Event 23: $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em SuperStack $250,000 Guarantee 

Event: $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em SuperStack (Day 1A)
Level 4 (100/200/25)
Guarantee: $250,000
Day 1A Entries: 134

As more players arrive into Las Vegas to kick off their summer, one of their first stops is at the Venetian for some DSEIII action. The $1,100 price point for today’s event has brought out a few players who are well-versed in success in events of all types.

Aaron Mermelstein adds more accomplishments to his growing career resume with each ensuing tournament stop. Mermelstein is most well known for his two World Poker Tour victories but he also has cashes on a variety of different tours spanning across the country. For all of his tournament accomplishments, Mermelstein has never cashed in an event at the Venetian and today’s Day 1A is the first step in him changing that this summer. 

Speaking of well-traveled, Ari Engel puts more miles on his odometer than literally any other American player. Just this year alone, Engel has payout receipts from Australia, California, Canada, Florida, and Panama, among many others. Engel is in the midst of one of the best years of his career that has spanned over the better part of a full decade and is ready to put in a packed summer schedule. There are few players who find better value in events than Engel and he will certainly be at the Venetian over the course of the summer to take advantage of the DSEIII series. 

Event 22: $400 No-Limit Hold’em SuperStack $60,000 Guarantee 

Sunday’s $60,000 guaranteed event drew a field of 290 entries, leading to a prize pool of almost $100,000. When the dust settled, the final few players agreed to a deal and Paul Balzano walked away with the victory and the DSE III trophy. Balzano cashed in Event 18 earlier on Sunday and then hopped in Event 22. Balzano earns $17,899 for his victory. 

Event 23: $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em SuperStack $250,000 Guarantee 

Event 23: $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em SuperStack $250,000 Guarantee Day 1A begins at 12 p.m. May 29.

Players begin with 20,000 in tournament chips and play 40-minute levels. The registration and re-entry period is open through the first nine levels and the dinner break, ending at approximately 6:50 p.m.

Event 23 is a two-day tournament with two starting days:

• Day 1A – 12 p.m. May 29
• Day 1B – 12 p.m. May 30
• Day 2 – 11 a.m. May 31

To view the complete structure, click here.

Event 22: $300 No-Limit Hold’em Bounty $20,000 Guarantee 

Event: $300 No-Limit Hold’em Bounty
Guarantee: $20,000
Entries: 141
Total Prize Pool: $35,250
Bounties: $14,100
Places Paid: 15
1st Place: $5,918

Event 18: $600 No-Limit Hold’em $200,000 Guarantee 

Level 28
Blinds: 30,000-60,000 w/10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 1

DeepStack Extravaganza Event 18 Champion –
Marcelo Drumm

Poker tournaments can swing on a dime and being on the right side of those swings late at a final table can make all the difference between finishing first or busting before victory can be attained. Marcelo Drumm peaked at the perfect time in Event 18 and it served him tremendously well as he earns first place and $45,000.

Drumm picked up a huge pot with eight players remaining when he picked off a Will Givens bluff with pocket aces to chip up to his peak at that stage of the event. From there, Drumm continued to accumulate chips and won seemingly every major pot as the final table dwindled down.

Once players were four-handed, Drumm opted to take a deal that gave him $45,000 and the DeepStack Extravaganza III trophy. Drumm and the “No Fear” poker team were well represented this week and Drumm should make his way back to the Venetian for another tournament this summer.

Final Table Results

Event 18: $600 No-Limit Hold’em $200,000 Guarantee 

Level 28
Blinds: 30,000-60,000 w/10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4

Event 18 Winners (from left) – Jason Thalas, Jon Dupee, Marcelo Drumm, Patrick Beirne

It didn’t take long once Level 28 started for players to come to an agreement on how best to split up the remaining prize pool. All four decided to chop the tournament more or less based on their respective chip stacks. Chip leader Marcelo Drumm earns $45,000 and the trophy, about $5,000 below the initially set first place prize. Start of Day 2 chip leader Jason Thalas takes second place and $31,000. Patrick Beirne and Jon Dupee were effectively dead even in chips and both will earn a few dollars over the third place denomination for their efforts. A winner’s recap will be posted shortly. The adjusted payouts are below.

1. Marcelo Drumm – $45,000
2. Jason Thalas – $31,000
3. Jon Dupee – $22,264
4. Patrick Beirne – $22,263

Event 18: $600 No-Limit Hold’em $200,000 Guarantee 

Level 28
Blinds: 30,000-60,000 w/10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4

The four remaining players are on a short break and will return shortly to new blinds. Marcelo Drumm is the chip leader by a wide margin with 4,800,000 and is in a great position to make to at least heads up play. Both Patrick Beirne and Jon Dupee are under 20 big blinds with identical stacks and have to tread carefully with almost $6,000 between fourth and third place. A look at the updated chip counts and remaining payouts are below.

1. Marcelo Drumm – 4,800,000
2. Jason Thalas – 2,065,000
3. Jon Dupee – 1,110,000
4. Patrick Beirne – 1,075,000

1. $50,215
2. $31,047
3. $22,600
4. $16,665

Event 18: $600 No-Limit Hold’em $200,000 Guarantee 

Level 27
Blinds: 25,000-50,000 w/5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4

Keanu Tabali

Marcelo Drumm’s run at the Event 18 title is at new heights as he holds half of the chips in play thanks to his elimination of Keanu Tabali. Tabali peak at about 1,000,000 at the final table but could never collect past that point.

Drumm moved all-in from the small blind and Tabali called for 350,000 in the big blind with A♥5♣. Drumm was live wit K♥7♣ and spiked a king on the K♠10♣3♦ flop. The rest of the board failed to help Tabali, locking up his elimination.

Drumm is playing 4,300,000 and gaining more chips by the moment.