World Cup of Cards

Event #25 Champion: Yannick Labattaglia

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Event #25 of the World Cup of Cards, the $100 + $10 8-Max Re-entry, drew a large afternoon turnout of 118 entries including 23 re-entries, enough to more than double the prize pool guarantee.

The players in this event made two deals to re-distribute the prize pool; the first was made to provide the player on the money bubble a small cash of $150, and the second was an ICM chop of the remaining prize pool when three players, Chris Arvanitis, Yannick Labattaglia and Eric Guindon, remained. According to the terms of the ICM chop, each of the three finalists locked up a significant profit for the day and left $230 for the eventual winner. After the deal was made, the first player to exit was Eric Guindon, who earned $1,955 in the process.

It then came down to a heads-up battle between Arvanitis and Labattaglia. At this stage, the trophy and bragging rights meant more to the players than the remaining cash, and they showed their determination with tight and cautious play at the outset. The chip lead changed hands several times before the blinds reached nosebleed heights and provoked a series of pre-flop all-ins. In the end, Labattaglia’s Jack of Diamonds 10 of Hearts out flopped Arvanitis’ 7 of Hearts 6 of Hearts to give Labattaglia the extra prize money, the cherished trophy and bragging rights as a WCC event champion. Congratulations!

Event #25 Champion: Yannick Labattaglia, $2,391

Last hand of play: 

Runner-up: Chris Arvanitis, $1,880

Labattaglia leads

  • Level: 20
  • Small Blind: 15K
  • Big Blind: 30K
  • BB Ante: 15K
  • Chip Average: 590K
  • Remaining: 4
  • Entries: 118

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The field in the 8-Max Re-entry is down to only five players.

The final table got off to a fast start, with two quick eliminations. Jonathan Poissant was eliminated in ninth place, earning him $290 in the process. Marc Lemesle followed shortly after in tenth, good for a $380. But play slowed down significantly after that.

There were several walks given to the players in the big blind, and a single opening raise was enough to take down a number of hands. Things picked up shortly before the break, as Yannick Labattaglia woke up with big hand after big hand and sent two players to the rail. Now that the chip average provides roughly 15 big blinds, there is little post-flop play to be seen, and these hands were played out pre-flop, with the short stack moving all in and Labattaglia waking up with cards to call in position. William Johnston was eliminated in seventh place for a $500 cash, and Julius Roque finished in sixth, deep enough to earn $670.

First Name | PrénomName | NomStack | Tapis
YannickLabattaglia1,070,000
EricGuindon725,000
ChrisArvanitis236,000
StuartLinnen218,000
Maurice Simard104,000

Down to ten

  • Level: 17
  • Small Blind: 6K
  • Big Blind: 12K
  • BB Ante: 12K
  • Chip Average: 262K
  • Remaining: 10
  • Entries: 118

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After agreeing to a deal that paid the money bubble, the players in the 8-max Re-entry started taking every opportunity to accumulate chips, leading to a number of pre-flop all ins. The result was a quick reduction in the field that now counts only ten remaining players.

According to the bubble deal, the sixteenth place finisher, Alexandre Carpentier, took home $150. The deal took this money from the top three positions so all other prizes on the payout list remain unchanged. Jason Conforti and Christian Rho each collected $180 for finishing fifteenth and fourteenth respectively. Forouzan Sotoudeh and James Cooke were the next two eliminated but not before moving into the next pay bracket, which paid them each $200.

Play continues in level 17 on the verge of the final table.

Bubble deal

  • Level: 15
  • Small Blind: 4K
  • Big Blind: 8K
  • BB Ante: 8K
  • Chip Average: 157K
  • Remaining: 15
  • Entries: 118

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The bubble burst before it arrived in Event #25.

The remaining players have agreed to a deal that will remove some prize money from the top three positions to pay the sixteenth place finisher $150. Now that all players have secured a cash, the field will likely be reduced to the final table in short order.

Chip leaders at the third break

  • Level: 15
  • Small Blind: 4K
  • Big Blind: 8K
  • BB Ante: 8K
  • Chip Average: 124K
  • Remaining: 19
  • Entries: 118

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The mounting blind pressure provoked a series all ins during the lead up to this latest break and reduced the field to only 19 players. The field is now four spots away from the money bubble so the pressure will only continue to build when play resumes.

William Johnston ran hot at the right time, allowing him to send two players to the rail shortly before the break and leap to the top of the leader board.

First Name | PrénomName | NomStack | Tapis
WilliamJohnston300,000
Jason Conforti211,000
MarcLemesle205,000
Ayo Smith180,000

Photo update

  • Level: 14
  • Small Blind: 3K
  • Big Blind: 6K
  • BB Ante: 6K
  • Chip Average: 102.6K
  • Remaining: 23
  • Entries: 118

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The field is down to only 23 players, as play enters level 14. The pressure of the blinds has crept up on the field, as the chip average now provides roughly 16 big blinds, so pre-flop all ins are becoming a more frequent occurrence.

Here’s a look at some of the remaining players:

Event #24 Champion: Andres Odeja

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Event #24 of the World Cup of Cards, the $200 + $20 PL Omaha 3 Lives Re-entry, was a huge success that brought out a field large enough to more than double the prize pool guarantee. Players took advantage of the re-entry option early and often, generating 21 re-entries in the first six levels of play.

In many tournaments with this kind of structure, we tend to see the play tighten up once the re-entry period ends, but that was not the case tonight. The loose play of the early levels kept up all the way until the money bubble, as multi-way pre-flop all ins were a regular occurrence up until the very late stages of play.

Once the field reached the money bubble, the players found some patience and some folds, as a dozen hands of hand-for-hand play ensued. The short stack in the field nearly blinded out and was eliminated when he was all in with his last 5K chip. After that several players hit the rail in short succession before the played slowed down again as the stacks got deeper.

Once the field was down to eight players, Andres Odeja went on a hot streak and did not look back. He found the right combination of good timing, strong cards and proper play that allowed him to eliminate several players at the final table. Critically, those he eliminated controlled the largest stacks in play other than his own, giving him a massive chip lead that he would not relinquish.

In the end, it came to heads-up play between Patrick St-Onge and Odeja. St-Onge put up a tough fight, but Odeja controlled the lion’s share of the chips throughout their duel and eventually came out on top once the blinds had reached dizzying heights and the two went all in before the flop.

Event #24 Champion: Andres Odeja, $4,036

Runner up: Patrick St-Onge, $3,080

Last Hand of Play:

Siamak out in fourth, Nickoletopoulos finishes third

  • Level: 22
  • Small Blind: 20K
  • Big Blind: 40K
  • BB Ante: 0
  • Chip Average: 1.26M
  • Remaining: 2
  • Entries: 84

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Siamak S was eliminated in fourth place, earning him $1,800 in the process.

Nick Nickoletopoulos was eliminated by Patrick St-Onge after the two got their chips in the middle before the flop. Both players woke up with strong hands, and the board did not change the pre-flop dynamics. It was Ace of Clubs 10 of Clubs King of Diamonds 9 of Hearts for Nickoletopoulos against St-Onge’s Ace of Spades 6 of Spades Queen of Spades Queen of Clubs. The board, 6 of Diamonds 7 of Diamonds 9 of Diamonds 3 of Hearts 4 of Hearts, gave Nickoletopoulos some hope on the flop, but it was not to be. Nickoletopoulos will collect $2,350 for his third place finish.

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