Nick Jivkov Wins Event no. 5 ($198,818)
Jun 01, '12
Level: 27
Blinds: 30,000-60,000
Live Updates:
Nick Jivkov Wins Event no. 5 ($198,818)
Bryan Pellegrino Eliminated in 2nd Place ($117,199)
Momentum was starting to shift a little bit in Level 27 as the blinds increased and the average stack dropped down below 24 big blinds. While Nick Jivkov maintained a strong lead over Bryan Pellegrino throughout, Pellegrino became a little more aggressive with the short stack and managed to chip up here and there to stay alive .
Time eventually got the best of him and Bryan Pellegrino finally got the rest of his chips in the middle after three-betting all in over Jivkov’s pot-sized open.
Jivkov led before the flop with 10
10
against Pellegrino’s J9
.
The board came KQ872, offering no help to Bryan Pellegrino who was eliminated in 2nd place ($117,199). Nick Jivkov wins Event no. 5, taking home the $189,818 grand prize and the fifth gold bracelet of the 2012 WSOP.
Be sure to check back with Card Player for all of your final table action, current chip counts, and prize distributions for each gold bracelet event.
Player Tags: Nick Jivkov, Bryan Pellegrino
Level 26 Update: Pellegrino Survives Another Level
Jun 01, '12
Level: 26
Blinds: 25,000-50,000
Players Remaining: 2 out of 639
Average Chip Count: 1,437,750
Chip Counts:
Seat no. 2 — Nick Jivkov — 2,310,000
Seat no. 3 — Bryan Pellegrino — 535,000
Live Updates:
Jivkov Extends Lead, Pellegrino Hangs On
Despite starting the level at a nearly 3:1 chip disadvantage and having only 15 big blinds, Bryan Pellegrino managed to find several double ups to stay alive and survive another level of increasing blinds. Nick Jivkov chipped away at Pellegrino’s stack and had him all in with trips against a gunshot straight draw. Pellegrino caught a four-outer on the river to make his straight and double back up to about 900,000.
Jivkov once again wore his opponent down to under 500,000 before Pellegrino got it all in again, this time with the best hand.
Nick Jivkov button-raised to 100,000, Bryan Pellegrino reraised the size of the pot and Jivkov called, exposing his hand.
Pellegrino still had 100,000 behind and got it all in on a flop of 95
3 with 109 after he had already made top pair. Pellegrino was holding A10 for over cards. The turn and river were the 2 and the Q, doubling up the short stack once gain.
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: Nick Jivkov, Bryan Pellegrino
Level 25 Update: Jonathan Aguiar Eliminated in 3rd Place ($76,189)
Jun 01, '12
Level: 25
Blinds: 20,000-40,000
Players Remaining: 2 out of 639
Average Chip Count: 1,437,750
Chip Counts:
Seat no. 2 — Nick Jivkov — 2,100,000
Seat no. 3 — Bryan Pellegrino — 760,000
Players Eliminated:
Jonathan Aguiar — 3rd Place ($76,189)
Live Updates:
Short Stacks Battle; Only One Survives
Nick Jivkov began heads-up play with a dominating chip lead over the field, but short stacks Jonathan Aguiar and Bryan Pellegrino managed to move some chips around in Level 28. Aguiar chipped up early after taking a pot from chip leader Nick Jivkov with top pair against a missed straight draw that ended in a showdown. Pellegrino took a while to get going this level and was chopped down to just a few big blinds before finding a small double up through Aguair to stay alive.
Pellegrino didn’t wait long before getting it all in with Aguiar again, this time with the better hand. After sucking out on Aguiar with Q5 against KJ a few hands before, this time Pellegrino was all in with A8 against Aguiar’s QJ.The board bricked and this hand put Pellegrino in second place with about 660,000, leaving Aguiar on the short stack with just 250,000.
Jonathan Aguiar Eliminated in 3rd Place ($76,189)
Jonathan Aguiar was knocked down to the short stack after Bryan Pellegrino doubled through him twice, and he was the next player eliminated in 3rd place ($76,189).
Jonathan Aguiar made a pot-sized raise from the button, Nick Jivkov reraised the size of the pot from the small blid and Aguiar called all in.
Jivkov led before the flop with 99 against Aguiar’s AQ.
The board came K769A, giving Jivkov a set on the turn to win the pot and eliminate Jonathan Aguiar in 3rd place ($76,189).
With the elimination of Jonathan Aguiar in 3rd place, Nick Jivkov took the chip lead going into heads-up play with roughly 2.1 million to Pellegrino’s 800,000.
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: Jonathan Aguiar, Nick Jivkov, Bryan Pellegrino
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 J104, 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 J6 for top pair against Jivkov’s middle pair with 109.
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 22 Update: Hale 7th ($24,007), Eames 8th ($18,529), Tabali 9th ($14,449)
Jun 01, '12
Level: 22
Blinds: 10,000-20,000
Players Remaining: 6 out of 639
Average Chip Count: 472,950
Chip Counts:
Seat no. 1 — Jonathan Aguiar — 775,000
Seat no. 2 — Nick Jivkov — 360,000
Seat no. 3 — Bryan Pellegrino — 415,000
Seat no. 6 — Tommy Vedes — 645,000
Seat no. 7 — Mike Allis — 275,000
Seat no. 9 — Daniel Negreanu — 300,000
Players Eliminated:
Brent Hale — 7th Place ($24,007)
John Eames — 8th Place ($18,529)
Keanu Tabali — 9th Place ($14,449)
Live Updates:
Keanu Tabali Eliminated in 9th Place ($14,449)
Bryan Pellegrino raised to 43,000 from late position, Keanu Tabali raised all in for just over 100,000 from the small blind and Pellegrino called.
Tabali led before the flop with 1010 against Pellegrino’s 98.
The board came A9638, giving Pellegrino middle pair on the flop to gain some additional outs and an eight on the river to make two pair. Keanu Tabali was eliminated in 9th place ($14,449) while Bryan Pellegrino went on to challenge the chip lead with about 550,000.
John Eames Eliminated in 8th Place ($18,529)
John Eames opened for a pot-sized raise, Nick Jivkov reraised the size of the pot and Eames called all in.
Jivkov was out in front before the flop with AA against Eames’ A6.
The board came Q4295, offering no help to John Eames who was eliminated in 8th place ($18,529). Nick Jivkov moved up the leader board a few spots with just under 400,000 after the hand which is good for nearly 20 bbs.
Brent Hale Eliminated in 7th Place ($24,007)
Brent Hale opened the pot for a raise, Tommy Vedes reraised to 150,000 from the small blind and Hale called all in.
Vedes led before the flop with A10 against Hale’s J5.
The board came 642A8, giving Vedes top pair on the turn to win the pot and eliminate Brent Hale in 7th place ($24,007).
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: John Eames, Nick Jivkov, Keanu Tabali, Bryan Pellegrino, Brent Hale
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
9
. The final board read A
Q
8
The button got all in with 10
8
A
2