Colombia's John Idagarra Leads Latin Series of Poker Millions Day 1B

John Idagarra of Colombia finished Day 1B of the Latin Series of Poker Millions main event with the chiplead over the final 22 players who lasted through the day. When chips were bagged for the night at the Majestic Casino in Panama City, Panama Idagarra put away 252,000, trailed by Carter Gill with 250,000 and Pablo Eggarter with 202,500.

Pocket Queens favored Gabriel Diaz about two hours before play drew to a close and the two red ladies were enough to catapult the Peruvian to an overwhelming temporary chiplead late in the night.

With only 30 players still alive Diaz got involved in a pre-flop three-way all-in with a player holding pocket aces and another with AK. The Aces held the lead on a flop of Jx 10x 8 but Diaz and the player holding Ace-King picked up plenty of outs. Diaz’s straight was completed with a nine on the turn, leaving the owner of the Aces drawing dead and the player with Ace-King needing a Queen to complete Broadway. The river bricked for his opponent and with that hand Diaz took the chip lead for a short time.

While the starting field was slightly smaller on Day 1B – 221 players compared to Day 1A’s 268 – the field was no less stacked with some of the best players in the region.

Team BetCRIS pro Gerardo Godinez, best known for his 2011 European Poker Tour Grand Final main event 18th place finish for $59,369, was among the field and finished Day 1B with 105,000.

“I was playing the same table during the whole day, so I had a pretty good read on all the players. I was putting the pressure on every single player,” Godinez said of how he pressed his way into Day 2. “I put on the pressure about seven times because I knew that the money meant more for them during the bubble and they were going to fold good hands. They folded Ace-King twice and tens once, so I was right.”

Godinez, of Mexico, will join fellow BetCRIS pros Engelberth Varela of Venezuela, Felipe Montenegro of Costa Rica and Bolivar Palacios of Panama on Day 2.

“It’s going to be a good competition and all of us want to represent the team really good, but in my mind I want to win because I want to be the best out of all of them,” Godinez said. “It’s going to be fun and we want to all go deep. We are friends but we are not going to have any mercy between any of us.”

Also in the mix where Americans Leo Wolpert and 2012 Punta Cana Poker Classic champion Matthew Weber, who both played Day 1A as well.

Weber was unable to get anything going after firing multiple bullets but said he will return for Day 1C and try once again.

“For Day 1A I got up to a pretty big stack but then just ran into a couple of bad hands in a row and unfortunately bubbled,” Weber said. “It definitely would upset me if I didn’t make it to Day 2 after coming down from the states.”

Wolpert followed Weber to the rail just before the night ended.

Got the #premiums but couldn't get the #holdiums from 12 biebers 8 from the $$$. #lasduchas #hastamañana

— Leo Wolpert (@LeoWolpert) March 10, 2014

Guillermo Olvera, the 2013 Punta Cana Poker Classic champion and one of the highest earning tournament winners out of Mexico, was also among those who did not make it through the day.

While Day 1B ended with Idagarra in the lead over the 22 players to advance on Day 1B, Team PokerStars pro Jose “Nacho” Barbero continued to hold the overall chiplead over the 48 pre-qualifiers and the 49 players from Day 1A and 1B with 336,000.

Day 1C will begin Monday, Mar. 10 at 2pm EST with live updates on cardplayerla.com. For more information about the LSOP, click here.

Day 1B Chip Counts

Day 1A and Pre-Qualifiers

Related Articles

Muller Wins PGT Texas PLO Roundup High Roller No. 2

Big Deal for One Drop Raises For Charity

Hendrix Wins PGT Texas PLO Roundup High Roller

Most Viewed Articles