Thursday, 28th March 2024 21:02
Home / Uncategorized / PCA 2018: Kaverman leads final six in $50K High Roller

You’ve got love these semi-turbo high roller tournaments. The action is normally fast, fun and full of action. Today’s $50,000 High Roller Single Re-Entry didn’t disappoint. The tournament attracted 46 entries and took 10 minutes fewer than fifteen 30-minute levels to whittle them down to six players who all made the money. Byron Kaverman leads the following six into tomorrow’s final:

Byron Kaverman – 1,509,000
Jean-Noel Thorel – 1,200,000
Steve O’Dwyer – 783,000
Benjamin Pollak – 538,000
Erik Seidel – 494,000
Orpen Kisacikoglu – 158,000

Byron Kaverman: chip leader

And here’s a reminder of what they’ll be playing for:

Position Prize
1 $769,500
2 $531,860
3 $339,480
4 $260,260
5 $203,680
6 $158,420

There are two ways you can follow the action tomorrow. Right here on the PokerStars Blog or on the live stream on PokerStars.tv. Cards will be in the air at 3pm but we’ll be reporting along with the 30-minute delay so join us back here at 3:30pm. Until then, it’s goodnight from paradise!

9:30pm: Petrangelo bubbles the $50k
Level 14 – Blinds 10,000/20,000 (ante 3,000)

Nick Petrangelo has busted in seventh place and is therefore the unfortunate bubble boy.

Jean-Noel Thorel opened to 50,000 from the cutoff and was called by Orpen Kisacikoglu in the small blind before Petrangelo squeezed all-in for 187,000 from the big blind. Thorel made a quick call but Kisacikoglu used up two time-bank chips before he elected to fold.

Petrangelo: A♥ 9♥
Thorel: 10♣ 10♦

The board ran 3♦ 8♠ J♦ K♣ 6♣ to miss both players. All remaining players are now guaranteed $158,420.

Full chip counts and a recap of all you need to know coming up on the blog soon. –MC

Nick Petrangelo: $50k bubble boy

9:10pm: Mateos soft bubbles
Level 13 – Blinds 8,000/16,000 (ante 2,000)

Only one more player will leave empty-handed after Adrian Mateos was eliminated by chip leader, Byron Kaverman.

The latter raised to 35,000 from under the gun and called after Mateos moved all-in for 88,000 from the next seat.

Kaverman: 10♦ 9♥
Mateos: 7♣ 7♠

The board ran 9♣ Q♥ 3â™  6♦ 4♥ to pair the American’s nine. He moved up to 1.27 million.

It’s bubble time! –MC

8:55pm: O’Dwyer takes out good friend Seiver
Level 13 – Blinds 8,000/16,000 (ante 2,000)

There are friends in life but not at the poker table, just ask Scott Seiver who has been taken out by Steve O’Dwyer.

Byron Kaverman opened to 35,000 from under the gun before Seiver made his move for 147,000 from the hijack. O’Dywer called from the small blind and that scared off Kaverman.

O’Dwyer: Aâ™  A♥
Seiver: 9♣ 9♥

The board ran 5♦ 6â™  4â™  10♦ 6♥ and Seiver made a quick, silent exit. O’Dwyer moved up to 887,000. –MC

Scott Seiver: 9th place

8:40pm: Play resumes with a very happy Pollak
Level 13 – Blinds 8,000/16,000 (ante 2,000)

The remaining nine players are back in their seats and will play for four more levels or down to six players remaining.

One of the promotions running at this year’s PCA is a Platinum Pass raffle for final tablists. A blind hold’em hand will take place and the winning player will advance to the final raffle where one player will be drawn and awarded a Platinum pass worth $30,000.

Benjamin Pollack came out on top after his Qâ™  7♥ made trips on a Q♥ 8♦ Q♦ 9♣ 2♣ board. –MC

7:22pm: Official counts at dinner break
Level 12 – Blinds 6,000/12,000 (ante 2,000)

That big pot win for Byron Kaverman sees him dominate the standings that you can read below:

Seat 1. Benjamin Pollak – 535,000
Seat 2. Erik Seidel – 413,000
Seat 3. Steve O’Dwyer – 705,000
Seat 4. Jean-Noel Thorel – 809,000
Seat 5. Byron Kaverman -1,264,000
Seat 6. Adrian Mateos – 193,000
Seat 7. Orpen Kisacikoglu – 376,000
Seat 8. Nick Petrangelo – 121,000
Seat 9. Scott Seiver – 185,000
–MC

Byron Kaverman leading the final nine

7:20pm: Seiver suffers as dinner break arrives
Level 12 – Blinds 6,000/12,000 (ante 2,000)

Scott Seiver lost a big one that went into the dinner break. Byron Kaverman will enjoy his dinner a lot more as he was the beneficiary.

