Level 33
Blinds: 80,000/160,000/20,000
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 10,320,000
Before heads up play gets started, Jonathan Karamalikis (8,100,000) and Javier Zarco (12,550,000) have paused the clock to look at potential deal-making numbers. If the players decide to make a deal and adjust the prize pool in any way, those figures will be posted as soon as they are available. The first and second place figures are below.
Level 33
Blinds: 80,000/160,000/20,000
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 2
Average Stack: 10,320,000
Brett Apter had an 80 percent chance to make it to heads up play, but will have to settle for third place in Event 67.
Like Boris Kolev before him, Brett Apter managed to get two doubles after being down to next to nothing but his chip disadvantage left him having to shove and he eventually ran into a monster hand against Jonathan Karamalikis.
Karamalikis opened on the button and Apter shoved for about 1,700,000 in the big blind. Karamalikis called right away with Q♣Q♥ and Apter would need to hit with K♥J♥. The 10♦7♥6♦ flop gave Apter backdoor outs, similar to what Karamalikis had the last time they matched up.
The 7♣ turn closed those doors and left him needing a king. The 2♦ river bricked out and sealed up his elimination.
Apter earns a career-high score for his third place finish and he will surely be back again soon. Karamalikis chips up to 8,100,000.
Level 32
Blinds: 60,000/120,000/20,000
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 3
Average Stack: 6,880,000
Jonathan Karamalikis had his straight come home against Brett Apter and he doubled through.
In one of the highest equity pots of the summer here at The Venetian, Jonathan Karamalikis got there against Brett Apter to double up and leave Apter reeling.
Karamalikis lost a preflop pot for 860,000 to Javier Zarco the hand prior and started the hand against Apter with under 4,000,000.
Zarco opened to 250,000 on the button and Apter three-bet to 750,000 in the small blind. Karamalikis moved all-in for 3,730,000 in the big blind and once Zarco folded, Apter called with Q♣Q♦. Karamalikis’s 8♣8♦ was in trouble but he picked up some backdoor outs on the 9♦7♥3♦ flop. The 10♥ turn gave him an open-ended straight draw and he got there the 6♣ river.
Karamalikis had a sheepish grin on his face and Apter sent over most of his stack. He is down to just two big blinds.
Level 32
Blinds: 60,000/120,000/20,000
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 3
Average Stack: 6,880,000
Boris Kolev fought hard but is out just shy of the tournament podium.
Boris Kolev was left with effectively no chips after he doubled up Brett Apter. Kolev had less than five big blinds but did manage to get two relatively small double ups, one from Javier Zarco and the other through Jonathan Karamaliks. Up to 10 big blinds, Kolev shoved again, but Zarco ran him down to eliminate him.
Kolev shoved in the small blind with A♠Q♥ and Zarco called with A♥9♥. The 6♦4♥3♣J♥3♥ board gave Zarco a winning flush and Zarco collected the pot. Three-handed counts are below.
Kolev earns over $200,000 after a great showing this week. Three-handed counts are below.
Level 32
Blinds: 60,000/120,000/20,000
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 4
Average Stack: 5,160,000
Brett Apter can afford to let out a smile after doubling up through Boris Kolev.
Brett Apter and Boris Kolev took turns getting all-in shoves through but they finally smashed heads in what was effectively a $72,000 flip.
Kolev opened under the gun for 250,000 and Apter shoved from the small blind for 1,895,000. Kolev called and turned over A♦Q♠, needing to hit against the 7♦7♠ of Apter.
The 10♦5♠2♠ flop held for Apter but the K♦ turn gave Kolev new outs to hit Broadway. The 9♥ hit the river and Apter gave a fist pump as he doubled up. Left with under five big blinds, Kolev is in serious trouble.
Level 32
Blinds: 60,000/120,000/20,000
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 4
Average Stack: 5,160,000
Javier Zarco started Day 4 with a huge chip lead and didn’t put many of them at risk over the first dozen or so hands. That changed when he fired three streets against Jonathan Karamalikis and put himself over 11,000,000 as a result.
