Saturday, July 1, 2017 7:57 PM Local Time
Andres Korn Leads International Final Table of Event #56: $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em
The stage is set! After three days of play in Event #56: $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em, nine players will come back on Sunday, July 2nd at 1 p.m. local time to play it out for $618,285 and the WSOP gold bracelet.
It took a litte over six hours on Day 3 to get from 32 to nine. It will be an international affair on Sunday, with no less than six different countries represented at the final table. With most of the $2,896,950 prize pool still up for grabs, it's promising to be an interesting final day.
Andres Korn from Argentina, leads the way with 4,040,000. Korn holds a small lead over his nearest rival, Thomas Boivin (Belgium), who finished the day with 3,190,000. Hungarian Marton Czuczor sits in third with 1,750,000, followed by Americans Mike Sowers (1,630,000), Simon Lam (1,450,000), and Mark Zullo (975,000). Pete Chen, from Taiwan, has 910,000, and Spain's Sergio Cabrera has 890,000. Rounding out the final table is the fourth American, Andy Spears, who will start the final table with 740,000 in chips, or 15 big blinds.
Final Table Seat Assignments
Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
1 | Pete Chen | Taiwan | 910,000 | 18 |
2 | Andres Korn | Argentina | 4,040,000 | 81 |
3 | Mike Sowers | United States | 1,630,000 | 33 |
4 | Thomas Boivin | Belgium | 3,190,000 | 64 |
5 | Andy Spears | United States | 740,000 | 15 |
6 | Sergio Cabrera | Spain | 890,000 | 18 |
7 | Mark Zullo | United States | 975,000 | 20 |
8 | Simon Lam | United States | 1,450,000 | 29 |
9 | Marton Czuczor | Hungary | 1,750,000 | 35 |
At 12 p.m. local time, 32 players returned to play a relatively short third day toward the final nine. The short stacks refused to bust in the first level of the day, and it took the better part of Level 21 before Guy Pariente busted as the first casualty. Aditya Agarwal quickly followed him to the rail after losing ace-four to Juha Helppi's king-jack.
In Level 22, the bustouts ramped up in quick succession. Julian Stuer, Carlos Chang, Matt Stout, Huihan Wu, Dong Zhao, and Dietrich Fast all fell in the second level of the day. Fast was among the big stacks at the start but trended down during the second hour. With ace-king, Fast failed to improve against Pierre Neuville's pocket nines, and he finished in 25th place.
Damian Salas got his aces cracked in the third level of the day to finish 24th. Salas got it all in against Simon Lam's king-jack and saw Lam spike two jacks to knock him out. Finnish high-stakes regular Juha Helppi followed him in 23rd place by losing king-eight to ace jack.
One of the pivotal hands of the day followed shortly thereafter. Barny Boatman opened the action, Andres Korn called, Simon Lam three-bet, Yaron Zeev Malki four-bet, Pierre Neuville tank-folded, Boatman tank-folded, Korn five-bet shoved, Lam folded, and Malki called. Korn held pocket kings and doubled through Malki's pocket jacks. After the hand, Neuville claimed to have folded pocket queens, Boatman claimed pocket tens, and Lam claimed ace-king!
Barny Boatman busted shortly thereafter against Korn, followed by Yaron Zeev Malki, Mike Watson, Pascal Hartman, Richard Harroch, and Ravi Raghavan. Matt Affleck busted in 16th place after shoving ace-queen into the ace-king of Mike Sowers.
Pierre Neuville's run ended in 15th place. The 2015 November Niner called all in with king-six in the big blind after Marton Czuczor had open-shoved. Czuczor had jack-deuce and got there when a jack hit the flop. Neuville was quickly followed to the exit by Mike Vanier.
Ari Engel, who started off the day second in chips, fell in 13th place. Darren Rabinowitz limped in from the small blind with ace-queen, Engel raised himself committed from the big blind with king-four, Rabinowitz moved all in, and Engel had to call it off. No help on board spelled the end for the Canadian.
Donis Agnelli missed out on the final table after suffering a bad beat with pocket kings. On a seven-high flop, Korn check-raised all in, and Agnelli called. Korn held just nine-seven for a pair of sevens but hit a seven on the turn to send Agnelli to the payout desk.
After busting Ari Engel, Darren Rabinowitz found himself on the downward slope, and he ended up busting in 11th place. Rabinowitz was all in with king-ten against Thomas Boivin's pocket eights, and the latter spiked a set to end Rabinowitz' run. The final table was set when James Hughes was eliminated at the unofficial final table. Hughes lost a crucial coin flip with ace-king against Korn's pocket tens, which settled Korn into the end-of-the-day chip lead.
Action will resume at 1 p.m. local time with 52 minutes left in Level 27. Blinds are at 25,000/50,000 with a running ante of 5,000. The PokerNews Live Reporting team will be on the floor to provide live updates until a new WSOP bracelet winner is crowned.
Saturday, July 1, 2017 7:17 PM Local Time
James Hughes Eliminated in 10th Place ($31,968)
Andres Korn opened to 105,000 in early position, James Hughes shoved all in for 490,000 a few seats over, and Korn instantly called.
