3.05pm.</p>

<p><br />
<b>2:38pm: Help Haiti</b><br />
Despite the silliness we're spouting here, we can't help but take a moment to think of the suffering going on not too far from here in Haiti. As you no doubt have heard, thousands upon thousands are feared dead there after a massive earthquake a couple of days ago. PokerStars and its players are reaching out to help. If you'd like to learn more about how you can help aid the suffering in Haiti, please see <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010/pokerstars-sets-up-haiti-earthquake-appe-063299.html">PokerStars sets up Haiti earthquake appeal</a>.</p>

<p><b>2:37pm: Molson order a Kalik</b><br />
There are no rules that require a man to drink a beer that shares his name. Plus, Kalik is a pretty darned good beer, so no reason to begrudge Will Molson for drinking a Kalik right now.</p>

<p><b>2:33pm: Calling it</b> <br />
Tobias Reinkemeier bet, Adolfo Vaeza moved all in and Reinkemeier called. As simple as that. Reinkemeier showed [qs][qd] to Vaeza's [jc][7c].   </p>

<p>Vaeza began asking for stuff. "Eight, nine, ten," he said the dealer, in that way that any desperate player does when the need help. </p>

<p>"Eight, nine, ten," he said again. The flop came [8c][9d][5c]. He'd just found a gutshot and a flush draw. Nothing from the [5d] but the [6c] on the river doubled up the Uruguayan. </p>

<p>Vaeza turned to the dealer. "I asked you for a ten!" he said.  </p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74558.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74558.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><center><i>Vaeza, calling it</i></center><br></br></p>

<p><br />
<b>2:29pm: Chip count update</b><br />
Here are some rough estimates on the chip counts after that last hand.</p>

<p>Vaeza: 300,000<br />
Reynolds: 500,000<br />
Brummelhuis: 700,000<br />
Molson: 1,300,000<br />
Reinkemeier: 1,000,000<br />
Hamilton: 400,000</p>

<p><b>2:25pm: Three bet, four bet, showdown</b><br />
Michiel Brummelhuis raised to 47,000 from the button, Will Molson re-raised to 117,000 from the small blind, and Tobias Reinkemeier re-reaised all-in out of the big blind for 446,000 total. Brummelhuis got out of the way and left it to Molson to consider. He rubbed his hands together, took off his sunglasses, stared at his chips, laced his fingers, dropped his head to his hands, probably did some high-level math that we wouldn't understand, and then called. </p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74548.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74548.jpg" width="450" height="275" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><center><i>Molson tanks</i></center></p>

<p>Here are the hands:</p>

<p>Molson: [ah][jh]<br />
Reinkemeier: [ad][kd]</p>

<p>The board, [3h][3d][2d][6d][2c], gave the man from Germany the flush and the double-up.</p>

<p><b>2.16pm: No easy blind</b><br />
Lisa Hamilton made it 51,000 from the button. Adolfo Vaeza announced all-in from the small blind and Hamilton passed.</p>

<p><b>2:09pm: From the blinds</b> <br />
William Reynolds opened for 51,000 with the action folded around to him in the small blind. Michiel Brummelhuis was in the big blind and called for a flop of [8s][ac][3c]. Reynolds then made it another 55,000 to play before Brummelhuis passed.  </p>

<p><b>1:58pm: Ohhhhhh!, OOOOOOHHHHHHH!</b><br />
And here's a hand that will definitely make the TV show. </p>

<p>Michiel Brummelhuis came in for a raise and Lisa Hamilton put him all in out of the big blind. Brummelhuis made the snap call with his aces. Hamilton only held pocket nines. The flop hit and "Ohhhhhhhhh!" there was the nine. With his tournament on the line, Brummelhuis needed one of the two remaining aces in the deck...and "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH!" there it was on the river.</p>

<p>Brummelhuis held 346,000 and doubled up.</p>

<p>Incidentally, if you have young children watching the <a href="http://www.eptlive.com">EPT Live</a> web cast, we're sorry about the profanity. </p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74537.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74537.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><center><i>A high five for the re-suck</i></center><br />
<br></br></p>

<p><b>1:55pm: Molson not light</b> <br />
It started off as a straightforward small blind v big blind hand. Will Molson completed in the small blind but Tobias Reinkemeier topped it up with another 40,000 to play. Molson called for a flop of [jc][8d][td]. Molson checked before Reinkemeier bet 65,000. Molson paused. "Let's make it 180,000 total," he said, and pushed some chips in. <br />
Reinkemeier then said he was all in. Molson called.</p>

<p>[kd][9d] for Reinkemeier, open ended straight draw, plus the flush draw, [kh][qh] for Molson, who was the at risk player, needing an ace or a nine. Both players shook hands. </p>

<p>Someone, probably more than one person actually, used the word sick, and we saw the turn. </p>

<p>The [th] changed nothing, except bring a chop possibility. But the [as] on the river gave Molson the straight, doubling him up.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74524.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74524.jpg" width="308" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><center><i>Molson celebrates</i></center><br />
<br></br></p>

<p><b>1:48pm: Reynolds raising</b> <br />
Lisa Hamilton opened for 50,000 from the cut off. William Reynolds was in the small blind and raised to 106,000 total. "What you have left?" asked Hamilton. Something around 430,000 for Reynolds. Hamilton announced re-raised, getting an insta-fold in response.  </p>

<p><b>1:47pm: Thief collared</b><br />
Shortly after Matt Marafiotti's departure, Lisa Hamilton discovered her bottle of Fiji water had disappeared. She asked around, but couldn't figure out what happened. Well, scroll down to the photo a couple of posts back and you'll see what happened.</p>

<p>Since then, two admirers have brought her replacements. We're now going off to buy her a case of the stuff courtesy of the PokerStars Blog team.</p>

<p><b>1:46pm: All in, call, sweat, chop</b> <br />
Will Molson made it his customary 47,000 from early position and William Reynolds moved all in for about 380,000. Molson snap called and they exposed their near-identical hands.   Molson: [ad][qs] Reynolds: [ac][qh]  It was almost very, very cruel for Reynolds as the flop came all spades: [5s][js][2s]. That meant he had to fade another one on turn and river -- and did so successfully. They chopped it up. </p>

<p><b>1:45pm: Molson and Vaeza</b> <br />
Will Molson opened for 47,000 and was called by Adolfo Vaeza for a flop of [qc][js][7d]. Vaeza bet 55,000 which Molson called, then 100,000 on the [5h] turn card which Molson called, then another 100,000 on the [3s] river. Molson then moved all-in, steering his chips into the middle like a kid pushing a toy car. 415,000 in total. Vaeza took his time deciding but eventually folded.</p>

<p><b>1:32pm: Matt Marafioti eliminated in seventh place earning $87,465</b> <br />
The action was folded to Matt Marafioti who made it 45,000. William Reynolds moved all-in and Marafioti called showing [7s][7c] to Reynold's [ah][ks].  <br />
"It's the only hand I've had the entire day," said Marafioti as they waited for the board. [9c][4c][th], then the killer [ad] and the final [6s]. </p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74500.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74500.jpg" width="350" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><center><i>Matt Marafiotti, 7th place, $87,465, and comforted by Lisa Hamilton</i></center></p>

<p><br />
<b>1.15pm: Vaeza v Molson</b> <br />
Adolfo Vaeza limps from early position for the two hands in a row. On the first occasion, he attracts both blinds -- Tobias Reinkemeier and Lisa Hamilton -- to an all-heart flop and then bets out when it's checked to him. He wins. The second time isn't quite so successful: Will Molson, on the button, bumps it up to 67,000 and Vaeza folds.  </p>

<p>The same two tangle on the next hand. Molson raised to 47,000 from the cut-off and Vaeza calls from the big blind. They both check the [jh][kd][3c] flop, but a bet from Molson on the [jc] turn takes it down.</p>

<p><b>1:14pm: Your final table</b><br />
Here's what these folks look like.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="_MG_8494_Neil Stoddart.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/_MG_8494_Neil%20Stoddart.jpg" width="450" height="300" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span></p>

<p><b>1:05pm: Small skirmish in the blinds</b> <br />
Folded to Will Molson in the small blind, he opted to complete Tobias Reinkemeier's big. The German player checked his option and they saw a flop of [5h][kc][6s]. Molson checked, Reinkemeier bet 25,000, and Molson gave it up.</p>

<p><b>1:02pm: "I don't want to see it!"</b><br />
Michiel Brummelhuis just got a walk in the big blind and went to muck his cards. His opponents encouraged him to look at what he held. "I don't want to see it!" he exclaimed. "It will tilt me if I had a big hand." He turned over the cards anyway to see a pocket pair of fours. It didn't tilt him, but we got the impression Brummelhuis would've liked a chance to play the pair. </p>

<p><b>1:01pm: Three to the flop</b> <br />
Three players saw a flop of [3s][9d][6s], paying the 41,000 that Will Molson asked them for when he'd raised pre-flop. Tobias Reinkemeier and Adolfo Vaeza had called and it was Vaeza betting, making it 50,000 to play. Molson passed but Reinkemeier fired back, making it 175,000 total, enough to take the lot.  </p>

<p><b>12:52pm: Dmitry Stelmak eliminated in eighth place earning $66,885</b> <br />
The first all-in and the first elimination of the day. Short stack Dmitry Stelmak open shoved with [kh][th] for a little less than 150,000 and was called by Tobias Reinkemeier showing [ah][tc].  </p>

<p>The flop came [ad][td][9d] giving everyone a little something, but on the [kc] Stelmak was left with just two outs. Neither came, a [jd] sending Stelmak to the rail. </p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74435.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_FT_JoeGiron_IJ74435.jpg" width="383" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><center><i>Dmitry Stelmak, 8th place, $66,885</i></center><br />
<br></br><br />
<b>12:45pm: First blood to the lady</b><br />
Lisa Hamilton takes the first pot of the final, making it 50,000 from under the gun and getting no takers.</p>

<p><b>12:42pm: Now we're playing</b><br />
The final table players are now looking at their first cards. After unanimous consent from the players (and the sign-off from the tournament director, the table will now play 10,000-20,000 level for two hours before moving on to Level 22. The decision was made to offset  the 4+ hours it took to get from nine players down to eight last night.</p>

<p><b>12:37pm: New specs</b><br />
If you were following our reporting yesterday, you know that Michiel Brummelhuis broke his trademark sunglasses. Today he's shown up with a new pair that we, quite frankly, feel look much better on his face. We'll see if it does anything to his game.</p>

<p><b>12:20pm: Final table about to begin</b><br />
After the ordinary TV set-up work, the final table is ready to begin. We have a table full of people set up and ready to report. Probably a few more minutes and we'll be underway.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="toby.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/toby.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><center><i>Tobias Reinkemeier</i></center></p>]]></description>
            <link>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-4-levels-21-and-063296.html</link>
            <guid>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-4-levels-21-and-063296.html</guid>
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">High Roller</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PCA</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
            <pubDate>Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:16:18 -0800</pubDate>
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        <item>
            <title>2010 PCA High Roller: Final table player profiles</title>
            <description><![CDATA[<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" width="130" height="100" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></span>After a titanic nine-handed struggle, lasting more than three hours, we eventually have our final eight to contest the 2010 PCA High Roller final table.</p>

<p>There are professional players from the online and live environments, plus High Rollers from the business world. It's a fascinating mix and will be an intriguing table.</p>

<p>Here are your contenders:</p>

<p><strong>Seat 1: Adolfo Vaeza, 57, Montevideo, Uruguay  - 790,000 chips</strong><br />
<span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74369.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74369.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><br />
While most of the finalists spend all year traveling the poker circuit and/or grinding online, Adolfo Vaeza - who runs a construction company - has only ever traveled to three events. The twist is that he's made the final every time. He finished fourth in the High Roller event at the EPT stop in London last year, winning £141,000, and he came fifth in the €5,000 no limit hold 'em side event  at the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo last season. That was worth €51,000. Now the 57-year-old father-of-four has done it again.</p>

<p><strong>Seat 2: William Reynolds, 21, Sioux City, Iowa - 482,000 chips</strong><br />
<span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="_IJ74288.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/_IJ74288.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><br />
William Reynolds has been playing poker since he was 16 and by the time he was 18 thought he might well be able to make a living at it. He decided to defer college for four months and see how poker worked out; after four months, he decided to take a year off; after a year, he decided to take off another year. He came to international attention when he came fourth at the EPT San Remo main event last season, winning €377,000.  He also recently cashed in 13th place at the LAPT event in Playa Conchal, Costa Rica. Reynolds thrives online and has enjoyed good results - he won an event in 2007 for $205,000, came second in a $1,000 event on PokerStars in November in 2008 for $60,000 and fourth in the 2009 $5,000 SCOOP pot limit Omaha event for $87,000.  He said: "This is a really prestigious event and it's awesome to be part of a field where you know everyone is very talented." </p>

<p><strong>Seat 3: Michiel 'utreg' Brummelhuis, 26, Amsterdam, Netherlands - 394,000 chips</strong><br />
<span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74299.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74299.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><br />
Michiel Brummelhuis started playing small limit hold 'em games online and grinded his way up to playing poker professionally. His success in cash games translated into tournament poker and he is now one of the biggest  winners in Holland. His biggest online cash was $144,000 for winning the $1,000 WCOOP second chance tournament on PokerStars and $101,000 in another big Sunday tournament. He has also been successful in live events: his best result so far was winning the €1,000 freezeout at the Master Classics of Poker, earning €68,310. Brummelhuis also made the final of the 2009 WSOP $10,000 limit hold 'em event, finishing in seventh place. </p>

<p><strong>Seat 4: Dimitry Stelmak, 24, Moscow, Russia - 150,000 chips</strong><br />
<span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73753.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73753.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><br />
Dimitry Stelmak is a full time poker professional from Moscow who come to the PCA with a group of friends from Russia. Before playing poker, he was studying mathematics and science at the University of Moscow. His favorite poker game is pot limit Omaha high. He started playing five years ago online and four years ago went to his first live tournament. His best live result so far was last year when he chopped a $3,000 event at the Bellagio Cup, winning $104,095. He has also won a side event on the Russian Poker Tour, a $2,000 event with a 100 players. Last September he cashed at EPT Barcelona, coming 38th for €20,000. He also came 14th in a €2,000 side event. </p>

<p><strong>Seat 5: Will "molswi47" Molson, 22, Montreal - 669,000 chips</strong><br />
<span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="_IJ74278.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/_IJ74278.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><br />
Will Molson, a 22-year-old student from Montreal, clearly enjoys high rolling in the Bahamas. Last year, he finished second to Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier in this same $25,000 buy in event, earning $228,000. Since then, Molson has cashed at EPT London while taking a year out from college to travel and play poker. Molson goes into the final with 669,000 chips, a remarkable turnaround since the end of day two, when he had the fewest (60,000) of the remaining 24 players. He plays at PokerStars under the moniker "molswi47" and is a regular around the high stakes cash tables. </p>

