Nelson Trad Neto opened to 70,000 from the hijack and Fernando Araujo called from the big blind.
The flop came down 
and Araujo led out for 80,000. Neto, though, popped it to 200,000. After a few moments, Araujo surrendered the pot. Neto flashed the 
as he collected the chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,100,000
225,000
|
225,000 |
|
690,000
-170,000
|
-170,000 |
|
||
From under the gun, Nelson Trad Neto raised all in for 395,000. Engelberth Varela called from the button and the two blinds folded.
Neto: 
Varela: 
The flop came down 
and the threes for Varela stayed in front. The turn was the 
and now Neto needed help on the river.
The river produced the 
and smashed Neto with the winning hand. What happened next was -- to say the least -- a little out of the ordinary.
Neto began jumping up and down as high as he could, pumping his arms into the air each time he jumped. The final table stage sounded with extremely large thuds every time Neto landed forcefully, so much so that it sounded as though it might come crashing down. Neto than began running around the room with a black ski mask now pulled over his face. He hugged and cheered with his fan section before returning to the table. When he got back to the table, he put a hat on backwards over the ski mask and sunglasses, too, before taking them off a few moments later.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,425,000
-415,000
|
-415,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
875,000
470,000
|
470,000 |
On the first hand, Felipe Pasini moved all in under the gun for 340,000. The rest of the table ducked out of the way and Pasini took down the blinds and antes.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
425,000
80,000
|
80,000 |
|
|
||
The cards are in the air for the final table of the 2011 PokerStars.net LAPT Punta del Este Main Event!
Level: 24
Blinds: 15,000/30,000
Ante: 5,000
Welcome to PokerNews' Day 4 coverage of the 2011 PokerStars.net Latin American Poker Tour Punta del Este Main Event.
Three days ago, a field of 422 came to play at the Mantra Resort. Now, only eight players remain with hopes of capturing a coveted LAPT title.
Leading the way with 2,920,000 -- more than a third of the chips in play -- is Alex Komaromi, the lone Uruguayan remaining. Second in chips is Engelberth Varela with 1,840,000 and between the two, more than half the chips in play reside. They still have a long way to go as the six other players left all have the same goal, emerging victorious and claiming the title.
Play begins a little bit after noon local time, about hour from now, so be sure to keep it here at PokerNews to follow all of the exciting action and to see who the next LAPT champion will be!
Here is how the final table stacks up:
| Seat | Player | Country | Chips |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rafael Monteiro | Brazil | 810,000 |
| 2 | Felipe Pasini | Brazil | 345,000 |
| 3 | Nelson Trad Neto | Brazil | 405,000 |
| 4 | Carlos Watanabe | Peru | 430,000 |
| 5 | Alex Komaromi | Uruguay | 2,920,000 |
| 6 | Claudio Piedrabuena | Argentina | 490,000 |
| 7 | Fernando Araujo | Brazil | 860,000 |
| 8 | Engelberth Varela | Venezuela | 1,840,000 |
Rafael Monteiro from Florianopolis, Brazil splits his time between poker and his studies. The 22-year-old student has been playing poker (mostly online) for the better part of three years. Monteiro’s career live tournament earnings total just under USD $50,000. Monteiro enjoys playing tennis and working out at the gym in his spare time.
Bio courtesy of PokerStars
Felipe Sangalli Pasini is a 24-year-old professional poker player from Passo Fundo, Brazil, who learned how to play poker at home games with his friends. Pasini has been playing for approximately five years, mostly online, and prior to this week, had no live tournament cashes. No matter how he ends up at Sunday’s final table, this will be the largest win of his career. Pasini is an avid soccer fan, and says his hobbies outside of poker are “friends, parties and beer.”
Bio courtesy of PokerStars
Nelson Trad Neto from Campo Grande, Brazil is a 24-year-old public relations specialist and part-time poker player. Neto is relatively new to the live tournament scene, but has earned more than $180,000 on PokerStars, playing under the alias “DJMAJNUN” over the past four years. When he’s not working or playing cards, Neto is a DJ back in a Brazil. His music of choice is electronic/dance.
Bio courtesy of PokerStars
Carlos Adolfo Watanabe, the only Peruvian player at the final table, has been a hobby poker player for the past 10 years. The 38-year-old industrial engineer from Lima notched his first and only major tournament cash at the 2010 PokerStars.net-sponsored NAPT Los Angeles Main Event (15th - $21,000). Watanabe, a regular at PokerStars, enters the final table as one of his short-stacks with 430,000.
Bio courtesy of PokerStars
