Event 93: $600 No-Limit Hold’em SuperStack $100,000 Guarantee
Level 20
Blinds: 12,000/24,000 w/ 4,000 ante
Players Remaining: 9/351
Anthony Elaraj, down to about 150,000, moved all-in with A♦5♣ and was called by an opponent holding K♥5♥.
Elaraj was eliminated 10th for $3,073 on a board of K♠J♦5♠6♦10♦.
Event 91: $600 No-Limit Hold’em SuperStack $200,000 Guarantee
Level 30
Blinds: 50,000/100,000 w/ 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 1/588
German Zaga
Once they reached a heads up deal, German Zaga and Travis Lauson played an even heads up match before Lauson won an all-in preflop encounter to effectively win the title.
Zaga opened to 275,000 on the button and Lauson shoved from the big blind for 5,750,000. Putting nearly all of his stack at risk, Zaga called with A♠6♥. Lauson was plenty live with K♣Q♠ and the Q♣9♦3♥ flop put him squarely in the lead.
The turn and river gave Zaga no help and he was left with two big blinds. Those chips went in the next hand but Zaga’s 6♦3♣ were no match for Lauson’s 10♦10♥. Zaga earns his largest career score as a result of his finish. A winner’s recap will be posted shortly.
Event 91: $600 No-Limit Hold’em SuperStack $200,000 Guarantee
Level 30
Blinds: 50,000/100,000 w/ 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2/588
Michael Bennington
Michael Bennington made a game effort to battle at the Event 91 final table but after losing multiple small pots in three-handed play, succumbed to Travis Lauson.
Lauson raised to 500,000 over a Bennington limp and Bennington shoved for about 1,800,000 total. Lauson called with A♦K♣ and had a significant edge against Bennington’s A♣Q♥. The 10♦8♥7♥6♦J♣ board shipped the pot to Lauson, sending Bennington to the rail. He earns $28,355 for his podium finish.
After Lauson eliminated Bennington, he and German Zaga agreed to a heads up deal. The two players ran the numbers and locked themselves into earning at least $44,081. The two players left $12,000 total to play for and have commenced heads up play. The chip counts, deal figures, and original payouts are below.
Lauson – 6,390,000 ($46,176)
Zaga – 5,380,000 ($44,081)
Event 91: $600 No-Limit Hold’em SuperStack $200,000 Guarantee
Level 30
Blinds: 50,000/100,000 w/ 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3/588
German Zaga won a key flip and is the three-handed chip leader.
German Zaga fought the short stack battle for most of the Event 91 final table but is now the chip leader after flipping better than Travis Lauson.
Zaga opened to 250,000 on the button and Lauson shoved for 2,745,000 effective from the big blind. Zaga thought for a moment and called with 3♦3♥ and was at risk against Lauson’s A♣K♠. The Q♦5♦3♣ flop put Zaga firmly in the lead and after sweating out the 10♥ turn, secured the double on the 8♣ river.
Zaga is playing 5,500,000 with Lauson taking a fall down to 4,000,000.
Event 91: $600 No-Limit Hold’em SuperStack $200,000 Guarantee
Level 29
Blinds: 40,000/80,000 w/ 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 3/588
Christopher Bolio
Travis Lauson’s chip lead was threatened for a short while by Michael Bennington but he has a more firm advantage after eliminating Christopher Bolio.
Lauson opened under the gun and Bolio three-bet all-in for 1,220,000 on the button. The action folded back to Lauson and he called with 6♣6♠. He was flipping against the A♥8♦ of Bolio and Bolio took the lead on the A♠10♠Q♦ flop. Still live to hit a six or running spades, Lauson improved his chances on the 3♠ turn. The J♠ hit the river and Lauson sent Bolio out.
Lauson is up to 5,300,000 and Bolio earns $21,115.
Event 91: $600 No-Limit Hold’em SuperStack $200,000 Guarantee
Level 29
Blinds: 40,000/80,000 w/ 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 4/588
Joseph Hebert
German Zaga has been plenty patient at the Event 91 final table, waiting for the right moment to get his money in and his timing was perfect as he received a triple up.