These players and Jean-Noel Thorel took to a 7♥ A♦ 6♣ flop where Seiver bet 24,000. Thorel folded from the small blind and Kaverman called from the big blind before both players went on check the Aâ™  turn. Kaverman checked again on the 8♣ river and then raised Seiver’s 50,000 bet up to 250,000. Seiver used up six 30-second time banks before he flicked in the call. Kaverman turned over 10♦ 9♦ for a straight and Seiver tapped the table and mucked.

The players are now on a 80-minute dinner break. Full counts coming up — MC

7:08pm: Unofficial final table draw
Level 12 – Blinds 6,000/12,000 (ante 2,000)

Seat 1. Benjamin Pollak
Seat 2. Erik Seidel
Seat 3. Steve O’Dwyer
Seat 4. Jean-Noel Thorel
Seat 5. Byron Kaverman
Seat 6. Adrian Mateos
Seat 7. Orpen Kisacikoglu
Seat 8. Nick Petrangelo
Seat 9. Scott Seiver

The players received a bunch of gadget gifts for reaching the final table, a theme of this year’s PCA. They included, drones, Apple Watches, iPsds etc and they were all chuffed, looking like kids at Christmas time!

Cards are back in the air. –MC

7pm: Two more down, unofficial final table reached
Level 12 – Blinds 6,000/12,000 (ante 1,000)

Just like that, we’re down to nine players! Chris Hunichen went in 11th place and Stefan Schillhabel followed in 10th.

Scott Seiver took out Hunichen. He opened from under the gun with ace-jack and called after Hunichen three-bet all-in for 157,000 from the small blind. An ace on the turn sealed the deal.

Shortly after, Steve O’Dwyer raised to 26,000 from the cutoff and called after Schillhabel three-bet all-in for 224,000 from the small blind.

Schillhabel: A♣ J♣
O’Dwyer: A♥ Q♥

The board ran 9♠ 6♣ 7♣ Q♦ 3♠ .

We’ll have the final redraw of the tournament up shortly. –MC

6:50pm: Kisacikoglu kicks another one
Level 12 – Blinds 6,000/12,000 (ante 2,000)

There were plenty of short stacks at Orpen Kisacikoglu’s table. Now there are a few less. Kisacikoglu’s most recent casualty was Bill Perkins. Perkins was down to just about 40,000 and moved it all-in from under the gun. Kisacikoglu was on the big blind and called blind.

“Can I turn over the cards?” Perkins asked. Kisacikoglu nodded and Perkins flipped over the first card 2â™  . Looking good. The second: 4♣ .

Perkins liked his chances and turned over A♥ 6♣ . Then the flop came 6♦ 4♥ K♦ .

“Nooooooo!” Perkins shouted. “Oh wait, I’m still good. I just saw the four.”

Kisacikoglu paired his four, but Perkins had hit a pair of sixes. The turn brought a 10♦ , but then a 4♦ came on the river to give Kisacikoglu trips.

“Nooooooo!” Perkins said again, with the same volume and demeanor as the first time. “I knew the second I saw the first four.”

Perkins hit the rail while Kisacikoglu chipped up to 300,000. –AV

Orpen Kisacikoglu

6:40pm: Kisacikoglu halts Hobbs
Level 11 – Blinds 5,000/10,000 (ante 1,000)

Orpen Kisacikoglu moved all-in from the hijack and a shorter Kevin Hobbs called all-in from the cutoff. The rest of the table got out of the way and Hobbs turned over A♣ 6♣ to Kisacikoglu’s 9♦ 9â™  .

