Playground Poker Fall Classic 2017

Our $200 + $20 Freeze Champion: Kuong Chhe Kuoch

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Event 3 was a single-day $200 + $20 Freeze tournament, and attracted 158 players. This was a great turnout, and players were happy to shoot for the $30,662 prize pool that it generated.

We had the pleasure to have David Guay and Pablo Mariz in the field, 2 accomplished tournament players who scored big in this year’s WSOP. They both ran pretty deep – Guay missed the payouts by a few positions, while Mariz finished 4th.

The final table was formed with many familiar faces, including Manfred Gunther, Theo Psihogios, Ian Armoror, Miguel Congalo, and of course Pablo Mariz and Kuonh Chhe Kuoch, the Champion of the Event. It was a very quick final battle – play came down to 4 players in less than an hour.

When Pablo Mariz, Stan Parkes, Miguel Goncalo and Kuong Chhe Kuoch started talking about a deal, it was clear that they all wanted to reduce as much variance as possible. Having very similar stacks, they all agreed to go all-in every hand until a winner emerged, who would then take the Champion’s Trophy home. They thought it would be a fun and exciting way to chop the remaining of the prize pool. Here is a look at the first all-in hand:

Pablo Mariz: King of Hearts 9 of Hearts
Kuong Chhe Kuoch: 10 of Diamonds 7 of Clubs
Miguel Goncalo: 10 of Spades 5 of Clubs
Stan Parkes: King of Clubs 5 of Diamonds

Board: 3 of Hearts King of Diamonds 7 of Hearts 7 of Diamonds 5 of Spades

Mariz hap flop the dream, but Kuoch managed to pull a major upset, hitting trip 7s on the turn and avoiding 10 outs on the river. He was left with the overwhelming chip lead and Goncalo was the only other survivor of that hand. He doubled up a few times, then conveyed his chips to Kuoch.

Congratulations to our final 4! Kuoch was handed a $5,428 ticket, while the other 3 received $4,828 for their efforts.

Event 3 Champion: Kuong Chhe Kuoch – $5,428.00 and the Champion’s Trophy

Our 3 finalists: Miguel Goncalo, Stan Parkes and Pablo Mariz: $4,828.00

Last hand of play:

James Bédard out in 5th

  • Level: 21
  • Small Blind: 20K
  • Big Blind: 40K
  • Button Ante: 20K
  • Chip Average: 790K
  • Remaining: 4
  • Entries: 158

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James Bédard had tripled up, but was still the shortest stack on the table. When Stanley Parkes called his all-in and Bédard’s Ace of Hearts Jack of Hearts was very much ahead of Parkes’ Ace of Diamonds 9 of Diamonds, he was looking to put himself back in the game.

However, the dealer put out a 9 of Clubs 4 of Diamonds 6 of Diamonds, flipping the table around. Bédard was now crushed, left with only 2 outs, that did not come. He goes out in 5th, good for $2,330.

Congratulations!

James Bédard

Last woman standing is out

  • Level: 20
  • Small Blind: 15K
  • Big Blind: 30K
  • Button Ante: 15K
  • Chip Average: 632K
  • Remaining: 5
  • Entries: 158

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Shortly after the final table was formed, Radu Mircea Pop (10th – $570) was taken out. He was followed by Ian Armorer (9th – $750) and Manfred Gunther (8th – $1,000), whose pair + flush draw did not get through.

Candace Eggers, who had been hanging on with about 100K for a while, buying just enough blinds to keep herself afloat, finally found a call when she pushed King of Diamonds Queen of Diamonds. Kuong Chhe Kuoch showed Ace of Diamonds King of Clubs and held, sending Candace home in 7th place, good for $1,320.

Theo Psihogios (6th – $1,750) busted 2 hands later.

Candace Eggers

 

Final table has arrived

  • Level: 20
  • Small Blind: 15K
  • Big Blind: 30K
  • Button Ante: 30K
  • Chip Average: 351K
  • Remaining: 10
  • Entries: 158

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Table 57 has generated some major action in the last few hands. First, Laurent Negro raised the 20K big blind to 50K from the under-the-gun position. Ian Armorer, on his left, went-all-in with Ace of Spades 3 of Clubs, but a nanosecond after he finished pronouncing the words, Miguel Goncalo copied his his move. He was holding Ace of Hearts Ace of Diamonds, and had Armoror drawing dead on the turn on a 6 of Clubs Jack of Spades 9 of Diamonds Queen of Hearts 7 of Hearts board.

Ian was left with just over 1 big blind, and folded on the following hand, allowing Pablo Mariz to eliminate Laurent Negro in 11th place. Mariz shoved Ace of Diamonds 5 of Diamonds from the small blind, and Laurent called instantly in the big blind with Ace of Clubs Jack of Spades. He must have felt pretty good about his hand, especially after the dealer had exposed a 5 during the deal. But the board was cruel: 2 of Hearts 3 of Hearts 6 of Hearts 4 of Diamonds 7 of Diamonds.

Laurent was taken out, allowing Ian Armorer to make a final table appearance and avoid the big blind.

Richard Figiel: 12th – $520
Laurent Negro: 11th – $570

Fast eliminations

  • Level: 19
  • Small Blind: 10K
  • Big Blind: 20K
  • Button Ante: 10K
  • Chip Average: 287.3K
  • Remaining: 12
  • Entries: 158

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As expected, once the bubble burst, play sped up and a few eliminations were made. Éric Leblond (16th – $450), Essam Shedid (15th – $480), Geoffrey O’Connell (14th – $480) went out in a matter of minutes. Then André St-Jean (13th – $520) followed, bringing the Event 12-way.

In the money

  • Level: 18
  • Small Blind: 8K
  • Big Blind: 16K
  • Button Ante: 8K
  • Chip Average: 210.7K
  • Remaining: 16
  • Entries: 158

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After David Guay, Rong Xu and James McDermott’s eliminations, The Event played hand-for-hand for a little while. It was finally Christopher Wilcox who went out on the bubble. All remaining players are now in the money, with a minimum payout of $450, and are gunning for the $7,300 top prize and the sleek Champion’s Trophy.