2018 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure

$10,300 Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info

2018 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
107
Prize
$1,081,100
Event Info
Buy-in
$10,300
Prize Pool
$5,645,400
Entries
582
Level Info
Level
32
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
25,000

Karl Stark and David Peters Big Stacks as 43 Advance from Day 3 of 2018 PCA

Level 17 : 3,000/6,000, 1,000 ante
Karl Stark
Karl Stark

Day 3 of the 2018 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) began with 101 runners from the 582-player field return to action. After four 90-minute levels of play, during which time the money bubble burst, the field was whittled down to the final 43.

Leading the pack with a stack of 1,148,000 is Sweden’s Karl Stark, though poker pro David Peters is hot on his heels with 1,117,000 million. Others still in contention for the $1,081,100 first place prize are Day 2 chip leader Oleg Titov (938,000), Koray Aldemir (757,000), 2017 GPI Player of the Year Adrian Mateos (620,000), Jack Sinclair (598,000), and Team PokerStars Pro Liv Boeree (389,000).

Also making it through is PokerStars Ambassador and Erik Seidel protégé Maria Konnikova, who is fresh off winning the 2018 PCA National for $84,600. She’ll face an uphill battle as she sits on the short stack with 67,000.

With 87 players getting paid, 14 had to leave empty-handed on Day 3. They included Igor Yaroshevskyy, Andy Philachack, Chris “Big Huni” Hunichen, Joao Simao, and bubble boy Nikita Neliubin, who fell after a marathon hand-for-hand period.

Once the bubble burst – the result of Neliubin’s ace-three failing to overcome Big Slick – the in-the-money finishes came quick and included Darren Rabinowitz (87th - $17,500), Keith Lehr (81st - $17,500), Team PokerStars Pro Victor Ramdin (69th - $19,760), two-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Kevin MacPhee (67th - $19,760), Vladimir Troyanovskiy (63rd - $19,760), and the last former PCA champ in the field Harrison Gimbel (56th - $19,760).

Another player to fall was Team PokerStars Pro Barry Greenstein, who was actually the favorite to bust on the bubble. He got his extreme short stack all in preflop with pocket eights only to run into aces. Lucky for him, an eight on the river allowed him to survive and ladder up a bit.

Greenstein fell in the last level of the night when he got his stack all in with pocket kings against Peters’ ace-king. There was side action between Peters and Gleidibe Brito, who held two black sevens, and the flop came down jack-high. Peters wound up turning an ace, won some more chips off Brito, and sent Greenstein to the rail in 47th place for $22,020.

Day 4 of this six-day tournament will get underway at Noon local time on Friday with the plan of playing down to the final 16 players. Once again, the PokerNews live reporting team will be on hand to bring you all the action and eliminations straight from the tournament floor, so be sure to join us then.

Tags: David PetersKarl Stark

Barry Greenstein Eliminated by David Peters at the Feature Table; Peters Assumes the Chip Lead

Level 17 : 3,000/6,000, 1,000 ante
Barry Greenstein
Barry Greenstein

On the feature table, Barry Greenstein moves all in before the flop for all in for 42,000 holding {K-Diamonds}{K-Clubs} David Peters in cutoff calls with {A-Diamonds}{K-Hearts}. Gleidibe Brito then three bets to 112,000 with {7-Spades}{7-Clubs} on the button. Peters calls.

The flop comes down {J-Clubs}{9-Diamonds}{3-Hearts} and Peters checks over to Goncalves. Goncalves decides to put out a bet of 65,000 which Peters calls.

The turn is the {A-Hearts}, giving Peters the lead. Peters checks once more. Goncalves puts out a bet of 135,000. Peters calls one more time.

On the {Q-Spades} river, Peters checks one more time. This time Goncalves checks it back. Peters shows down his hand and that's good enough to earn him the entire pot while Greenstein is eliminated from the tournament, collecting $22,020 for his run in the Main Event.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of David Peters us
David Peters
1,182,000
368,000
368,000
WSOP 2X Winner
Profile photo of Gleidibe Brito br
Gleidibe Brito
608,000
-335,000
-335,000
Profile photo of Barry Greenstein us
Barry Greenstein
Busted

Tags: Barry GreensteinDavid PetersGleidibe GoncalvesPCA Main Event

Luc Greenwood Eliminated by Koray Aldemir

Level 17 : 3,000/6,000, 1,000 ante
Luc Greenwood
Luc Greenwood

Luc Greenwood opened from middle position to 14,000 before Koray Aldemir reraised, making it 45,000 from the small blind. Greenwood then moved all in for a bit over 100,000 and Aldemir called quickly.