<p><strong>Seat 6: Tobias 'pokernoob999' Reinkemeier, 22, Germany - 1,072,000 chips</strong><br />
<span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="TobiasReinkemeier.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/TobiasReinkemeier.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><br />
Tobias Reinkemeier has been having a highly successful time here at the PCA, where he has already recorded his biggest live cash to date ($52,000) for 46th place in the Main Event. Reinkemeier is widely considered in the German poker community to be one the country's best tournament players. He has played numerous EPT events and cashed in all three he has played this season, including 11th place at EPT London for £28,000. He has total live tournament winnings of $360,000. He also earned $168,750 for winning a $1,500 SCOOP heads-up event this year. Originally from Cuxhaven in Germany, Reinkemeier moved to Malta 18 months ago.  </p>

<p><strong>Seat 7: Lisa Hamilton, 38, Las Vegas, USA - 440,000 chips</strong><br />
<span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="_IJ74282.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/_IJ74282.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><br />
Well-known as a high stakes live cash game player, Lisa Hamilton had never played a major live tournament until the World Series last year. However her decision to take part in the $1,000 ladies event paid off in emphatic fashion when she bested the 1,060-strong field to take the first place prize of $195,390. Despite this success, all her decisions to play live events still seem to be made on a whim - she only came to the PCA at the insistence of her good friend, the Team PokerStars Pro Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier. Originally from Honolulu in Hawaii, Hamilton moved to Las Vegas in 2005. As well as playing poker, Hamilton also spends time helping out with her family's clothing retail business.  </p>

<p><strong>Seat 8: Matt "ADZ124" Marafioti, 21, Toronto, Canada - 236,000 chips</strong><br />
<span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74330.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74330.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><br />
Matt Marafioti is another player who has already made the money at this year's PCA - finishing 26th in the $1,500 no limit hold 'em freezeout on Sunday for $3,570. That is peanuts compared with the guaranteed $66,885 he'll win for making the final of the High Roller event. Although best known as a high stakes online cash game pro, Marafioti is now getting great results in live events and has cashed in the most recent four out of five that he's played. Last summer, he came 12th, winning $172,120, in the $40,000 anniversary event at the World Series and in July was runner-up to Christian Harder at the $5,000 Bellagio Cup in Las Vegas, winning $165,985. His total live tournament earnings now top $600,000. Marafioti is a SuperNova Elite on PokerStars and had so many Frequent Player Points he was recently able to trade them in for an Aston Martin. He almost got blinded out at the start of the High Roller event as he was still playing in the $5,000 event on the other side of the Imperial Ballroom. </p>]]></description>
            <link>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-final-table-player-063268.html</link>
            <guid>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-final-table-player-063268.html</guid>
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PCA</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
            <pubDate>Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:08:36 -0800</pubDate>
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            <title>2010 PCA High Roller: Reinkemeier leads field of eight to final table</title>
            <description><![CDATA[<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" width="130" height="100" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></span>There is nothing trivial about a $25,000 poker tournament. It is, by definition, big. </p>

<p>The size notwithstanding (we're told size doesn't matter, and we choose to believe it), there are several points of trivia worth noting about the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure High Roller tournament.</p>

<p>For instance, two women entered this field. Two women made the final table of nine. One made it to tomorrow's televised final fight.</p>

<p>Another: the biggest stack coming into Day 3 (Dario Minieri) didn't even finish in the money. The smallest stack coming into Day 3 (Will Molson) made the final table in <i>third</i>.</p>

<p>Can you take one more? How about this? On Day 2 it took around four hours to get from 52 players down to 24. Today it took us the around same amount of time to drop from nine players...to eight.</p>

<p>When that finally happened, we had the best trivia of all. High Roller chip leader Tobias Reinkemeier is already guaranteed more money in this event than he has ever won in a live poker tournament. Before now, his biggest live tourney cash was a $52,000...and that was in the PCA Main Event just a few days ago.</p>

<p>"I feel really really great. I've had so many deep cashes - 11th in London, 23rd in Barcelona, 46th here in the main event - but no final table," he said. "Now I've made it. It's an amazing feeling, especially as I am going in to the final as chip leader, with a big buy-in and a field so strong."</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74402.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74402.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span></p>

<p>Midway through Day 2 of the 2010 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure High Roller event, Team PokerStars Pro Greg Raymer half-joked he would only have an edge on the field if he could get four or five-handed and be up against players who would be affected by the amount of money on the line. Then he looked around at the remaining players and realized that among this field the money really wasn't that big of a deal.</p>

<p>The buy-in should've been a clue. There are few poker tournaments in the world in which the seat alone costs $25,000. What's more, an event like this is awash with high stakes cash players, WSOP champions, and pros who spend their days thinking in terms of millions rather than thousands. Matters of finance hardly concern these folks.</p>

<p>And yet, as we head into the final table, there is a first prize of more than half a million dollars at stake and the remaining eight players will not rest until their chips are gone or their pockets are further bulging. </p>

<p>Here are the final eight: </p>

<p>Tobias Reinkemeier (Germany) 1,072,000<br />
Adolfo Vaeza (Uruguay) 790,000<br />
Will Molson (Canada) 669,000<br />
William Reynolds (USA) 482,000<br />
Lisa Hamilton (USA) 440,000<br />
Michiel Brummelhuis (Netherlands) 394,000<br />
Matt Marafioti (Canada) 236,000<br />
Dmitry Stelmak	(Russia) 150,000</p>

<p>If you have a keen eye (and read from the top down), you'll no doubt note that we almost had a final table made up of 25% women. Instead, Team PokerStars Pro Sandra Naujoks was the ninth place finisher, leaving 2009 WSOP Ladies Event champion Lisa Hamilton to battle some of the toughest players in the world. </p>

<p><br />
<center><img src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74046.jpg"></center><br />
<center><i>Sanda Naujoks, Team PokerStars Pro Germany, 9th place</i></center></p>

<p><br />
While the biggest paydays are still to come, there were some financial victories to report from Day 3. Raymer himself took 13th place for a tidy $46,305. Fellow WSOP champ Joe Cada finished two spots better for $51,540. Meanwhile, Carter Phillips, Isaac Baron, Shawn Buchanan, James Calderaro all finished among the <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010-pca-high-roller-payout-structure-an.html">PCA High Roller winners</a>. </p>

<center><img src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74195.jpg"></center>
<center><i>Greg Raymer gives an autographed fossil bounty</i></center>
<br></br>

<center><img src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74225.jpg"></center>
<center><i>Cada accepts his fate</i></center>
<br></br>

<p>Now we are left with eight folks who are free to go to their rooms and roll around in piles of cash for the next 12 hours. After that, they are due back here under the TV lights to play for the title. We'd try to handicap the field for you, but for the fact that this game is crazy. And frankly, we can't tell spades from clubs anymore. </p>

<p>For now, you can check out the <A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/tournaments/pca/2010/high-roller-1/chipcount.html">PCA High Roller chip counts</a>, <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010-pca-high-roller-payout-structure-an.html">PCA High Roller winners</a>, or any of the links below for our coverage from Day 3.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-angling-for-the-fin-063235.html">Angling for the final</a><br />
<a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-levels-12-and-063214.html">Levels 12 and 13</a><br />
<a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-3-levels-14-and-063251.html">Levels 14 and 15</a><br />
<a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-3-levels-16-and-063253.html">Levels 16 and 17</a><br />
<a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-3-level-18-063256.html">Levels 18 and 19</a><br />
<a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-3-levels-20-and-063259.html">Levels 20 and 21</a></p>

<p><br />
Want to read it all in a different language? We've got that, too.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.nu">Swedish</a>, <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.de">German</a>, <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/it">Italian</a>, <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.la">Spanish</a> and our Brazilian's <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.net/br">Portuguese</a>.</p>

<p>Thanks to our top photographers Joe Giron and Neil Stoddart who hold the &copy; to all the photos you see here.</p>

<p>Now, because we neither have $25,000 in our pockets or a chance to win half a million tomorrow, we're off to check and see if we have enough of our per diem to share a cold one.</p>

<p>See you at noon ET Thursday.</p>]]></description>
            <link>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-reinkemeier-leads-f-063265.html</link>
            <guid>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-reinkemeier-leads-f-063265.html</guid>
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">High Roller</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PCA</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
            <pubDate>Wed, 13 Jan 2010 23:23:52 -0800</pubDate>
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            <title>2010 PCA High Roller: Day 3, levels 20 and 21 live updates</title>
            <description><![CDATA[<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" width="130" height="100" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></span><i>Live updates from Day 3, levels 20 and 21 of the $25,000 High Roller brought to you by Howard Swains, Brad Willis, and Simon Young.<br />
Click <b>refresh</b> to see the latest updates below. Click through to the <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/tournaments/pca/2010/high-roller-1/chipcount.html">chip count page</a> for the chip counts, updated regularly throughout the day.</p>

<p>Previous coverage: <A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-dario-minieri-leads-063170.html">Day 1 wrap</a> | <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-level-8-live-063190.html">Levels 8 & 9</a> | <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-level-9-10-li-063205.html">Levels 10 & 11</a> | <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-levels-12-and-063214.html">Levels 12 and 13</a> | <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-3-levels-14-and-063251.html">Levels 14 and 15</a> | <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-3-levels-16-and-063253.html">Levels 16 and 17</a> | <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-3-level-18-063256.html">Levels 18 and 19</a></p>

<p><b>Blinds:</b><br />
Level 20:  8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)</i></p>

<p><b>Sandra Naujoks busted, final table set</b><br />
Team PokerStars Pro Sandra Naujoks has busted in ninth place, meaning we now have our eight players to return to tomorrow's final table.</p>

<p>Tobias Reinkemeier had made it 45,000, and Naujoks moved all in for 267,000. </p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74380.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74380.jpg" width="334" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Sandra Naujoks moves all in</i></center><br></p>

<p>Reinkemeier called with a "well, I have to call" shrug, and the cards were turned over.</p>

<p>Naujoks: [as][9c]<br />
Reinkemeier: [js][jd]</p>

<p>Naujoks needed a lot of help, and despite the [9s][kh][5c] flop offering her a couple more outs, the [3d] turn and [5d] river failed to hit any of them. She leaves with $56,955.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74391.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74391.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Sandra Naujoks makes her way out</i></center><br></p>

<p>We'll have a full wrap of today's marathon in a short while.</p>

<p><b>11:10pm: Race ends in...everyone still playing</b><br />
Tobias Reinkenmeier came in for a raise to 45,000 and William Reynolds pushed all-in from the big blind for 234,000 total. Reinkemeier called in a shot. It was pocket eights for Reynolds versus Reinkenmeier's big slick. The ace-king missed five times and William Reynolds doubled.</p>

<p><b>11.05pm: Still here?</b><br />
I'm not sure I am. The action continues, with stacks evening out again. Reynolds is still the man under most pressure, and Vaeza and Reinkemeier are at and around the chip lead of 800,000. </p>

<p><b>10.45pm: Another double up for Reynolds</b><br />
Just when we thought this was all over, it wasn't. It was folded around to short-stacked William Reynolds on the small blind who moved all in for around 110,000. Michiel Brummelhuis called.</p>

<p>Reynolds: [ah][7d]<br />
Brummelhuis: [qs][9d]</p>

<p>The flop was [4h][qh][5h], shooting Brummelhuis in to the lead. But then, like a dagger through the bloggers' hearts, the turn was [3h] filling up Reynolds' nut flush. The river was [jh].</p>

<p>We go on. And on.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74378.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74378.jpg" width="377" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><I><center>Another double up for William Reynolds</i></center><br></p>

<p><b>10.35pm: Leader</b><br />
This is our chip leader heading into level 21.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74341.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74341.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Adolfo Vaeza</i></center><br></p>

<p>Here are the counts:</p>

<p>1 Adolfo Vaeza - 811,000<br />
2 Sandra Naujoks - 299,000<br />
3 William Reynolds - 148,000<br />
4 Michiel Brummelhuis - 582,000<br />
5 Dmitry Stelmark - 279,000<br />
6 Will Molson - 588,000<br />
7 Tobias Reinkemeier - 750,000<br />
8 Lisa Hamilton - 484,000<br />
9 Matt Marafioti - 262,000</p>

<p><b>10.20pm: Reynolds back from the brink. Again</b><br />
We've never been closer to a resolution, but William Reynolds has just doubled up to stay in the game. He shoved from the small blind with less than 100,000 remaining and Michiel Brummelhuis called from the big blind. "I've got an ace," said Reynolds, and showed [ac][3h]. "I've got a king," said Brummelhuis and showed [ks][4c]. The flop had Reynolds mentally packing his bag: it came [5h][kh][3d], putting Brummelhuis into the lead. The turn was [2d] which now gave Reynolds some more outs and the [3s] on the river was one of them.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74359.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74359.jpg" width="450" height="300" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>William Reynolds doubles up through Michiel Brummelhuis</i></center><br></p>

<p>On we go.</p>

<p><b>10.15pm: One more for Hamilton</b><br />
Tobias Reinkemeier makes it 40,000 and Lisa Hamilton calls. On the [5d][qd][kd] flop, Reinkemeier makes it 56,000, but Hamilton moves all in. Insta muck from the German.</p>

<p><b>10.05pm: It's going to be on my watch, isn't it</b><br />
Something's got to give here, but as yet nothing is. Tobias Reinkemeier is doing what he's supposed to and raising a lot of pots, usually to 42,000. But the short stacks, particularly Lisa Hamilton, are doing their bidding too and shoving all in to make him fold. So we go on, and what was once an energetic relay of PokerStars Blog writers is becoming less enthusiastic. "It's going to be on my watch, isn't it," hinted a colleague earlier as he assumed the post beside the table.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74346.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74346.jpg" width="450" height="300" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Will Molson, Tobias Reinkemeier and Lisa Hamilton</i></center><br></p>

<p><b>9.45pm: Vaeza's takes a nice one</b><br />
Adolfo Vaeza opens for 32,000, Dmitry Stelmak calls, as does Lisa Hamilton from the big blind. On the [5h][qh][6d] flop Hamilton checks, Vaeza makes it 40,000 and only Hamilton calls. On the [2s] turn Hamilton checks, Vaeza makes it 50,000 and Hamilton re-raises for another 80,000 on top. Vaeza moves all in and that sends Hamilton in to the tank. Eventually she folds and is now down to around 240,000. Vaeza is up to 790,000.</p>

<p><br />
<b>9:35pm: Level up, still going</b><br />
It's been two hours and 45 minutes since Alex Brenes busted in tenth place. That's all we're saying. The laws of poker dictate, somebody has to bust eventually. It probably will not be chip leader Tobias Reinkenmeier.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74260.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74260.jpg" width="383" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span></p>]]></description>
            <link>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-3-levels-20-and-063259.html</link>
            <guid>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-3-levels-20-and-063259.html</guid>
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">High Roller</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PCA</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
            <pubDate>Wed, 13 Jan 2010 21:42:04 -0800</pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title>2010 PCA High Roller: Day 3, levels 18 and 19 live updates</title>
            <description><![CDATA[<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" width="130" height="100" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></span><i>Live updates from Day 3, levels 18 and 19 of the $25,000 High Roller brought to you by Howard Swains, Brad Willis, and Simon Young.<br />
Click <b>refresh</b> to see the latest updates below. Click through to the <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/tournaments/pca/2010/high-roller-1/chipcount.html">chip count page</a> for the chip counts, updated regularly throughout the day.</p>