Andres Korn:
James Hughes:
Hughes failed to find any help during the runout and finished in 10th place. Collecting $31,986, Hughes earned his second significant cash of the summer after finishing in second place in Event #37: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em ($180,919).
With that elimination, the final table is set, and Day 3 comes to an end.
Andres Korn | 4,040,000 | 590,000 |
James Hughes | 0 | -585,000 |
Saturday, July 1, 2017 6:53 PM Local Time
Break and Chip Counts
The players are in the midst of a 15-minute break.
Andres Korn | 3,450,000 | 150,000 |
Thomas Boivin | 3,050,000 | -50,000 |
Marton Czuczor | 1,770,000 | 70,000 |
Mike Sowers | 1,525,000 | -175,000 |
Simon Lam | 1,345,000 | 145,000 |
Sergio Cabrera | 1,050,000 | 25,000 |
Mark Zullo | 1,045,000 | 85,000 |
Pete Chen | 930,000 | -170,000 |
Andy Spears | 835,000 | -115,000 |
James Hughes | 585,000 | -115,000 |
Saturday, July 1, 2017 6:36 PM Local Time
Boivin Takes From Spears
Andy Spears raised to 80,000 from under the gun, and Thomas Boivin called from the small blind.
The flop came down , and Boivin checked to Spears, who continued for 125,000. Boivin called to see the turn, which both players checked. The river was the , and both players checked again.
Boivin showed , Spears mucked, and Boivin took down the pot.
Thomas Boivin | 3,100,000 | 0 |
Andy Spears | 950,000 | 0 |
Saturday, July 1, 2017 6:23 PM Local Time
Unofficial Final Table Redraw
Seat | Player | Country |
1 | Pete Chen | Taiwan |
2 | Norberto Korn | Argentina |
3 | Mike Sowers | United States |
4 | Thomas Boivin | Belgium |
5 | James Hughes | United States |
6 | Andy Spears | United States |
7 | Sergio Cabrera | Spain |
8 | Mark Zullo | United States |
9 | Simon Lam | United States |
10 | Marton Czuczor | Hungary |
Saturday, July 1, 2017 6:22 PM Local Time
Darren Rabinowitz Eliminated in 11th Place ($31,968)
Darren Rabinowitz raised all in for 480,000 from under the gun, and Thomas Boivin isolated the pot with a shove of his own from the hijack.
Rabinowitz:
Boivin:
The board came down , giving Boivin a set of eights to eliminate Rabinowitz in 11th place for $31,968.
Thomas Boivin | 2,680,000 | 180,000 |
Darren Rabinowitz | 0 | -780,000 |
Saturday, July 1, 2017 6:05 PM Local Time
Donis Agnelli Eliminated in 12th Place ($31,968)
Donis Agnelli raised to 90,000 from under the gun, and Norberto Korn defended his big blind. The flop was , and Korn checked. Agnelli bet 65,000, Korn check-raised all in, and Agnelli quickly put the extra chips in.
Agnelli:
Korn:
The Venezuelans gathered on the rail to see their hero with a big lead after the flop. Much to their dismay, the landed on the turn to improve Korn to trip sevens. Agnelli suddenly needed one of the remaining kings to survive but failed to catch one on the river.
Agnelli made his fourth cash of the series and took home $31,968 for his deep run.
Andres Korn | 3,300,000 | 400,000 |
Donis Agnelli | 0 | -560,000 |
Saturday, July 1, 2017 5:58 PM Local Time
Zullo Finds a Chop Against Lam, Then Doubles Through Him
In a battle of the blinds, Mark Zullo was all in from the small blind for about 410,000 with against Simon Lam in the big blind with . The board came down , giving both players tens and nines with an ace to chop the pot.
Two hands later, Zullo raised all in for 435,000 from the cutoff and Lam isolated from the button with , racing with Zullo's .
The board ran out , giving Zullo a set of threes to double up.
Simon Lam | 1,000,000 | -435,000 |
Mark Zullo | 960,000 | 650,000 |
Saturday, July 1, 2017 5:45 PM Local Time
Chip Counts After Level 27
Andres Korn | 2,900,000 | -30,000 |
Mike Sowers | 1,900,000 | 0 |
Andy Spears | 1,860,000 | 0 |
Thomas Boivin | 1,760,000 | -310,000 |
Simon Lam | 1,435,000 | -45,000 |
Pete Chen | 1,270,000 | -10,000 |
Marton Czuczor | 1,075,000 | -325,000 |
Sergio Cabrera | 1,025,000 | -5,000 |
Darren Rabinowitz | 780,000 | 40,000 |
James Hughes | 770,000 | 220,000 |
Donis Agnelli | 560,000 | 10,000 |
Mark Zullo | 310,000 | -20,000 |
Saturday, July 1, 2017 5:40 PM Local Time
Level 26 started
Level: 26
Blinds: 20000/40000
Ante: 5000
Saturday, July 1, 2017 5:40 PM Local Time
Cabrera Doubles Through Zullo
Mark Zullo opened to 65,000 from the cutoff, Sergio Cabrera three-bet shoved for roughly 485,000 from the small blind, and Zullo called with , racing with Cabrera's .