The 2♥ 7â™  2â™  J♦ K♥ board didn’t bring any help for Hobbs and he was out of the tournament while Kisacikoglu chipped up to about 250,000. –AV

Kevin Hobbs

6:30pm: Chips flying!
Level 11 – Blinds 5,000/10,000 (ante 1,000)

The action is fast and furious right now. Here’s some highlights of a ten-minute period:

* Jeff Gross busted to Sam Greenwood. His Aâ™  4♥ couldn’t catch up on a 3♣ 5♥ Kâ™  5â™  7â™  board to beat Greenwood’s pocket tens.
* Kevin Hobbs managed to triple up his 25,000 stack when his pocket nines held versus Bill Perkins’ A♥ J♦ and Orpen Kisacikoglu’s Kâ™  ]8♦ . The board ran 5â™  10â™  7♦ 3♣ 8♥ .
* Igor Kurganov busted to Jean-Noel Thorel. The latter check-raised the former all-in on a 10♥ 2♦ 6â™  flop. Kurganov called but his A♥ K♥ was behind to Thorel’s 7♣ 6♣ and fell further behind as the board ran out 7♦ 8♥ .
* Perkins was left short after the above encounter but found a double up. He moved all-in for 16,000 with K♦ 10â™  and was called by Erik Seidel who held K♥ 9♥ . The board ran 6♦ 10♦ 7♣ Q♦ 5♦ to make Perkins top pair. –MC

Jeff Gross

6:20pm: Prize pool
Level 11 – Blinds 5,000/10,000 (ante 1,000)

Aside from our final two tables, we also have our prize pool. A total of 46 entries created a total prize pool of $2,263,200 and only six players will cash. Here’s what they’ll get:

Position Prize
1 $769,500
2 $531,860
3 $339,480
4 $260,260
5 $203,680
6 $158,420

–AV

6:10pm: Table draw
Level 10 – Blinds 3,000/6,000 (ante 1,000)

Here’s how the last two tables stack up:

    Table 1

Seat 1: Scott Seiver – 475,000
Seat 2: Adrian Mateos – 640,000
Seat 3: Benjamin Pollak – 520,000
Seat 4: Igor Kurganov – 610,000
Seat 5: Nick Petrangelo – 185,000
Seat 6: Byron Kaverman – 610,000
Seat 7: Chris Hunichen – 90,000
Seat 8: Jean-Noel Thorel – 310,000

    Table 2

Seat 1: Sam Greenwood – 172,000
Seat 2: Orpen Kisacikoglu – 58,000
Seat 3: Kevin Hobbs – 81,000
Seat 4: Bill Perkins – 65,000
Seat 5: Steve O’Dwyer – 375,000
Seat 6: Erik Seidel – 500,000
Seat 7: Jeff Gross – 110,000
Seat 8: Stefan Schillhabel – 175,000

–AV

6pm: Down to two tables
Level 10 – Blinds 3,000/6,000 (ante 1,000)

Timothy Adams busted to Scott Seiver meaning the tournament will be fully redrawn to onto two tables.

We miseed the action between Seiver and Adams but it was a race, pocket sevens versus ace-nine. The board ran king high, improving neither player and it was Adams that needed to hit. Seiver will take 450,000 chips to his new seating assignment.

We’ll post the redraw once we have it. –MC

5:50pm: Hartless
Level 10 – Blinds 4,000/8,000 (ante 1,000)

Kevin Hart didn’t survive long after doubling up Daniel Dvoress.

His final hand started when Adrian Mateos opened to 17,000 from middle position. Hart responded by moving all-in for 146,000 from the hijack. Action folded back around to Mateos and he quickly called.

Mateos turned over 7♥ 7â™  and Hart was flipping with Qâ™  J♣ . Hart was hoping for a queen or a jack, but the 7♦ [aj]9♦ 3♦ 3â™  board brought Mateos a full house instead. Hart hit the rail while Mateos chipped up to about 530,000. –AV

The $50K High Roller is now Hart-less

5:40pm: Badziakouski busts for a second time
Level 9 – Blinds 3,000/6,000 (ante 1,000)

It was a case of bad timing that cost Mikita Badziakouski. He found a great spot to get his chips in but ran into a monster.

Benjamin Pollak opened from the button and snapped Badziakouski off when he moved all-in for 105,000 from the next seat.

Badziakouski: A♣ 8♠
Pollak: A♥ A♠

The board ran 4â™  3♦ 9♦ 9â™  7♣ and Pollak’s stack swelled to 375,000. –MC

5:35pm: Hart doubles his nemesis
Level 9 – Blinds 3,000/6,000 (ante 1,000)

Kevin Hart’s good Level 9 had taken a backward step thanks to his nemesis Daniel Dvoress.