<p>Previous coverage: <A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-dario-minieri-leads-063170.html">Day 1 wrap</a> | <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-level-8-live-063190.html">Levels 8 & 9</a> | <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-level-9-10-li-063205.html">Levels 10 & 11</a> | <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-levels-12-and-063214.html">Levels 12 and 13</a></p>

<p><b>Blinds:</b><br />
Level 18: 6,000-12,000 (1,000 ante)<br />
Level 19: 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)</i></p>

<p><b>9:31pm: Is this it? No.</b><br />
And so you can tell, we've not been leaving the final nine much in the last half an hour, due entirely to the fact the bubble has not burst. For the past ten minutes or so, we thought that just might happen. It began when Tobias Reikenmeier uncharacteristically limped from the button into a pot. Matt Marafioti checked his option in the big blind. By the time they reached the river, the board read [js][[td][4d][2d][ks] and Marafioti bet 25,000. Reikenmeier put him all-in. Marafiotti slammed his remaining chips on the table in front of him and pretty much told the table he was holding deuce-four for the turned two pair. The clock ticked into the next level as Marafiotti talked himself through the hand. Finally, he folded and showed deuce-four. Reikenmeier did not show. We're now up to the next level</p>

<p><b>9.07pm: Naujoks v Brummelhuis</b><br />
Sandra Naujoks makes it 35,000 from the button, and Michiel Brummelhuis calls from the big blind. On the [6d][5s][10s] flop Brummelhuis counts out 40,200 and moves it over the line. Naujoks wastes no time moving all in - and Brummelhuis is even quicker to fold.</p>

<p><b>9pm: Chip leader aggression</b><br />
There was a chance we were looking at the end of the day - and the end of Dmitry Stelmak's tournament. But it wasn't either of those things. William Reynolds came in for a raise to 27,000 in the cut off and Michiel Brummelhuis called on the button. Stelmak squeezed from the small blind, making it 106,000 and Reynolds quickly folded. Brummelhuis was not so easily edged out and he now made it 300,000, which is more than Stelmak has in his stack. The Russian thought and thought and thought, checking clock, stacks, cards, etc., and ruefully shaking his head. Eventually he folded to fight another day, but he's now among the shorties.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74320.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74320.jpg" width="450" height="283" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span></p>

<p><b>8.38pm: Molson doubles</b><br />
Will Molson doubles through Sandra Naujoks, who had called his 28,000 pre-flop bet. On the [6h][qd][jd] flop, Naujoks checked, Molson bet 42,000, Naujoks moved all in, and Molson called.</p>

<p>Molson: [as][qs]<br />
Naujoks: [10h][jh]</p>

<p>The [5d] turn and [4d] river kept things the same. Molson was all in for a total of 281,000 and now moves up to more than 550,000.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74314.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74314.jpg" width="384" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span></p>

<p><b>8:30pm: Brummelhuis broken</b><br />
Oh, no, he still has all his chips. No worries there. But upon return from his break, Brummelhuis's spirit was broken. The reason? Well, the Dutchman wears a pair of blue-framed fashionably-questionable sunglasses just about everywhere he goes. Minutes ago, those sunglasses broke and Brummelhuis's mood went with them. </p>

<p>"I'll probably bubble," he said.</p>

<p>"I think you should just leave," William Reynolds said.</p>

<p>The TD offered duct tape, but Brummelhuis just shook his head. This could end in tears.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74304.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74304.jpg" width="450" height="254" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span></p>

<p><b>810pm: Counts</b></p>

<p>The chip counts at the break are as follows:</p>

<p>1 Adolfo Vaeza - 496,000<br />
2 Sandra Naujoks - 468,000<br />
3 William Reynolds - 349,000<br />
4 Michiel Brummelhuis - 860,000<br />
5 Dmitry Stelmark - 433,000<br />
6 Will Molson - 336,000<br />
7 Tobias Reinkemeier - 711,000<br />
8 Lisa Hamilton - 325,000<br />
9 Matt Marafioti - 162,000</p>

<p><b>8.07pm: Level up</b><br />
It's the end of another level and the players are taking a 15-minute break.</p>

<p><b>8.05pm: Hamilton doubles</b><br />
Lisa Hamilton doubles through Tobias Reinkemeier. He had bet $25,000, she moved all for a total of $162,000, and after a dwell the German called.</p>

<p>Hamilton: [ac][qs]<br />
Reinkemeier: [ah][10h]</p>

<p>The board ran safe for Hamilton, coming [js][jd][3c][2c][6d].</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="_IJ74292.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/_IJ74292.jpg" width="450" height="300" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Tobias Reinkeimer and Lisa Hamilton</i></center><br></p>

<p><b>7.55pm: Still nine</b><br />
We're so near but yet so far. The two short stacks, Matt Marafioti and Lisa Hamilton, are doing what they're supposed to do: shove and either double up or bust, but no one is taking them on. We're creeping towards the moment that a dinner break had been scheduled, although it seems likely they'll play until we lose one more.</p>

<p><b>7.25pm: Reynolds again!</b><br />
It's another William Reynolds double up. This time it's folded around to him in the small blind and he shoves - insta call from chip leader Michiel Brummelhuis in the big blind.</p>

<p>Brummelhuis: [10d][10c]<br />
Reynolds: [ah][qd]</p>

<p>The board ran [kh][5s][4d][3s][qc], so the dealer left it until the river to save Reynolds' neck.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="_IJ74288.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/_IJ74288.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>William Reynolds celebrates doubling up to stay alive</i></center><br></p>

<p><b>7.20pm: Short stack double up</b><br />
William Reynolds made his obligatory all in shove pre-flop, and feared the worst when Lisa Hamilton snap called. She had [qh][qc] and Reynolds comforted himself with the knowledge that: "I have an overcard." He showed [kh][js] and that overcard was good on a flop of [9h][kc][4h]. The turn and river were [jd] and [5c] and he doubles up, leaving Hamilton now in trouble on around about 100,000.</p>

<p><b>7.10pm: Redraw</b><br />
Here's how they shape up as we wait to lose one more player:</p>

<p>1 Adolfo Vaeza<br />
2 Sandra Naujoks, Team PokerStars Pro<br />
3 William Reynolds<br />
4 Michiel Brummelhuis<br />
5 Dmitry Stelmark<br />
6 Will Molson<br />
7 Tobias Reinkemeier<br />
8 Lisa Hamilton<br />
9 Matt Marafioti</p>

<p><b>7.05pm: Brenes busted in tenth</b><br />
Alex Brenes has busted in tenth, defending his big blind in customary fashion. It was folded around to Tobias Reinkemeier in the small blind who made it 32,000. Brenes announced he was all in, and after a count it was 126,000 more. He called.</p>

<p>Reinkemeier: [ad][9s]<br />
Brenes: [kd][6h]</p>

<p>The board ran [6s][as][9c][9h][6d] - an emphatic full house for the German, and Brenes was out, receiving $56,995.</p>

<p><b>7pm: Return</b><br />
We're back with nine players, and William Reynolds is a micro-stack.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ73990.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ73990.jpg" width="367" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>William Reynolds</i></center></p>]]></description>
            <link>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-3-level-18-063256.html</link>
            <guid>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-3-level-18-063256.html</guid>
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PCA</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
            <pubDate>Wed, 13 Jan 2010 19:03:18 -0800</pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title>2010 PCA High Roller: Day 3, levels 16 and 17 live updates</title>
            <description><![CDATA[<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" width="130" height="100" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></span><i>Live updates from Day 2, levels 12 & 13 of the $25,000 High Roller brought to you by Howard Swains, Brad Willis, and Simon Young.<br />
Click <b>refresh</b> to see the latest updates below. Click through to the <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/tournaments/pca/2010/high-roller-1/chipcount.html">chip count page</a> for the chip counts, updated regularly throughout the day.</p>

<p>Previous coverage: <A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-dario-minieri-leads-063170.html">Day 1 wrap</a> | <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-level-8-live-063190.html">Levels 8 & 9</a> | <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-level-9-10-li-063205.html">Levels 10 & 11</a> | <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-levels-12-and-063214.html">Levels 12 and 13</a></p>

<p><b>Blinds:</b><br />
Level 16: 3,000-6,000 (500 ante)<br />
Level 17: 4,000-8,000 (1,000 ante)</i></p>

<p><b>7pm: Level over</b><br />
With 10 players left, the level is over. We're going into level 18.</p>

<p><b>6.55pm: You bladed Reynolds, dude</b><br />
Will Molson and William Reynolds were alone to a [8c][9s][10s] flop. Molson bet 26,000, which Reynolds called. The turn was [qs] and Molson checked, eliciting a bet of 48,000 from Reynolds. Molson moved all in, for 124,000 more, and Reynolds called. Molson was delighted, tabling [as][2s] and a dismayed Reynolds said: "I'm drawing dead." He showed [ac][jc] for the straight, but it wasn't good enough to beat Molson's nut flush.</p>

<p>Matt Marafioti came over to see what the commotion was all about, and said to his friend Molson: "You bladed Reynolds, dude."</p>

<p><b>6:50pm: Naujoks KO's Cada</b><br />
Word of warning: just because Sandra Naujoks is pretty doesn't mean she won't eat your lunch then take your mom out for a nice steak dinner. This lesson was just learned by 2009 WSOP champ Joe Cada. When Naujoks came in for a raise from the button, Cada shoved for his entire stack (somewhere in the neighborhood of 270,000). Naujoks waited one, two, three, four seconds before sliding her chips in.</p>

<p>"Wow," said Cada as he spied Naujok's [ah][9h]. The champ turned over his [as][8d]. There was no chop. There was no suckout. All that remained was for Cada to say, "Nice hand" and walk to the cash out desk. There he will receive $51,540 for his 11th place finish.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74225.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74225.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><center><i>Joe Cada</i></center></p>

<p><b>Vaeza tries something different</b> <br />
"I am going to do something I have done before. I am going to call blind." This is Adolfo Vaeza in the big blind who face a 21,000 bet from Dmitry Stelmark which has been called by William Reynolds. </p>

<p>And so to the flop, which came [jd][4h][ah]. Reynolds checked and then Vaeza announced: "OK, I have to check now." He looked at his hole cards for the first time and apparently liked what he saw, firing out a bet of 30,000. Stelmark made the call, Reynolds folded. </p>

<p>Both players checked the [2h] turn, but on the [5c] river Vaeza bet 40,000. Stelmark thought about it for a minute and then made the call. As he did so, Vaeza insta mucked, and Stelmark was then obliged to show [ac][3c] for the straight.  </p>

<p><b>6:34pm: Blind battle</b> <br />
It's folded around to Tobias Reinkemeier in the small blind, and he makes it 24,000. Alex Brenes defends his big blind and bumps it up by another 50,000. Reinkemeier looks at his own stack, then at Brenes' stack (which is smaller than his), and announces: "All in." <br />
That sends  Brenes into the tank, but emerges soon after to fold.  </p>

<p><br />
<b>6:22pm: Phillips flipped, out in 12th place</b><br />
Carter Phillips never recovered from the three-way all-in he lost against Sandra Naujoks earlier. Just now, Joe Cada came in for a raise from the button and Phillips shoved all-in for 113,000 more. Cada labored over his decision. Finally, he decided Phillips' range was wide enough that [ac][6d] was good for the call. Phillips turned over [3c][3s]. The flip quickly went Cada's way. The flop brought an ace and Phillips never caught up. He earns $51,540</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74215.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74215.jpg" width="343" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><center><i>Carter Phillips</i></center><p></p>

<p><b>6.05pm: All in, call, chop</b><br />
Will Molson raised to 20,000 from the small blind into Dmitry Stelmak's big. The Russian called and they saw a flop of [kc][6d][6s]. Check, check. The turn was [ad] and Molson bet 24,000, which was called. The river was [qs] and Molson now moved all in, for 184,000. Stelmak called and was shown [as][js]. Slowly he exposed [ac][7s] for the chop. Still 12 of them.</p>

<p><b>5:57pm: Back from break</b><br />
After a short break, the players are back in their seats and trying to survive the next four eliminations and make it to tomorrow's final table.</p>

<p><strong>5.30pm: Greg Raymer out in 13th ($46,305)</strong><br />
It didn't take long for Raymer to get the rest of his chips in, re-raising Dmitry Stelmak's 16,000 opener. Raymer's all in was for 110,000 and Stelmak called.</p>

<p>Stelmak: [kh][qd]<br />
Raymer: [ad][7c]</p>

<p>Raymer was ahead, but only narrowly. And the flop of [kc][4h][jh] only helped Stelmak. The turn and river were blank and Fossilman was yesterday's news.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74195.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74195.jpg" width="349" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><center><i>Raymer sends Stelmak an autographed fossil</i></center><p></p>

<p>Raymer is one of the most popular members of the poker community. Our video crew got some nice opinions about the Fossilman from around the tournament floor...</p>

<center><script src="http://www.pokerstars.tv/movies/8DC/pca-2010-pokerpinions-greg-raymer.js?from=embed&amp;include_link=true" type="text/javascript"></script><br />Watch <a href="http://www.pokerstars.tv/movies/8DC/pca-2010-pokerpinions-greg-raymer.html">PCA 2010: Pokerpinions: Greg Raymer</a> on PokerStars.tv</center><p>

<p><b>5.30pm: Raymer drops a chunk</b><br />
On a [7s][qs][ks][8s] board, William Reynolds made it 28,000 and Greg Raymer made the call. The river was [qc], Raymer checked and Reynolds, almost in slow motion, reached down for 82,000 more. Now Raymer was in the tank, eventually taking his glasses off - and then calling.</p>

<p>Reynolds tables [as][4h] for the ace-high flush and Raymer could only nod in approval. He's down to 110,000 now.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74180.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74180.jpg" width="355" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span></p>

<p><b>5.27pm: Hamilton saved by the river</b><br />
Lisa Hamilton got all in against Joe Cada, and she was the one at risk.</p>

<p>Cada: [ah][qd]<br />
Hamilton: [9h][9s]</p>

<p>The flop sent her behind, coming [3s][qs][7h]. The turn was [kh] and now Hamilton needed one of the two remaining nines. The [9c] duly fell on the river. She's up to 270,000, Cada pegged back to 300,000.</p>

<p><b>5.25pm: Phillips gets it all in</b><br />
Carter Phillips made up Michiel Brummelhuis' big blind and they went to a [9d][jh][6s] flop. Phillips bet 7,000 and Brummelhuis called. The turn was [kd] and Phillips now bet 17,000, which Brummelhuis also called. The river was [ad] and Phillips now moved all in for his last 84,000. After a good few minutes, Brummelhuis decided that that was too rich and folded.</p>

