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 out flopped Arvanitis’ 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

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: