Level 24 Update: Tommy Vedes Eliminated in 4th Place ($55,960)
Jun 01, '12
Level: 24
Blinds: 15,000-30,000
Players Remaining: 3 out of 639
Average Chip Count: 958,500
Chip Counts:
Seat no. 1 — Jonathan Aguiar — 415,000
Seat no. 2 — Nick Jivkov — 2,050,000
Seat no. 3 — Bryan Pellegrino — 440,000
Players Eliminated:
Tommy Vedes — 4th Place ($55,960)
Live Updates:
Tommy Vedes Eliminated in 4th Place ($55,960)
Shortly after losing a big pot to chipleader Nick Jivkov last level and being left with a short stack, Tommy Vedes got it all in good on the flop with top pair against Jivkov’s middle pair, but failed to hold on the river.
Nick Jivkov button-raised to 65,000 and Tommy Vedes called from the big blind.
The flop came J
104
, Vedes checked, Jivkov bet 80,000, Vedes raised all in for 365,000 and Jivkov called.
Vedes was all in for his tournament life and was ahead on the flop with J
6 for top pair against Jivkov’s middle pair with 10
9.
The turn and river were the 5 and the 9, giving Jivkov two pair on the river to eliminate Tommy Vedes in 4th place ($55,960). This hand gave Jivkov a massive chip lead going into three-handed play with nearly seventy percent of the total chips in play.
Be sure to check back with Card Player at the conclusion of each level for regular updates with all of the action, current chip counts, and prize distributions.
Player Tags: Tommy Vedes, Nick Jivkov
Level 23 Update: Negreanu 5th ($41,683), Allis 6th ($31,452)
Jun 01, '12
Level: 23
Blinds: 12,000-24,000
Players Remaining: 4 out of 639
Average Chip Count: 718,875
Chip Counts:
Seat no. 1 — Jonathan Aguiar — 375,000
Seat no. 2 — Nick Jivkov — 1,700,000
Seat no. 3 — Bryan Pellegrino — 250,000
Seat no. 6 — Tommy Vedes — 247,000
Players Eliminated:
Daniel Negreanu — 5th Place ($41,683)
Mike Allis — 6th Place ($31,452)
Live Updates:
Mike Allis Eliminated in 6th Place ($31,452)
Mike Allis came into the final table as the undisputed short stack with just 86,000, but managed to survive three other players and pay jumps to finish the event in 6th place ($31,452). Allis managed to double twice through Tommy Vedes in Level 22 to stay alive but entered Level 23 as the short stack and was eliminated shortly thereafter.
On his final hand, Nick Jivkov opened the cutoff for 55,000 and Mike Allis called from the big blind.
The flop came A97, Allis checked, Jivkov bet 65,000, Allis raised all in and Jovkov called.
Jivkov led on the flop with KK for a pair against Allis’ 43.
The turn and river were the 3 and the A, offering no help to Mike Allis who was eliminated in 6th place ($31,452).
Daniel Negreanu Eliminated in 5th Place ($41,683)
Daniel Negreanu opened the pot for 48,000, Nick Jovkov reraised to 112,000 from the small blind, Negreanu four-bet all in for 181,000 and Jivkov called.
Negreanu led before the flop with AQ against Jivkov’s AJ.
The board came Q1092K, giving Jovkov a straight on the river to eliminate Daniel Negreanu in 5th place ($41,683) and claim the chip lead form himself with just under 1 million.
Jivkov Takes Massive Chip Lead
Nick Jivkov button-raised to 55,000 and Tommy Vedes called from the big blind.
The flop came 654, Vedes checked, Jivkov bet 50,000 and Vedes called.
The turn was the 9, Vedes checked, Jovkov bet 65,0000 and Vedes called.
The river was the Q, Vedes checked, Jivkov bet 268,000 and Vedes called. Jivkov showed A2 for the four-card nut flush on the river and Vedes mucked. That hand gave Jivkov the clear chip lead with about 1.7 million while Vedes dropped down to just 250,000.
Be sure to check back with Card Player at the conclusion of each level for regular updates with all of the action, current chip counts, and prize distributions.
Player Tags: Daniel Negreanu, Tommy Vedes, Nick Jivkov, Mike Allis
Level 21 Update: Aguiar Leads, Vedes Closes the Gap
Jun 01, '12
Level: 21
Blinds: 8,000-16,000
Players Remaining: 9 out of 639
Average Chip Count: 319,500
Chip Counts:
Seat no. 1 — Jonathan Aguiar — 700,000
Seat no. 2 — Nick Jivkov — 281,000
Seat no. 3 — Bryan Pellegrino — 440,000
Seat no. 4 — Brent Hale — 211,000
Seat no. 5 — Keanu Tabali — 122,000
Seat no. 6 — Tommy Vedes — 540,000
Seat no. 7 — Mike Allis — 130,000
Seat no. 8 — John Eames — 300,000
Seat no. 9 — Daniel Negreanu — 150,000
Live Updates:
John Eames Doubles Through Bryan Pellegrino
Bryan Pellegrino opened the pot for 40,000, John Eames reraised to 100,000 from the small blind, Pellegrino four-bet and Eames called all in for about 180,000.
