Event 64: $1,100 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-or-Better 8-Max $75,000 Guarantee 

Level 28
Blinds: 40,000/80,000
Total Entrants: 184
Players Remaining: 1

DeepStack Extravaganza Event 64 Champion –
Rob Cowen

The one-day PLO8 event offered at The Venetian put great value in play for anyone looking to get some mixed game action in for a single day. In total, 184 entrants bought in and combined to smash the $75,000 guarantee. Rob Cowen was the leader of the final table when play started and finished the night where he started it.

Cowen grinded through the early stages of play and at one point, was the short stack with six left. He managed to make it through that and took the chip lead with four players remaining. Trevor Reader started heads up play with the chip lead but Cowen quickly gained control and eventually put Reader in a hole he could not climb out of.

This win marks Cowen’s second DSE III title in two years after taking down the $1,100 NLHE/PLO event last summer. Only time will tell when Cowen’s next tournament at The Venetian will be, but once he enters, he is certainly a player to keep an eye on.

Final Table Results

Event 64: $1,100 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-or-Better 8-Max $75,000 Guarantee 

Level 28
Blinds: 40,000/80,000
Total Entrants: 184
Players Remaining: 1

Trevor Reader

The heads up battle between Rob Cowen and Trevor Reader was a true match of wills as neither player gave an inch. Cowen gained the lead against Reader early in their match but Reader refused to give up. Eventually, though, Cowen was able to win the right pots when necessary to defeat his worthy opponent.

Reader limped the button and Cowen checked to the K♥10♥4♦ flop. Cowen checked and Reader bet 80,000. Cowen called and they both checked the Q♠ turn. Cowen bet 285,000 on the 4♠ river and upon Reader calling showed K♠4♣3♦2♠ for a full house. Reader flashed 10♣4♦ and was left with 385,000.

Those chips went into the middle a few hands later with Reader holding K♣K♠Q♣4♦ against Cowen’s A♣10♠5♥4♠. The Q♦9♦3♥ flop gave Cowen backdoor outs and he improved to a full draw on the 4♥ turn. With his loyal rail cheering for a deuce, they got one on the 2♦ river.

Cowen scooped the pot and the title while Reader earns $29,403 for his single-day performance. A winner’s recap will be posted shortly.

Event 64: $1,100 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-or-Better 8-Max $75,000 Guarantee 

Level 27
Blinds: 30,000/60,000
Total Entrants: 184
Players Remaining: 2

After the fast action to start heads up play, Level 27 has slowed the overall pace. Rob Cowen and Trevor Reader have traded small pots and Cowen maintains a small edge. The blinds will soon be up, leaving only 25 big blinds in play and the match should reach a breaking point during that time, if not in the waning minutes of the current level.

Event 64: $1,100 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-or-Better 8-Max $75,000 Guarantee 

Level 26
Blinds: 25,000/50,000
Total Entrants: 184
Players Remaining: 2

Only 40 big blinds are in play in heads up with Rob Cowen and Trevor Reader playing for the title. Reader started heads up play with the lead, but Cowen has used aggressive play to take the lead.

In one hand, Reader opened to 95,000 on the button and Cowen called in the big blind. The Q♠7♠6♠ flop checked through and Cowen led for 145,000 on the 10♥ turn. Reader released and Cowen took the pot.

Additionally, twice Reader has opened the button to 100,000 and then folded to a Cowen three-bet to 300,000.

As things currently stand, Cowen is playing 1,205,000 to the 900,000 of Reader but that could change with one pot.

Event 64: $1,100 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-or-Better 8-Max $75,000 Guarantee 

Level 26
Blinds: 25,000/50,000
Total Entrants: 184
Players Remaining: 2

Jake Tilley

Jake Tilley was the short-stack for all of three-handed play as Trevor Reader dominated that portion of the tournament. Tilley ended up being done in by Rob Cowen and Reader, who took the remainder of his stack.

Cowen raised to 140,000 in the small blind and Tilley called in the big blind. Cowen bet the pot on the 10♣5♣5♦ flop, effectively putting Tilley all-in. Tilley deliberated for a moment but folded, leaving himself with not much behind.

The next hand, Tilley raised to 140,000 in the small blind and Reader put him all-in. Tilley called with A♠J♥10♠6♠ and asked for big cards against Reader’s A♦6♦3♠2♥.

The K♦5♣3♥6♥4♣ gave Reader a straight-six to scoop the pot and eliminated Tilley.

He starts heads up play with 1,480,000 to Cowen’s 725,000.

Event 64: $1,100 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-or-Better 8-Max $75,000 Guarantee 

Level 25
Blinds: 20,000/40,000
Total Entrants: 184
Players Remaining: 3

Trevor Reader

Trevor Reader now holds half of the chips in play after making Rob Cowen fold twice to pot-size bets on the river and was rewarded for his aggression with the chip lead.

In the first hand, Reader raised to 90,000 on the button and Cowen called from the small blind. Both players checked the Q♦7♦4♥ flop and Cowen checked the 6♣ turn. Reader bet 110,000 and Cowen called, after some thought. The river brought the 4♣ and Cowen checked again. Reader bet the pot of 440,000 and after some muttering to himself, Cowen folded.

A few hands later, Reader limped the small blind and Cowen raised to 90,000. Reader called and then checked the 7♦5♥2♦ flop. Cowen bet 45,000 and Reader called. The two players checked the 6♣ turn.

Reader bet 270,000 on the Q♣ river and Cowen tanked for two minutes before folding.

With the blinds soon to go up, Reader leads with 1,250,000 and Cowen is down to 590,000.

Event 64: $1,100 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-or-Better 8-Max $75,000 Guarantee 

Level 25
Blinds: 20,000/40,000
Total Entrants: 184
Players Remaining: 3

Julien Martini

Julien Martini found a way to get all of his chips in and chop twice at the start of Level 25 but his split-pot magic was vanquished by Trevor Reader.

Martini got his last 160,000 in the middle with A♣K♥Q♦5♠ against the A♥8♣4♣3♥ of Reader. The J♥10♣7♣4♦10♦ board gave Reader a pair and that was enough to send Martini out.

Reader is playing 900,000, putting him right behind Rob Cowen (950,000) for the chip lead. Jake Tilley is the short stack with 420,000.

Event 64: $1,100 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-or-Better 8-Max $75,000 Guarantee 

Level 24
Blinds: 15,000/30,000
Total Entrants: 184
Players Remaining: 4

Julien Martini gained most of his lost chips back but is now short once against after losing quite a few to Rob Cowen, who is now the chip leader.

With about 120,000 in front of each player and the board reading Q♣9♠6♥10♥4♦, Martini checked from the small blind and Cowen bet the pot. Martini called and Cowen showed A♥J♣8♣3♥ for a straight. Martini mucked and Cowen hit his high-water mark for the final table with the hand.

Martini is down to 200,000 and in need of a double with the blinds about to go up. A look at the four-handed counts is below.

1. Jake Tilley – 380,000
2. Trevor Reader – 820,000
3. Julien Martini – 200,000
4. Robert Cowen – 905,000