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)
Nick Jivkov
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
Bryan Pellegrino
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
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 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)
Keanu Tabali
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
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
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
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
Tran Stays Afloat
7
4
Lodden Takes It With Aces
Mizrachi Keeps Rolling
Galfond Hits The Rail
After a stone bluff on the river was picked off by Dustin Woolf, Mike Caro was down to 127,000. He got all in on a flop of K
Roberto Romanello raised to 16,000 and Steve O’Dwyer made it 58,000, which was called by Romanello. The flop was 8