<p><b>5:10pm: The dead Baron</b><br />
Isaac Baron is out, getting it all in pre-flop with [8c][9h] against Michiel Brummelhuis' [ad][qc]. Baron needed help, but the [2d][2c][4s][5s][qd] board sent him on his way in 14th place. Remember you can keep up to date with the payouts on the <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010-pca-high-roller-payout-structure-an.html">payouts page</a>. Where else?</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74161.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74161.jpg" width="357" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span></p>

<p><b>4.55pm: Buchanan busts in 15th</b><br />
Alex Brenes raised to 15,000 and Shawn Buchanan, on the micro-stack, moved all in for 31,000 more. Will Molson seemed interested, but folded, leaving Brenes to call.</p>

<p>"Oh, I don't like this hand," said Brenes, when Buchanan showed his [as][10s]. Brenes had [ks][4s], so his suit was covered. But the board changed everything. It came [kh][5s][kd][4c][jd[ and that ended the day for Buchanan. He takes $41,160.</p>

<p><b>4.40pm: Back for level 16</b><br />
There was no break, just a level up. Here's a pic of Will Molson. Today.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="willmolhiroll3.JPG" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/willmolhiroll3.JPG" width="367" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><center><i>Will Molson</center></i><p></p>]]></description>
            <link>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-3-levels-16-and-063253.html</link>
            <guid>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-3-levels-16-and-063253.html</guid>
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">High Roller</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PCA</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
            <pubDate>Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:41:31 -0800</pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title>2010 PCA High Roller: Day 3, levels 14 and 15 live updates</title>
            <description><![CDATA[<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" width="130" height="100" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></span><i>Live updates from Day 2, levels 12 & 13 of the $25,000 High Roller brought to you by Howard Swains, Brad Willis, and Simon Young.<br />
Click <b>refresh</b> to see the latest updates below. Click through to the <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/tournaments/pca/2010/high-roller-1/chipcount.html">chip count page</a> for the chip counts, updated regularly throughout the day.</p>

<p>Previous coverage: <A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-dario-minieri-leads-063170.html">Day 1 wrap</a> | <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-level-8-live-063190.html">Levels 8 & 9</a> | <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-level-9-10-li-063205.html">Levels 10 & 11</a> | <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-levels-12-and-063214.html">Levels 12 and 13</a></p>

<p><b>Blinds:</b><br />
Level 14: 2,000-4,000 (400 ante)<br />
Level 15: 2,500-5,000 (500 ante)</i></p>

<p><b>4.40pm: Molson doubles </b><br />
Tobias Reinkemeier raised to 12,500 under-the-gun and he was called by William Reynolds on the button and Adolfo Vaeza in the small blind. Will Molson, in the big blind, moved all in for what the dealer counted to be 98,000 more. Vaeza thumped the table with his fist, but the action was on Reinkemeier, who decided to call. That made Reynolds' and Vaeza's decision easy: they both folded.</p>

<p>On their backs: <br />
Reinkemeier [ac][js]<br />
Molson: [kd][qh]</p>

<p>The flop swung it in favour of Molson, though: [4c][kh][qd] and he faded the ten. The turn was [6c] and the river [ad].</p>

<p><b>4.35pm: That's how he rolls</b><br />
Adolfo Vaeza min raises to 10,000 from early position and gets a call from Dmitry Stelmark two to his left, Greg Raymer on the button and Shawn Buchanan in the big blind. On the [5h][3h][8c] flop Vaeza made it 20,000 and only Stelmark called. The pattern was repeated on the [9d] turn, with Stelmark calling 30,000 this time. Finally, on the [jd] river, Vaeza bet 50,000 and was again called.</p>

<p>"Two pair," Vaeza announced, turning over [8s][9s], and that was good.</p>

<p><b>4.30pm: Shove goes awry for Raymer</b><br />
Greg Raymer raised to 12,000 under-the-gun and Tobias Reinkemeier was the only caller, in the big blind. The flop came [9c][3s][js] and Reinkemeier checked, prompting a bet of 18,000 from Raymer. Reinkemeier called. The turn was [kh] and Reinkemeier check-called Raymer's 35,000 bet. On the river [qs] Reinkemeier checked, Raymer moved all in, and Reinkemeier called.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74155.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74155.jpg" width="450" height="324" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Tobias Reinkemeier and Greg Raymer during the hand</i></center><br></p>

<p>"You got me," said Raymer. "Small pair." He opened [7d][7h]. Reinkemeier showed [ks][8s] for a flopped flush draw that became top pair and then completed. Raymer had Reinkemeier covered, but was still forced to match Reinkemeier's 191,000 stack on the end. Reinkemeier is now nudging 530,000, while Raymer is down to 165,000.</p>

<p><b>4:26pm: Three way all-in results in man down, woman way up</b><br />
Carter Phillips came in for a raise to 10,500 and James Calderaro re-raised to 25,500. That's when Sandra Naujoks moved all-in for 151,000. Neither Phillips nor Calderaro wasted any time in calling. Here were the hands on their backs.</p>

<p>Carter Phillips: [As][Ks]<br />
James Calderaro: [kd][kc]<br />
Sandra Naujoks: [9s][9h]</p>

<p>Phillips had both players covered, so his tournament wasn't at risk. More than half his stack, however was, and when the flop came down [jh][jc][9c], the balance shifted way over the to female side of the table. Phillips needed runners and Calderaro was left with the case king or two remaining jacks to get out of jail. Neither came and Naujoks tripled up to more than 450,000. </p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74134.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74134.jpg" width="366" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Sandra Naujoks back from the brink again</i></center><br></p>

<p>Phillips fell back to 130,000. Calderaro was eliminated in 16th place for $41,160.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ73975.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ73975.jpg" width="367" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><center><i>James Calderaro, 16th place, $41,160</i></center></p>

<p><b>4.15pm: Stop raising my blinds!</b><br />
For a few hours now Alex Brenes has been getting annoyed at the constant aggression of William Reynolds, who took advantage of the long bubble period to slowly build a nice stack of around 300,000. Once, Brenes told him: "The next time you do that, I am going to move all if I have any two picture cards. I am telling you, I don't need the money. I don't care. I will push."</p>

<p>Then it seemed to die down a bit until this hand. Reynolds made it 12,500 and Brenes made the call. The flop was [qd][2s][3d] and Reynolds fired out an 18,500 continuation bet. Brenes went into the tank, and then re-raised to 60,000. That may have confused Reynolds, but whatever, he folded. Brenes turned over triumphantly...</p>

<p>[9d][10h]</p>

<p>Reynolds gave him a "so what" expression, and again Brenes reminded him: "You are raise, raise, raise. It's too much."</p>

<p>This personal battle is bound to end in tears for one of them very soon.</p>

<p><b>4.10pm: Raymer pushes out Brenes and Stelmak</b> <br />
Alex Brenes raised to 14,000 in early position and Dmity Stelmak called on the button, as did Greg Raymer in the big blind. The flop was [qd][3d][qc] and it got interesting very quickly. Raymer checked, Brenes checked and Stelmak bet 16,500. Raymer called, and then Brenes raised to 50,000 - or 33,500 more. Stelmak dwell-called. Raymer called quickly. </p>

<p>The turn was [4c]. If anyone was trapping anyone else, they elected not to spring it on the [4c] turn. Everyone checked. But on the [8d] river, Raymer announced that he was all in.  Brenes seemed very upset to be forced to fold. Stelmak took even longer, but he also laid it down. That might have been even bigger, but Raymer takes it down without showing.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ73932.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ73932.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span></p>

<p><b>4:03pm: Marafioti, quieter</b><br />
Matt Marafioti is not a quiet guy. A few minutes ago, he raised pre-flop and everybody folded. He showed big slick. "It's okay! You guys can fold to me."</p>

<p>James Calderaro smirked and said, "It was the first time you shut up."</p>

<p>While Isaac Baron was polling his rail to see who had headphones, Marafioti was put all in by Lisa Hamilton. He tanked for a good long while before calling to see Hamilton's pocket queens. Marafioti turned over [ah][qd]. The board didn't offer the young cash game hero any help, and he's back down to around his starting stack.</p>

<p><br />
<b>3:48pm: New table draw</b> <br />
Here's how the new table draw looks. <br />
 <br />
<i>Table 1</i> <br />
 Seat 1: Matt Marafioti <br />
Seat 2: Carter Phillips <br />
Seat 3: Michiel Brummelhuis <br />
Seat 4: Isaac Baron <br />
Seat 5: James Calderaro <br />
Seat 6: Sandra Naujoks <br />
Seat 7: Lisa Hamilton <br />
Seat 8: Joe Cada <br />
 <br />
 <i>Table 2</i> <br />
 Seat 1: Alex Brenes <br />
Seat 2: Shawn Buchanan <br />
Seat 3: William Reynolds <br />
Seat 4: Adolfo Vaeza <br />
Seat 5: Will Molson <br />
Seat 6: Dmitry Stelmak <br />
Seat 7: Tobias Reinkemeier <br />
Seat 8: Greg Raymer</p>

<p><b>3.45pm: Redraw</b><br />
There's a quick break while we lose a table and redraw for the last 18 players.</p>

<p><b>3.44pm: Minieri the bubble boy</b><br />
He was the  overnight chip leader, but now he's out. Dario Minieri, the Team PokerStars Pro, is the bubble boy of the $25,000 High Roller and is the last player in the field to leave with absolutely nothing. All remaining players are now guaranteed $41,160.</p>

<p>Minieri pushed all in for 109,000 and it's folded to Alex Brenes, who clearly has a decision to make. Minieri assumes he will fold.</p>

<p>"You always fold," the Italian said. "Here, let me see what I have," and he fumbled around in his pocket for some change. "I bet bet you $5 you will fold. Wait, make that $10," and he slaps the two notes on the table.</p>

<p>But Brenes is having none of it.</p>

<p>"This is very close," he said. After a few minutes of pacing and working out the possibilities, he announced: "I call."</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJG0209.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJG0209.jpg" width="450" height="326" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Alex Brenes ponders the call</i></center></p>

<p>Minieri: [ac][qc]<br />
Brenes: [9h][9s]</p>

<p>Minieri fancied his chances, but the flop was an emphatic one for the Costa Rican, coming [6s][qh][9h]. "Oh," Minieri said. The turn was [3h] and the river [jd] and the young Italian star is outta here.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74122.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74122.jpg" width="367" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Dario Minieri eliminated from High Roller event</i></center><br></p>

<p><b>3.41: Bubbles bursts on Minieri</b><br />
Dario Minieri is our bubble boy. Full details to follow.</p>

<p><b>3.40pm: Bubble up for Marafioti</b><br />
With a stack of only about 60,000 Matt Marafioti was under extreme bubble pressure. Nevertheless, he raised to 12,000 under-the-gun and Carter Phillips went into the tank of confusion on the button. Eventually, Phillips raised to 25,000 and Marafioti moved all in. Phillips couldn't fold. Marafioti showed [ac][ad] and Phillips opened [as][qd]. The flop was not great for Marafioti [7h][9h][qh] but he faded the other two queens in the deck - or the runner, runner heart flush to chop - and doubled up.</p>

<p>Phillips quizzed him about the play and Marafioti said: "I'm the most obscure player you've ever seen."</p>

<p><b>3:32pm: The three short-stacks</b<br />
Here are the three guys sweating hardest on the bubble.</p>

<p>Matt Marafioti -- 60000	<br />
Shawn Buchanan -- 72500	<br />
Isaac Baron -- 105000</p>

<p><br />
<b>3.20pm: Back in action</b><br />
With the black 100 chips gone, the players are back in action. We're still on the bubble, folks, so expect a slow down in reporting for a little while yet.</p>

<p><b>3:05pm: Color up</b><br />
The bubble must wait. We're coloring up, getting rid of the 100 denomination chips, and getting ready to move up a level.</p>

<p><strong>2.40pm: Bubble</strong><br />
With 17 players left, they're currently playing hand-for-hand on three tables. The bubble's bursting is imminent.</p>

<p><b>2.30pm: <em>That</em> Naujoks hand - a pictorial guide</b><br />
Our photographer Joe Giron was on hand to record the full drama of that Sandra Naujoks versus Vivek Rajkumar hand (see 2.13pm below). Here's the story in pictures:</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74038.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74038.jpg" width="450" height="300" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Sandra Naujoks moved all in on the river, leaving Vivek Rajkumar, foreground, with a tough decision</i></center><br></p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74043.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74043.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Rajkumar called and Naujoks thought she had been caught on a bluff - she only had ace-high</i></center><br></p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74045.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74045.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>The other players called Naujoks back to the table as she hadn't looked properly at her opponent's hand. Rajkumar also had ace-high, but with an inferior kicker</i></center><br></p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74046.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74046.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Naujoks couldn't believe it, staring inquisitively at Rajkumar</i></center><br></p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74047.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74047.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><I><Center>"Did that just happen?" Naujoks confirms with the dealer</i></center><br></p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74052.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74052.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Naujoks retakes her seat...</i></center><br></p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74055.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74055.jpg" width="450" height="300" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>... and begins stacking her newly renovated chip stack</i></center><br></p>

<p><b>2.30pm: Rajkumar eliminated, one off the bubble</b><br />
Vivek Rajkumar has now departed, leaving us on the bubble. The newly chipped up Carter Phillips raised to 8,000 pre-flop and Rajkumar, newly, chip-downed, shoved from the button. Call. Rajkumar had [as][10h] but Phillips had [ac][js]. A jack flopped and another turned, sending Rajkumar to the rail. Or maybe the six-max tournament starting in the Imperial Ballroom about now.</p>

<p><b>2.25pm: Edler out</b><br />
Bill Edler is gone, beaten by Dmitry Stelmak. The Russian defended his blind to an Edler pre-flop raise and they saw a flop of [10s][3c][qc]. The action didn't get too hairy until the [9h] turn, which is when Stelmak checked, Edler bet 12,000 and Stelmak moved all in. With only about 50,000 left, Edler had little choice but to call, but saw bad news straight away.</p>

<p>Edler: [ad][qh] for top pair. Stelmak: [ks][jc] for a straight. Edler leaves us.</p>

<p><b>2.23pm: Phillips doubles on the river</b><br />
Michiel Brummelhuis makes it 27,000 and Carter Phillips moves all in for another 129,300. Call.</p>

<p>Phillips: [as][qd]<br />
Brummelhuis: [10h][10d]</p>

<p>The board ran [jc][8c][7h][kd] and Phillips was on the verge of elimination - until the river came [ac]. Phillips is up to more than 300,000, Brummelhuis drops to around the same.</p>

<p><b>2.20pm: Baron time for Minieri</b><br />
Dario Minieri, the overnight chip leader, continues to bleed chips. He just lost a vital coin flip against Isaac Baron. All in pre-flop it was 2-2 for Baron and 8-8 for Minieri. All well and good for the Italian - until the board ran [ac][ad][2c][4c][5h]. He's now down to 90,000, while Baron doubles up to 170,000.</p>

