2023 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure

$10,300 PCA Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info

2023 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a5
Prize
$1,316,963
Event Info
Buy-in
$10,300
Prize Pool
$8,623,300
Entries
889
Level Info
Level
32
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
200,000
Players Info - Day 1b
Entries
474
Players Left
238

PN Podcast: Postle Back in Poker & Guest Mori Eskandani Remembers Shares Mirage Stories

Level 3 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante
PN Pod Mori Eskandani
PN Pod Mori Eskandani

In the latest PokerNews Podcast episode of 2023, Chad Holloway and Connor Richards handle things while Jesse Fullen is in Australia. They discuss Mike Postle’s sudden reappearance in the poker world after making a final table at the Million Dollar Heater at Beau Rivage in Mississippi, while also talking about the slowroll and needle that accompanied his bust out.

They try to balance that story with a heart-warming one where Johnnie “Johnnie Vibes” Moreno put a bartender into the MSPT Sycuan Main Event, with the recreational player going on to finish in fourth place for $40,000!

Other stories discussed include WSOP.com Player of the Years, Lon McEachern and Daniel Lowery winning WSOP Circuit gold rings, and early winners from the PokerGO Cup.

Speaking of which, PokerGO’s Mori Eskandani joins the show as this week’s guest. The Poker Hall of Famer talks 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) preparations, who came close to challenging Jason Koon on High Stakes Duel III (HSD), plus when we can expect the next HSD match to take place. He also discussed new developments to this year’s PokerGO Tour (PGT) and shared memories from the days when the Mirage was the hot spot for poker in Vegas.

Click here to listen to the new PN Podcast!

Kolev Wins Three-Bet Pot

Level 3 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

Boris Kolev raised to 700 from middle position before Davidi Kitai three-bet to 2,100 in the hijack. Kolev called.

The flop came {a-Diamonds}{10-Hearts}{2-Hearts} and action checked to Kitai who continued for 1,500. Kolev check-called.

The {j-Hearts} was the turn and action went check check.

The river came the {8-Spades} and Kolev bet 8,500 which caused a quick fold from Kitai.

Player Chips Progress
Boris Kolev bg
Boris Kolev
56,500
9,500
9,500
WSOP 2X Winner
Davidi Kitai be
Davidi Kitai
31,500
3,500
3,500
EPT Main Event Champion
WSOP 3X Winner
WPT 1X Winner
EPT 1X Winner

Tags: Boris KolevDavidi Kitai

Veldhuis Back In; Mercier Joins the Field

Level 3 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

Jason Mercier arrived at a newly opened table and started some small talk as Andrew Chen and Lex Veldhuis arrived. "I only play like ten tournaments in four years, and mostly the 25k in Florida," Mercier confirmed.

Shortly after, Veldhuis tangled with Oliver Weis in a battle of the blinds to the {k-Spades}{j-Spades}{2-Clubs}{10-Clubs} turn on which he bet 1,400 and was called. After the {2-Spades} river, Veldhuis bet 3,500 and Weis snap-folded.

Player Chips Progress
Lex Veldhuis nl
Lex Veldhuis
31,500
1,500
1,500
Andrew Chen ca
Andrew Chen
30,000
30,000
30,000
Jason Mercier us
Jason Mercier
30,000
30,000
30,000
$25K Fantasy
WSOP 6X Winner
EPT 1X Winner
Oliver Weis de
Oliver Weis
29,000
-1,000
-1,000

Tags: Andrew ChenJason MercierLex VeldhuisOliver Weis

Assorted Counts and Early Casualties on Day 1b

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante
Player Chips Progress
Kenny Hallaert be
Kenny Hallaert
27,700
-300
-300
Jamie O'Connor gb
Jamie O'Connor
26,000
26,000
26,000
Robert Kuhn us
Robert Kuhn
25,200
6,200
6,200
Nicholas Marchington gb
Nicholas Marchington
25,000
-5,000
-5,000
Yannick Cardot fr
Yannick Cardot
24,000
-6,000
-6,000
Noah Boeken nl
Noah Boeken
22,700
-7,300
-7,300
EPT 1X Winner
Colton Blomberg us
Colton Blomberg
19,000
-11,000
-11,000
Ema Zajmovic ba
Ema Zajmovic
18,100
-14,900
-14,900
WPT 1X Winner
Anthony Zinno us
Anthony Zinno
18,000
-1,000
-1,000
$25K Fantasy
WSOP 4X Winner
WPT 3X Winner
Igor Pihela ee
Igor Pihela
17,500
-500
-500
Pascal Lefrancois ca
Pascal Lefrancois
16,800
-1,400
-1,400
WSOP 1X Winner
Dario Sammartino it
Dario Sammartino
15,300
-3,200
-3,200
$25K Fantasy
Ognyan Dimov bg
Ognyan Dimov
15,000
-15,000
-15,000
WSOP 2X Winner
EPT 1X Winner
Ren Lin cn
Ren Lin
14,400
-3,600
-3,600
$25K Fantasy
Massimo De Mario it
Massimo De Mario
14,000
-16,000
-16,000
Byron Kaverman us
Byron Kaverman
12,200
-800
-800
WSOP 1X Winner
Artur Martirosian ru
Artur Martirosian
11,000
11,000
11,000
EPT Main Event Champion
$25K Fantasy
WSOP 2X Winner
EPT 1X Winner
Nikolai Tulin ru
Nikolai Tulin
Busted
Neel Murthy us
Neel Murthy
Busted
Michael Liang us
Michael Liang
Busted
Alexandru Papazian ro
Alexandru Papazian
Busted
WSOP 2X Winner
Chris Oliver us
Chris Oliver
Busted
Shiva Dudani us
Shiva Dudani
Busted
Joel Gola us
Joel Gola
Busted