The latter moved all-in for 86,000 and Hart made the call from the small blind.

Hart: K♣ K♠
Dvoress: A♠ 3♣

The board ran A♦ Qâ™  8♥ 9♥ 2♣ to hit the Canadian’s three-outer. Hart dropped to 225,000.

Before the cards were re-shuffled, Nick Petrangelo pointed to Dvoress’ hand and said to Hart, “I’m not sure how aware of poker hands you are, but this is a piece of dog shit!” The whole table erupted in laughter. –MC

5:20pm: Double and a bust for Hart
Level 9 – Blinds 3,000/6,000 (ante 1,000)

Kevin Hart scored double up and then knocked out a player in back-to-back hands. The first was against Sam Greenwood. Greenwood and Hart were faced with a 7♦ 3â™  7♣ flop and Hart bet 25,000 from the cutoff. Greenwood threw in a pile of chips bigger than Hart’s stack and Hart called all-in for 55,000. Greenwood turned over 10â™  3♥ for a pair of threes and Hart turned over 6♦ 6♥ for sixes. The turn brought a 6♣ and Hart hit a full house. The river was an inconsequential J♥ and Hart doubled up.

Hart raised to 14,000 from the hijack the following hand and Jason Koon called from the button. Dan Shak called from the big blind and all three players went to the 6♦ 8♦ J♣ flop. Hart bet 33,000 and then Shak moved all-in. Koon folded, Hart called and we had another showdown. Shak showed 9♥ 8♠ for a pair of eights while Hart turned over Q♦ 10♦ for a flush and straight draw.

A 3♦ came on the turn to give Hart the flush and a 4♣ completed the board. Shak hit the rail while Hart chipped up to about 240,000.

Chips are the secret for a happy Hart

5:10pm: The gates are closed
Level 9 – Blinds 3,000/6,000 (ante 1,000)

Level 9 is underway and that means that late registration is closed. The total number of entries for this event is 46 and only 24 players remain. A few of the last-minute entries include Mikita Badziakouski and Team PokerStars Pro Igor Kurganov.

We should have prize pool details soon. –AV

5pm: Full counts

Here are the counts for the remaining 20 players. We’ll bring you news of any new entries once Level 9 kicks off. –MC

Name Country Chips
Orpen Kisacikoglu Turkey 415,000
Kevin Hobbs Canada 365,000
Adrian Mateos Spain 361,000
Sam Greenwood Canada 325,000
Benjamin Pollak France 303,000
Jean-Noel Thorel France 290,000
Erik Seidel USA 285,000
Steve O’Dwyer Ireland 249,000
Bill Perkins USA 207,000
Koray Aldemir Germany 180,000
Scott Seiver USA 171,000
Byron Kaverman USA 171,000
Nick Petrangelo USA 146,000
Jason Koon USA 144,000
Daniel Dvoress Canada 116,500
Chris Hunichen USA 106,000
David Peters USA 80,000
Kevin Hart USA 80,000
Jeff Gross USA 57,000
Mustapha Kanit Italy 53,000

4:40pm: Break time
Level 8 – Blinds 2,500/5,000 (ante 500)

The players are on a 20-minute break. Registration will close at the beginning of the next level.

4:35pm: Greenwood doubles through Mateos
Level 8 – Blinds 2,500/5,000 (ante 500)

Nearing the end of the entry period is a very nice time to find aces. Sam Greenwood found them and used them to get a full double up via Adrian Mateos.

He opened to 11,000 from the hijack and Mateos defended his big blind. The flop spread J♦ 7♣ K♦ and Greenwood’s 7,000 c-bet was check-raised up to 31,500. He called and called all-in for 113,000 on the 4♦ turn after Mateos shoved.

Mateos: K♣ Q♠
Greenwood: A♥ A♠

The river was the 4♣ and Mateos dropped to 370,000. –MC

4:30pm: Hobbs sacks Sontheimer
Level 8 – Blinds 2,500/5,000 (ante 500)

Steffen Sontheimer has been eliminated. Again. Sontheimer’s final move in the $50K was an all-in for about 70,000 from under the gun with 4â™  4♥ . Action folded to Kevin Hobbs on the big blind and he quickly called with Aâ™  K♥ .