<p><b>2.13pm: Come back Sandra! You've doubled up</b> <br />
Sandra Naujoks has just doubled up, although she was convinced she had been eliminated when Vivek Rajkumar called her all in shove on the river. Naujoks button raised and Rajkumar called from the big blind. The flop was [7s][9c][2s] and Rajkumar bet 18,500, which Naujoks called. The turn was [3d] and Rajkumar's check prompted a 25,000 bet from Naujoks. Call. The river was [3s] and after Rajkumar checked, Naujoks moved all in.  </p>

<p>Rajkumar wanted a count. The dealer told him it was "about 90,000" and Rajkumar asked him if he could get a precise count. The dealer obliged and told him that Naujoks' all in was 89,500. "I don't think I can fold," said Rajkumar and called. Naujoks got up to leave, showing [ad][jc] for ace high. Rajkumar then tabled [ac][8s], for an inferior ace high. </p>

<p>"Where are you going?" Rajkumar said. "You win."  Naujoks couldn't quite believe it, but sat back down and began stacking 295,000 chips. Rajkumar is down to 78,000.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ73925.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ73925.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><center><i>Sandra Naujoks</i></center></p>

<p><b>2:12pm: For Richey, for poorest</b><br />
Brett Richey is on the rail after his pocket tens couldn't outrun Joe Cada's pocket queens all-in preflop. Richey finished in 20th place.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74056.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74056.jpg" width="389" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Brett Richey</i></center><br></p>

<p><b>2:10pm: Hamilton shows Minieri a lady</b><br />
Lisa Hamilton just doubled through Dario Minieri for 84,300 apiece. Hamilton's [ks][qs] bested the Italian's [4c][4h] when a queen came on the turn.</p>

<p><b>2.02pm: Richey aggression</b><br />
Brett Richey makes it 11,000 and is called by Michiel Brummelhuis. In the small blind, Sandra Naujoks fancies her hand and re-raises to 37,000. Richey thinks only for a moment before moving all in. It's around another 78,500 to Naujoks, and she decides to let it go.</p>

<p><b>1.57pm: Molson all-ins</b><br />
Matt Marafioti makes it 10,200 and Will Molson wastes no time in moving all in. It's 44,600 more for Marafioti, and that's too much. This is the second time Molson has moved his stack over the line in ten minutes.</p>

<p><b>1:53pm: Fish Dario becomes Super Dario</b><br />
After his early stumbles in the first level, Dario Minieri (who called himself "so fish!") has returned from break in the all-too familiar Super Dario form. He came in for a raise under the gun and Lisa Hamilton raised him to 28,000 out of the small blind. Hamilton was leaving herself only 60,000 behind and out of position to Super Dario. Minieri immediately announced, "All-in." Hamilton, the winner of the 2009 WSOP ladies event, tanked. She took a peek at the tournament clock. It told her what the blinds were and that the event is just four players off the money. She looked back at her chips, looked at the clock again, and then folded.</p>

<p>Soon thereafter, Isaac Baron came in for a raise and play folded to Dario in the blinds. Minieri immediately announced all-in and Baron insta-mucked. </p>

<p>Somewhere in there, Minieri began a discussion of the [qs][9s]. "I get so excited when I see suited cards in the blinds. Queen-nine suited is the nuts in the blinds!"</p>

<p>When it came time for Minieri's button, he raised and got a call from James Calderaro. The flop came down [8h][jh][ac], Calderaro checked and Minieri fired out a bet. Calderaro folded, asking, "Queen-nine of spades again?"</p>

<p>"I will not answer any more questions," Minieri proclaimed, "but it was not queen-nine of spades."</p>

<p><b>1:40pm: Moving on up</b><br />
Players are coming back from their break. And so are we.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ73948.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ73948.jpg" width="377" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Adolfo Vaeza</i></center></p>]]></description>
            <link>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-3-levels-14-and-063251.html</link>
            <guid>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-3-levels-14-and-063251.html</guid>
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">High Roller</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PCA</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
            <pubDate>Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:31:31 -0800</pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title>2010 PCA High Roller: Day 3, levels 12 and 13 live updates</title>
            <description><![CDATA[<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" width="130" height="100" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></span><i>Live updates from Day 3, levels 12 & 13 of the $25,000 High Roller brought to you by Howard Swains, Brad Willis, and Simon Young.<br />
Click <b>refresh</b> to see the latest updates below. Click through to the <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/tournaments/pca/2010/high-roller-1/chipcount.html">chip count page</a> for the chip counts, updated regularly throughout the day.</p>

<p>Previous coverage: <A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-dario-minieri-leads-063170.html">Day 1 wrap</a> | <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-level-8-live-063190.html">Levels 8 & 9</a> | <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-level-9-10-li-063205.html">Levels 10 & 11</a></p>

<p><b>Blinds:</b><br />
Level 12: 1,200-2,400 (200 ante)<br />
Level 13: 1,500-3,000 (300 ante)</i></p>

<p><b>1.35pm: Schulman out; Reynolds and Brummelhuis up</b><br />
Two big hands, both involving sets of nines. The first doubled up William Reynolds and hurt Alex Brenes; the second added all of Nick Schulman's stack to that of Michiel Brummelhuis.</p>

<p>In the first:</p>

<p>Reynolds raised to 7,200 and Brenes called in the big blind. The flop came [3c][7h][9c] and both players checked. On the [as] turn, Reynolds led at it, making it 12,400 to go. Brenes splashed out a raise to 25,000 and Reynolds dwelled for a long time before verbally announcing: "Raise." He made it 17,000 more - a min-re-raise in other words - and Brenes announced that he was all in.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74000.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ74000.jpg" width="355" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Alex Brenes</i></center><br></p>

<p>"Call," said Reynolds, who showed [9h][9s]. Brenes tabled [ac][7d] and missed his outs. Reynolds doubled to around 300,000 while Brenes was left with 115,000.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ73990.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ73990.jpg" width="367" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>William Reynolds</i></center><br></p>

<p>On the second hand: </p>

<p>Nick Schulman, Sandra Naujoks and Michiel Brummelhuis are at a flop of [jh][5s][9c]. Naujoks checked, Schulman bet 8,000 and Brummelhuis raised to 22,000. Naujoks got out the way but Schulman called. The turn was [2c] and Schulman checked. Brummelhuis made it 47,000 to go and after quickly counting his chips, Schulman shoved them all in.</p>

<p>Brummelhuis called instantly and showed those pocket nines. Shulman had outs with [jc][10c] but missed them on the river. Schulman headed for the door as the players went on a break.</p>

<p><b>1.25pm: So, so sick</b><br />
Dmitri Stelmark opens for 8,000 and it's folded around to Will Molson who bumps it up to 22,200. Stelmark wastes no time in pushing a large tower of blue 5,000 chips over the line. It's worth 100,000.</p>

<p>"This is so, so sick," Molson groans, before reluctantly letting go of his hand.</p>

<p><b>1.22pm: The price of a shirt</b><br />
Greg Raymer is staring at Matt Marafioti's shirt, a brown, striped affair. "I could have guessed you were Canadian," he said. "That's a very European style of shirt."</p>

<p>"Well I bought it in the Bellagio. It's Armani," replied Marafioti. "It cost me $1,600."</p>

<p>"$1,600 for a shirt? I never spent that much on clothing in my life. Even my best tailored suit would be nothing like that. If I spent $100 on a shirt I'd be annoyed. Actually, if I spent $50 on a shirt I'd be annoyed."</p>

<p><b>1:18pm: James Calderaro racing team best at checkered flag</b><br />
Lisa Hamilton came in for a raise to 7,500. Dario Minieri called in the small blind, only to have James Calderaro pash all-in from the big. Hamilton thought for a minute or so before she was re-raising all-in. Minieri got out of the way to see Hamilton's [js][jh] up against Calderaro's [ah][qs]. Calderaro made both his ace and queen and doubled up. Hamilton, meanwhile, is down to 115,000.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ73982.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ73982.jpg" width="354" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Lisa Hamilton, outraced by...</i></center><br></p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ73975.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ73975.jpg" width="367" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><I><center>James Calderaro</i></center><br></p>

<p><b>1.10pm: Chat and hands on table three</b><br />
Shawn Buchanan, Greg Raymer and Dmitry Stelmak go to a flop of [ac][4c][7s]. The first two check and then Stelmak, on the button, bets 12,000. Buchanan is the only caller. The turn is [kh] and this time Buchanan check-folds to Stelmak's 31,000 bet.</p>

<p>Stelmak is involved in late position again on the next hand, when he tangles with Will Molson. Molson made is 7,400 to play and Stelmak calls. The flop is [9h][10d][10s] and Molson fires 10,800. Call. The turn is [4h] and Molson now bets 16,200, which is about a third of his remaining stack. Stelmak folds.</p>

<p>All this happens as Raymer and Matt Marafioti are having a conversation about air travel, and the journey from Raleigh (Raymer's home) to Vegas. Marafioti is talking about the cost of flying a Learjet - something like 180,000 for a short trip. Raymer says that you could rent an entire commercial jet - 120 seats for a couple of hundred bucks apiece - for less than that. Anyone else want a trip on RaymerAir?</p>

<p><b>1pm: Zahmat busted by Vaeza</b><br />
Adolfo Vaeza continues his extraordinary heater and extends his chip lead after busting Bijan Zahmat. Dario Minieri kicked it all off by betting 7,100, Vaeza made it 25,000 and then Zahmat announced all in for a total of 140,000. Minieri ditched it but after a quick glance at Zahmat's stack, Vaeza called.</p>

<p>Vaeza: [kc][ks]<br />
Zahmat: [ad][kh]</p>

<p>Zahmat was at risk, and the Dutchman finished in 22nd place when the board ran [3d][4h][7c][js][3h].</p>

<p>Vaeza is now up to a dominating 600,000.</p>

<p><b>12.50pm: Va-va-Vaeza</b><br />
We've seen an extraordinary surge to the top of the leaderboard this afternoon by Adolfo Vaeza, from Uruguay. Vaeza, who made the final table of the high roller in London, doubled up through Bijan Zahmat, and then doubled up the double up through Dario Minieri.</p>

<p>With about 100,000 in his stack and black pocket tens, Vaeza moved all in and Zahmat called with [as][kh]. There was no help for Zahmat on the board and Vaeza moved beyond 200,000. Then a couple of hands later James Calderaro raised to 6,500 under the gun and Vaeza made it 13,400 from mid position. Minieri made it a further 37,000 from the big blind and Vaeza called.</p>

<p>The flop came [2h][js][kc] and all the money flew in. Minieri showed [kh][7s] and Vaeza [jh][jd]. "I am so fish," said Minieri, who went through some of his reasoning for the move, looking to Isaac Baron for comment. "Is that bad, Isaac? Come on, I won't be offended."</p>

<p>Whatever Baron's thoughts, Vaeza is leading this thing now with about half a million.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ73954.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ73954.jpg" width="450" height="300" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Adolfo Vaeza</i></center><br></p>

<p><b>12.45pm: All in, call....</b><br />
...chop. Will Molson starts this one off with 7,700. Tobias Reinkemeir re-pops to 18,500 - but then Matt Marafioti fires out 46,000. Molson gets out of the way, Reinkemeier moves all in, Marafioti calls! He's the one at risk but everyone calms down when they turn their hands over.</p>

<p><b>12.40pm: Naujoks part II</b><br />
This time Sandra Naujoks bets 8,300 from the button and Nick Schulman calls from the big blind. The flop comes [5c][10c][jc], Schulman checks then calls Naujoks' 9,000. But on the [4h] turn it's Schulman who takes the initiative, putting out four blue chips - 20,000. Naujoks is still interested and asks how much he has left behind. The answer is around 135,000 and Naujoks lets it go.</p>

<p><b>12.35pm: Naujoks part I</b><br />
With 50,000 already in the pot, Team PokerStars Pro Sandra Naujoks and Michiel Brummelhuis see a [qd][qc][5s] flop. Brummelhuis makes it 19,000, Naujoks calls. Both check the [7s] turn, but on the [6s] river, Brummelhuis checks and then folds when Naujoks fires out another 28,000.</p>

<p><br />
<b>12:30pm: Paul Berende: Late arrival, early exit</b><br />
When the final 24 players sat down to play at noon, Paul Berende's spot at the table was only filled by his unbagged chips. When he finally did show up, it was time to leave. He got all-in from the small blind with [jc][js] against fellow Dutchman Bijan Zahmat's [kd][kc]. Berenda didn't catch up, shooke his head ruefully, patted Zahmat on the shoulder, and walked out of the room.</p>

<p><b>12.25pm: Level up</b><br />
We have moved effortlessly into level 13.</p>

<p><b>12.20pm: Small skirmishes</b><br />
It's going to be a long day for William Reynolds. Or a very short one that just feels like a long day. He's the unfortunate player who has Dario Minieri to his left, and twice already Reynolds has raised pre-flop (once from the button, once from the cut off) and been reraised out of it by the Italian. Also on that table, Adolfo Vaeza is tangling with his neighbour Isaac Baron. Vaeza raised to 6,000 from the small blind and Baron asked him for a count. The Uruguayan is playing about 100,000. Baron re-raised to 15,000; Vaeza insta moved all in and Baron insta-folded.</p>

<p><b>12:15pm: Happy hour for Molson</b><br />
Will Molson started the day with 60,000 chips, barely more than his Day 1 starting stack. Today, he's used the first hour to double up. After coming in for a raise, he went heads up to a flop with Tobias Reinkemeier's big stack. Molson led for 10,400 on a [8s][7d][[7h] flop and Reinkemeier called. On the [6h] turn, Molson bet out 15,700 and Reinkemeier raised enough to put Molson all-in. Molson snap-called with two red queens. Reinkemeier held [ah][th] for the flush and gutshot draws. He mised on the river and Molson got his early double.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ73906.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ73906.jpg" width="367" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><center><i>Will Molson</i></center></p>

<p><br />
<b>12.10pm: Step one of the Baron comeback</b><br />
Isaac Baron has accomplished one of his first goals - an early double up. He opened for 6,000 in early position and Christian Kruel, with a stack of about 100,000 overnight, moved all in over the top. Baron was covered, but called, showing [9h][9c] against Kruel's [as][qd]. The board bricked - [ks][7d][4s][9d][jd] - and Baron is back in the black, with about 140,000. Kruel was eliminated a hand or so later.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ73888.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day3_JoeGiron_IJ73888.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><center><i>Christian Kruel</i></center></p>

<p><br />
<b>12.01pm: Those seat draws in full</b><br />
<b>Table 1</b><br />
Carter Phillips, 139,400<br />
Sandra Naujoks, Team PokerStars Pro, 180,500<br />
Joe Cada, Team PokerStars Pro, 135,700<br />
Nick Schulman, 143,400<br />
Vivek Rajkumar, 301,700<br />
Brett Richey, 106,400<br />
Alex Brenes, 253,600<br />
Michiel Brummelhuis, 403,800</p>

<p><b>Table 2</b><br />
Adolfo Vaeza, 92,600<br />
Isaac Baron, 76,700<br />
Bijan Zahmat, 198,200<br />
Paul Berende, 104,400<br />
William Reynolds, 89,100<br />
Dario Minieri, 430,700<br />
James Calderaro, 89,100<br />
Christian Kruel, 103,800</p>

