2017 Caribbean Poker Party Festival

$5,300 Millions Main Event ($5 Million Gtd.)
Day: 3
Event Info

2017 Caribbean Poker Party Festival

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
kk
Prize
$1,000,000
Event Info
Buy-in
$5,300
Prize Pool
$5,145,850
Entries
1,061
Level Info
Level
37
Blinds
6,000,000 / 12,000,000
Ante
0

Partypoker's Jason Koon Bags a Top Stack After Day 3 of the $5,300 MILLIONS Main Event

Level 22 : 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
Jason Koon
Jason Koon

Another day has come to its conclusion in the $5,300 MILLIONS Main Event at the 2017 Caribbean Poker Party Festival. With just 43 players remaining, one of partypoker's own, Jason Koon, has bagged a top stack with 71,975,000.

Koon has been playing poker all his life but has bombarded onto the high-stakes tournament scene within the last couple of years. He has amassed over $10.3 million in career live tournament earnings and has become a regular on the high-roller circuit. Recently signed by partypoker, Koon's poker career has taken off and he is one of the most recognizable and personable characters in the game.

The only players to hold a bigger stack at day's end is English poker pro, Michael Zhang. Zhang ran up a steady stack throughout the day and finished with 83,100,000. Rounding out the top three is Dan Dizenzo with an equally impressive 53,525,000. Some other familiar faces moving on to Day 4 include Felipe Ramos (41,775,000), Francois Billard (52,150,000), Charlie Godwin (39,850,000), and Ismael Bojang (19,950,000). Some of partypoker's own bagged chips alongside Koon such as partypoker Chairman, Mike Sexton (29,825,000), partypoker sponsored pro, Richard Dubini (12,850,000), and partypoker ambassador, Joao Simao (10,000,000).

The day began with 222 players returning and the field quickly dwindled. Just a few levels into the day, half of the field was sent to the rail and the money bubble approached. After three double ups, it was Kevin Eyster who found himself all in holding {a-Clubs}{3-Clubs} but was dominated by Graham Ivany's {a-Spades}{9-Clubs}. Eyster was unable to come from behind and became the official bubble boy, leaving the remaining 111 players with at least a $10,000 payday.

Many notables were unable to reach the money including Phillip Gruissem, Benjamin Pollak, David Peters, Ema Zajmovic, and partypoker sponsored pros, Johnny Lodden and Roberto Romanello. Those that were able to make the money but not move on to Day 4 were Steffen Sontheimer (49th place - $22,500), Seth Davies (55th place - $22,500), Joseph Cheong (58th place - $20,000), Alex Foxen (65th place -$17,500), Brandon Cantu (74th place - $15,000), and Martin Jacobson (92nd place - $10,000).

The final 43 players will return on Friday at 12:00 P.M for Day 4 action with the blinds resuming at 250,000/500,000 and a button ante of 500,000. They will all be guaranteed at least $25,000 but will be looking to cement their place on the final table in search of the first-place prize of $1,000,000. The scheduled plan is to play down to a final table but that still remains to be unseen.

Day 4 Seat Draw

TableSeatNameCountryChipsBig Blinds
121Pavel GonchakovRussia23,350,00047
122Dmitry GromovRussia4,800,00010
123Oskar PrehmGermany6,800,00014
124Michael MalmCanada6,100,00012
125Mike SextonUnited States29,825,00060
126Jean Sebastian DuboisCanada3,025,0006
127Shyngis SatubayevKazakhstan19,250,00039
128Harri HamalainenFinland10,100,00020
      
131Dan DizenzoUnited States53,525,000107
132Vojtech SkalakCzech Republic13,575,00027
134Gilbert DiazFrance3,250,0007
135Maduka MeragalCanada39,400,00079
136Graham IvanyCanada34,115,00068
137Michael ZhangUnited Kingdom83,100,000166
138Jonas GjelstadNorway15,350,00031
      
141Lucas BlancoSpain13,575,00027
142Roberto VahlisColombia40,375,00081
143Maria HoUnited States11,850,00024
145Preben StokkanNorway47,800,00096
146Diego Gomez GonzalezSpain14,450,00029
147Josef SnejbergCzech Republic41,325,00083
148Francois BillardCanada52,150,000104
      
