Event 67: $3,500 No-Limit Hold’em $3,000,000 Guarantee 

Level 19
Blinds: 3,000/6,000/1,000
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 65
Average Stack: 318,000

Ubaid Habib is one of a few players nearing 1,000,000 on the last break of Day 2. 

Two more levels are through and the last break of Day 2 is here for Event 67. There are still 65 competitors alive with a chance to take down the over $600,000 first place prize. Leading them is Georgios Karakousis, who is still the only player over 1,000,000.

A few players have climbed over the 700,000 mark in the last two levels including Jorge Rios, Muhammad Rahim, and, Ubaid Habib. Those three comprise the primary chase pack and will look to pick up further ground on Karakousis before the end of the night. As play winds down, the Venetian Poker Room blog will be here as the surviving players bag up before the returning for Day 3. A look at the updated chip counts is below.

Georgios Karakousis – 1,450,000
Muhammad Rahim – 850,000
Jorge Rios – 820,000
Ubaid Habib – 750,000
Daniel Watson – 670,000
Ryan Hall – 650,000
Danny Fuhs – 530,,000
Mike Cordell – 520,000
Bob Bounahra – 510,000
Fabrice Soulier – 500,000
Konstantin Puchkov – 480,000
Iverson Snuffer – 465,000

Event 67: $3,500 No-Limit Hold’em $3,000,000 Guarantee 

Level 19
Blinds: 3,000/6,000/1,000
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 66
Average Stack: 312,000

Muhammad Rahim never let Akin Tuna off the hook and is close to 800,000 as a result. 

Georgios Karakousis is still the Event 67 chip leader, and likely will continue to be for quite some time, but Mohammad Rahim is gradually picking up steam. Rahim just took down a pot against Akin Tuna and is closing in on being the second player over 1,000,000.

Picking up the action on a flop of A♣3♦2♣, Tuna pet 26,000 and Rahim raised to 75,000. Tuna called and the K♥ came off on the turn. Both players checked and the 4♠ hit the river. Tuna slid out 120,000 and after a minute of thinking, Rahim called. Tuna shook his head and showed 7♦4♦. Rahim turned up A♠J♦ and raked in the pot.

He is now playing 780,000 with Tuna now sizzled down to 250,000.

Event 67: $3,500 No-Limit Hold’em $3,000,000 Guarantee 

Level 19
Blinds: 3,000/6,000/1,000
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 73
Average Stack: 283,000

Jorge Rios cracked the aces of  Nick Petrangelo and put himself over 400,000 as a result.

Nick Petrangelo is considered by some to be the best tournament player in the world but even he was unable to have his pocket aces hold and is on the rail as a result.

Rios opened in middle position and the player on his direct left called. Petrangelo three-bet to 49,000 and Rios shipped it in for 230,000. Petrangelo called for his last 185,000 or so and had A♣A♦ up against the A♠J♠ of Rios. The Q♠ and 10♠ appeared on the flop to give Rios as big of a sweat as possible. The turn bricked but the 3♠ river gave Rios his flush to eliminate Petrangelo.

Petrangelo took the walk and Rios is up to 450,000 as the field now has one less elite left to deal with.

Event 67: $3,500 No-Limit Hold’em $3,000,000 Guarantee 

Level 19
Blinds: 3,000/6,000/1,000
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 84
Average Stack: 279,000

Georgios Karakousis gets to work on assembling his new chip pile after sending out Craig Varnell in the largest pot of Event 67. 

The start of day chip leader Georgios Karakousis has been trending near the top of the leaderboard for most of Day 2 and he is once again back on top after taking Craig Varnell to move to 1,450,000.

Varnell opened in the cutoff and Ray Qartomy called on the button. Karakousis three-bet from the big blind and Varnell called. The flop came out Q♥8♦8♥ and Karakousis bet 38,000. Varnell raised to 88,000 and Karakousis called. The turn was the K♣ and Karakousis checked. Varnell bet 108,000 and Karakousis called.