<p><b>Table 3</b><br />
Lisa Hamilton, 153,900<br />
Shawn Buchanan, 171,900<br />
Will Molson, 60,000<br />
Greg Raymer, Team PokerStars Pro, 206,600<br />
Dmitry Stelmark, 264,000<br />
Tobias Reinkemeier, 279,500<br />
Matt Marafioti, 121,000<br />
Bill Edler, 94,700 </p>

<p><b>11:51am: And like sands through the hourglass...</b><br />
We're back. Day 2 has become Day 3 and the final 24 players are coming back to play down to the High Roller final table. Dario Minieri remains our chip leader. The top 16 players will get paid. Stick with us for what many of us expect to be a very long day. </p>

<p><b>5.15pm: Mouth out, we pack up</b><br />
We are all done for the night as Mike Matusow has just been eliminated. He got it all in pre-flop against Carter Phillips and although Matusow was ahead with [as][qd] to Phillips' [kh][8d], the flop of [ks][8c][4d] swung it in Phillips' favour. The [9s][jh] on turn and river didn't help Matusow either.</p>

<p>The Mouth is gone, and we have reached our target of 24 players in double quick time.</p>

<p>A full wrap and chip counts are on their way.</p>

<p><b>5.05pm: Biggest pot so far: Minieri up, Veldhuis out</b><br />
Lex Veldhuis is out, with Dario Minieri finally getting his man. It was all in pre-flop: kings for Minieri and ace-king for Veldhuis. The board bricked and a 450,000 pot went the way of the Italian, who has reassumed the chip lead.</p>

<p><b>5:04pm: William Thorson eliminated</b> <br />
There was a lot of betting, three-betting, and bluffing going on pre-flop by the time we ran to the table to see William Thorson all in with [7c][8c] against pocket sevens. The flop made it interesting: [7h][kd][ts], but Thorson bricked twice and and that was that.</p>

<p><b>4.58pm: Naujoks doubles up</b><br />
Sandra Naujoks' tournament life was on the line. Vivek Rajkumar had bet 6,100 and Naujoks re-raised to 16,000. Rajkumar asked how much the Team PokerStars Pro had behind (61,600), then wasted no time moving  in a tower of blue 5,000 chips that more than covered his opponent. Naujoks called in a flash.</p>

<p>Naujoks: [8d][8h]<br />
Rajkumar: [ah][kd]</p>

<p>A straightforward race, therefore, and it was Naujoks who won it as the board ran [5s][6h][3s][9c][6d]. She's now up to more than 125,000.</p>

<p><b>4.55pm: Metaal reverberates no more</b><br />
Fans of heavy music punms will be disappointed to learn that Govert Metaal has left Paradise City and has climbed the stairway to heaven. Alex Brenes started it off, raising to 7,000 from early position. Matt Marafioti re-raised to 18,200 from the button and Metaal, in the small blind, shipped his last 33,200 in from the small blind.</p>

<p>Brenes folded but Marafioti called and it was easy to see why. The Canadian's [kc][ks] were way ahead of Metaal's [9d][9h] and the kings held. Metaal departed with a twang. We're down to 27.</p>

<p><b>4:50pm: Sami Kelopuro eliminated</b><br />
Finland's Sami Kelopuro has just become Vivek Rajkumar's latest victim. In this case, it was Kelopuro's pocket queens versus Rajkumar's pocket eights. Say it with us...eight on the river. We're down to 28 players.</p>

<p><b>4:45pm: Christian Kruel doubles</b><br />
It's a timely double up for Brazil's Christian Kruel. His pocket threes just held against Carter Phillips' ace-queen.</p>

<p><b>4.37pm: Up and running again</b><br />
The remaining players are back from their break. We've got five more to lose and that'll be your lot for today. Here's our current chip leader, Michel Brummelhuis...</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="brummelhiroll2.JPG" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/brummelhiroll2.JPG" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><center><i>Michel Brummelhuis</center></i><p></p>]]></description>
            <link>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-levels-12-and-063214.html</link>
            <guid>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-levels-12-and-063214.html</guid>
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">High Roller</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PCA</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
            <pubDate>Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:54:06 -0800</pubDate>
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        <item>
            <title>2010 PCA High Roller: Angling for the final</title>
            <description><![CDATA[<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" width="130" height="100" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></span>Welcome back to the Bahamas for the penultimate day of this entire festival that is the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. </p>

<p>It's day three of the High Roller event, where Dario Minieri leads a pack of the most talented and fearless poker players in the world in the quest for about half a million bucks.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="_MG_0295_Neil Stoddart.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/_MG_0295_Neil%20Stoddart.jpg" width="300" height="450" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Dario Minieri</i></center><br></p>

<p>The full list of the remaining contenders is over on <A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/tournaments/pca/2010/high-roller-1/chipcount.html">the chip counts page</a>, which will be updated throughout the day. You can also take a look back on yesterday's action with <A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-minieri-minieri-and-063216.html">the day two wrap</a>. And what they're all chasing is detailed on the <A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010-pca-high-roller-payout-structure-an.html">payouts page</a>.</p>

<p>Play is due to start at noon eastern time, and the target is the final table of eight. With the tournament short stack, Will Molson, still having 25 blinds (and Minieri having 180) there's still a good deal of play in this one. </p>

<p>Estimations of the time we'll be here varies from between eight hours to 12. A lot could depend on the progress of that man Minieri. He's not usually one to hang around, but with folk like Greg Raymer, Vivek Rajkumar and Joe Cada waiting to pick him off, anything is possible.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="_MG_0208_Neil Stoddart.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/_MG_0208_Neil%20Stoddart.jpg" width="300" height="450" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Greg Raymer</i></center><br></p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="_MG_0222_Neil Stoddart.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/_MG_0222_Neil%20Stoddart.jpg" width="300" height="450" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Joe Cada</i></center><br></p>

<p>All the coverage of the High Roller event will be on <A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/tournaments/pca/2010/high-roller-1/">the High Roller page</a>. There's also the small matter of the World Cup of Poker final, which is over at <A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/tournaments/wcop/vi/">the World Cup page</a>. Why not treat yourself to two browser windows. </p>]]></description>
            <link>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-angling-for-the-fin-063235.html</link>
            <guid>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-angling-for-the-fin-063235.html</guid>
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PCA</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
            <pubDate>Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:39:33 -0800</pubDate>
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            <title>2010 PCA High Roller: Minieri, Minieri and more Minieri</title>
            <description><![CDATA[<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" width="130" height="100" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></span>Dario Minieri has achieved huge amounts in his short career to date. He is a World Series bracelet winner, he's been on three EPT Main Event final tables, he is widely loved by the poker press and feared by his opponents, and he wins crazy amounts both online and off.</p>

<p>After a double quick day two at the PCA High Roller event in the Bahamas, Minieri is closing in on another feat. He could become a back-to-back High Roller champion on the European Poker Tour.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73850.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73850.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Dario Minieri</i></center><br></p>

<p>Having bested a field of nine in Warsaw to pick up a $115,000 payday, Minieiri is now a runaway chip leader going into the penultimate day here. This tournament, costing $25,000 a head, attracted 84 runners and Minieri is top of the pops with 24 left. He plays every single tournament as though it costs him a dollar: relentless raise, raise, raise until all the damage is done.</p>

<p>Minieiri's Team PokerStars Pro colleague Lex Veldhuis paid the Italian high compliments during the last break of today, admitting that he was really unhappy with the table draw that put Minieri two seats to his left. A couple of orbits later, Veldhuis' worst fears came true. He got all his chips in pre-flop with ace-king, but Minieri had woken up with cowboys. Veldhuis, with a stack of similar size to Minieri's at the start of the day, was gone. The Italian was up to a chip-leading 430,700, which he'll bring back tomorrow at noon and we'll play down to a final table.</p>

<p>The pack chasing him includes the EPT stalwarts Michiel Brummelhuis (403,800), Tobias Reinkemeier (279,900) and Dmitry Stelmak (264,000), as well as the online shark (and former WPT champion) Vivek Rajkumar (301,700). </p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73823.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73823.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Michiel Brummelhuis</i></center><br></p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73777.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73777.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Vivek Rajkumar</i></center><br></p>

<p>You don't have to look much further down the <A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/tournaments/pca/2010/high-roller-1/chipcount.html">official chip counts</a> to notice some other class acts. There are two World Champions, in Greg Raymer (206,600) and Joe Cada (135,700). And the EPT Dortmund champion Sandra Naujoks completes a fine showing from Team PokerStars Pro.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73837.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73837.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Greg Raymer</i></center><br></p>

<p>Carter Phillips, the EPT Barcelona champion, is also lurking with intent. He was responsible for the final elimination of the day, sending Mike "The Mouth" Matusow packing in 25th, and start us packing up before 6pm. Phew.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73733.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73733.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>A bad day for Mike Matusow</i></center><br></p>

<p>We'll burst the money bubble tomorrow and then plough on towards a final table. The winner of this thing is due a payout of more than $500,000. To be more precise, take a look at the <A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010-pca-high-roller-payout-structure-an.html">prizewinners page</a>.</p>

<p>That's that for this evening then. Players and media are scattering across Atlantis. I've no idea where Minieri is going, nor what he's going to be eating or drinking when he gets there. But I want some of it, whatever it is.</p>

<p>Take a look back at the blow by blow action with the links below.</p>

<p><A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-dario-minieri-leads-063170.html">Day one wrap</a><br />
<A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-back-among-the-mill-063188.html">Day two introduction</a><br />
<a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-level-8-live-063190.html">Levels 8 & 9</a><br />
<a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-level-9-10-li-063205.html">Levels 10 & 11</a><br />
<A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-levels-12-and-063214.html">Level 12</a></p>

<p>And get your clicking fingers hovering and depressing on <A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/tournaments/wcop/vi/">this link here</a> for all the fun of the <A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/tournaments/wcop/vi/">World Cup of Poker</a>, hosted by <i>your</i> ringmaster, Stephen Bartley.</p>

<p>There's a whole lot more for speakers of foreign at any of these places:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.nu">Swedish</a>, <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.de">German</a>, <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/it">Italian</a>, <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.la">Spanish</a> and our Brazilian's <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.net/br">Portuguese</a>.</p>

<p>Photos come (c) Joe Giron and Neil Stoddart. They can fight among themselves for <i>your</i> money if you dare take their snaps without asking.</p>

<p>G'night, and here's some words from Minieri himeself. He spoke to the video team a little earlier....</p>

<center><script src="http://www.pokerstars.tv/movies/8DO/pca-2010-dario-minieri.js?from=embed&amp;include_link=true" type="text/javascript"></script><br />Watch <a href="http://www.pokerstars.tv/movies/8DO/pca-2010-dario-minieri.html">PCA 2010: Dario Minieri</a> on PokerStars.tv</center><p>]]></description>
            <link>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-minieri-minieri-and-063216.html</link>
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                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PCA</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
            <pubDate>Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:46:15 -0800</pubDate>
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            <title>2010 PCA High Roller: Day 2 level 10 &amp; 11 live updates</title>
            <description><![CDATA[<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" width="130" height="100" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></span><i>Live updates from Day 2, levels 10 & 11 of the $25,000 High Roller brought to you by Howard Swains, Brad Willis, and Simon Young.<br />
Click <b>refresh</b> to see the latest updates below. Click through to the <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/tournaments/pca/2010/high-roller-1/chipcount.html">chip count page</a> for the chip counts, updated regularly throughout the day.</p>

<p>Previous coverage: <A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-dario-minieri-leads-063170.html">Day 1 wrap</a></p>

<p><b>Blinds:</b><br />
Level 10: 800-1,600 (200 ante)<br />
Level 11: 1,000-2,000 (200 ante)</i></p>

<p><b>4.25pm: Phillips misses a trick</b><br />
It's the last hand before the break and as all the players drift away, only Carter Phillips and Dmitry Stelmak remain seated. Four cards are out: [10d][kd][3c][9c] and there's about 40,000 in the middle. Phillips checks and Stelmak checks behind and they see a [5s] on the river. Phillips checks again and Stelmak pauses momentarily, before checking again.</p>

<p>That check is like a dagger to the heart of Phillips, and he looks ruefully skyward as he exposes [ad][ac]. It looks as though Phillips had been carefully laying a trap that the Russian simply refused to spring.</p>

<p>That's the end of that level. We're taking a 15-minute break before level 12.</p>

<p><b>4:14pm: Andre Akkari eliminated</b><br />
Down to his last 30,000 or so in chips, Andre Akkari had been making frequent use of his invisible all-in button. He wasn't getting called time and again. Finally, it happened when he pushed with [ad][9d] and Greg Raymer woke up with [ac][qc]. Raymer hit his queen on the flop. The turn opened up a diamond draw for Akkari, but he didn't get there.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="_MG_0274_Neil Stoddart.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/_MG_0274_Neil%20Stoddart.jpg" width="300" height="450" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Andre Akkari in 2010 PCA High Roller</i></center><br></p>

<p><b>4.13pm: Richey poorer</b> <br />
Paul Berende has more than doubled up, taking the majority of the chips from Brett Richey. The Dutch player limped under the gun, Dmitry Stelmak called from the cut off and Adolfo Vaeza made up Richey's big blind. But the American accepted his option to raise, making it 8,000. Berende then shoved for about 50,000 and it was folded back to Richey, who snap called.  </p>

<p>Richey: [ac][kc] <br />
Zahmat: [9h][9d]  </p>

<p>A race, in other words. The board flew out [5h][6s][8s][2h][4s] leaving Zahmat punching the table with joy. He's back north of 100,000.</p>

<p><b>3.58pm: Bust out #2</b><br />
Moments later we lost another. This time Shawn Buchanan accounted for a player who's identity will be confirmed shortly.</p>

<p><b>3.55pm: Bust out #1</b><br />
On a [js][2s][2d] flop Greg Raymer makes it 10,000 and Poorya Nazari moves all in for around 30,000. Call.</p>

<p>Raymer: [qh][qd]<br />
Nazari: [ac][jc]</p>

<p>The turn was [2c] and the river [6s] meaning a bigger full house for Fossilman.</p>

<p><b>3:50pm: Brown out</b> <br />
Chad Brown has just been eliminated after pushing his final 31,000 chips in the middle. Play folded around to Alex Brenes in the big blind. He woke up with pocket eights. They were ahead of Brown's [ad][9s]. Brown didn't catch and went out in 33rd place. Players are now breaking down to four tables.</p>

<p><b>3.40pm: Ah, maybe fourth pair can be good</b><br />
It's not a massive pot, but it's a pretty good call from Isaac Baron to pick up some chips from Vivek Rajkumar. The board was out all the way to river: [4s][6s][7c][ac][qs] and Rajkumar bet 15,500. Baron didn't tank too long before calling and Rajkumar showed [jc][ks] for king high. Baron showed [8d][6c] for fourth pair and it was good.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73777.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73777.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Vivek Rajkumar</i></center><br></p>