Eames led before the flop with 99 against Pellegrino’s AK.
The board came A62K9, giving Pellegrino an ace on the flop to take the lead, but Eames spiked one of only two outs on the river to make a set of nines and double up.
John Eames ~370,000
Bryan pellegrino ~ 600,000
“Tommy Vedes is an Enigma”
Tommy Vedes came into the final table as one of the shorter stacks in the bottom half of the chip counts, but managed to win an early showdown against Daniel Negreanu after rivering a set of sixes. This Hand brought Vedes above 300,000 which gave him just under 19 big blinds while Negreanu slipped down to 150,000 (10 bbs).
Vedes then won another key pot this level against Keanu Tabali which put him in contention for the chip lead with just about 600,000. Both players flopped a king, but Vedes turned two pair and rivered the case king to fill up and get paid off in a showdown against Tabali’s trips. This hand knocked Tabali down to the 4 bb range which put him on the short stack.
According to Gavin Smith who was commentating live in the booth, “Tommy Vedes is an Enigma.”
Short Stacks Double Up
Mike Allis came into the final table as the short stack but managed to double up through Tommy Vedes with AQ after getting it all in before the flop against Vedes’ 76. Vedes flopped a straight draw but Allis rivered a queen to make top pair and double up. Allis doubled up to about 130,000 that hand while Vedes took a small hit to his stack.
Keanu Tabali was put on the short stack after losing a big pot to Tommy Vedes who filled up against Tabali’s trips, but he managed to find a double up towards the end of the level through John Eames to stay alive. Tabali got it in good before the flop with KK against Eames’ QQ. The board bricked and Tabali doubled up to just over 120,000 while Eames slid down to about 300,000.
Be sure to check back with Card Player at the conclusion of each level for regular updates with all of the action, current chip counts, and prize distributions.
Player Tags: Tommy Vedes, John Eames, Keanu Tabali, Bryan Pellegrino, Mike Allis
Action Begins, Final Table Now Underway
Jun 01, '12
The final table of Event no. 5 ($1,500 Pot-Limit Hold’em) is now underway, and Card Player will be posting level-by-level updates with all of the action, current chip counts, and prize distributions.
Day 2 concluded with the elimination of Thom Werthmann in 10th Place ($11,361), setting the official, 9-handed final table. Action resumes here on Day 3 where players will begin in Level 21 with blinds of 8,000-16,000 and will continue until a winner is determined.
With cards now back in the air, here is a look at the final table and how these players match up:
Seat no. 1 — Jonathan Aguiar — 552,000
Seat no. 2 — Nick Jivkov — 281,000
Seat no. 3 — Bryan Pellegrino — 790,000
Seat no. 4 — Brent Hale — 211,000
Seat no. 5 — Keanu Tabali — 309,000
Seat no. 6 — Tommy Vedes — 247,000
Seat no. 7 — Mike Allis — 86,000
Seat no. 8 — John Eames — 181,000
Seat no. 9 — Daniel Negreanu — 212,000
While only 9 remain, this event gathered 639 players, creating a total prize pool of $862,650. Here is a look at the final payouts:
1st Place — $189,818
2nd Place — $117,119
3rd Place — $76,189
4th Place — $55,960
5th Place — $41,683
6th Place — $31,452
7th Place — $24,007
8th Place — $18,529
9th Place — $14,449
Be sure to check back with Card Player at the conclusion of each level for regular updates with all of the action, current chip counts, and prize distributions.
Player Tags: Daniel Negreanu, Tommy Vedes, Jonathan Aguiar, John Eames, Nick Jivkov, Keanu Tabali, Bryan Pellegrino, Mike Allis, Brent Hale
8
7
Q
.
Tommy Vedes flew in under the radar and bought-in just as the registration period was coming to a close. We’ll be sure to keep an eye on the two-time World Poker Tour champion as the night progresses.
Two-time 
Tommy Vedes raised to 4,200 under-the-gun and was three-bet to 12,000 by Tyler Morris from middle position. Quentin Crossley cold-called from the cutoff and Vedes tanked for quite some time before moving all in for his last 68,200.
We didn’t catch the action but did walk up to see a board of 9
On a board of J
Tommy Vedes raised to 1,075 in the cutoff and was called by both the small and big blind. The flop came out Q
Tommy Vedes held top two pair with K-10 on a K-10-7-7-x board, but his opponent held pocket aces for a better two pair, sending Vedes to the rail.
3
. His opponent held the K
3
10