The river was the 4♠ and Karakousis checked once more. Varnell bet 180,000. Karakousis put Varnell all-in for about 350,000 total and Varnell called with 8♠5♠. Varnell had trips but Karakousis had a full house K♦K♠. The massive pot was pushed over to Karakousis and Varnell went to collect his payout slip.

Karakousis is the chip leader by a wide margin, playing almost double his nearest competitor, Ryan Hall (760,000).

Event 67: $3,500 No-Limit Hold’em $3,000,000 Guarantee 

Level 18
Blinds: 2,500/5,000/500
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 81
Average Stack: 255,000

Jordan Young is one of the current chip leaders in Event 67 but like many before him, is having a hard time maintaining his peak. 

Over 20 players have been eliminated in Level 18 but although the chips have been moving, the chip leaders have had an issue maintaining their overall edge on the field. A few hands involving Jordan Young and Daniel Watson best exemplify this as they gave some back to the field but are still both over 100 big blinds.

With an open and call to 11,000 in front of him, Young three-bet to 44,000 from the cutoff. Kenny Hallaert four-bet all-in for about 150,000 from the blinds and after action folded back to him, Young called with A♣A♠. Hallaert’s A♦K♣ was in trouble and he failed to catch up on the ensuing board to hit the rail.

The very next hand, Thiago Macedo opened in early position to 11,000 and Young called in the hijack. The big blind came along as well and the flop ran out J♣6♥4♦. Both players checked to Young and he bet 17,000. The big blind folded and Macedo raised to 60,500. Young gave it some thought and called. The turn was the 3♦ and Macedo shoved for 150,000. Young released and Macedo chipped up to 365,000. Young is still one of the chip leaders with 650,000.

Watson opened to 11,000 on the button and Soulier defended his big blind. Soulier check-called for 9,500 on the A♥5♦4♦ flop and then bet 17,500 on the 9♦ turn. Watson called and then called a 34,000 bet on the river. Soulier showed A♠K♥ to take the pot and move up to 435,000. Watson’s playing 575,000.

As the night moves forward, it will be interesting to see if any chip leaders are able to pull away as the field narrows down.

Event 67: $3,500 No-Limit Hold’em $3,000,000 Guarantee 

Level 18
Blinds: 2,500/5,000/500
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 100
Average Stack: 206,000

The chip leaders have had their time in the sun on Day 2 but we now turn our attention to some of the smaller stacks in the field. Despite not having many chips in front of them, these players are all plenty capable of spinning their respective stacks up in no time.

Johanssy Joseph has been grinding a sub-20 big blind stack for most of Day 2 and isn’t about to give up anytime soon. The 2016 Poker Night in America Main Event Champion is as tough as they come and if Joseph is able to acquire a more playable stack, he will be a contender to take down this title. 

Since picking up tournament poker last year, Brett Apter has been cashing in nearly everything he plays. The Medical Supply company CEO stays plenty busy with his day job but found enough time to cash in four events in the most recent WPT season. Even with Chance Kornuth and Chris Moorman at this table, Apter has no fear of what uncertain future he faces in this tournament. 

One of the last players to enter on Day 2, Ryan Riess has earned his first career cash at The Venetian. “The Beast” has been stuck in neutral since he registered but if there’s one thing Main Event Champions know how to do, it’s shift gears and Riess is poised to strike at any moment. 

Event 67: $3,500 No-Limit Hold’em $3,000,000 Guarantee 

Level 18
Blinds: 2,500/5,000/500
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 106
Average Stack: 195,000

The dinner break for Day 2 of Event 67 is in the books and the 106 remaining players are ready to play toward tomorrow’s Day 3. Four 60-minute levels are left in the night and the field should be narrowed down to three or four tables before the bags come out. There is a lot of poker left to be played and plenty of storylines lingering with a strong field assembled. As the rest of the night plays out, the Venetian Poker Room blog will continue with Day 2 coverage.