161Richard DubiniArgentina12,850,00026
162Jan BednarCzech Republic31,150,00062
163Ruben PercevalCanada25,400,00051
164Charlie GodwinUnited Kingdom39,850,00080
165Troy QuennevileCanada23,450,00047
167Ismael BojangAustria19,950,00040
168Serhii PopovychUkraine19,825,00040
      
171Jiri HorakCzech Republic10,400,00021
172Diego ZeiterSwitzerland26,025,00052
174Damian LomzaPoland23,750,00048
175Marc-Andre LadouceurCanada17,525,00035
176Luis GarlaBrazil9,000,00018
177Joao SimaoBrazil10,000,00020
178Sam GreenwoodNetherlands23,025,00046
      
181Josafat CruzMexico35,250,00071
182Jorge EllenaChile11,475,00023
183Felipe RamosBrazil41,775,00084
185Andrei ShatilovRussia6,250,00013
186Udo ErleiGermany21,675,00043
187Michael SklenickaCzech Republic10,750,00022
188Jason KoonUnited States71,975,000144

Continue to follow along with the PokerNews live reporting team for all of the up-to-date action throughout the event.

Tags: Benjamin PollakDan DizenzoDavid PetersEma ZajmovicGraham IvanyJason KoonJohnny LoddenKevin EysterKevin PollakMichael ZhangPhilipp GruissemRoberto RomanelloAlex FoxenBrandon CantuCharlie GodwinFelipe RamosFrancois BillardIsmael BojangJan BednarJoseph CheongMaria HoMartin JacobsonMike SextonPreben StokkanSam GreenwoodRuben PercevalSeth DaviesSteffen Sontheimer

The Ladies Send Godwin a Massive Stack

Level 22 : 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
Charlie Godwin
Charlie Godwin

Charlie Godwin and Luigi Knoppers got all of the chips in the middle preflop with Godwin being the player at risk for 19.65 million. Godwin held {q-Hearts}{q-Diamonds} and was up against the {a-Hearts}{k-Diamonds} of Knoppers in a classic race scenario.

The flop came {9-Hearts}{6-Spades}{5-Diamonds} and Godwin was still out front with her pair of queens. The turn brought the {q-Spades} giving Godwin a set of queens, and Knoppers was drawing dead to the {2-Diamonds} on the river. Godwin scored a massive double up to sit on a healthy chip stack in the last level of the night.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Charlie Godwin gb
Charlie Godwin
40,300,000
20,300,000
20,300,000
Profile photo of Luigi Knoppers nl
Luigi Knoppers
25,000,000
16,320,000
16,320,000

Tags: Charlie Godwin

Martin Jacobson Ousted from the Main Event

Level 20 : 120,000/240,000, 240,000 ante
Martin Jacobson
Martin Jacobson

The action folded around to Martin Jacobson on the button who shoved all in for his last 2.5 million. Padraig Parkinson was in the big blind and made the call.

Padraig Parkinson: {k-}{9-}
Martin Jacobson: {k-Hearts}{5-Hearts}

Unfortunately for Jacobson, he was dominated by Parkinson and the board was unable to bring any help. He was eliminated deep into Day 3 but will still take home a min-cash.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Padraig Parkinson ie
Padraig Parkinson
10,200,000
1,450,000
1,450,000
Profile photo of Martin Jacobson se
Martin Jacobson
Busted
WSOP Main Event Champion
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Martin JacobsonPadraig Parkinson

Kevin Eyster Eliminated on the Money Bubble

Level 19 : 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Main Event bubble
Main Event bubble

The action folded to Kevin Eyster in the cutoff who pushed all in for 1.405 million. Graham Ivany called on the button and when the cards were tabled, he was in a dominating position.

Graham Ivany: {a-Spades}{9-Clubs}
Kevin Eyster: {a-Clubs}{3-Clubs}

The flop came {j-Hearts}{10-Clubs}{9-Diamonds} and Eyster was left drawing to runner-runner outs. The {3-Spades} on the turn gave Eyster some hope, but the {6-Clubs} on the river sent him to the rail on the money bubble. The remaining 111 players will be guaranteed at least a $10,000 payday.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Graham Ivany ca
Graham Ivany
8,400,000
2,500,000
2,500,000
Profile photo of Kevin Eyster us
Kevin Eyster
Busted
WSOP 1X Winner
WPT 2X Winner

Tags: Graham IvanyKevin Eyster

Chip Leaders Collide and One Explodes!