<p>Rajkumar is no longer the chip leader - although not only owing to that tiny pot. The main reason is that Michiel Brummelhuis raked in a monster against Lisa Hamilton taking him to about 350,000.</p>

<p><b>3:33pm: Better than third pair required</b><br />
When you shop at Minieri & Co., shirt nor shoes are required. However, if you do plan to do business with the young Italian, best bring at least third pair to the register.</p>

<p>A few minutes ago, Greg Raymer and Dario Minieri went heads up to a flop for 4,600 apiece and saw [3h][6d][4s]. Raymer led for 6,000 and Minieri called. On the [td] turn, Raymer check-called a 12,600 bet from Minieri. The river, [9c] was another check-call affair, this time for 25,000.</p>

<p>Minieri showed [ks][6c] (third pair for those keeping score). And it was good.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73533.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73533.jpg" width="450" height="300" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span></p>

<p><br />
<b>3.35pm: Rajkumar licks Lykov, leads</b><br />
Vivek Rajkumar is now the clear chip leader after eliminating Max Lykov. Rajkumar flopped a full house with his pocket jacks - the board was [2d]-[2s]-[Jc] - and check-called Lykov's bets all the way to the river, where they got it all in. Lykov mucked and departed; Rajkumar is the first to pass 300,000.</p>

<p><b>3.33pm: Reynolds doubles through Minieri</b><br />
The dealer left it until the river to save William Reynolds' skin. On a [9c][8d][6c] flop the money went in, and Reynolds was the man at risk.<br />
Reynolds: [ac][kc]<br />
Minieri: [7s][7c]<br />
The turn was [2d] but the river was [jc], filling up flush for a relieved Reynolds.</p>

<p><b>3.30pm: Marafioti all-in</b><br />
Lisa Hamilton makes it 3,500, Matt Marafioti makes it 8,100, but then Govert Metaal makes it 21,100 from the button. Hamilton folds but Marafioti dwells for an age, so long that the clock is called. But around half way through his allotted one minute he announces: "All in." Metaal quickly folds.</p>

<p><b>3:26pm: Payouts released</b><br />
The PCA High Roller prizes have been announced. Sixteen players will walk away with at least $41,160. The winner will pocket $576,240.</p>

<p><b>3:25pm: Pierre Neuville eliminated</b><br />
Shortstacked Pierre Neuville has just been eliminated when his [kd][qd] couldn't outrun Michiel Brummerlhuis' [ah][qc] all-in pre-flop.</p>

<p><b>3:15pm: Level up</b><br />
We're on to Level 11 and 1,000-2,000 (200) blinds.</p>

<p><strong>3.10pm: Champ on the ropes</strong><br />
Joe Cada is on a downward spiral, but with William Thorson, Tobias Reinkemeier and Carter Phillips, among others, for company, these things can happen. However, the main recent beneficiary from Cada's demise has been the Costa Rican player Alex Brenes. Here are a few hands from that table:</p>

<p>Thorson raised to 4,100 from the cut off and Reinkemeier called from the small blind. The flop was [2c][qd][jd] and they both checked. The turn was [3h] and Reinkemeier led for 5,700, which got rid of Thorson.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="_MG_0249_Neil Stoddart.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/_MG_0249_Neil%20Stoddart.jpg" width="300" height="450" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Tobias Reinkemeier</i></center><br></p>

<p>Reinkemeier was at it again on the next hand, raising from the button to 4,000. Chad Brown, the table short stack, moved all in for about 31,000 from the small blind. Reinkemeier folded.</p>

<p>The Brenes show began on the next hand. Thorson limped from mid position and Brenes made it 4,000 from  the cut off. Cada called from the small blind, which persuaded Thorson along for the ride. The flop was [2d][2c][qs] and Cada bet 10,000. Thorson folded, but Brenes called and they saw a [2s] turn. Cada slowed down, checking, and Brenes bet 14,000. Cada called. The river was [6h] and Cada this time check-called Brenes' 27,000 bet.</p>

<p>Brenes showed [kd][qh] and Cada opened [qd][10d]. "Chop it up," said the Team PokerStars Pro.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="_MG_0256_Neil Stoddart.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/_MG_0256_Neil%20Stoddart.jpg" width="300" height="450" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Joe Cada</i></center><br></p>

<p>On the next hand, Cada button raised and Phillips made it 7,400 more from the small blind. Cada was forced to let it go. And perhaps he wishes he folded sooner two hands later, when Brenes was back at his throat.</p>

<p>Cada made it 5,000 from the hijack and James Calderaro called on the button. Brenes also came along from the big blind. The flop was [qc][8s][qd] and Brenes checked. Cada bet 6,200 and once Calderaro had got out of the way, Brenes raised to 20,000. Cada called.</p>

<p>The turn was [ad] and Brenes checked again. Cada led for 23,300 and Brenes re-raised, making it 50,000 straight. Cada didn't take too long to muck and Brenes was plainly delighted with the result. He flipped [5c][5h] for what was a bluff, but quite possibly a bluff with the best hand.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73785.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73785.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Alex Brenes</i></center><br></p>

<p>Reinkemeier has the most still on that table - about 260,000 - while Cada is down to about 40,000.</p>

<p><b>3:04pm: The Matusow Monologue</b><br />
<i>For the purposes of this report, please assume all instances of the f-word have been changed to the word "fudge."</i></p>

<p>It looked like one of those pots that would be decided in 30 seconds and then on to the next hand. Mike Matusow raised in early position to 5,000 and Dario Minieri re-raised to 9,600. Both players checked the [2h][7d][6d] flop and the [4c] on the turn. On the [7h] river, Matusow bet 15,000, leaving himself around 80,000 behind. Minieri announced, "All in." It was enough to cover Matusow's entire stack.</p>

<p>Matusow got up on his knees and stacked his remaining chips into one tower. Then he commenced the following monologue (long periods of shifting, standing, running around his chair, and using unconcious streams of profanity have been redacted).</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73738.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73738.jpg" width="348" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Mike Matusow in the tank</i></center><br></p>

<p>"Pretty big raise, Dario. Would you believe I have two kings right here? Can anybody fold two kings to Dario on a re-raised, check, check, check, check? I don't think I can fold this this. I'm going to need about ten minutes, guys. Would you really do that, Dario? Would you really check it twice with the diamond draw out there? Against a normal human being, I would fold this. You all would have beat him in the pot a long time ago. I should have beat him in the pot a long time ago. Fudge. Fudge me. He knows I'm smart. They say when it makes no sense, you're supposed to call."</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73740.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73740.jpg" width="366" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Mike Matusow still in the tank</i></center><br></p>

<p>Just about at that moment (a good seven minutes into the speech), Pooyra Nazari, last year's Main Event champion, called the clock on Matusow. The Mouth didn't wait one second to flick his cards in the muck. Minieri's cards stayed face-down as they went into the muck.</p>

<p>"If he was bluffing, he would have shown it," Matusow said. "He knows it would have pushed me off the deep, deep, deeping fudging end."</p>

<p>As if to make the situation all the more perfect, Juan the tournament director threw a rack at Matusow. He was getting taken to another table.</p>

<p>"You're moving me right after that?" Matusow screamed. "Are you fudging kidding? Are you on crack?"</p>

<p>Juan, with a straight face, said, "I knew you were going to say that."</p>

<p><b>2.47pm: Zahmat gives up another</b><br />
On a [3d][ad][kc][2c] board, Sandra Naujoks checks, Bijan Zahmat makes it 5,000 but Naujoks re-raises to 15,000. That was enough to persuade him it was best to give it up. Naujoks continues her slow-but-steady chipping up process.</p>

<p><b>2.45pm: Lykov's pot</b><br />
Max Lykov call's Bijan Zahmat's pre-flop re-raise and they see a [3s][4c][4d] flop. Both check, but on the [8c] river Lykov bets 12,800 after Zahmat's check and that's good for the pot.</p>

<p><b>2.35pm: Making his Stelmark</b><br />
Dimitry Stelmark has taken over the chip lead here. His neatly stacked pile of chips are worth more than 260,000.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73753.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73753.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Dimitry Stelmark</i></center><br></p>

<p><b>2:28pm: That whole live poker thing</b><br />
As, Mike Matusow and Lex Veldhuis went heads up to a flop, Matusow said, "You got two eights down there?"</p>

<p>Veldhuis, "If I had two eights, I would raise."</p>

<p>The flop fell [td][7h][[8d].</p>

<p>"Now I really hope you have two eights," Matusow said. Then he checked, and Veldhuis checked behind.</p>

<p>The [8c] came on the turn. </p>

<p>"Now Mike's going to have to make his straight flush," Greg Raymer quipped as Matusow threw out 11,000.</p>

<p>Veldhuis looked up. "Are you doing that whole live poker thing where you say I have two eights but you actually have two eights? Very tricky." Then he called.</p>

<p>The river was the [7s]. Matusow again made it 11,000 and Veldhuis snap-called. Matusow rolled over [kh][ks]. Veldhuis flashed queens.</p>

<p>"I said eights," Matusow said, "but I actually thought jacks or queens."</p>

<p>That's the whole live poker thing for you.</p>

<p><b>2.25pm: Back</b><br />
We're back from the break. Play is beginning again. He's in:</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73600.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73600.jpg" width="450" height="265" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>William Thorson stares down Joe Cada, foreground</i></center></p>]]></description>
            <link>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-level-9-10-li-063205.html</link>
            <guid>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-level-9-10-li-063205.html</guid>
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PCA</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
            <pubDate>Tue, 12 Jan 2010 14:15:43 -0800</pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title>2010 PCA High Roller: Day 2 level 8 &amp; 9 live updates </title>
            <description><![CDATA[<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" width="130" height="100" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></span><i>Live updates from Day 2, levels 8 & 9 of the $25,000 High Roller brought to you by Howard Swains, Brad Willis, and Simon Young.<br />
Click <b>refresh</b> to see the latest updates below. Click through to the <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/tournaments/pca/2010/high-roller-1/chipcount.html">chip count page</a> for the chip counts, updated regularly throughout the day.</p>

<p>Previous coverage: <A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-dario-minieri-leads-063170.html">Day 1 wrap</a></p>

<p><b>Blinds:</b><br />
Level 8: 500-1000 (100 ante)<br />
Level 9: 600-1,200 (100 ante)</i></p>

<p><b>2:08pm: Break time</b><br />
After two hours of play, the 36 remaining players are on break. That will give them a few minutes to go over and sweat the <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/tournaments/wcop/vi/">World Cup of Poker</a> going on across the room. Join us for <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-level-9-10-li-063205.html">level 10</a> soon.</p>

<p><b>2.07pm: Naujoks again</b><br />
Sandra Naujoks makes it 3,200 from the button and only EPT Kyiv winner Max Lykov calls from the small blind. On the [jd][8d][6c] flop, Lykov check-calls Naujoks' 4,100. But on the [10c] turn he checks and then folds when the German Team PokerStars Pro adds 8,000 more to the pot. </p>

<p><b>2.06pm: Minieri at it again</b><br />
Greg Raymer bets 3,000, Poorya Nazari makes it 8,200 but Dario Minieri then fires out 23,800. None of them want to play anymore, and they both fold.</p>

<p><b>2.05pm: Justin Smith busted</b><br />
Justin Smith is out in a hand that sent Vivek Rajkumar up to more than 200,000. It started with Isaac Baron making it 3,200 from early position. Smith called but Rajkumar bumped it up to 18,000. While Baron got out of the way, Smith called. On the [8h][5d][jd] flop, Rajkumar bet 15,200, Smith went all in and Rajkumar called.</p>

<p>Smith: [qc][qs]<br />
Rajkumar: [kd][kh]</p>

<p>Smith was at risk, and the [6c] turn and [9d] river ensured he was out. "I had meant to make it slightly less pre-flop," said Rajkumar. But ended well enough nonetheless.</p>

<p><b>2:03pm: Cada caught...again</b><br />
William Thorson looked down at the board of [3s][5h][7c][ts][5s] and smiled. Joe Cada had put out a bet of 13,500 and it was up to Thorson to act. </p>

<p>"This is so borderline," he said, and laughed out loud.</p>

<p>Cada said nothing and leaned back in his chair.</p>

<p>"The thing is," Thorson said, "I don't think you think I have ace high." </p>

<p>As we tried to decipher what Thorson was saying, he made the call. Cada nodded and said, "Nice call." He turned over king-queen, good for...nothing. Thorson held [qd][3d]...good for the pot.</p>

<p><b>Lichtenberger cooked</b><br />
Andrew Lichtenberger is out, busted by Michel Brummelhuis. It was a straightforward A-A for Brummelhuis against the K-Q of Lichtenberger, and the board ran an emphatic 6-4-A-9-10</p>

<p><b>1.57pm: Reynolds takes one off Raymer</b><br />
With 38,000 in the pot on a [4d][4c][9s][10d][6s] board, William Reynolds moves all in for his last 35,000 or so. He's up against Team PokerStars Pro Greg Raymer, who clearly has something worth thinking about. Off come the famous Raymer glasses as he scratches his nose and weighs up his options. The one he chose, after a final check of his cards, was to fold.</p>

<p><b>1:56pm: Cada gives up</b><br />
On a board of [8d][9h][[3s][4s], Tobias Reinkemeier checked and then called a bet from 19,400 bet from 2009 WSOP champ Joe Cada. On the river [kh], Reinkemeier checked again. This time, Cada checked behind. </p>

<p>"Queen high," Cada said.</p>

<p>Reinkemeier leaned forward and looked at Cada as if to say, "Really?" Then he flipped over [5h][5s] for the win.</p>

<p><b>1.55pm: And lunacy here too</b><br />
The official table of lunatics might be the one with Minieri, Veldhuis, et al, but there's no shortage of action next door where Isaac Baron, Vivek Rajkumar, Max Lykov and Sami Kelopuro sit. A couple of hands from there:</p>

<p>Kelopuro (mid) and Rajkumar (button) went to a flop of [ac][7s][7h] and Kelopuro bet 5,000. Rajkumar made it 7,200 more, which Kelopuro called. The turn was [7c] and LarsLuzak checked, Psyduck bet 18,400, call. The river was [3h] and Kelopuro checked again. Rajkumar announced all in, and reluctantly Kelopuro folded.</p>

<p>A couple of hands later, Max Lykov raised to 2,300 on the button and Isaac Baron made it 7,900 from the small blind. Lykov called. The flop was [qh][9c][6h] and Baron bet 13,500, which Lykov called, for a [2h] turn. Baron didn't let up, betting 25,000. That was enough to get Lykov out the way.</p>

<p><b>1.43pm: Naujoks aggression</b><br />
Sami Kelopuro makes it 3,000, Vivek Rajkumar makes it 9,600 from the small blind and then Sandra Naujoks makes it  22,700 from the big blind. That's enough to frighten both of them off.</p>

<p><b>1.40pm: Raymer again</b><br />
Andre Akkari makes it makes it 3,000 and it's raised to 8,000 by Raymer. Akkari thinks for a while before folding tens faced up, and Raymer obliges by showing him [ad][kd].</p>