Things went well for Hobbs. He hit an ace on the A♥ 10♠ 5♠ flop and picked up the nut flush draw when the 7♠ came on the turn. The 3♣ on the river left both players flushless though and Hobbs took down the pot with a pair of aces.

Sontheimer lost his second and final entry of the tournament while Hobbs chipped up to about 320,000. –AV

Steffen Sontheimer

4:20pm: Three-way all-in
Level 8 – Blinds 2,500/5,000 (ante 500)

Lawrence Greenberg, Byron Kaverman and Erik Seidel just played out a preflop, three-way all-in. Seidel came out on top and Greenberg was sent packing.

The latter was down to 38,200 when he made his move from the hijack. Kaverman called from the next seat and called again after Seidel shoved for 102,500 from the small blind.

Seidel: J♣ J♠
Greenberg: 4♠ 4♣
Kaverman: K♠ J♦

The board ran 10♣ Q♥ 2♥ 6♦ 7♣ to see the jacks hold. Kaverman was left with 165,000 and Greenberg wished everyone luck before he departed –MC

4:10pm: Kisacikoglu kicks out Badziakouski
Level 8 – Blinds 2,500/45,000 (ante 500)

There goes Mikita Badziakouski. He got in as good as you could hope for though. Orpen Kisacikoglu opened to 11,000 from under the gun with A♣ Q♥ and action folded to Badziakouski on the button. Badziakouski looked down at A♥ K♥ and it was an easy jam for 45,000.

Kisacikoglu called and things were looking good for Badziakouski until the board ran 2♥ Q♣ Aâ™  3♦ 4â™  to give Kisacikoglu two-pair. That was it for Badziakouski. –AV

Mikita Badziakouski

3:50pm: Updated counts; Pollak, Hart lead
Level 6 – Blinds 1,500/3,000 (ante 500)

We just made a quick trip around the tables in order to report a tentative “top 10” for you, chip-wise, as the tournament moves through Level 6.

Benjamin Pollak jumped out to a big stack early, and currently he enjoys the biggest stack worth more than three times the starting stack of 100,000. And Kevin Hart has chips, too, earning them in that big three-way all-in just below. –MH

Name Country Chips
Benjamin Pollak France 320,000
Kevin Hart USA 280,000
Orpen Kisacikoglu Turkey 235,000
Scott Seiver USA 230,000
Chris Hunichen USA 185,000
Rainer Kempe Germany 170,000
Koray Aldemir Germany 165,000
Steve O’Dwyer Ireland 165,000
Byron Kaverman USA 155,000
Bill Perkins USA 140,000

3:45pm: Kisacikoglu collects one from Badziakouski
Level 6 – Blinds 1,500/3,000 (ante 500)

With the board showing 7♣ 3♦ 3♠ , Orpen Kisacikoglu found himself all in and at risk against Mikita Badziakouski.

Kisacikoglu was in good shape, though, holding 10â™  10♦ versus Badziakouski’s 6♣ 6♦ . The turn was the Q♥ and river the 5♥ , and now Kisacikoglu is up around 235,000 while Badziakouski slips back to 80,000. –MH

Tens work for Orpen

3:25pm: Hart wins big three-way all-in
Level 5 – Blinds 1,200/2,400 (ante 400)

Both Kevin Hart and Christopher Kruk were just now all in and at risk in a hand versus Jason Koon. If you’ve been following the coverage closely, you’ll know that both Hart and Kruk were on their second buy-ins, meaning a knockout at this point would mean no more re-entering.

Picking up the action on the 3♦ Q♣ 7♦ flop, from the looks of things it had checked around to Koon on the button who made an innocuous-seeming bet of 10,000, and Kruk had called.

That’s when Kevin Hart jammed all in for his last 73,600. Koon called that, and Kruk called as well with the 55,000 or so he had left.

Kruk: A♥ A♠
Hart: 6♦ 4♦
Koon: A♣ Q♥

Koon had top pair of queens, but Kruk was currently best with his overpair of aces. Meanwhile Hart needed a diamond or a five to complete a draw. The 4â™  turn wasn’t enough for Hart, but the 10♦ river gave him his flush and a big pot.