Level 18 : 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante
Troy Quenneville
Troy Quenneville

It was only a matter of time until Troy Quenneville and Alexis Urli got involved in a big pot together. However, nobody saw this explosion coming.

Quenneville raised from the hijack and Urli three-bet from the big blind, which the table says he's been doing a lot of. Quenneville called and the two Canadians saw a flop of {8-Diamonds}{5-Clubs}{3-Spades}. Urli led out for 875,000 and Quenneville called to see the {a-Clubs} on the turn.

Urli fired another 1.575 million and Quenneville still called. The {8-Clubs} completed the board and proved to be the action card. Urli checked this time and Quenneville tanked for a couple of minutes before putting together a bet of 5.335 million. Urli sat still in his chair for about a minute and then announced all in for 11.6 million.

"Wow!" Quenneville voiced his displeasure as he sat upright in his chair. Urli put his down, covered by his arms, as to not give any sort of tell away. Quenneville asked for a count and found out that Urli barely had him covered. A crowd gathered around the table and witnessed Quenvilled utter the word "call".

Urli turned over {k-Spades}{k-Clubs} while Quenneville tabled {j-Clubs}{9-Clubs} for a flush. "Yes!" Quenneville screamed with a fist pump to follow. Quenneville vaulted back into the overwhelming chip lead while Urli was left with just one big blind.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Troy Quenneville ca
Troy Quenneville
30,100,000
12,000,000
12,000,000
Profile photo of Alexis Urli ca
Alexis Urli
175,000
-21,025,000
-21,025,000

Tags: Alexis UrliTroy Quenneville

Rivest Shows the Bluff

Level 16 : 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Kevin Rivest
Kevin Rivest

On a flop reading {k-Spades}{6-Spades}{6-Clubs} with around 500,000 in the pot, Kevin Rivest bet 225,000 from middle position. Julio Gaston Belluscio called in the cutoff and the {2-Spades} landed on the turn.

Rivest checked to Belluscio who bet 575,000. Rivest check-raised to 1.825 million and that is when the table banter started.

"I told you I was going to check-raise you," Rivest said as he sat comfortably in his chair.

Belluscio called and the {3-Clubs} completed the board. Rivest reached back for a bet of 3.5 million and Belluscio began talking back.

"Do you have kings?" he asked.

"Do you have a small flush?" Rivest responded with a question of his own. "Go ahead, fold your baby flush."

Belluscio did indeed muck his cards and Rivest flashed the {j-Hearts}{9-Hearts} to the PokerNews crew before the hand was eventually turned over for the whole table to see.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Kevin Rivest ca
Kevin Rivest
16,800,000
2,055,000
2,055,000
Profile photo of Julio Gaston Belluscio ar
Julio Gaston Belluscio
7,900,000
-2,335,000
-2,335,000

Tags: Kevin Rivest

Welcome to Day 3 of the $5,300 MILLIONS Main Event

Caribbean Poker Party
Caribbean Poker Party

There are 222 players returning for Day 3 of the $5,300 MILLIONS Main Event at the 2017 Poker Party Festival. The Canadian poker pro, Troy Quenneville leads them all after bagging a whopping 19,060,000 chips.

Quenneville has plenty of success here at the Melia Caribe Tropical Resort in Punta Cana, Republic, having finished second in this same event in 2016. He also took down the $2,500 event in 2016 for his largest cash of $400,000 to date. Quenneville is welcomed at the top of the leaderboard by some fellow Canadians, Kevin Rivest and Francois Billard. Rivest has a history of running deep in these large fields, finishing 15th at the partypoker MILLIONS Main Event in Montreal, Canada back in April. He also recently won the World Cup of Cards $2,200 Main Event for $276,140.

This year, there is a lot more money to play for as first place will be taking home $1,000,000. With just 222 players remaining, half of the field will need to be eliminated before the money is reached. A total of 111 places will get paid with a min-cash being worth $10,000.

The action will resume at 12:00 P.M. local time with the blinds kicking off at 50,000/100,000 and a button ante of 100,000. The schedule is to play a complete seven levels, with the blinds increasing every 75 minutes. There will be a 20-minute break at the end of every two levels with play expected to conclude around 9:30 P.M. this evening.

Follow along with the PokerNews live reporting team as we bring you all of the action from the tournament floor.

Tags: Francois BillardKevin RivestTroy Quenneville