Level: 3

Blinds: 100/300

Ante: 300

Aido Gets Value With Flush

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante
Sergio Aido
Sergio Aido

Dario Sammartino raised to 500 from early position before Sergio Aido three-bet to 1,800 from middle position. Sammartino called.

Action checked through on the {q-Spades}{9-Spades}{8-Clubs} flop.

The turn came the {k-Clubs} and Sammartino checked. Aido bet 2,200 and Sammartino called.

The {10-Spades} was the river and Sammartino checked again. Aido bet 7,500. Sammartino went into the tank before making the call. Aido turned over {a-Spades}{3-Spades} for the ace high flush to take down the pot as Sammartino mucked.

Meanwhile PokerStars ambassador Lex Veldhuis sat down at the table.

Player Chips Progress
Sergio Aido es
Sergio Aido
40,000
10,000
10,000
$25K Fantasy
WSOP 1X Winner
Lex Veldhuis nl
Lex Veldhuis
30,000
30,000
30,000
Dario Sammartino it
Dario Sammartino
18,500
18,500
18,500
$25K Fantasy

Tags: Dario SammartinoLex VeldhuisSergio Aido

Kolev Beats Gomez Zapatero in Showdown

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Three ways to the {j-Spades}{6-Hearts}{4-Hearts} flop with plenty of chips in the middle already, Javier Gomez Zapatero bet 4,000 and was called only by Boris Kolev while Michael Rocco folded.

The {10-Clubs} followed on the turn and the Spaniard bet 6,500 for Kolev to call. Both then checked the {6-Diamonds} river and Gomez Zapatero revealed the {a-Hearts}{q-Spades}, which Kolev had beat holding the {q-Clubs}{j-Clubs}.

Rocco then joked he had folded a pocket pair, indicating that had been pocket nines.

Player Chips Progress
Michael Rocco us
Michael Rocco
50,000
19,000
19,000
Boris Kolev bg
Boris Kolev
47,000
47,000
47,000
WSOP 2X Winner
Davidi Kitai be
Davidi Kitai
28,000
-2,000
-2,000
EPT Main Event Champion
WSOP 3X Winner
WPT 1X Winner
EPT 1X Winner
Javier Gomez Zapatero es
Javier Gomez Zapatero
16,000
16,000
16,000

Tags: Boris KolevJavier Gomez ZapateroMichael Rocco

Barbero Bets Three Streets

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Nacho Barbero opened to 600 from the button and only Armin Rezaei called from the big blind.

Rezaei check-called bets of 500 and 2,100 on the flop and turn for the final board to show {10-Spades}{9-Diamonds}{7-Hearts}{q-Spades}{a-Clubs}. Rezaei then check-folded when Barbero fired for another 7,100.

Player Chips Progress
Nacho Barbero ar
Nacho Barbero
55,000
5,000
5,000
$25K Fantasy
WSOP 1X Winner
Armin Rezaei at
Armin Rezaei
27,000
27,000
27,000

Tags: Armin RezaeiNacho Barbero

Lefrancois Gets River Shove Through

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Martin Raus was on the button against Pascal Lefrancois in the small blind.

There was 9,600 in the pot and the board read {q-Hearts}{q-Clubs}{10-Clubs}{a-Clubs}{4-Spades} when Lefrancois moved all in for 8,600. Raus counted his chips having Lefrancois covered before throwing his cards into the muck surrendering the pot to Lefrancois.

Player Chips Progress
Martin Raus ca
Martin Raus
30,000
30,000
30,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Pascal Lefrancois ca
Pascal Lefrancois
18,200
18,200
18,200
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Martin RausPascal Lefrancois