Event 74: $1,100 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-or-Better $200,000 Guarantee
Event: $1,100 Pot-Limit Omaha 8-or-Better
Guarantee: $200,000
Entries: 271
Prize Pool: $265,580
Places Paid: 36
Min-Cash: $1,859
1st Place: $61,082
Players Remaining: 38
Chip Leader: Shawn Nguyen – 387,500
*Day 2 begins at 4 p.m. July 2
Day 2 Chip Counts
Payouts
DeepStack Extravaganza III is the largest tournament series on the Las Vegas strip with price points available for all bankrolls, but there are special prizes on standby for events with a $600 buy-in or higher.
Any player who participates in at least one event of at least $600 (with a receipt needed for confirmation) is eligible to pick up a prize of their choice. These prizes include a Sands Poker Room card protector, DeepStack Extravaganza t-shirt, and a $10 food comp. If a player participates in two of these events, they can pick up a Live Lucky hat that is on display in a variety of colors.
All prizes must be claimed by July 23 and all promotional items are available while supplies last. The Gift Desk is located by the entrance to the Venetian Poker Room and is open select hours each day. Please contact the Venetian Poker Room with any questions.
Level 35
Blinds: 120,000/240,000/40,000
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 1
Average Stack: 20,640,000
DeepStack Extravaganza Event 67 Champion –
Javier Zarco
The $3,000,000 guaranteed event at The Venetian as part of DSE III is a theater for dramatics. Last year, Andjelko Andrejevic won the title in a three-way all-in when his pocket queens beat pocket kings and aces. This time around, Javier Zarco held the queens and won with a royal flush.
The winning hand put an exclamation mark on a spectacular run from Zarco, who was the chip leader coming into Day 3 and Day 4. Zarco took control of the tournament late on Day 2 when he doubled up with kings against the queens of Georgios Karakousis, who was the chip leader for most of the day. Zarco held that lead coming into the start of Day 3 and maintained a healthy stack through to the final table.
Once the final table got started, Zarco moved back into first place and maintained that edge until play wrapped up four-handed last night. Zarco remained the chip leader coming into heads up play against Jonathan Karamalikis and locked up the better part of their deal. Karamalikis took the lead at the start of their match but as he did many times during the tournament, Zarco persevered and battled back into contention.
Zarco doubled up with queens and then on the final hand of the match, won with queens that turned into the royal flush. This score is the second largest of Zarco’s career, behind his second place finish in the 2015 Millionaire Maker. With his win, Zarco now has a major title to his name and he will certainly be back at The Venetian in the near future.
Final Table Results
Level 35
Blinds: 120,000/240,000/40,000
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 1
Average Stack: 20,640,000
Jonathan Karamlikis played a great tournament and earns second place in Event 67.
Javier Zarco doubled up with queens to get back into the lead in his heads up match against Jonathan Karamalikis and as fate would have it, he took the final pot of the tournament with the same hand.
Karamalikis opened to 500,000 and Zarco three-bet to 1,650,000. Karamalikis shoved for 9,090,000 and Zarco slammed a pile of chips in the middle for the call. Zarco’s Q♣Q♦ was ahead versus the 7♣7♦ of Karamalikis.
The A♦K♦J♦ flop was all Zarco and the A♣ turn left Karamalikis with just two outs. He didn’t need it, but Zarco hit a royal flush on the 10♦ river to seal the match and tournament.
Karamalikis earns his largest career cash in the United States after coming back from just nine big blinds at one point on Day 3. A winner’s recap will be posted shortly.
Level 35
Blinds: 120,000/240,000/40,000
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 10,320,000
Javier Zarco struggled to come to a decision upon facing a river overbet from Jonathan Karamalikis.
Despite having a shorter stack than his opponent, Jonathan Karamalikis just proved himself of still being capable of putting on the pressure. Karamalikis put in a massive river bet against Javier Zarco and took in a much-needed pot.
Karamalikis limped in and Zarco raised to 850,000. Karamalikis called and Zarco continued for 750,000 on the J♦7♠4♠ flop. Karamalikis called and they both checked the 6♦ turn. Zarco backed off on the A♥ river and Karamalikis assembled a bet of 3,600,000.
Leaving himself with 600,000 behind, Karamalikis sat still while Zarco was put through the ringer. Zarco noted in a few different ways how “sick” the bet was and after two minutes of tanking, flicked his hand in. Karamalikis mucked his hand and improves to 8,000,000.
