Event #56: $50,000 Poker Players Championship 6-Handed

Omaha Hi-Lo

Dan Cates wrestled back the lead from Yuri Dzivielevski when he made an open pair of tens in Seven Card Stud while most other hands ended at the completion already.

The game variant then switched to Omaha Hi-Lo and Dzivielevski three-bet with the      as initial raiser Cates called with     . On the     flop, Dzivielevski bet and Cates called. They headed to the   turn on which Dzivielevski bet and Cates raised after he had improved to trips nines.

Dzivielevski opted for a three-bet and Cates called. The   river brought a bet by Dzivielevski and a call by Cates as they had to settle for a chop.

Dan Cates	17,250,000	-325,000
Yuri Dzivielevski	16,350,000	325,000

No-Limit Hold'em

Yuri Dzivielevski raised it up with the    on the button and Dan Cates defended the    in the big blind. On a flop of    , Cates check-called for 850,000 and the   turn was checked. Cates bet the   river for 2,200,000 into 3,925,000 and Dzivielevski gave up the pot on the four flush board.

Dan Cates	20,725,000	1,325,000
Yuri Dzivielevski	12,875,000	-1,325,000

Limit 2-7 Triple Draw

Yuri Dzivielevski won some chips when he patted a ten-seven after the second draw and Dan Cates paired his trey to win some chips before he then started with an eighty-five and took down the next small pot.

After a chant by "Macho Man", the next hand unfolded and it would turn into another win for Dzivielevski.

Both Cates and Dzivielevski discarded two on the first draw and Cates bet for Dzivielevski to call. By then, Cates had a       pat while Dzivielevski discarded two with his    . Cates bet and Dzivielevski check-called as he discarded one and found a magic      .

Dzivielevski now bet and Cates raised only for the Brazilian to make it three bets and get called. Dzivielevski tabled the wheel and won a decent pot as he pulled back above ten million in chips.

Dan Cates	20,825,000	-5,100,000
Yuri Dzivielevski	12,775,000	5,100,000

Limit 2-7 Triple Draw

Naoya Kihara was all-in prior to the first draw and broke up a queen-jack as he discarded two cards while Dan Cates needed three new cards as they started with a     and    respectively.

Cates improved to an      and discarded one while Kihara discarded two again.

Cates paired up his trey while Kihara paired his deuce and received an ace to discarded two once more, with Cates taking one new card

On the final, Cates made an       and Kihara paired up once more to end up with an   /      to bow out in 3rd place for $639,257. It was the biggest cash of the live poker career for the Japanese mixed game specialist and the remaining two players are now on a short break prior to the start of the heads-up duel.

Dan Cates	25,925,000	1,325,000
Yuri Dzivielevski	7,675,000	-425,000
Naoya Kihara	0	-1,000,000

Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo

Naoya Kihara:    /      /  
Dan Cates:    /      /  
Yuri Dzivielevski:    /      /  

Dan Cates completed and Naoya Kihara then reraised for Yuri Dzivielevski to four-bet. Kihara made it four bets for essentially half of his stack and both opponents came along. Kihara bet to earn calls from Dzivielevski and Cates as they headed to fifth street.

Dzivielevski now made open kings and bet for Cates to call with his four spades and Kihara vaulted out of his chair before he invested another precious big bet, leaving himself with just 450,000 behind. All three players checked on sixth street and Dzivielevski bet seventh with just a pair of kings. Cates raised and Kihara once more studied the open boards on the other side of the street carefully.

Kihara released his cards into the muck and Dzivielevski paid off the raise without too much hesitation as Cates scooped an enormous pot while Kihara was left with fewer than one full bet.

Dan Cates	24,575,000	5,800,000
Yuri Dzivielevski	8,575,000	-3,700,000
Naoya Kihara	450,000	-2,100,000

No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw

Dan Cates raised and Naoya Kihara three-bet all in for 1,400,000. Cates called.

Dan Cates:      
Naoya Kihara:      

Kihara drew one and Cates drew two.

Cates ended with a pair       meaning Kihara just needing to avoid a pair to double.

He drew a   and doubled up.

Dan Cates	18,900,000	-2,300,000
Yuri Dzivielevski	11,900,000	900,000
Naoya Kihara	3,200,000	1,800,000

Limit Hold'em

Yuri Dzivielevski raised to 600,000 and Naoya Kihara called leaving himself just 25,000 behind.

The flop was     and Kihara checked. Dzivielevski bet enough to put Kihara all in, and he called.

Naoya Kihara:   
Yuri Dzivielevski:   

Dzivielevski had flopped a pair leaving Kihara just a 10% chance of winning the hand.

The turn   gave him both straight and flush draws and the   completed both and he secured a vital double

Dan Cates	21,200,000	25,000
Yuri Dzivielevski	11,000,000	-800,000
Naoya Kihara	1,400,000	775,000

Limit Hold'em

Yuri Dzivielevski raised in the small blind with the    and was called by Dan Cates in the big blind, who held the   . On the     flop, Dzivielevski bet and Cates raised his top pair to earn a call. Dzivielevski check-called a bet on the   turn when he picked up a flush draw and then check-called again the   river to get shown trips by Cates.

Dan Cates	16,975,000	275,000
Yuri Dzivielevski	12,100,000	-500,000
Naoya Kihara	4,525,000	-175,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

In a limped pot to the     flop, the action went check-check. Yuri Dzivielevski bet the   turn for 225,000 with his      for a set and then faced a raise to 875,00 by Dan Cates, who only had the     .

After giving it some consideration, Dzivielevski flat-called and they headed to the   on the river.

Dzivielevski checked again and Cates bet 1,950,000 for Dzivielevski to make the call by tossing in a single chip and win a bigger pot off the chip leader.

Dan Cates	15,025,000	-3,175,000
Yuri Dzivielevski	12,600,000	3,100,000
Naoya Kihara	5,975,000	-25,000

Pot-Limit Omaha

Yuri Dzivielevski had raised out of the small blind with the      and was called by Dan Cates in the big blind with the [Jc10s19d8c]. On the     flop, Dzivelevski check-called a bet worth 350,000 and they then checked down the   turn and [5h river for the Brazilian to win the pot.

Dzivelevski raised it up on the button with the      next and Naoya Kihara defended the     . Kihara check-called for 300,000 on the     flop as both then checked the   turn. On the   river, Kihara bet 250,000 into a pot of 1,525,000 and Dzivelevski folded the superior hand.

Dan Cates	17,475,000	-1,875,000
Yuri Dzivielevski	10,075,000	625,000
Naoya Kihara	6,050,000	1,250,000