Mark Boudewijn (from the city of Gouda in the Netherlands) doesn't play many big tournaments, and his best finish before this was 14th place (other than some smaller internet tournaments). Needless to say, winning the opening event of Bellagio's Five-Star World Poker Classic (along with $222,570) is a pretty big deal for him. Thankfully, he had a small group of supporters here to cheer him on, and they were all treated to a complementary dinner here at Bellagio.
Boudewijn has also earned a seat in the WPT World Championship event that caps off this tournament in two weeks. Congratulations, Mark Boudewijn!
Update on the $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em Event that Started Today
Posted: Wed, Apr 06, 05, 2:00 PM
At 9:00 pm, the 30 remaining players in the $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em event take a one-hour dinner break. The top 27 finishers will walk away with prize money according to the following list:
CardPlayer.com will resume coverage of this event tomorrow at 3:00 pm for the final table.
Mark Boudewijn Wins the Bellagio $1,500 No-Limit Hold'Em Event
Posted: Wed, Apr 06, 05, 1:24 PM
Harry Demetriou is all in with J-7 of diamonds, and Mark Boudewijn shows K-J offsuit. Boudewijn increases his lead with a flop of A-K-8 with only one diamond, but the 10 of diamonds on the turn gives Demetriou a flush draw and a double-gut-shot straight draw. But the river card is another king, and Harry Demetriou is eliminated in second place, earning $118,240.
Mark Boudewijn wins $222,570, plus a $25,500 seat in the WPT World Championship later this month.
Mark Boudewijn Takes the Chip Lead
Posted: Wed, Apr 06, 05, 1:21 PM
After a flop of 9-8-2 with two diamonds, Mark Boudewijn and Harry Demetriou are both all in. Boudewijn has 6-4 of diamonds for a flush draw, and Demetriou currently has the lead with queen high -- Q-10 offsuit for a gut-shot straight draw. But a 4 on the turn puts Boudewijn in the lead, and the ace on the river changes nothing. Mark Boudewijn doubles up to a substantial lead, and he now has about $1,180,000 in chips to Demetriou's roughly $210,000.
Mark Boudewijn Doubles Up Through Harry Demetriou
Posted: Wed, Apr 06, 05, 1:12 PM
Mark Boudewijn pushes all in preflop with pocket fives, and Harry Demetriou calls with the A-10 of diamonds. The flop comes K-9-6 with two diamonds, so Demetriou has a flush draw to go with his overcards. The turn card is an offsuit 7, giving them both gut-shot straight draws as well, although if an 8 shows up Demetriou would have a higher straight. The jack on the river doesn't make anything for Demetriou, and Boudewijn doubles up.
Harry Demetriou now has about $850,000, and Mark Boudewijn has about $520,000.
Players Still Patient
Posted: Wed, Apr 06, 05, 12:56 PM
Harry Demetriou and Mark Boudewijn are still showing patience, although Boudewijn is gaining some ground, with about $425,000 in chips, compared to Demetriou's $1,000,000.
Blinds Increase to $10,000-$20,000 ($4,000 ante)
Posted: Wed, Apr 06, 05, 12:45 PM
The players return from their break to find the blinds at $10,000-$20,000, with a $4,000 ante. Harry Demetriou has about $1,150,000 to Mark Boudewijn's $240,000.
15-Minute Break
Posted: Wed, Apr 06, 05, 12:30 PM
The players take a 15-minute break.
Patient Play Heads Up; Approximate Chip Counts
Posted: Wed, Apr 06, 05, 12:25 PM
So far, Harry Demetriou and Mark Boudewijn have been exhibiting patience and playing cautiously, and they both have enough chips (relative to the blinds) to wait. The community cards that they have seen have usually gone check-check or bet-fold.
Mark Boudewijn is losing a little ground, and now has about $285,000 to Harry Demetriou's $1.1 million.
Abraham Gray Eliminated in Third Place ($62,405)
Posted: Wed, Apr 06, 05, 12:05 PM
Abraham Gray found himself all in with A-J of diamonds against Harry Demetriou's pocket aces. He needed a lot of help, but missed the flop of K-9-2. A jack on the turn gave him some outs, but the 5 on the river sent Abraham Gray home in third place, earning $62,405.
It's now down to Harry Demetriou (over $1 million in chips) heads up against Mark Boudewijn (about $380,000 in chips).
