5.10pm: Heads up counts
The chip counts going into heads-up play are as follows:
Tobias Reinkemeier: 3,136,000
Olivier Busquet: 2,508,000
5.05pm: Dori Yacoub out in third, winning €358,500
Dori Yacoub has just bluffed himself out of this tournament – and Tobias Reinkemeier made a terrific call to pick him off. Yacoub raised to 65,000 pre-flop and Reinkemeier called. The two of them went to a flop of 6♦ J♠ 2♥ and Yacoub fired 115,000 at it, which Reinkemeier called.
This pattern had been repeated several times before, and as a couple of the commentators noted, Yacoub had often been on a bluff. We would see.
The K♥ turned and Yacoub bet 160,000, which Reinkemeier called, taking them to a J♣ river. Yaboub now moved all in, for his last 453,000, which was enough to make Reinkemeier take off his glasses as he pondered the call.
He took a good long while over it, but eventually he did call, and Yacoub got up from his seat almost immediately. He showed 8♠ 2♣ for bottom pair and Reinkemeier’s K♠ 10♣ was good.
We’re taking a 10-minute break before beginning heads up play. — HS
4.55pm: Busquet takes the lead
On a flop of Q♦ 2♥ Q♠ Busquet bet 80,000 and Reinkemeier called. Both checked the 5♠ turn for a 8♠ river card. Reinkemeier bet 125,000, Busquet then raised to 700,000 total which gave Reinkemeier something to think about for a while. But he passed. Busquet now has the lead again with 2,570,000. – SB
4.45pm: Yacoub all-in x 2
Yacoub raised and Busquet called for a flop of 3♦ 9♥ J♥ . Here Yacoub moved all-in for 511,000. Busquet thought for a while but folded. On the next hand, Busquet raised pre-flop and again Yacoub shoved. That too was enough; it was a quick fold from Yacoub. – SB
4.40pm: The Reinkemeier show
Tobias Reinkemeier is putting on a masterclass now. Just recently, he took down two pots having limped from the button and encouraging both blinds to follow him to a flop.
On the first occasion, the three of them saw a 5♥ 4♣ 8♠ board and when it was checked to Reinkemeier, a small bet was enough to take it down.
He earned even more on the next time he had the button in front of him. After the limp from both he and Busquet in the small blind (Yocoub checking the big) they saw a flop of 10♣ 3♠ 8♣ and Yacoub bet 45,000. Reinkemeier raised to 115,000 and Reinkemeier called.
The turn was K♣ and after Yacoub checked, Reinkemeier bet big. Busquet let it go again. — HS
4.25pm: Yacoub halts one-way traffic
Tobias Reinkemeier raised to 65,000 from the button and Dori Yacoub re-raised to 155,000 from the big blind. Reinkemeier saw the red flag and hurried away. — HS
4.20pm: Like a cheap suit
On a flop of J♣ 9♦ 5♦ Reinkemeier checked in the small blind and Busquet bet 115,000. Reinkemeier re-raised to 300,000 before Busquet moved all-in, inducing a speedy fold from Reinkemeier. — SB
4.15pm: Reinkemeier ratchets up more pressure
Tobias Reinkemeier is closing in on three million and he has just extracted another bunch of chips from Olivier Busquet. Busquet raised to 65,000 from the button and Reinkemeier called from the big blind. Again it was a heads up flop between these two: 4♥ Q♣ A♦ .
Reinkemeier checked, Busquet bet 95,000, and Reinkemeier called. The A♠ turned. Reinkemeier checked, Busquet bet 165,000, and Reinkemeier called. The river was 5♣ and although Reinkemeier probably wanted me to have to use copy+paste again on the established pattern, Busquet checked behind after Reinkemeier checked.