Kruk is out, with plans to jump in the Main Event right away. Koon, once among the leaders today, is back down to about 70,000. And Hart is now way up around 270,000. –MH

Kevin KO’s Kruk

3:10pm: Hunichen stacks Sontheimer
Level 5 – Blinds 1,200/2,400 (ante 400)

Daniel Dvoress opened for 5,000 from the button and Chris Hunichen called from the next seat over in the small blind. Action on Steffen Sontheimer in the big, he slammed his small stack of 28,000 down exaggeratedly while saying “all in.” Dvoress stepped away, but Hunichen quickly called.

Sontheimer: A♦ 7♣
Hunichen: K♣ Q♣

The Kâ™  3♦ 4â™  flop quickly swung the edge Hunichen’s way, and after the K♥ gave “Big Huni” trips Sontheimer was drawing dead.

Sontheimer stacked

He may well be back, but meanwhile Hunichen now has about 210,000. –MH

3pm: Kempe claims Chidwick’s chips
Level 5 – Blinds 1,200/2,400 (ante 400)

Stephen Chidwick opened for 5,000 from the button, leaving himself just 35,000 back, and it folded to Rainer Kempe in the big blind who jammed all in. Chidwick called right away, soon seeing his Aâ™  8â™  was ahead of Kempe’s A♦ 5♦ .

It wasn’t long after that, though, that Chidwick saw his hand failed to hold for him, as the K♦ 3♥ 4♦ 5♥ Q♦ runout gave Kempe a pair on the turn and a flush on the river. Chidwick is out (and likely to re-enter), while Kempe is up to 135,000. –MH

Chidwick loses stack

2:50pm: Hart re-enters, and other goings and comings
Level 5 – Blinds 1,200/2,400 (ante 400)

A blitz of post-break action saw a short-stacked Kevin Hart lose his initial chips, but he’s buying back in already.

Hart’s bust came after pushing a short stack with K♦ J♣ after a 5♣ 8♣ 7â™  flop and getting called by Jean-Noel Thorel who had 9♥ 8â™  . Neither the 4♦ turn nor 5♦ river were of any use to Hart, forcing him to re-enter while Thorel bumped up to 125,000.

Meanwhile Chris Hunichen, Bill Perkins, and Team PokerStars Pro Jeff Gross have all joined the field as well. –MH

2:40pm: Play resumes
Level 5 – Blinds 1,200/2,400 (ante 400)

Cards are back in the air. Four-chip ante! –MH


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2:20pm: Let’s take a break

Four levels down, and time to take a 20-minute break. Smoke ’em if you got ’em. –MH

2:15pm: Another player Seidels in
Level 4 – Blinds 1,000/2,000 (ante 300)

You know the verb “to sidle,” don’t you? The act of walking in unobtrusively, without being noticed?

It’s a pun, I’m telling you. A pun!

Actually Erik Seidel, though unassuming and sometimes appearing reserved, can never really do anything unobtrusively when it comes to poker. Such was proven just now when he approached his table to the sound of opponents saying “There he is!”

Seidel joins just as Jean-Noel Thorel re-enters following his recent felting, bringing the total entries to 29 right before the day’s first break. –MH

$50K High Roller Day 1 action continues

2:05pm: Koon rising, Hart sinking
Level 4 – Blinds 1,000/2,000 (ante 300)

With the board showing 10♦ 8â™  7♥ 4â™  , Kevin Hart thought a while before calling a Jason Koon bet, bringing the pot up around 30,000. But after the 5♣ and another small bet of 7,000 from Koon, Hart couldn’t continue and released his hand.

Hart is down to about 50,000 now, right at half the starting stack. Koon, meanwhile, has been thriving, and has about 235,000. That’s just about the biggest stack in the tournament at the moment, with only Benjamin Pollak looking as though he has a little more. –MH

“Check this out. I was just in a hand with Kevin Hart…”

2pm: There is only one Mustapha, and there is only one Kanit
Level 4 – Blinds 1,000/2,000 (ante 300)

Musty is here! That brings the total entries to 26 with most of Level 4 left to go. A break will come after this level. –MH

1:55pm: Hobbs gets there
Level 4 – Blinds 1,000/2,000 (ante 300)

With about 42,000 in the middle and the board showing 7♥ 9♠ 5♦ 3♥ , Kevin Hobbs was all in for his last 31,400. Stefan Schillhabel was his lone opponent, and after a bit of a think he called the push.

