"PokerStars.net Caribbean Adventure 2009" 7/5

After the first week, the odds are that an American will win this thing. Let’s see if there are still a bunch of American players left after this week. First hand of the night at the featured table:

Fitzpatrick (USA): (9H)(2C)
Cero Zuccarello (USA): (AD)(8D)

POT: 146,000
THE FLOP: (2S)(5D)(9S)

Fitzpatrick has the big lead with two pair. He then raises to 185,000 after Zuccarello bets 85,000, and Zuccarello forces him ALL IN.

TURN: 8 OF SPADES

If this next card is another 8 or Ace, Fitzpatrick just blew it…

RIVER: 9 OF CLUBS

…no, he actually doubles up with a Full House! That takes his chip count to 1.04 million! That means Zuccarello’s ALL IN on this second hand:

Zuccarello: (KC)(4D)
Saul: DOUBLE NINES (Hearts & Spades)

POT: 310,000
THE FLOP: (9C)(KD)(6C)

Saul edges out Zuccarello’s Kings with a trio of nines.

TURN: KING OF HEARTS

Zuccarello now has three Kings, but Saul now has a Full House. For Zuccarello to double up, he needs that last King, a 6 or a 9…

RIVER: ACE OF HEARTS

…unfortunately, no, so he leaves in 24th place with $45,000. First U.S. player eliminated this evening.

As the USA’s Adam Geyer blitzes the next hand for a 97,000 pot, leaving in 23rd place and getting the second $45K check of the night is Christian de Leon Angeles from Mexico. The new chip count amongst the leaders:

1. Kevin Saul (USA): 2,985,000
2. Benny Spindler (Germany): 2,258,000
3. Benny Chen (Canada): 1,924,000
4. Alexandre Gomes (Brazil): 1,593,000
5. Ryan Karp (USA): 1.41 million
6. David Baker (USA): 1,395,000
7. Dustin Dirksen (USA): 1,142,000
8. Adam Geyer (USA): 1,122,000

Gomes then blitzes the hand after that for a 210,000 pot. After we get back from the latest break, the antes are still at 2,000, but the blinds are now set at 12,000/24,000. The next hand has one of the top 8, Geyer, ALL IN against the leader:

Geyer: (AD)(QC)
Saul: (AH)(QD)

POT: 2,396,000
THE FLOP: (6D)(3D)(10D)

Good news for Geyer, as he has a flush draw. Does he complete the diamond flush?...

TURN: 3 OF CLUBS
RIVER: 5 OF SPADES

...no, so this is a split pot.

While that hand was going on, Brazil's Felipe Ramos went down in 22nd place to leave with $50,000. After the hand was over, Hafiz Khan becomes the second U.S. player eliminated this episode, also leaving with 50 grand for his 21st place finish. Next hand:

Saul: (AC)(4C)
Spindler: (QH)(8H)

POT: 158,000
THE FLOP: (QD)(QS)(3D)

Saul gets burned by the flop early on once again, as Spindler has trip Queens. After Spindler bets 90,000, Saul raises to 300 grand and Spindler calls.

TURN: QUEEN OF CLUBS- QUADS!!!
RIVER: 10 OF DIAMONDS

Spinder goes on to win the 1,208,000 pot! If he isn't the chip leader by now, he's close. Saul tries to get back on the winning track with this next setup:

Saul: (KH)(10H)
Fitzpatrick: (AH)(KD)

POT: 180,000
THE FLOP: (5H)(JH)(AS)

Saul has an instant heart flush draw (as well as an inside Ace-high straight draw), while Fitzpatrick has Double Aces. After Fitzpatrick shells in 100K, Saul tries to force Fitzpatrick ALL IN...he calls! This hand is worth 1,954,000 in chips.

TURN: 10 OF SPADES

To eliminate Fitzpatrick, the river card has to be a third 10 or a Heart...

RIVER: 3 OF SPADES

...it's actually a 3, so Fitzpatrick doubles up! Paul Greim of the USA then finishes in 20th with $60,000. Next hand has three-way action:

Gomes (Brazil): (8D)(7H)
Peter Tielen (France): (AS)(8S)
Saul (USA): (KC)(QH)

POT: 221,000
THE FLOP: (3S)(KD)(3H)

Saul has the early lead with two pair. Everybody checks.

TURN: QUEEN OF DIAMONDS

Saul now has a better two pair. While drawing dead, Gomes bets 130,000. Saul then raises to 280,000...and the other two fold, so he wins the 631,000 pot and gets back on track for now.

Russia's Albert Minolin then takes home a $60K check as he's knocked out in 19th place. New leaderboard:

1. Benny Chen (Canada): 2,887,000
2. Benny Spindler (Germany): 2,779,000
3. Anthony Gregg (USA): 2,211,000
4. Andy Fitzpatrick (USA): 1.93 million
5. Poorya Nazari (Canada): 1,692,000
6. Ryan Karp (USA): 1.6 million
7. Alexandre Gomes (Brazil): 1,552,000
8. Dan Heimiller (USA): 1,461,000

Next, there's five-way action:

Galluzzo (Canada): (7D)(4C)
Fitzpatrick: (9H)(6D)
Tielen: (AD)(9D)
Geyer: (KS)(JS)
Spindler: (AH)(4H)

POT: 312,000
THE FLOP: (KD)(AC)(JD)

Tielen has a flush draw and Double Aces, Geyer pairs the lower two cards and Spinder also doubles up on the Aces. Shortly after Geyer bets 220K, Tielen calls and the other three fold.

TURN: JACK OF CLUBS- FULL HOUSE!

With only one Ace left in the deck that could possibly allow Tielen to steal this hand, he wisely decides to fold, giving the 932,000 pot to Geyer. Time for the night's last hand:

Geyer: (AH)(JH)
Spindler: (JC)(10C)

POT: 775,000
THE FLOP: (8H)(AD)(2C)

Geyer hits the best possible pair. Spindler then makes a 300K wager and Geyer matches it.

TURN: 5 OF CLUBS

Spinder now has a flush draw and both check.

RIVER: 2 OF HEARTS

With two pair, Geyer wins the night's last pot of 1,925,000!

Both the night and the tournament end with American Jason Paster exiting in 17th place, receiving $65,000. Here's the new chip count up to this point for the remaining 16 contestants:

1. Kevin Saul (USA): 2,874,000
2. Adam Geyer (USA): 2.6 million
3. Benny Chen (Canada): 2,508,000
4. Poorya Nazari (Canada): 2,151,000
5. Dan Heimiller (USA): 2.15 million
6. Anthony Gregg (USA): 1,954,000
7. Benny Spindler (Germany): 1,947,000
8. Ryan Karp (USA): 1,758,000
9. Andy Fitzpatrick (USA): 1,639,000
10. Alexandre Gomes (Brazil): 1.45 million
11. Dustin Dirksen (USA): 1,325,000
12. Pieter Tielin (France): 917,000
13. Nathan Plotkin (USA): 858,000
14. Kathy Liebert (USA): 832,000
15. Jan Collado (Germany): 820,000
16. David Baker (USA): 781,000