Joseph Hebert shoved for 800,000 in the cutoff and Zaga called all-in on the button for 680,000. Michael Bennington called from the small blind to put both players at risk and put over 2,000,000 chips up for grabs. Hebert tabled 10♣10♥ and Zaga’s K♣K♥ had him crushed. Bennington was live with A♠J♦ and picked up more outs on the Q♣9♥8♠ flop. The 2♣ turn was a brick and the 6♣ river shipped the pot over to Zaga.
Hebert won the 240,000 side pot but was eliminated the next hand. Zaga is playing 2,100,000 and Bennington is sitting with 3,650,000.
Event 91: $600 No-Limit Hold’em SuperStack $200,000 Guarantee
Level 29
Blinds: 40,000/80,000 w/ 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5/588
Patricia Till
Michael Bennington is gaining on Travis Lauson and his elimination of Patricia Till puts him one step closer to the chip lead.
German Zaga opened to 180,000 in the cutoff and Bennington called on the button. Till shoved for about 825,000 in the big blind. Zaga got out of the way and Bennington called with K♣J♣. Till’s A♦A♠ was in the lead but the K♥J♥3♦ flop swung the pendulum in Bennington’s favor.
Still alive to hit a better two pair, Till missed on the 4♦ turn and 7♥ river. She earns $12,066 for sixth place. Bennington is up to 3,700,000, putting him about 1,000,000 behind Lauson.
Event 91: $600 No-Limit Hold’em SuperStack $200,000 Guarantee
Level 28
Blinds: 30,000/60,000 w/ 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 6/588
Konstantin Pogodin
Travis Lauson is still the chip leader in Event 91 but Michael Bennington is now in second after his bustout of Konstantin Pogodin.
Bennington opened under the gun to 130,000 and Christopher Bolio called in the hijack. Pogodin shoved for about 800,000 on the button and Bennington reshoved behind him. Bolio folded and Pogodin opened up 3♣3♥. Bennington’s J♥J♠ was in the lead and he had the hand locked up by the 10♠9♥8♦Q♥ turn.
Bennington chips up to 2,400,000. With the blinds set to go up, updated chip counts are below.
Event 91: $600 No-Limit Hold’em SuperStack $200,000 Guarantee
Level 28
Blinds: 30,000/60,000 w/ 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 7/588
Eric Mansfield
Over the course of two hands, Travis Lauson dramatically extended his chip lead. Lauson took a pot off of Christopher Bolio and then eliminated Eric Mansfield right after to push his stack over the 4,500,000 mark.
Lauson opened under the gun to 150,000 and Bolio called in middle position as did Michael Bennington from the small blind. The K♣10♣9♥ flop checked to Lauson and he bet 200,000 more. Only Bolio called and the K♥ came on the turn. The two players checked and the Q♠ river was checked as well. Lauson opened up A♥J♦ for a rivered straight and Bolio flashed the K♦ as he mucked. Bolio takes a step down to 980,000.
With the board reading Q♦6♠2♥9♠K♣, Mansfield bet 170,000 and Lauson put him all-in for his 650,000 behind. Mansfield called and Lauson showed J♥10♥ for a rivered straight. Mansfield’s K♠8♠ was no good and he earns $7,239.
All told, Lauson is playing 4,600,000 and pushing toward being in ownership of half the chips in play.
Event 91: $600 No-Limit Hold’em SuperStack $200,000 Guarantee
Level 28
Blinds: 30,000/60,000 w/ 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 8/588
Edward Bashuk
Unable to get anything going at the Event 91 final table, Edward Bashuk is on the outside looking in after getting unlucky against Patricia Till.
Bashuk shoved for 260,000 in the hijack with A♠Q♠ and Till called for not much more out of the big blind with K♣2♠. The A♣9♣2♥ flop paired both players and Bashuk held through the 3♠ turn. Bashuk hit a king on the K♣ river and took out Bashuk.
Till is playing 1,650,000 and the final table is now eight-handed.