$5,200 Mar del Plata Main Event | 2009 PokerStars.net LAPT Mar del Plata

04-19-2009 13:39 UTC-5

From Foe to Friend

[user37786]

Veronica Dabul and Leo Fernandez on Day 1

Throughout the tournament, Leo Fernandez has been at the center of attention. On Day 1 his table was surrounded by film crews, photographers, reporters, floor staff...and that was before he lost 90% of his chips in a huge hand during the first level. The crowd REALLY got crazy then, as a six-deep mob pressed as close as they could (or dared) to see what had happened to their native son.

But, Fernandez dug in and fought his way back from that early disaster and now finds himself at the final table. And one of his most enthusiastic supporters is Veronica Dabul, a fellow Team PokerStars Pro, who was sitting to Leo's right on Day 1 when he was crippled just minutes into the tournament. Now he's sitting at the final table, and Veronica is sitting right there in the front row by the stage, rooting Leo on.

Tags: Leo Fernandez Veronica Dabul

04-19-2009 13:34 UTC-5

Slow Down

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[user24788]

After two bustouts in the first orbit, action has slowed down a bit. In the previous orbit, both Derek Lerner and Jason Skeans open-shoved from UTG and both players won the blinds and antes.

04-19-2009 13:15 UTC-5

The Sergio Show

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[user24788]

Sergio Farias a.k.a. the Latin Jon Lovitz

Sergio Farias is a local player from Mar del Plata. The crowd is filled with his friends and family, and they have been boisterously cheering on every hand that he has played. In the first orbit Sergio woke up with two big hands and busted two of the smaller stacks. Sergio jumped into second place in chips and trails the chip leader Dominik Nitsche by around 100,000.

Tags: Sergio Farias

04-19-2009 13:15 UTC-5

Updated Chip Counts

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[user37786]

Here are the stack sizes following the two eliminations:

Dominik Nitsche: 886,000
Sergio Farias: 752,000
Jorge Landazuri: 333,000
Leo Fernandez: 311,000
Jason Skeen: 286,000
Rodolfo Awad: 233,000
Derek Lerner: 126,000

04-19-2009 13:05 UTC-5

Alfons Fenijn Eliminated in 8th Place ($35,280)

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[user24788]

On the seventh hand of the final table, Derek Lerner had the button in Seat 9. Alfons Fenijn moved all in for 52,000. Sergio Farias reraised 135,000 and everyone folded.

Farias: {J-Hearts}

Fenijn:

Farias was ahead with pocket jacks and Fenijn was all in for his tournament life. The flop was {A-Hearts}

and Fenijn picked up a gutshot Broadway straight draw. The turn was the {5-Clubs}

and the river was the {10-Diamonds}

. Sergio won the pot and knocked out a second player at the final table in the opening orbit. Alfons Fenijn from the Netherlands was eliminated in eighth place. He won $35,280.

After that pot, Sergio now has 752,000.

Tags: Sergio Farias

Level: 19

Blinds: 6,000/12,000

Ante: 1,000

04-19-2009 12:48 UTC-5

Jose Barbero Eliminated in 9th Place ($28,220)

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[user24788]

On the second hand of the final table, Alfons Fenijn had the button in Seat 3. Sergio Farias raised 65,000 from the small blind and Jose Barbero moved all in from the big blind. Sergio called and had Jose covered.

Sergio: {5-Diamonds}

Jose:

The flop was {Q-Spades}

. Sergio took the lead with a set of fives, however, Jose flopped a Broadway straight draw and needed to fill that in if he wanted to survive.

The turn was the {6-Diamonds}