2011 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure

Main Event
Day: 6
Event Info

2011 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a8
Prize
$2,300,000
Event Info
Buy-in
$10,000
Prize Pool
$15,132,000
Entries
1,560
Level Info
Level
34
Blinds
150,000 / 300,000
Ante
25,000

Oliver Folds Top Pair

Level 30 : 60,000/120,000, 15,000 ante

Chris Oliver opened to 255,000 with {k-Hearts}{8-Spades} from early position and the action folded to Galen Hall who called with {8-Diamonds}{7-Hearts} from the big blind.

The flop fell {2-Spades}{5-Spades}{k-Clubs} and both players checked.

The {6-Diamonds} on the turn gave Hall an open ended straight draw and he checked to Oliver who bet 195,000. Hall then re-raised and Oliver surprisingly folded top pair immediately.

Tags: Chris OliverGalen Hall

Full House for Hall

Level 30 : 60,000/120,000, 15,000 ante

From under the gun, Galen Hall raised to 270,000 with the {5-Spades}{5-Clubs}. Mike Sowers called from the next seat with the {K-Diamonds}{J-Diamonds}. Action folded to Bolivar Palacios on the button and he paused for a bit. His holecards were not shown and he eventually mucked his hand. Anton Ionel called in the big blind with the {A-Hearts}{Q-Diamonds}.

The flop came down {6-Clubs}{2-Spades}{2-Clubs} and Hall stayed in the lead with his fives. Ionel checked his ace high and Hall checked his two pair. Sowers fired 525,000 with the worst hand and Ionel folded. He was able to get one better hand to fold, but not Hall. He made the call.

The turn brought the {A-Spades} and both players checked to see the {2-Diamonds} trip up the board on the river. Hall thought for a bit and then checked. Sowers checked behind. Hall won the pot with deuces full of fives and moved to eight million in chips. Sowers dropped to 7.8 million.

Tags: Galen HallMike SowersAnton Ionel

Oliver Picks Off Stein

Level 30 : 60,000/120,000, 15,000 ante

Chris Oliver opened to 255,000 with an unknown hand on the button and Sam Stein called with {8-Hearts}{6-Spades} from the big blind.

Both players checked the {10-Diamonds}{3-Spades}{k-Hearts} flop and after the {3-Clubs} turned Stein led for 340,000. Oliver called.

The river was the {j-Diamonds}, Stein led for 580,000 and Oliver went into the tank. He finally called and Stein showed the bluff. Oliver opened {q-Hearts}{j-Clubs} for a winning pair of jacks and raked in the pot.

Oliver is up to 19.33 million while Stein dropped to 5.275 million.

Tags: Chris OliverSam Stein

Ionel with a Funky Double

Level 30 : 60,000/120,000, 15,000 ante

Anton Ionel limped in with the {7-Hearts}{7-Spades} on the short stack and Galen Hall limped behind on the button with the {8-Spades}{6-Clubs}. Mike Sowers was in the small blind with the {A-Spades}{K-Clubs} and raised to 450,000. Ionel flat-called, which Daniel Negreanu thought was a big mistake on the broadcast. Hall folded.

The flop came down {5-Spades}{3-Diamonds}{3-Spades} and Sowers moved all in to put Ionel at risk. Ionel called with his sevens and was ahead.

He was able to dodge Sowers' outs as the board ran out with the {Q-Hearts} and {Q-Spades} and is back to about 4.4 million.

Tags: Galen HallMike SowersAnton Ionel

Stein Takes Another from Oliver

Level 30 : 60,000/120,000, 15,000 ante

Oliver opened to 255,000 from early position with {a-Hearts}{9-Clubs} and Stein called with {j-Spades}{10-Spades} from middle position.

The flop fell {6-Clubs}{9-Diamonds}{5-Clubs} and both players checked.

The turn was the {10-Clubs} and Oliver checked to Stein who bet 365,000. Oliver called.

The {8-Spades} rivered and Oliver checked again. Stein checked behind rather than value-betting and was awarded the pot.

Tags: Chris OliverSam Stein

Top Pair Versus Bottom Set

Level 30 : 60,000/120,000, 15,000 ante

From under the gun, Mike Sowers raised to 260,000 with the {2-Spades}{2-Diamonds}. Sam Stein got aggressive from the button with a reraised to 680,000 holding the {Q-Hearts}{J-Clubs}. Sowers made the call after a minute of thought.

The flop came down as a big one, {Q-Spades}{5-Hearts}{2-Hearts}. Sowers flopped bottom set to Stein's top pair. Here in the media room, "Ooooohs!" and "Aaahhhhhs!" were had. Sowers checked his set to Stein, who fired 415,000. Sowers put in a check-raise to 1.375 million and Stein made the call.

The turn card was the {A-Clubs} and it was a card that could help Stein to get away from the hand. Sowers fired 1.7 million and Stein correctly mucked his hand, giving this one up.

Tags: Sam SteinMike Sowers

Max Weinberg Eliminated in 7th Place ($300,000)

Level 30 : 60,000/120,000, 15,000 ante
Max Weinberg - 7th Place
Max Weinberg - 7th Place

Galen Hall opened to 240,000 with {j-Diamonds}{10-Clubs} from the cutoff and Max Weinberg moved all in for 900,000 with {a-Clubs}{8-Spades} from the big blind. Hall called.
Flop: {9-Clubs}{10-Diamonds}{k-Diamonds}

Hall flopped very well, vaulting into the lead with a pair tens and a backdoor flush draw. Weinberg needed an ace or running straight cards to win the hand.

Turn: {q-Clubs}

Hall now had a straight, but any jack would give Weinberg broadway and the winning hand.

River: {k-Clubs}

The river was paint, but a king didn't do it and Weinberg was eliminated in 7th place taking home $300,000. Hall is now back to 7 million chips.

Tags: Galen HallMax Weinberg

Weinberg Crippled in Crazy Hand

Level 30 : 60,000/120,000, 15,000 ante

From under the gun, Chris Oliver stayed with his foot on the gas, raising to 250,000 with the {A-Hearts}{2-Clubs}. Sam Stein flatted in position again against Oliver with the {8-Hearts}{7-Hearts}. Galen Hall was on the button and went for the reraise to take down the pot with the {K-Hearts}{2-Spades}. He made it 735,000 to go, picking up on the play of the other two.

Mike Sowers was in the small blind and picked up on everything that was going on. He took his entire stack holding the {A-Spades}{J-Clubs} and shipped it into the middle, moving all in for 3.4 million. Max Weinberg shipped it in from the big blind after waking up to the {Q-Diamonds}{Q-Hearts}. Everyone else folded and Sowers and Weinberg were left heads up.

The flop came down {7-Spades}{6-Spades}{2-Hearts} and kept Weinberg's queens in front. The turn brought the {5-Spades} and gave Sowers a flush draw to go with his one overcard. The river completed the board with the {J-Spades} and Sowers nailed the spade he needed. He won a massive pot while Weinberg was crushed.

What the common fan may not know is that everything in this hand was quite amazing from a poker-thinking standpoint. First, Hall picked up on the things Oliver and Stein were doing. Then, Sowers correctly read the situation in front of him from the small blind, but just happened to run into the queens for Weinberg in the big blind. This is some amazing poker being played by all of these young players.

Tags: Chris OliverGalen HallMax WeinbergMike SowersSam Stein