Zarco opened the button to 240,000 and Karamalikis called in the big blind. Karamlikis checked the Q♥Q♦6♥ flop and Zarco continued for 125,000. The J♦ turn was checked by Karamlikis and Zarco bet 480,000. Karamalikis considered before calling and checked the 10♠ river. Zarco went for it and fired 1,425,000. Karamalikis conceded the pot and takes a hit down to 4,850,000. Zarco is playing 11,100,000.
Halfway through Level 32, Brett Apter and Boris Kolev are both around 2,200,000.
Level 32
Blinds: 60,000/120,000/20,000
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 4
Average Stack: 5,160,000
Through the first 15 minutes of four-handed play on Day 4, the play has been calm. No major pots have broken out and all stacks have maintained their relative level from the start of Level 32, with the exception of Brett Apter.
Apter has managed to get two all-in shoves through and three-bet jammed over an open to 250,000 from Javier Zarco. Those moves have him up over the 2,150,000 mark, giving him a little bit more leeway.
Jonathan Karamalikis has picked up a few small pots as well and is over 6,000,000.
It should be noted that Boris Kolev’s stack to start play was 2,785,000, not 3,785,000 as initially reported. He is playing slightly below that at this time.
Level 32
Blinds: 60,000/120,000/20,000
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 4
Average Stack: 5,160,000
Javier Zarco starts Day 4 with a huge chip lead and the best chance to claim the Event 67 title.
Over 1,000 hopefuls entered this $3,000,000 guaranteed event and today, we will have our winner. The four remaining players are set to start play at 1:00 pm with Javier Zarco in control of half the chips in play. Zarco started Day 3 with the lead but hit a rough patch before regaining his footing at the final table. Zarco knocked out two players in the last level of Day 3 and comes into today with over 10,000,000.
Trailing him is Australian Jonathan Karamalikis (5,485,000) and Boris Kolev (3,785,000). Both players are between 30 and 50 big blinds and have some flexibility in terms of how aggressive they wish to be with Zarco looming over them. Coming in as the short stack is Brett Apter (1,695,000). With less than 15 big blinds, Apter needs to make a move relatively soon but with how long he played a short stack during the tournament, he should be up to the task.
All levels today will be an hour and we should see some patient play similar to yesterday with over $610,000 set for first place. As always, the Venetian Poker Room blog is here to cover all the action as we get set to raise the banner for the latest DSE III Champion.
Level 31
Blinds: 50,000/100,000/10,000
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 4
Average Stack: 5,160,000
Javier Zarco comes into Day 4 of the DSE III $3,000,000 guaranteed with half of the chips in play.
After 10 exciting and stressful hours of tournament poker, Day 3 of the Venetian $3,000,000 is at an end. A rush of eliminations during the last level leaves only four players coming back into tomorrow. Leading them is Javier Zarco, who knocked out two of those players and comes into tomorrow with half of the chips in play.
His 10,680,000 looms over the field and is almost double that of second place Jonathan Karamalikis (5,680,000). Boris Kolev (3,785,000) and Brett Apter (1,695,000) are both at a relative disadvantage but are only a few hands away from getting back into the thick of things.
Bob Bounahra and Omar Zazay were among the final tablists eliminated before the end of the day topping the talented wave of players who fell short of the final table including Jason Les, Taylor Paur, and David Peters.
Day 4 starts tomorrow at 1:00 pm and will play down to a winner. The final table payouts and chip counts for Day 4 are below.
Level 31
Blinds: 50,000/100,000/10,000
Total Entrants: 1,032
Players Remaining: 4
Average Stack: 5,160,000
Bob Bounahra
The always colorful Bob Bounahra was his usual self throughout Event 67 and the final table. Bounahra started the final table near the top but lost many small pots and failed to pick up the ones he needed to stay above the fray. With less than 20 big blinds, Bounahra shoved a few times and finally got taken down by Javier Zarco.
Zarco opened to 200,000 in the cutoff holding A♦Q♣ and Bounahra raised all-in on the button for 1,585,000 with A♠4♠. Zarco called and the J♠10♥7♣ board gave Bounahra nothing to get too excited about. The Q♥ turn put chop outs in play but the 4♦ river officially shut the door on Bounahra.
He earns $158,515 for taking fifth and Zarco (10,350,000) holds half of the chips in play.