2011 World Poker Tour Venice Day 4: Caroli In Front for Final Table
The 2011 World Poker Tour Venice was back in action on Saturday and the field was down to the final 15. The plan for the day was to grind down to the official final table of six and that's just what happened. At the end of the day, Michele Caroli held the chip lead with 2.097 million in chips.
Only one former WPT champion was left in action on Day 4 — Roberto Romanello. His day turned out to last the shortest of everyone as he fell in 15th place to Caroli.
According to the WPT Live Update Team, on the first hand of the day the blinds were 4,000/8,000/1,000 and Romanello raised to 17,000 from the hijack seat. Ronnie Bardah sat in the cutoff seat and reraised to 39,000 before play folded back to Romanello. He folded and showed A♥5♥. Bardah showed A♠K♠ and said, "I always show one hand per day and that is the one."
On the very next hand, play folded to Romanello and he tried the same thing, raising to 17,000. Play folded over to Caroli in the big blind and he reraised all-in for over 700,000. Instantly, the shorter-stacked Romanello made the call and showed 9♥9♦. Caroli held A♥K♠. After a board of Q♥5♦4♠2♠A♠, Romanello's tournament life had come to an end.
Next to go was Wanny Piazza in 14th place before Bardah hit the rail in 13th. Edoardo Alescio opened to 28,000 during the 6,000/12,000/2,000 level and Bardah reraised all-in for 150,000. Alescio called with K♣10♠, but Bardah held the best of it in dominating form with K♦Q♣.
The flop came down J♠10♥6♦ and gave Alescio the lead. Bardah still had plenty of outs with an open-ended straight draw and one overcard to hit. The turn brought the 2♣ and river the 6♣, but both missed Bardah and he was out the door.
From there, Fernando Cimaglia fell in 12th place before Arnaud Mattern exited in 11th. His K♠J♣ failed to get there against Caroli's A♥K♣ after all of the money went in preflop.
Dario Rusconi was eliminated in 10th place, Christopher Creus in ninth and then Marvin Rettenmaier was bounced out the door in eighth to set up the final table bubble. That's when it was time for Alejandro Sanchez to be shipped off by Andrea Benelli.
With the binds up to 8,000/16,000/2,000, Benelli raised to 34,000 from the cutoff seat. Sanchez reraised all-in for around 120,000 from the big blind and Benelli made the call. He held 9♥9♠, which was one better than Sanchez's 8♣8♦. The board ran out A♦K♣3♦9♣7♥ and Benelli won the pot to finish things off for the day.
Final Table Seating Assignments and Chips
| Seat | Player | Chips |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edoardo Alescio | 1,714,000 |
| 2 | Michele Caroli | 2,097,000 |
| 3 | Andrea Dato | 461,000 |
| 4 | Andrea Benelli | 1,143,000 |
| 5 | Steve O'Dwyer | 501,000 |
| 6 | Alex Dovzhenko | 480,000 |
The final six players will return to action on Sunday and the cards will be in the air at 1300 CET (0600 PST). Be sure to check right back here at PokerNews to find out how they finish and who walks away as the newest WPT champion.
*Photo courtesy of the World Poker Tour.
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