The board came down , giving Cabrera kings and queens to double up.
Sergio Cabrera | 1,030,000 | 480,000 |
Mark Zullo | 330,000 | -505,000 |
Saturday, July 1, 2017 5:39 PM Local Time
Agnelli Survives Again on the River
Andy Spears raised to 65,000 and called a shove for 250,000 from Donis Agnelli in the blinds.
Agnelli:
Spears:
Agnelli had Spears dominated, but the latter applied some reverse domination on the flop. The turn left Agnelli drawing to the aces and queens to survive. The river brought the , and the Venezuelan once again escaped elimination on the river.
"Vamos! Vamos!" his ecstatic rail cheered. "Mesa final!"
Andy Spears | 1,860,000 | 335,000 |
Donis Agnelli | 550,000 | -120,000 |
Saturday, July 1, 2017 5:37 PM Local Time
Boivin Gets Some From Rabinowitz
Darren Rabinowitz raised to 60,000 from the button, Thomas Boivin three-bet to 210,000 from the small blind, and Rabinowitz called.
They checked to the turn of a board where Rabinowitz bet 275,000. Boivin check-called to see the river, which both players checked.
Rabinowitz showed for jacks and tens, but Boivin held for a flush to win the pot.
Thomas Boivin | 2,070,000 | 570,000 |
Darren Rabinowitz | 740,000 | -415,000 |
Saturday, July 1, 2017 5:30 PM Local Time
Spears Avoids the Cooler
Mike Sowers raised to 60,000 in middle position, and Andy Spears called on the button. Both players checked the on the flop. Sowers bet 105,000 on the turn, and Spears called. On the river, Sowers bet 275,000, and Spears called again.
Sowers:
Spears:
Sowers and Spears chopped it up with a Broadway straight.
Mike Sowers | 1,900,000 | 25,000 |
Andy Spears | 1,525,000 | 275,000 |
Saturday, July 1, 2017 5:26 PM Local Time
Lam Over Cabrera
Simon Lam raised to 70,000 from the small blind, and Sergio Cabrera called from the big blind.
The flop came down , and Lam continued for 50,000. Cabrera called to see the turn, which Lam checked. Cabrera bet about 75,000, Lam called, and the river was the . Lam checked, Cabrera bet 150,000, and Lam called.
Cabrera showed , and Lam tabled to win the pot.
Simon Lam | 1,480,000 | 330,000 |
Sergio Cabrera | 550,000 | -360,000 |
Saturday, July 1, 2017 5:15 PM Local Time
Chen Doubles Through Lam
Simon Lam raised to 65,000 from the cutoff, Pete Chen three-bet shoved from the small blind for 620,000, and Lam called after a few moments.
Lam:
Chen:
The board came down , giving Chen aces and kings to double through Lam.
Pete Chen | 1,280,000 | 650,000 |
Simon Lam | 1,150,000 | -535,000 |
Saturday, July 1, 2017 5:13 PM Local Time
Zullo Doubles Through Cabrera
Mark Zullo raised all in for 395,000 from the button, and Sergio Cabrera called from the big blind.
Zullo:
Cabrera:
The board came down , giving Zullo tens and nines to double up.
Sergio Cabrera | 910,000 | -440,000 |
Mark Zullo | 835,000 | 285,000 |
Saturday, July 1, 2017 5:04 PM Local Time
Ari Engel Eliminated in 13th Place ($25,365)
Darren Rabinowitz limped from the small blind, Ari Engel raised to about 375,000 from the big blind, Rabinowitz reraised all in for 570,000, and Engel called all in for slightly less.
Rabinowitz:
Engel:
The board came down , not enough help to Engel, ending his tournament in 13th place.
Darren Rabinowitz | 1,155,000 | 580,000 |
Ari Engel | 0 | -525,000 |
Saturday, July 1, 2017 4:57 PM Local Time
Agnelli Doubles Through Korn
Norberto Korn raised to 65,000 on the button and called Donis Agnelli's 315,000 push from the small blind.
Korn:
Agnelli:
Korn took a substantial lead on the flop by pairing up his jack. The turn was the , which gave Agnelli a flush draw to go with his aces. The river was the , getting Agnelli there in both ways, and the Venezuelan doubled up.
Andres Korn | 2,930,000 | -335,000 |
Donis Agnelli | 670,000 | 230,000 |
Saturday, July 1, 2017 4:53 PM Local Time
Mike Vanier Eliminated in 14th Place ($25,365)
Andy Spears raised all in from the button and Mike Vanier called all in from the small blind for roughly 300,000.
Spears:
Vanier:
The board came down , giving Spears a pair of aces to eliminate Vanier in 14th place.
Andy Spears | 1,250,000 | 450,000 |
Mike Vanier | 0 | -390,000 |