<p><b>1.38pm: Raymer v Minieri</b><br />
On a [3s][js][5h] flop, Dario Minieri makes it 5,000 but Greg Raymer raises to 12,000. Call. Both check the [7s] turn, and on the [kc] river Raymer checks then calls Minieri's 17,000. Raymer tables [5c][5d] for the set. It is good.</p>

<p><b>1.35pm: Lady Hamilton up some more</b><br />
Andrew Lichtenberger re-raises Lisa Hamilton from the big blind to 8,500 and she calls from the button. The flop is [7d][3s][4d] and Hamilton calls Lichtenberger's 10,500 bet. On the [5s] turn Lichtenberger checks then folds when Hamilton fires out 21,000. She's up to more than 150,000 now.</p>

<p><b>1.34pm: Kleijnen downed</b><br />
Ton Kleijnene is out after running his [qh][kd] into Nick Shulman's [ah][kh] on a [3d][6c][kc] flop. The [9h] turn and [7c] river made no difference, and the Dutchman departs.</p>

<p><b>1.32pm: Lex bests Dario</b><br />
The table that threw our two overnight chip leaders Lex Veldhuis and Dario Minieri together, as well as Greg Raymer, Mike Matusow, continues to be busy busy. With 70,000 already in the pot on a [4s][jd][ah] flop they saw the [8c] on the turn. Now Veldhuis made it a hefty 47,000, forcing Minieri to fold.</p>

<p><b>1.30pm: Champ downs champ</b><br />
Carter Phillips (EPT Barcelona champion) has just accounted for Christophe Benzimra (EPT Warsaw champion). All the money went in on a board of J-3-3-Q and Benzimra's king-jack lost to Phillips' ace-three. </p>

<p><b>1:20pm: Saul gets Boosted</b> <br />
On a board of [qs][8h][as][qd][3c] with more than 40,000 in the pot, Kevin Saul checked to Justin "Boosted J" Smith. Smith thought for a couple of minutes before moving all-in for 34,200. Saul tanked, but eventually made the call to see Smith's [qh][jh]. Saul mucked, sent the chips across the table, and looked down at his remaining chips...somewhere in the neighborhood of 30,000.</p>

<p><b>1.15pm: Max Lykov, blind defender</b> <br />
Max Lykov won't give up his blinds to just anyone, although you can prise them away from him if you try hard enough. Sami Kelopuro raised to 2,600 from mid position and Lykov called in the big blind. The flop was [3s][10c][kh] and after Lykov checked, Kelopuro bet 4,000 and took it. </p>

<p>It wasn't so easy for Sandra Naujoks, however. She raised from the button on the next hand, making it 2,600. Lykov called from the small blind. The flop was ace high, with a jack out there too, and Lykov checked. Naujoks bet 4,100 and now Lykov got interested. He raised to 13,200 and that persuaded Naujoks to give up.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73553.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73553.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Sandra Naujoks</i></center><br></p>

<p><b>1.10pm: Further research reveals...</b> <br />
A bit of research after the fact has revealed the circumstances of Daniel Negreanu's departure. Michiel Brummelhuis opened to 2,500 and Negreanu made it 12,500. Brummelhuis moved all-in and Negreanu called. Kid Poker's tens were not good against Brummelhuis' jacks. And THAT is how Negreanu went bust.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73573.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73573.jpg" width="450" height="300" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>The game is up for Daniel Negreanu</i></center><br></p>

<p>There's no doubt Negreanu is one of the biggest draws at this huge PCA festival. Here, players and fans tell our video team what makes the Team PokerStars Pro so special...</p>

<center><script src="http://www.pokerstars.tv/movies/8D6/pca-2010-pokerpinions-daniel-negreanu.js?from=embed&amp;include_link=true" type="text/javascript"></script><br />Watch <a href="http://www.pokerstars.tv/movies/8D6/pca-2010-pokerpinions-daniel-negreanu.html">PCA 2010: Pokerpinions: Daniel Negreanu</a> on PokerStars.tv</center><p>

<p><b>1.05pm: That's the end of the level</b><br />
It is, you know. We're going straight on into the level known popularly as "nine". The blinds are 600-1,200 (with a 100 ante).</p>

<p><b>1.05pm: Chips for Nazari</b><br />
On a flop of [6h][qc][as], Justin Smith check-calls Poorya Nazari's 5,400 bet. The pattern is repeated on a [8h] turn, this time after Nazari made it 7,500. On the [4d] river Smith checks and Nazari moves all in for his last 19,000. Smith eyes him up suspiciously as he goes into the tank for a good four minutes. When he came back out, he mucked.</p>

<p><b>1.02pm: Neuville doubles</b><br />
Andrew Lichtenberger doubles up the short-stacked Pierre Neuville. On the [10s][as][7c] flop Neuville moves all in for around 25,000. Call.</p>

<p>Neuville: [ac][5c]<br />
Lichtenberger: [6s][9s]</p>

<p>The [4h] turn and [4c] river keeps Neuville ahead, and he's up to over 50,000 once more.</p>

<p><b>1pm: Rajkumar style</b><br />
Philip Gruissem raised to 2,400 from the button and Vivek Rajkumar called in the big blind. The flop came [2d][4h][jc] and a pattern began: check from Rajkumar, bet from Gruissem, call from Rajkumar. They saw a turn of [5s] and went through the routine. The bet was 6,300. The river was [kh] and this time Rajkumar checked, possibly expecting a bet from Gruissem. Gruissem checked behind and Rajkumar opened [kd][5d]. "He was drawing to two-pair on the flop and got there," was how a member of the press corps described it. </p>

<p><b>12.50pm: Old friends and lunatics</b><br />
A table has just been broken and it sent Mike Matusow into the empty chair where Veldhuis, Minieri, Smith, Raymer, Akkari are gathered. "Oh God," said Matusow. "This is the dreeeeam table." Matusow then pointed in turn at Veldhuis, Smith and Minieri with the words: "He's a (expletive removed) lunatic. He's a (expletive removed) lunatic. And he's a (expletive removed) lunatic!"</p>

<p>Raymer piped up: "Mike, did you ever think there would come a day when you considered <i>me</i> one of the solid players?"<br />
"Never," Matusow said.</p>

<p>With old grudges long-since healed, Matusow and Raymer will be only two of the most talkative on what really is a spectacular line-up of players.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73509.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73509.jpg" width="450" height="302" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>The lunatics</i></center></p>

<p><b>12.45pm: Kid Poker gone</b> <br />
Michiel Brummelhuis has just done Daniel Negreanu dirty. That is to say, Brummelhuis is still sitting in his seat and Daniel Negreanu is not.</p>

<p><b>12.40pm: For Richey, for poorer</b><br />
Brett Richey doubles up against Sorel Mizzi. They were all in pre-flop, and these are the cards they were holding:</p>

<p>Richey: [7d][7c]<br />
Mizzi: [as][kd]</p>

<p>The board ran [5h][jc][8c][jd][3d] and Mizzi is down to 28,000.</p>

<p><b>12.38pm: Another gone</b><br />
The flurry of eliminations continues, with Ben Tollerene the latest to pack his bags. All in pre-flop, he had [jc][jd] but was outrun by Shawn Buchanan's [ad][kd] on a [8h][9h][qh][as][5h] board.</p>

<p><b>12.35pm: "Confused" Negreanu takes a hit</b><br />
Jacob Rasmussen opens for 2,500, Lisa Hamilton calls but the Daniel Negreanu re-pops to 10,500. "This is called a squeeze play," he explained to Andrew Lichtenberger sitting on his right. Squeeze or not, Rasmussen chose to re-raise all in. Hamilton got out of the way but Negreanu called quickly.</p>

<p>Negreanu: [as][kc]<br />
Rasmussen: [6h][6s]</p>

<p>"Wow, now I am completely confused. I will be confused for the rest of my life. I was not expecting that!"</p>

<p>The board ran [5c][8s][4s][8d][qc], and Rasmussen doubled up. Negreanu down to 45,000.</p>

<p><b>12:31pm: In the breeze</b><br />
Please say goodbye to Fabrizio Gonzalez. He is no longer with us.</p>

<p><b>12.25pm: <strike>New</strike> Old chip leader</b><br />
Lex Veldhuis came back this morning, opened his bag of chips and began stacking them up. That's when he realised he had miscounted them overnight and instead of the 214,500 he declared, he actually had 219,000, which made him the chip leader. Veldhuis therefore missed out on all the overnight acclaim that went to Dario Minieri instead. Count better, Lex.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73518.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73518.jpg" width="450" height="300" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Greg Raymer and Lex Veldhuis</i></center><br></p>

<p><b>12.20pm: Saving us the trouble</b><br />
It's tempting in the early stages of high roller tournaments just to stand and stare and then write: "Wow, there's a really stacked table here... blah is on it, as is blah blah." I've done it myself plenty of times. For instance down there on the 12.15pm update.</p>

<p>But in order to save us the bother of writing that over and over again - and to save you the trouble of reading it - here's the full table draw for this event. Just look at some of those groupings:</p>

<p><strike>Bertrand Grospellier</strike><br />
Isaac Baron<br />
Adolfo Vaeza<br />
Sami Kelopuro<br />
Philip Gruissem<br />
Bijan Zahmat<br />
Vivek Rajkumar<br />
Sandra Naujoks</p>

<p>Fabrizio Gonzalez<br />
Will Molson<br />
Lisa Hamilton<br />
Andre Akkari<br />
Greg Raymer<br />
Lex Veldhuis<br />
Daniel Smith<br />
Dario Minieri</p>

<p>Andrew Lichtenberger<br />
Daniel Negreanu<br />
Michiel Brummelhuis<br />
Pierre Neuville<br />
Jacob Rasmussen<br />
Shawn Buchanan<br />
Benjamin Tollerene</p>

<p>William Thorson<br />
Koen Berendsen<br />
Tobias Reinkemeier<br />
Chad Brown<br />
Joe Cada<br />
Bryn Kenney<br />
James Calderaro</p>

<p>Jan Peterson<br />
William Reynolds<br />
Mike Matusow<br />
Alex Brenes<br />
Alexander Kostritsyn<br />
Antoon Kleijnen<br />
Bill Edler</p>

<p>Dmitry Stelmark<br />
Christian Kruel<br />
Nick Schulman<br />
Sorrel Mizzi<br />
Brett Richey<br />
Paul Berende<br />
Peter Eastgate<br />
Max Lykov</p>

<p>Kevin Saul<br />
Justin Smith<br />
Poorya Nazari<br />
Carter Phillips<br />
Matt Marafioiti<br />
Govert Metaal<br />
Christophe Benzimra</p>

<p><b>12:17pm: Champion eliminated</b><br />
Bertrand "Elky" Grospellier has just been eliminated when his pocket kings fell to Sami Kelopouro's [as][2d], all-in pre-flop for ElkY's last 5,400. An ace fell on the flop and ElkY never caught up.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73548.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day2_JoeGiron_IJ73548.jpg" width="348" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>ElkY eliminated</i></center><br></p>

<p><b>12.15pm: Have you won an EPT?</b><br />
High roller events attract high rollers. The clue is in the name. And winning a European Poker Tour even tends to elevate oneself into that category. Play is under way here today and there's a table stacked with EPT-winning talent. Each of Poorya Nazari, Carter Phillips and Christophe Benzimra won an EPT Main Event in 2009. And now they're all around the same felt.</p>

<p>Also there is Kevin Saul, and his recent small pot with Nazari reminded us of about this time last year. Those two were on the final table of the PCA Main Event last January. Today's early skirmish was nowhere near as dramatic as anything from that previous encounter. Nazari raised to 2,500 from early position, Saul called in the small blind. The flop came [2d][3d][7h] and they both checked. They also checked the [kh] on the turn and the [jh] on the river.</p>

<p>"Fours," said Saul. Nazari opened [6c][6d] and won.</p>

<p><b>11:56pm: Who is coming back?</b><br />
The rich folk, that's who. See Howard Swains' intro: <a href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-back-among-the-mill-063188.html">Back among the millionaires</a>.</p>

<p><b>11:38am: Back soon</b><br />
The 52 remaining players in the 2010 PCA High Roller event will be back in about 20 minutes to fight down to the final 24 people. This man (who will almost certainly be referred to as 'diminutive' once today), leads the pack.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="dario-leader.JPG" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/dario-leader.JPG" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><center><i>Dario Minieri</i></center></p>]]></description>
            <link>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-level-8-live-063190.html</link>
            <guid>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-day-2-level-8-live-063190.html</guid>
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">Dario Minieri</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">High Roller</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PCA</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
            <pubDate>Tue, 12 Jan 2010 13:36:42 -0800</pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title>2010 PCA High Roller: Back among the millionaires</title>
            <description><![CDATA[<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/PCA-2010-thumbnail.jpg" width="130" height="100" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></span>Yesterday, the prime order of business was to crown the latest members of poker's millionaires' club. The top four finishers from the Main Event would all be earning seven figures, and if you don't already know, it was <A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-harrison-gimbel-youngest-ever-p-063158.html">Harrison Gimbel who came out on top</a> earning himself a tidy $2.2 million.</p>

<p>As all that was going on, an established bunch of high rollers were convening in a far corner of the Imperial Ballroom. This is a regular thing they have going on. Travelling around the world, they stump up $25,000 to play against one another for four days. The winner usually takes something like half a million - and a good deal of bragging rights over the Don Perignon on the terrace.</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="_MG_5290_Nassau_EPT6PCA_Neil_Stoddart.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/_MG_5290_Nassau_EPT6PCA_Neil_Stoddart.jpg" width="450" height="300" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Mansion in Nassau</i></center><br></p>

<p>Yesterday was day one and from a starting field of 84 players, 52 remain. Top of the pops is the man who has been high rolling pretty much since the womb. It's Dario Minieri, who bagged up the most, just ahead of his Team PokerStars Pro colleague Lex Veldhuis. Yep, it's that kind of game. (Full details are on <A href="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/tournaments/pca/2010/high-roller-1/chipcount.html">the chip count page</a>.)</p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day1_JoeGiron_IJ73424.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day1_JoeGiron_IJ73424.jpg" width="333" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Dario Minieri</i></center><br></p>

<p><span class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day1_JoeGiron_IJ73472.jpg" src="http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2010PCA_25KHighRoller_Day1_JoeGiron_IJ73472.jpg" width="361" height="500" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></span><i><center>Lex Veldhuis</i></center><br></p>

<p>Today the field will be trimmed back to the final 24, who will get the full EPT Live treatment tomorrow. They're all deep stacks still, and they've got some deep reputations to defend. Join us blow-by-blow all the way.</p>

<p>Play starts at noon, which isn't long from now.</p>]]></description>
            <link>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-back-among-the-mill-063188.html</link>
            <guid>http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/pca/2010/2010-pca-high-roller-back-among-the-mill-063188.html</guid>
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PCA</category>
            
                <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#tag">PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</category>
            
            <pubDate>Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:32:59 -0800</pubDate>
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