Greenwood: {J-Hearts}{J-Spades}
Aldemir: {Q-Hearts}{Q-Diamonds}

The flop came down {A-Clubs}{Q-Spades}{7-Hearts} leaving Greenwood drawing to just running outs, but the {5-Clubs} on the turn wasn't one of them. The river was the {K-Clubs} which sealed Greenwood's fate and he hit the rail while Aldemir moved over 700,000 chips.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Koray Aldemir de
Koray Aldemir
720,000
135,000
135,000
WSOP Main Event Champion
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Luc Greenwood ca
Luc Greenwood
Busted

Tags: Luc GreenwoodKoray Aldemir

Last Former PCA Champ Hits Rail, Harrison Gimbel Out in 56th Place

Level 16 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
Harrison Gimbel
Harrison Gimbel

Back in 2010, Harrison Gimbel won the PCA for $2.2 million. He was the last former champ in the field, but he won't be capturing his second title in 2018.

The Poker Triple Crown winner got his last 35,000 all in preflop and was racing against Michael Farrow.

Farrow: {j-Diamonds}{j-Clubs}
Gimbel: {a-Diamonds}{k-Hearts}

Gimbel needed to improve, but instead the [js7ssc] flop gave Farrow a set.

The {Q-Hearts} turn meant Gimbel could win with a ten on the river, but it wasn't in the cards as the {Q-Diamonds} paired the board instead.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Michael Farrow ca
Michael Farrow
285,000
35,000
35,000
Profile photo of Harrison Gimbel us
Harrison Gimbel
Busted
WSOP 1X Winner
WPT 1X Winner
EPT 1X Winner

Tags: Michael FarrowHarrison Gimbel

From Double to Trouble; Leo Margets Eliminated by Michael Farrow

Level 16 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
Leo Margets
Leo Margets

From the hijack seat, Leo Margets moved all in for right around 50,000. Michael Farrow was next to act and he shoved all in over the top for about 200,000. Everyone else folded and it was off to a showdown.

Margets: {A-Hearts}{J-Diamonds}
Farrow: {8-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}

Margets needed to catch an ace or a jack but she could not find one on the {7-Clubs}{3-Spades}{2-Hearts} flop, nor on the {5-Clubs} turn and the {9-Spades} river. Margets was able to double up once, but could not do it again and was eliminated from the tournament.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Michael Farrow ca
Michael Farrow
250,000
106,500
106,500
Profile photo of Leo Margets es
Leo Margets
Busted
WSOP 1X Winner
Winamax

Tags: Leo MargetsMichael Farrow

Keith Lehr Runs Into Pocket Rockets to Bust

Level 16 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
Keith Lehr
Keith Lehr

The preflop action escaped us, but we do know that Keith Lehr got his stack of around 130,000 all in preflop and was at risk against Gleidibe Goncalves.

Goncalves: {a-Spades}{a-Clubs}
Lehr: {6-Spades}{6-Clubs}

Lehr was looking for some help, but he was left wanting as the board ran out {7-Hearts}{2-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds}{2-Spades}{q-Spades}.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Gleidibe Goncalves br
Gleidibe Goncalves
920,000
180,000
180,000
Profile photo of Keith Lehr us
Keith Lehr
Busted
WSOP 2X Winner

Tags: Gleidibe GoncalvesKeith Lehr

Nikita Neliubin Bubbles the 2018 PCA Main Event

Level 15 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante
Bubble Boy Nikita Neliubin in blue hat.
Bubble Boy Nikita Neliubin in blue hat.

He had waited patiently for quite some time, but down to just 5,000 and seated under the gun, Nikita Neliubin made his move and committed the last of his chips.

A lot of players and railbirds gathered because everyone knew that he would be called in at least one spot, as his push was just 1,000 more than the big blind. The media, fans, and other players saw Luc Greenwood in middle position raise to 15,000. This forced out everyone else and they waited for all hands at other tables to finish before showing what they had.