Hobbs tabled 10♠ 8♠ for a straight draw while Schillhabel had K♣ 7♣ for a pair of sevens. The 8♣ then completed the board to give Hobbs a better pair, and he survives.

Both are back around the starting stack now — Hobbs at 105,000 and Schillhabel at 95,000. –MH

1:45pm: Kevin Hart, seriously
Level 4 – Blinds 1,000/2,000 (ante 300)

Poker is a fun game, and Kevin Hart definitely brings the fun whenever he sits down. But after taking part in a few big buy-in events, he’s not only developed a taste for competition, but has found himself studying to increase his skills as well.

Take a look as Hart plays it straight when talking about his ambitions to improve at the tables.

–MH

1:35pm: Busting and buying back in
Level 3 – Blinds 800/1,600 (ante 200)

A couple of starting stacks have been lost so far, with a couple of re-entries soon following. Both Christopher Kruk and Ben Tollerene have bought in for a second time, exercising their single re-entry option.

Meanwhile Tollerene was just now all in again on his new table, but didn’t get called.

Tollerene on the tight rope

Jean-Noel Thorel was all in as well with 10♦ 6♦ versus Steve O’Dwyer’s Aâ™  8♥ , but survived to double his short stack after a board rolled out 5â™  7♥ 3♥ 9♣ 8♣ to give JNT a straight. –MH

JNT keeps his seat

1:25pm: JNT slips, Pollak collects
Level 3 – Blinds 800/1,600 (ante 200)

A hand from the end of Level 2 to share with you.

After a Jean-Noel Thorel open both Nick Petrangelo (button) and Benjamin Pollak (big blind) called, then Pollak led for 4,500 after the Q♥ 4♦ 2♥ flop. Thorel quickly called and Petrangelo quickly folded, then Pollak checked the 8♣ turn.

Thorel took that opening to bet 5,500, but Pollak fired back with a check-raise to 25,000. Thorel called, then watched th K♥ come on the river. Pollak bet another 20,000, an amount representing most of what Thorel had left, and after awhile Thorel folded.

That battle between the two Frenchmen has pushed Pollak up around 165,000 while Thorel is now just under 25,000. –MH


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1:15pm: Big stack report
Level 2 – Blinds 600/1,200 (ante 200)

Through the first two levels of the day, Nick Petrangelo, Mikita Badziakouski, Daniel Dvoress, and Jason Koon appear to have chipped up the most in the early going. –MH

1:10pm: All-in triangle appears
Level 2 – Blinds 600/1,200 (ante 200)

They aren’t quite an hour into the tournament, and the all-in triangle has made an appearance. Lawrence Greenberg was the responsible party, having called a preflop open from Orpen Kisacikoglu (with Mikita Badziakouski calling as well), then shoving when checked to following a 3â™  A♣ Aâ™  flop.

Greenberg has about 65,000 after that one. –MH

Greenberg gets one

1pm: Hart nemesis Kaverman arrives
Level 2 – Blinds 600/1,200 (ante 200)

“No… no… no… no… NO! Dammit!!!!”

So said Kevin Hart as he watched Byron Kaverman slowly circle his table before taking a seat across from him.

“No… no… no… no… NO! Dammit!!!!”

Hart remembers Kaverman from previous super high rollers, including the Super High Roller at the PokerStars Championship Monte-Carlo last spring where Kaverman busted Hart in a dramatic preflop all-in.

Hart had 7♣ 7♥ in that hand and was at risk versus Kaverman’s A♣ 4♣ . The A♥ 3♦ A♦ flop appeared to seal it for Kaverman, but the 7â™  on the turn gave Hart life. Alas for him, the 4â™  on the river added up to a better full house for Kaverman, and Hart was done in Monte-Carlo.

We’ll see soon whether or not those two tangle here. The stacks are deep to start, but the clock is moving fast through the levels. –MH

12:55pm: Three tables’ worth to start Level 2
Level 2 – Blinds 600/1,200 (ante 200)

Kevin Hobbs and Rainer Kempe have now joined in as the day’s first level is already over and Level 2 has begun. That brings the total entries to 23 so far, with late registration open through the start of Level 9. –MH

12:45pm: Seiver, O’Dwyer arrive
Level 1 – Blinds 500/1,000 (ante 100)

A couple more players who have won high rollers before have joined the field as the first half-hour level of the day comes to a close.