Zarco is still in the lead but Karamalikis is alive and kicking.
Level 34
Blinds: 100,000/200,000/30,000
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 10,320,000
Javier Zarco is officially back to work after doubling up through Jonathan Karamalikis.
Heads up play between Jonathan Karamalikis and Javier Zarco has been a predominately uphill battle for the Spaniard. That dynamic has officially changed now with Zarco doubling into the chip lead.
Zarco opened the button to 400,000 and Karamalikis called. Karamalikis checked the 9♥3♠2♣ flop and Zarco bet 425,000. Karamalikis then check-raised to 1,125,000 and Zarco called. Karamalikis asked Zarco how much he had behind prior to the 2♦ turn and then moved all-in for 5,035,000 effective.
Zarco called with Q♣Q♠ and his over pair was better than Karamalikis’s top pair A♥9♣. The 10♠ river held for Zarco and he is back into the chip lead.
Karamalikis is left to battle with 6,700,000 while Zarco is playing a shade over 13,000,000.
Level 34
Blinds: 100,000/200,000/30,000
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 10,320,000
Javier Zarco has been introduced to Jonathan Karamalikis;s heads up world of death by a million cuts. Karamalikis is continuing to win most pots and has Zarco down to roughly 30 big blinds after two more victories.
Zarco raised on the button to 500,000 and Karamalikis came along. The latter check-called for 375,000 on the Q♥8♦7♠ flop and both players checked the 9♠ turn. Karamalikis bet 525,000 on the 10♥ river and Zarco called to see Karamalikis show him a straight J♣8♠.
Zarco opened the button to 500,000 and Karamalikis called. The K♣9♠7♣ flop went check-bet-call for 375,000 and the 7♥ turn went check-check. Karamalikis checked the river and Zarco bet 855,000. Zarco said “you got it” and mucked his hand while muttering to his rail.
Zarco is playing 6,200,000 and getting close to being in a deep hole.
Level 33
Blinds: 80,000/160,000/20,000
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 10,320,000
After feeling each other out in the starting portion of their heads up match, Jonathan Karamalikis and Javier Zarco are opening up and throwing blows at one another. In recent hands, both of them bet over 1,000,000 on the river and are close to even in their match.
Zarco opened the button and Karamalikis called out of the big blind. Karamalikis check-called for 300,000 on the K♦8♠6♦ flop and then bet 465,000 on the 6♣ river. Karamalikis checked the Q♠ river and Zarco put out 2,115,000. Karamalikis folded and Zarco took the pot.
A few hands later, Karamalikis opened the button to 385,000 and Zarco called. Zarco check-called for 325,000 on the Q♥8♠2♦ flop, 750,000 on the 6♦ turn and 1,250,000 on the K♦ river. Karamalikis showed Q♠J♥ and took the pot along with the chip lead.
With the blinds about to go up, the updated chip counts are below.
Jonathan Karamalikis – 11,300,000
Javier Zarco – 9,360,000
Level 33
Blinds: 80,000/160,000/20,000
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 10,320,000
Jonathan Karamalikis got paid with a straight on the river and has, for the time being, taken the lead against Javier Zarco.
Heads up play between Jonathan Karamalikis and Javier Zarco has been an exchanging of small pots as both players are being careful given the circumstance. Zarco held the lead at the start of the match but Karamalikis is now in front thanks to a large river bet getting paid off.
Karamalikis opened the button to 325,000 and Zarco called. Both players checked the K♣9♦6♦ flop and Zarco checked the 8♠ turn. Karamalikis bet 425,000 and Zarco called. The river came the A♥ and Zarco checked again. Karamalikis loaded 1,375,000 into the chamber and fired it in.
Zarco took a minute to consider and then called. Karamalikis showed 7♦5♣ for a straight and Zarco mucked. Karamalikis now has a slight advantage with 11,500,000 to Zarco 9,150,00.
Level 33
Blinds: 80,000/160,000/20,000
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 10,320,000
Javier Zarco and Jonathan Karamalikis poured over the numbers and made a deal that will guarantee them both at least $429,611.
Jonathan Karamalikis and Javier Zarco spent 25 minutes hashing out a deal after running through a variety of numbers. With their respective chip counts, here is what they agreed to, Zarco has locked up $458,804 and Karamalikis is guaranteed $429,611.
They will now play heads up for the remaining $99,000 in the prize pool and the title of DSE III Event 67 Champion.