Nikita Neliubin: {A-Hearts}{3-Hearts}
Luc Greenwood: {A-Clubs}{K-Spades}

Things weren't looking too good for Neliubin and the flop of {K-Hearts}{K-Clubs}{9-Diamonds} certainly didn't help. Neliubin got up from the table but he returned as he saw the {4-Hearts} hit the turn, giving him a flush draw.

With everyone holding their breath, the dealer burned and placed the {3-Clubs} on the river. It was too little too late for Neliubin, as he bubbled the 2018 edition of the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure.

Down to 87 players, all guaranteed $17,500.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Luc Greenwood ca
Luc Greenwood
153,000
18,000
18,000
Profile photo of Nikita Neliubin ru
Nikita Neliubin
Busted

Tags: Luc GreenwoodNikita NeliubinPCA 2018PCA Main EventpokerstarsPokerStars Caribbean Adventure 2018

Miracle River Saves Team PokerStars Pro Barry Greenstein on the Bubble

Level 15 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante
Barry Greenstein
Barry Greenstein

The bubble has been a long one with no big confrontations to speak of. Slowly but surely, the small stacks began to whittle away, and it became apparent Team PokerStars Pro Barry Greenstein was the shortest stack in the room.

He nursed his stack patiently, but he just picked a spot to get it in.

After Brian Potashnik had raised to 15,000 from the hijack, Greenstein called off for 8,000 total from the big blind. The camera crews surrounded the table and they waited for the action to finish on all other tables before revealing the hands.

Potashnik: {a-Diamonds}{a-Spades}
Greenstein: {8-Clubs}{8-Spades}

Greenstein was in dire straits and looking for some help. The {k-Spades}{6-Spades}{4-Hearts} flop didn't do much for him, and the {3-Hearts} turn left him looking for a snowman on the river.

The other shorter stacks were no doubt hoping for a brick to burst the bubble and ensure themselves a $17,500 payday, but lady luck had other plans as the {8-Diamonds} spiked to give Greenstein a small double.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Brian Potashnik us
Brian Potashnik
230,000
-8,000
-8,000
Profile photo of Barry Greenstein us
Barry Greenstein
19,000
11,000
11,000

Tags: Brian PotashnikBarry Greenstein

Michael Stashin on Fire; Eliminates Joao Simao

Level 15 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante
Joao Simao
Joao Simao

Cameras gathered around as Joao Simao was all in and at risk for roughly 100,000 against Michael Stashin before the flop. Simao had the shorter stack and Stashin had him well covered.

Simao: {Q-Clubs}{Q-Diamonds}
Stashin: {A-Spades}{K-Diamonds}

The flop was {K-Spades}{10-Clubs}{9-Clubs} and that put Simao in a deep hole, giving Stashin the lead, but giving Simao a few outs to a straight. The turn was the {7-Hearts} though which was no help, and the {7-Spades} on the river was also a blank. Stashin collected the pot and moved extremely close to the one-million chip mark as Simao was sent to the rail brining the players ever closer to the bubble with only 90 players remaining.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Michael Stashin us
Michael Stashin
975,000
410,000
410,000
Profile photo of Joao Simao br
Joao Simao
Busted
WSOP 2X Winner

Tags: Michael StashinJoao Simao

David Peters Eliminates Chris Hunichen to Eclipse 500,000

Level 14 : 1,500/3,000, 500 ante
David Peters from Day 2 of the Main Event
David Peters from Day 2 of the Main Event

Catching up to the action with right around 30,000 chips in the pot and the board showing {Q-Spades}{5-Clubs}{3-Spades}{4-Hearts} through the turn Chris Hunichen and David Peters are facing off. Hunichen is first to act from the blinds and he checks over to Peters. Peters then puts out a bet of 20,000. Hunichen then moves all in for 101,000 total. Peters takes his time before calling.

Peters: {Q-Diamonds}{8-Diamonds}
Hunichen: {J-Spades}{5-Spades}

Hunichen had flopped a pair and turned a flush draw, but Peters had him beat with top pair. The river was the {6-Clubs} though and that was a brick for Hunichen. He is sent to the rail just before the money while Peters takes down the pot to move past 500,000 chips.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of David Peters us
David Peters
560,000
120,000
120,000
WSOP 2X Winner
Profile photo of Chris Hunichen us
Chris Hunichen
Busted
WSOP 1X Winner
StakeKings

Tags: David PetersChris Hunichen