Donovan Dean Bags Day 1B and Overall Chip Lead
Nov 13, '21
Thanks to a late knockout on Day 1B, resulting in a roughly 600,000-chip pot, Donovan Dean will take the chip lead into Day 2 of the Card Player Poker Tour Venetian $2,500 no-limit hold’em main event.
The Alabama native bagged up 961,000 to lead the roughly 127 survivors from Friday’s Day 1B. The second starting flight attracted 698 entries, which combined with the 277 entries and 44 survivors from Thursday’s Day 1A, brings the total field size to 985 entries with a more than $2.2 million prize pool.
When cards get in the air, one of the first things on everyone’s mind will be surviving into the money.
The top 99 spots will finish in the money for at least a min-cash worth $5,324, but the eventual winner will walk away with a $417,004 payday. The top five finishers will earn a six-figure cash.
Heading into the last few orbits of the day, it didn’t appear that anyone would overtake Vahan Sudzhyan, who finished as the Day 1A chip leader with 752,000. But just before the end of the day Dean flopped the nut straight against bottom set to win a massive pot and score a knockout. Sudzhyan will likely start Day 2 second in chips.
Other notable pros to make secure a seat in the Day 2 field include Matas Cimbolas, Kristen Bicknell, Jonathan Tamayo, Brian Altman, Sergio, Aido, and Mike Dentale.
Not everyone was lucky enough to survive the day, however, as plenty of poker talent hit the rail before the end of the day’s 16, 40-minute levels. For the rest of the tournament, however, levels will be increased to 60 minutes.
Among those that were eliminated on Friday were Ryan Laplante, Dylan Linde, Card Player Publisher Barry Shulman, Mark Newhouse, Ian O’Hara, Ping Liu, and Scott Stewart.
Card Player will have exclusive coverage as the event plays into the money and down to a winner.
Player Tags: Donovan Dean
Donovan Dean Continues Amassing Chips
Nov 12, '21
A player raised to 6,000 from under the gun and Donovan Dean three-bet to 15,000 on his direct left. Everybody folded back to the original raiser, who called.
The flop was K
J
3
and the original raiser check-called a bet from Dean. They both checked the Q turn and the 3 came on the river.
The under the gun player led out for 20,000 and Dean mulled it over for a bit before calling. Under the gun showed 1010
and Dean won the pot with Q9.
Dean dragged the pot and has stayed atop the chip counts. He is neck-and-neck with Sofian Benaissa for the chip lead.
Donovan Dean – 400,000
Player Tags: Donovan Dean
Donovan Dean Back In The Lead
Nov 13, '21
With 31 players remaining and blinds continuing to go up, start-of-day chip leader Donovan Dean is once again leading the field and is the only player above the 3 million-chip mark.
Top stacks:
Donovan Dean – 3,500,000
Tibor Nagygyoergy – 2,325,000
Ryan Dodd – 2,200,000
Kevin O’Donnell – 2,100,000
Alexander Villa – 2,000,000
Matthias Auer – 1,800,000
Marco Bognanni – 1,600,000
Fabian Gumz – 1,550,000
Sergio Aido – 1,350,000
Vahan Sudzhyan – 1,300,000
Other notable counts:
Keven Stammen – 1,050,000
Ezeqiel Waigel – 900,000
Michael Rossitto – 800,000
Yordan Petrov – 750,000
John Phan – 500,000
Mike Dentale – 200,000
Player Tags: Donovan Dean
Donovan Dean Bursts The Bubble
Nov 13, '21
On the turn, with the board reading KQ103, Donovan Dean bet 25,000 and the player on the button called.
The river was the 3 and Dean bet 100,000, which was enough to put his opponent all in for about 90,000. The button mulled over his decision for several minutes before someone at the table called the clock on him.
One of the staff members came over and began the 30-second clock. About 10 seconds into it, the button called.
Dean showed K8, good for top pair, and he won the pot against the button’s QJ. The button was eliminated on the bubble and the remaining 99 players are all guaranteed at least a min-cash of $5,324.
Donovan Dean – 1,750,000
Player Tags: Donovan Dean
Donovan Dean Eliminated In Fifth Place ($117,561)
Nov 14, '21
Waigel raised on the button and was called by Dean in the big blind. The flop fell Q32 and Dean check-called a bet from Waigel.
The turn was the 3 and Dean checked again. Waigel bet, and Dean called, putting more than 3 million in the pot.
The river was the J and Dean checked. Waigel moved all-in, and Dean called quickly. Waigel showed KK, and Dean mucked his hand, shipping his last 3,800,000 over to Waigel.
Waigel now has 25,800,000 in chips of the 39,000,000 in play.
Player Tags: Donovan Dean, Ezequiel Waigel
Ezequiel Waigel Adds To His Lead
Nov 14, '21
Waigel raised on the button and Dean called from the big blind. The flop came down 10 8 6 and Dean check called a bet of 450,000.
The turn was the A and Waigel fired another 675,000. Dean called and the river was the A.
Dean checked for a third time, and Waigel bet a handful of pink chips. Dean didn’t even wait for a count before folding, leavin himself with 4,600,000. Waigel now has more than 20,000,000 in chips.
The other three players haven’t done much since returning from dinner break as Dean and Waigel continue to battle.
Player Tags: Donovan Dean, Ezequiel Waigel
Donovan Dean Takes From Keven Stammen
Nov 14, '21
Keven Stammen raised to 500,000 from the hijack and Donovan Dean defended his big blind. The flop was Q86 and both players checked to the 2 turn.
Dean bet 400,000 and Stammen called. The river was the 10 and both players check again.
Stammen showed AQ, but Dean won the pot with KQ.
Donovan Dean – 9,000,000
Keven Stammen – 2,500,000
Player Tags: Donovan Dean
Chip Counts
Nov 14, '21
Here is a look at the current chip counts following Stammen’s double up:
Donovan Dean – 11,400,000
Ezeqiel Waigel – 11,000,000
Tibor Nagygyoergy – 4,300,000
Keven Stammen – 3,450,000
Fabian Gumz – 2,900,000
Kevin O’Donnell – 2,725,000
Alexander Villa – 1,900,000
Player Tags: Donovan Dean
Donovan Dean vs. Fabian Gumz
Nov 14, '21
There was about 600,000 in the pot on the turn with the board reading AK53. Donovan Dean checked from the big blind and Fabian Gumz bet 250,000 from under the gun.
Dean check-raised to 700,000 and Gumz thought for a bit before calling. The river was the 9 and Dean bet 1,375,000. Gumz tanked for a couple minutes and then let his hand go.
Dean mucked his hand and took the pot. With three players around between 10-15 big blinds, and payjumps getting larger, showdowns have been rare this level.
Donovan Dean – 11,000,000
Fabian Gumz – 4,000,000
Player Tags: Donovan Dean
Donovan Dean vs. Kevin O'Donnell
Nov 14, '21
Donovan Dean raised on the button and Kevin O’Donnell defended his big blind. The flop was 1066 and O’Donnell checked.
Dean bet 160,000 and O’Donnell check-raised to 460,000. Dean didn’t waste much time before pushing 2,000,000 forward, which was basically enough to put O’Donnell all in.
O’Donnell groaned at the action and eventually mucked his hand. Dean dragged the pot and is back above 10 million.
Donovan Dean – 10,500,000
Kevin O’Donnell – 1,500,000
Player Tags: Donovan Dean
