World Poker Tour on FSN: Venice Grand Prix Season X — Part III

Chad Holloway PR & Media Manager

Jun 18, 2012 5 min read

On Sunday night, the World Poker Tour Season X continued on Fox Sports Network with the third and final part of the Venice Grand Prix, which originally played out from Feb. 6 to 10, 2012. What began with 155 players at the Casino di Venezia in Venice, Italy, was down to just four in the running for a €229,800 first-place prize.

In Part I, Andrea Carini became the first person eliminated from the final table, while Gianluca Trebbi followed him out the door in Part II.

In regard to the latter, he moved all-in for 280,000 from the cutoff with 10♥7♥ only to run into the J♥J♦ of Alessandro Longobardi. The board ran out 10♣2♣Q♠3♠8♦ and Trebbi was eliminated by his fellow Italian in fifth place, which was good for €42,705.

Here’s how things stacked up at the top of the broadcast:

WPT Venice Grand Prix Final Table

Seat	Player	Chips
1	Andrea Dato	1,610,000
2	Simon Ravnsbaek	690,000
3	-empty-
4	Rinat Bogdanov	1,115,000
5	-empty-
6	Alessandro Longobardi	1,260,000

First Hand: With the blinds at 20,000/40,000 and a 5,000 ante, Simon Ravnsbaek opened for 80,000 on the button with 10♦6♦ only to have Rinat Bogdanov three-bet to 200,000 from the small blind. It proved enough to win the pot as both the big blind and Ravnsbaek folded.

Simon Ravnsbaek Eliminated in Fourth Place: Ravnsbaek was first to act and simply moved all in for 600,000 with 2♥2♦, which was quickly called by Bogdanov, who held 10♠10♦ on the button. Ravnsbaek only had a 19 percent chance of winning the pot, which dropped to 8 percent on the 7♠6♦A♠ flop. The Q♠ meant he needed the 2♣ on the river to win, as the 2♠ would give his opponent a flush, but it was not meant to be as the 8♠ peeled off. Ravnsbaek, who began the final table on the short stack only to get the lead and lose it back again, was eliminated in fifth place for €52,565.

“Basically I just tried to play my game,” Ravnsbaek explained in his post-elimination interview. “I’m really disappointed right now. I expected a lot more. Misplayed a couple of hands. Yeah, really disappointed.”

Five Questions: The animated Tony G was featured in this week’s Five Questions segment, where Marianela Pereyra asked him the number one quality a player must have to be a winner. “You got to believe in yourself, I think, no matter what sort of handicaps you have,” Tony G said with little hesitation. “A great example is Phil Hellmuth. As a poker player he really believes in himself. He’s really a poor poker player, he’s below average, but he thinks he’s the best. Phil Hellmuth is a dog that thinks he’s human. It’s phenomenal, this guy is unbelievable. That’s powerful, but that’s how you have to be.”

“I haven't changed much,” he added when asked how he’s changed since the early days of the WPT. “I just love to make it crazy.”

Off to the Races with Pocket Threes: With the blinds at 40,000/80,000, Andrea Dato moved all-in for 1,090,000 with 3♠3♥ from the button, and in the big blind with A♦10♠ was Longobardi, who briefly agonized before making the call. The 4♣Q♣6♠ flop kept Dato in the lead and gave him a 70 percent chance of surviving, which increased to 86 percent on the 8♦ turn. The 2♥ river saw Dato survive the race and double to 2.25 million, putting him right back into the thick of things.

Longobardi Doubles Back: In the first hand shown after the double, Dato looked down at 8♦8♣ on the button and raised to 160,000. Again Longobardi was in the big blind and it was his turn to move all-in for 950,000 with J♣9♣. Dato snap-called and was a 56 percent favorite to win the hand, though the Q♣4♠K♣ flop made Longobardi the favorite with overs and straight and flush draws. The 5♥ was a blank, putting Dato back in the lead, but the 9♦ spiked on the river to give Longobardi the 1.97 million pot.

Andrea Dato Eliminated in Third Place: Perhaps Dato was steaming from losing another big pot, but whatever the case he moved all-in for 1.35 million after looking down at K♠4♦ in the small blind and was a 3-1 dog when Bogdanov snap-called with A♣K♦ from the big. The A♥8♠Q♥ put an end to any suspense as it gave Dato just a 1 percent chance of winning, meaning he needed to catch four-four to stay alive. The 3♥ turn wasn’t what he needed, and after the J♠ was put out on the river, Dato took his leave in third place for €72,275.

“What can I say? I lost the most important showdown. I lost two big flips, one of them would have been enough,” said Dato, who began the final table as chip leader. “I think I was the best player among the three remaining, so I’m really disappointed, but that’s it. That’s poker.”

One on One: In the first hand of heads-up play, Bogdanov opened for 200,000 with A♥8♣ and Longobardi defended holding J♠10♣. The J♣4♠8♦ flop gave both players a little something, though both checked. The A♣ turn saw Longobardi check and Bogdanov bet 200,000 with aces and eights. Longobardi made the call and then check-folded to a bet of 360,000 on the 7♦ river.

“Good fold,” said the Russian.

“I don’t know,” the Italian replied.

A WPT Champion is Crowned: Longobardi raised to 200,000 with K♥Q♦ and received a call from Bogdanov, who held the 6♣4♣. The 4♦Q♥7♦ flop gave each player a pair, but Bogdanov checked his fours. Longobardi bet a modest 160,000, and Bogdanov was glad he made the call as the 6♠ spiked on the turn to give him the lead; nonetheless, he checked to set the trap.

Longobardi took the bait and slid out 240,000, and Bogdanov chose to play it slow by just calling. Again Bogdanov checked after the 4♠ river gave him a full house, and Longobardi dug his own grave by putting out another 380,000. Bogdanov took a moment before moving all-in, and Bogdanov made the call after tanking for a short time.

With that, the Russian dispatched the Italian to become the latest WPT Venice champion. “It’s OK,” Longobardi said in broken English after his elimination. “Compliment my opponent, but it’s a very good end.”

Tune in Next Week: Part I of the L.A. Poker Classic is set to air on Sunday, June 24, on FSN, so be sure to check your local listings. If by chance you miss it, check back next week for the latest recap of all the action right here on PokerNews.