2009 EPT PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Final Table Re-cap
by Chad Holloway of Predictem.com
The European Poker Tour’s 2009 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure final table got under way with the remnants of a 1,347-player field. The final eight players and their chips counts were as follows:
Alexandre Gomes – 8,080,000
Poorya Nazari -6,790,000
Benny Spindler – 3,352,000
Pieter Tielen – 2,310,000
Anthony Gregg – 2,245,000
Kevin Saul – 1,640,000
Dan Heimiller – 1,440,000
Dustin Dirksen – 765,000
Action got underway at level 25 (which only had fifteen minutes remaining) with blinds of 40,000-80,000 and a 5,000 ante. The first elimination came when Nazari, with Qd Qh, and Saul, holding Ks Js, were all-in preflop. Nazari’s queens held up on the Jh 8c 7c 3c 2c board and Saul was eliminated in eighth place ($214,000). This was followed by another elimination when Heimiller moved all-in, Nazari moved all-in behind him, and Gregg insta-called all-in. Heimiller held 5s 5c, Nazari 8c 8s, and Gregg 9s 9h.
The board of Kh Js Jc 6s 7s helped no one and Gregg tripled up; consequently, Heimiller finishing in seventh place ($300,000). Action continued as Spindler raised to 300,000 and was reraised to 825,000 by Dirksen. Spindler moved all-in with the 10c 10s and was called by Dirksen’s Ad Kd. The Qh Jh Js 6d 3h board did not help Dirksen and he was out in sixth place ($400,000).
Spindler continued to roll when he raised to 300,000, Tielen moved all-in for 2.4 million, and was called. Spindler showed the 8c 8h and was racing against Tielen’s Ac Qd. The board came 10h 7c 6d 5s Kd and Tielen was sent home in fifth place ($550,000). Another huge hand occurred when Gomes raised preflop with the Ac Ah and was called by Spindler’s Kc Jc. Gomes continuation bet 535,000 on the Jd Jh Js flop, was raised to 1,350,000 by Spindler, while Gomes made the call. The 5s on the turn caused Gomes to check, Spindler to bet 2 million, and Gomes to immediately push all-in. Spindler called with quads and Gomes was eliminated in fourth place ($750,000).
Three-handed play began with the following chip counts: Spindler: 16,890,000, Nazari: 6,200,000, Gregg: 3,800,000. After Gregg and Nazari managed to chip-up, the three remaining players began to play timid with so much money on the line. It wasn’t until Spindler moved all-in preflop with Qd Jh for 4.9 million that action picked up. Nazari made the call with As Jd and the board came Ks 4s 3s 10d Kd. Spindler was eliminated in third place ($1.1 million). On the final hand of the tournament, Gregg found himself all-in with Qd 7s against Nazari’s Ac 10d. The board of 10s 6d 5c 3s 9d sent Gregg home in second place ($1.7 million). Poorya Nazari became the 2009 EPT PokerStars Caribbean Adventure champion and won the $3 million first-place prize.
