Event 23: $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em SuperStack $250,000 Guarantee
Level 29
Blinds: 40,000/80,000 w/ 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3
Keith Morrow
From the small blind, Brian Altman moved all-in for about 4,800,000. Keith Morrow snap-called from the big blind for his last 1,330,000.
Morrow showed J♥J♣ and Altman tabled 6♠6♣.
Morrow found a double when the board ran out 10♣4♣2♣3♥3♣.
Level 28
Blinds: 40,000-80,000 w/10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3
Clayton Jiang
Clayton Jiang played around 20 big blinds for almost the entirety of the Event 23 final table but he is now on the rail thanks to Brian Altman, who is back in control of the chip lead.
Jiang shoved for 730,000 in the small blind and Altman called to put Jiang at risk. Jiang’s K♠Q♦ was flipping with Altman’s 5♥5♠. The K♣10♥2♦ flop put Jiang in the lead and the Q♥ turn had him one card from doubling up. Altman’s recent downswing took a turn for the better on the 5♦ river as he hit a set to bust Jiang.
Altman is back in the lead with 4,400,000 as three-handed play gets ready to begin.
Level 28
Blinds: 40,000-80,000 w/10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4
Rick Alvarado notched back-to-back doubles through Brian Altman to take the chip lead.
Rick Alvarado waited until the last possible moment to double up through Brian Altman a few minutes ago and found some new life on the river once again to stay alive.
Altman opened to 160,000 under the gun and Alvarado jammed for 1,930,000 in the big blind. Altman thought it over and called with 8♣8♦ to put the K♣Q♦ of Alvarado at risk.
The 6♦3♣2♠ flop didn’t inspire much confidence for Alvarado but the 9♣ turn gave him a flush draw to go along with his two overs. AS fate would have it, the K♦ binked the river for Alvarado to double him up to 3,900,000. Altman is just under that now with 3,640,000 as Alvarado takes the chip lead.
Event 23: $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em SuperStack $250,000 Guarantee
Level 29
Blinds: 40,000/80,000 w/ 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4
Rick Alvarado
Down to his last 900,000, Rick Alvarado moved all-in from the button. Clayton Jiang folded his small blind and Brian Altman called from the big blind.
Alvarado tabled Q♠10♦ and Altman showed A♣7♠. Alvarado faced elimination after a flop of K♦7♦3♠ and needed help when the 3♦ fell on the turn. But the 10♣ on the river secured a double-up instead of an exit.
Brian Altman – 5,560,000
Rick Alvarado – 1,820,000
Level 28
Blinds: 30,000-60,000 w/10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4
Barry Hutter
Things continue to go the way of Brian Altman and he is now three players away from claiming the Event 23 title. Barry Hutter’s run is at an end as the former chip leader never fully recovered from the hit he took against Keith Morrow.
Altman raised to 135,000 in the cutoff and Hutter three-bet to 250,000 on the button. The blinds folded and Altman moved all-in with Hutter calling for about 500,000 total.
Hutter had a chance to chop or win with A♥6♥ against the A♠8♥ of Altman but the 10♠8♦8♠ flop put Altman firmly ahead. The hand was locked up when the 4♦ hit the turn and Hutter headed to the payout desk.
Altman’s climb is at a new peak as he is playing 5,785,000. Four handed chip counts are below.
Level 28
Blinds: 30,000-60,000 w/10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5
Josh Evans
Josh Evans got knocked down by Brian Altman at the start of Level 28 and Altman finished what he started shortly after taking most of Evans’s stack.
Evans moved all-in for 575,000 from under the gun and Altman called on the button. The A♠5♣ of Evans trailed the 9♥9♠ of Altman and the 8♠2♣2♦8♣3♥ board secured the elimination.
Altman is playing 5,100,000 and holds just over half of the chips in play. Evans earns over $20,000 for his finish and Barry Hutter is in immediate danger of being the next player busted.
Level 28
Blinds: 30,000-60,000 w/10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6
Brian Altman
The rise of Brian Altman continues and his chip lead looms even larger over the Event 23 final table as he holds almost half of the chips in play after getting three streets from Josh Evans.
Altman opened to 130,000 in the cutoff and Evans called out of the big blind. Evans checked the 8♥3♦3♥ flop and Altman bet 115,000. Evans called and the 6♦ came on the turn. Evans check-called for 250,000 more and the 3♠ completed the board. Evans checked and Altman bet 585,000.
The bet represented roughly half of Evans’s stack and he tanked for a solid minute and a half over what had turned into a large pot. He eventually called and Altman showed 8♦4♦. Evans mucked and is now playing 625,000 which is just ahead of the 500,000 held by Barry Hutter with a $6,400 difference between fifth and sixth place.
Altman is playing 4,460,000 and nearing the point of having half of the chips in play.
Level 28
Blinds: 30,000-60,000 w/10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6
Brian Altman started Day 2 at the bottom of the leaderboard but is now first in chips with six players left in Event 23.
Another three levels are down and the remaining six players are on a short break. Brian Altman has increased his chip lead since eliminating Ben Ector and is now playing 3,030,000. There is still a long way to go before Altman can put this tournament on ice with a table full of talented players surrounding him. Former chip leader Barry Hutter is the short stack with 850,000 and playing just over 12 big blinds. A look at the chip counts and remaining payouts is below.
Event 23: $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em SuperStack $250,000 Guarantee
Level 27
Blinds: 25,000/50,000 w/ 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6
Brian Altman raised to 110,000 from under the gun and action folded all the way around to Clayton Jiang in the big blind. Jiang called and the dealer fanned 5♣3♥2♠.
Jiang check-called Altman’s bet of 85,000 to see the 8♣ on the turn. Jiang check-called again, this time after Altman bet 245,000. The river was the J♠ and both players checked.
Jiang tabled 8♥7♥ and Altman took the pot with 9♠8♠.
Level 27
Blinds: 25,000-50,000 w/5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6
Ben Ector
Things continue to ebb and flow for Brian Altman and he is now in control of 25 percent of the total chips in play at the final table. Altman got the better of Ben Ector to send Ector to the rail and catapult himself into the chip lead.
Ector opened for 100,000 under the gun and Altman three-bet to 255,000 on the button. Ector four-bet all-in for 975,000 total and Altman snap-called with K♥K♠, putting most of his chips at risk. Ector flung his A♦Q♣ onto the felt and needed to come from behind to double.
The 10♥6♦3♦ flop wasn’t what Ector was looking for and neither was the 9♠ turn. Needing an ace to survive, the J♥ would be the final river for Ector in Event 23.
Altman is now playing 2,540,000 with the blinds soon to increase once again.