Event #19: $565 Pot-Limit Omaha

Seth Zimmerman raised to 350,000 from the button, Craig Varnell made a pot-sized reraise to 1,150,000 from the small blind, and Zimmerman called to put himself at risk.

Seth Zimmerman:     
Craig Varnell:     

Varnell had the preflop edge and Zimmerman needed to improve in order to stay alive. Both players made trips on the     flop but Zimmerman had the lead with the better kicker. The   on the turn gave Varnell straight and flush draws, but the   changed nothing, so Zimmerman took the pot to double up.

Craig Varnell	5,500,000	-700,000
Seth Zimmerman	1,200,000	305,000

Christopher Trang opened to 350,000 from under the gun and Maxime Heroux three-bet to 895,000 from the small blind. Trang called to put himself at risk and the two players tabled their hands.

Christopher Trang:     
Maxime Heroux;     

Heroux had the preflop advantage and Trang needed to improve in order to preserve his tournament life. He picked up some additional outs on the     flop, but the   turn gave Heroux a commanding lead, and the   river was too little too late for Trang, so Heroux took the pot to end Trang's deep run in this event in fifth place for $44,677.

Maxime Heroux	3,800,000	600,000
Christopher Trang	0	-640,000

Omar Mehmood completed the blind and Maxime Heroux potted to 300,000. Mehmood repotted and Heroux folded.

Maxime Heroux	2,900,000	-300,000
Omar Mehmood	2,600,000	300,000

Craig Varnell opened for 300,000 and called the shove of Jonathan Duhamel on the button, who had 820,000.

Craig Varnell:     
Jonathan Duhamel:     

Varnell was trailing but took a big lead on     with a pair of nines and a flush draw. The turn was a   and the river a   and he made a boat to bust the former WSOP Main Event champ.

Craig Varnell	5,400,000	600,000
Jonathan Duhamel	0	-870,000

Craig Varnell opened for 300,000, Shaome Yang called all in for slightly less on the button and big blind Maxime Heroux called. On the turn, the board read      and Heroux bet out Varnell. Heroux showed      for tens full and Yang tabled     . He needed the last ace but the river was a brick, eliminating him.

Maxime Heroux	3,200,000	540,000
Shaome Yang	0	-435,000

Craig Varnell opened for 300,000 in middle position and Ilian Li shoved on his left for 475,000. Varnell called with      and was against     . The     flop paired Varnell. The   did nothing for him but a   river was good for two pair and the knockout.

Craig Varnell	4,100,000	640,000
Ilian Li	0	-475,000

Ilian Li raised to 280,000 from middle position and Seth Zimmerman called from the big blind. He bet in the dark to put Li to a decision for the remainder of his chips before the dealer fanned out the     flop. Li, who only had 335,000 to start the hand, called to put himself at risk.

Ilian Li:     
Seth Zimmerman:     

While Zimmerman's hand had been best preflop, Li had taken the lead with flopped two pair. The   turn put Zimmerman back out in front, but the   river meant Li would take the pot with a nine-high straight to double up.

Seth Zimmerman	1,190,000	-360,000
Ilian Li	810,000	-600,000

Maxime Heroux raised to 200,000 from the hijack and Seth Zimmerman called from the cutoff.

The flop came     and Heroux bet 300,000. Zimmerman called.

The turn brought the   and Heroux checked. Zimmerman bet 275,000, Heroux folded, and Zimmerman took the pot.

Maxime Heroux	2,230,000	80,000
Seth Zimmerman	2,080,000	420,000