Event 67: $3,500 No-Limit Hold’em $3,000,000 Guarantee 

Level 17
Blinds: 2,000/4,000/500
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 108
Average Stack: 191,000

After a slow start to Level 17, the eliminations gradually started to come through and the Event 67 field is officially in the money as the dinner break hits. In total, 108 players will be paid and there is one player failed to make it as a result of Mike Cordell’s straight flush while another doubled up in the nick of time.

Mike Cordell rivered a straight flush and is over 700,000, putting him close to the chip lead. 

A player in early position opened for a standard raise and Cordell called out of the small blind. The flop came out J♣9♥7♣ and Cordell check-called for 12,000. The turn was the 10♥ and Cordell checked again. His opponent bet 26,000 and Cordell put him all-in for 90,000 total. Cordell’s opponent called with Q♠8♠ for a straight but Cordell was plenty live with 8♥7♥. Needing a heart, Cordell caught the 6♥ on the river to make his straight flush. He is up to 700,000 and second in chips.

Paul Vas Nunes doubled up against Chris Klodnicki to put himself over 300,000.

Boris Kolev opened to 10,000 on the button and Klodnicki called on the button. Vas Nunes three-bet to 44,000 in the big blind and Kolvev folded. Klodnicki thought for two minutes and raised Vas Nunes all-in. Vas Nunes called with Q♦Q♠ and was up against the A♣3♣ of Klodnicki.

The Q♣4♥2♦ flop left Klodnicki needing a five or running clubs to win the hand. Niether came on the subsequent cards and Vas Nunes shipped the big double. With the hit, Klodnicki has some work to do in order to rebuild from 135,000.

The field is currently on dinner break and will return at 8:35 to play the final four levels of the night. Below is a look at the chip leaders on the dinner break.

Daniel Wilson – 725,000
Mike Cordell – 700,000
Bob Bounahra – 580,000
Chris Brammer – 575,000
Jordan Young – 545,000
Pavel Plesuv – 460,000
Georgios Karakousis – 450,000
Craig Varnell – 420,000
Muhammad Rahim – 410,000
Boris Kolev – 400,000
Eric Baldwin – 380,000

Event 67: $3,500 No-Limit Hold’em $3,000,000 Guarantee 

Level 17
Blinds: 2,000/4,000/500
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 113
Average Stack: 183,000

Bob Bounahra is peaking close to the money bubble with Iverson Snuffer sending him a pot. 

The field has had only one elimination this level but chips are moving across the Venetian Poker Room. Bob Bounahra’s stack has been gradually increasing all day and is closing in on the 400,000 mark after taking down a sizable multi-way pot with most of the chips coming from Iverson “Heisenberg” Snuffer.

In a four-way pot with about 55,000 in the middle, Bounahra checked the Q♣J♠7♣ flop from the small blind as did Georgios Karakousis from early position. Johan Sirback bet 24,000 in middle position. Snuffer raised to 75,000 in the cutoff. Only Bounahra called and the K♥ came on the turn. Bounahra checked and Snuffer quickly checked back.

The river was the 9♥ and both players wasted little time checking the pot to showdown. Bounahra showed A♣K♣ which beat the A♥Q♥ of Snuffer. Bounahra is at his Day 2 peak with 380,000 and Snuffer takes a hit back to 225,000.

Event 67: $3,500 No-Limit Hold’em $3,000,000 Guarantee 

Level 17
Blinds: 2,000/4,000/500
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 114
Average Stack: 181,000

Level 17 is underway and the Event 67 field is only six bustouts away from claiming the first piece of the $3,300,000 prize pool. Once the field has a few more eliminations, hand-for-hand play will officially be in session. With every decision all the more critical, it will be interesting to see how the larger and shorter stacks alike adjust to the new gaming environment. As the money bubble nears, the Venetian Poker Room blog will have all the action as the first payout of Day 2 is on the horizon.