The German had rivered a boat with his A♣ 5♦ and Busquet escaped, having not fired the third bullet. — HS
4.05pm: No need
Busquet opened for 65,000 from the button which Reinkemeier called for a flop of Q♣ 8♣ 5♠ . Reinkemeier needed only to reach for his chips to get Busquet to fold. — SB
4.03pm: And now Reinkemeier from the small blind
Reinkemeier has now taken a small pot from Olivier Busquet. Reinkemeier raised from the small blind and Busquet called, taking them to a flop of 4♦ 3♣ 6♠ . Reinkemeier bet 86,000, which Busquet called, and then they both checked the 3♦ turn. The also checked the 9♠ river, and Reinkemeier’s 7♠ 6♣ sent Busquet’s cards into the muck. – HS
LEVEL UP. BLINDS 15,000-30,000, 3,000 ANTE IN LEVEL 23
3.55pm: Reinkemeier defends big blind, wins
Tobias Reinkemeier is applying the pressure on Dori Yacoub. After Yacoub opened for 62,000 from the small blind, Reinkemeier called from the big. The two of them saw a flop of 10♠ 4♦ Q♠ and Yacoub bet 100,000, which Reinkemeier called, taking them to an A♣ turn. Yacoub checked – a red rag to a bull like Reinkemeier – and the German player bet 100,000. Yacoub folded. — HS
3.52pm: Chip counts
Olivier Busquet: 2,497,000
Tobias Reinkemeier: 2,161,000
Dori Yacoub: 989,000
3.50pm: Busquet up
On a flop of 4♣ J♦ 2♣ Olivier Busquet bet 55,000 from the small blind. Dori Yacoub called from the big blind and a turn card A♠ . Busquet bet 125,000 which Yacoub called for a river card 6♠ . Busquet bet 330,000 on the end to make Yacoub think a little. He called, but passed his cards when Busquet turned over A♣ 2♥ . Good for the pot, and the chip lead. — SB
3.30pm: Three handed
The remaining three players have seen significantly more flops than previously. They’re all trying to out-play one another post-flop.
So far there haven’t been any major skirmishes, meaning their current stacks are very similar to how they began.
These, incidentally, are your final three:
3.25pm: Marchese marched out in fourth, winning €263,000
Dori Yacoub came to the final table with the most chips, but he was reduced to open shoving with his last 475,000. The player who called him – Tom Marchese – was the only man at the table with fewer chips (about 445,000), so it was Marchese who was facing elimination if he couldn’t win this race:
Marchese: 9♠ 9♦
Yacoub: A♥ K♣
Marchese started marginally ahead, but Yacoub hurtled into the lead on the flop. It came A♠ A♦ 6♣ . Then after the 4♦ K♥ came on turn and river, Marchese was sent to the rail.
It’s been a terrific start to 2010 for Marchese, who won the inaugural event on the NAPT at the Venetian. He adds the fourth prize of €263,000 here to his $827,648 cheque from Las Vegas. And that’s not bad at all. — HS
3.15pm: Paul Berende out in fifth, winning €191,200
Mr Smiling Short Stack – Paul Berende – moved all in from early position, and the significant chances were that he’d find a call from one of his four opponents. He possibly didn’t expect this, though. Dori Yacoub called but then Olivier Busquet moved all in for 1,761,000 offering at least a triple up possibility for Berende, and the possibility of a double elimination.
Yacoub tank-folded, but could barely contain his disgust when they showed their hands. Berende had 4♥ 3♥ against Busquet’s K♥ J♥ . “I folded eights,” said Yacoub. Ancient history, Dori.
Berende thought he was on for the outdraw on the 6♣ A♣ 3♦ flop, but the K♦ river swung it back to Busquet and the Q♥ river ended it. Berende leaves in fifth – €191,200 richer. — HS
3.13pm: Five-bet shove
Tobias Reinkemeier opened for 48,000 and Olivier Busquet raised to 155,000. Reinkemeier then re-raised to 336,000 before Busquet shoved all-in. Enough for Reinkemeier. He passed. – SB
3.10pm: Busquet rivers lifeline
This was far from a dormant final table, but since the level break, it’s become even more active. Tom Marchese open shoved for 1,010,000 and after a bit of a dwell, Olivier Busquet called all in – Busquet’s 665,000 stack was at risk.
It was a standard race:
Busquet: A♥ Q♠
Marchese: 10♦ 10♥
Marchese looked like taking this one down and sending Busquet out the door when the flop and turn were 2♥ 8♦ 5♦ J♥ but the Q♣ rivered, which kept Busquet alive.
Marchese is sliced down to 710,000. Busquet has more than a million again. — HS
3pm: No flop required
Tom Marchese opened for 55,000 which Olivier Busquet raises to 155,000, enough to force Marchese to fold. – SB
2.55pm: First hand back
Paul Berende moved all-in for 169,000 on the first hand back from the break. Everyone folded and Berende showed A♣ Q♦ and then giggled a lot. He’s still the short stack with about 200,000. — SB
2.50pm: And begin level 22
There are five high rollers remaining in search of this major top prize.
The counts at the break are on the chip count page, and they look something like this:
Tobias Reinkemeier, Germany, 2,232,000
Dori Yacoub, Lebanon, 1,257,000
Tom Marchese, USA, 1144000
Olivier Busquet, USA, 835,000
Paul Berende, Holland, 176,000
So far today, this has been the Tobias Reinkemeier show, assuming the chip lead from Dori Yacoub. But Paul Berende, who came to the table as the short stack, is still there too. Smile Paul…