Scott Seiver, who has won multiple high roller events before as well as the $100K Super High Roller here at the PCA in 2013, has joined the field.

So, too, has Steve O’Dwyer, who has won high rollers and super high rollers in Macau, Panama, Melbourne, Prague, Malta, Monte Carlo, Famagusta, and right here in Nassau. Indeed, O’Dwyer has two such titles from PCAs past for winning the $100K Super High Roller in 2015 and the $50K High Roller in 2016. –MH

Hello, Steve-O

12:40pm: Full house for Chidwick
Level 1 – Blinds 500/1,000 (ante 100)

With the board showing 5♠ A♣ 5♥ A♦ and about 18,000 in the middle, both Stephen Chidwick and Lawrence Greenberg checked and the 10♥ came to complete the board.

Chidwick tossed out a single yellow chip for an oversized bet of 25,000, an action that sent Lawrence Greenberg into the tank long enough to force him to spend a time bank card.

Finally Greenberg called, then he mucked after Chidwick turned over Aâ™  10â™  for a full house, aces full of tens.

Chidwick had lost chips earlier, and so with that one bumps back up to 90,000. Meanwhile Greenberg slips to 65,000. –MH

12:35pm: More names
Level 1 – Blinds 500/1,000 (ante 100)

This event is drawing quite the line-up, with top pros filling every seat.

Some more names to add to those mentioned below, all of whom have notched considerable tournament success before (including in many instances in high rollers): Daniel Dvoress, Steffen Sontheimer, Stefan Schillhabel, Jason Koon, Timothy Adams, Koray Aldemir, and 2017 WSOP Main Event third-place finisher Benjamin Pollak. –MH

12:30pm: This tournament has Hart
Level 1 – Blinds 500/1,000 (ante 100)

Kevin Hart, that is.

Fresh off of making the final two tables of the $100K Super High Roller, the comedian-actor has arrived to take his seat in another high roller here at the PCA. –MH

Let’s get this party Hart-ed

12:25pm: Early arrivers
Level 1 – Blinds 500/1,000 (ante 100)

Tables for the $50K event are situated at the front of the Imperial Ballroom, which has created some humorous moments early on as players looking for the Main Event (in the back part of the room) look around for their seats, see the high rollers in action and raise their eyebrows, then with some relief recognize that their tournament is elsewhere.

There are just a couple of short-handed tables to start play here in Level 1.

Right now Stephen Chidwick, Jean-Noel Thorel, Nick Petrangelo, Orpen Kisacikoglu, and Lawrence Greenberg are battling at one table.

Meanwhile Adrian Mateos, Ben Tollerene, and Christopher Kruk are playing three-handed at another, with Mikita Badziakouski just now walking over as well. –MH

12:15pm: Shuffle up and deal
Level 1 – Blinds 500/1,000 (ante 100)

Let’s play some cards! With players continuing to arrive, the first hands of the $50K High Roller are at last being dealt. Starting stacks are 100,000 — that’s 100 big blinds to begin. –MH

12:10pm: Almost there

They’ve not quite gotten underway, as a few more players are getting registered and ready to go in this $50K event. Cards in the air soon! –MH


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11:15am: $50K High Roller kicks off at noon

The high rolling continues today in the Imperial Ballroom at the Atlantis with a $50,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em High Roller Single Re-Entry.

This is a new entry on the PCA menu, and like other big buy-in events will surely attract many of tournament poker’s best and brightest. Like the $100,000 Super High Roller — the finale of which plays out today as well — this event will feature the 30-second “shot clock.” The structure will keep things moving at a brisk pace as well, with 30-minute levels.

This first of two scheduled days of play will see players move through 16 half-hour levels, with an 80-minute dinner break scheduled after Level 12. Late registration (along with the chance to re-enter) will be available through the start of Level 9.

Stick with the PokerStars Blog for updates all day and night from this one, carrying us up to cards-up live streaming coverage of tomorrow’s final day. –MH

More poker today from Paradise Island

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PokerStars Blog reporting team on the $50,000 High Roller Single Re-Entry: Martin Harris, Alex Villegas, and Marc Convey. Photography by Tomas Stacha and Joe Giron/PokerPhotoArchive.com.

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