Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Tuesday, August 28th: With The CPPT Now In The Books, Tuesday Is Headlined By $1,500 High Hands, And $25,000 GTD Evening Event

ICYMI: Yesterday's schedule was headlined by Day 3 of the Card Player Poker Tour Main Event ($1,100 No Limit Hold'em $250,000 GTD), as the final nine players returned at 12:00pm, to finish up the tournament.  The action was expected to start off quickly, as a trio of players entered the day with sub-twenty big blind stacks.

Former "Survivor" contestant Albert Destrade (Plantation, FL) was the first player to be eliminated, as his A♠ 10 was unable to improve against the J J♣ of Matt Smith.  Destrade would take away $6,672 for his second-ever Card Player Poker Tour final table finish.  With the shortest stack to enter the day knocked out first, we'd then see the second shortest stack follow suit.  Mark Wiser (Boca Raton, FL) got it all-in against Matt Bretzfield, but his K♠ 10♠ was no match for Bretzfield's A 8, considering how pure Matt has been running of recent.

After the first break of the day, it looked like Gautam Lillaney (Kingston, Jamaica) was the next to go, as he allowed his stack to shrink down to 110,000 (at 15,000/30,000 blinds).  Lillaney then tripled that stack with an under-the-gun shove, which was followed by a double through, bringing his stack back over 600,000.  Gautam was still at the bottom of the counts, but his all-in shove with A A♠ was greeted by a re-shove from Zachary Mullennix, who held A K.  The cooler would see Mullennix left with just 60,000, and he'd be eliminated on the final hand of Level 24.

Gautam continued his "heater" following the day's second break, as he doubled once again, this time through Fernando Halac.  In a race that would determined the fate of both players (as they held stacks within 5,000 chips of one another), Lillaney's A♣ K♣ topped Halac's 9 9.  Matt Smith then doubled through the big stack (Matt Bretzfield), and we reached what ended up being the moment of the tournament.

AJ Gambino would turn trips with A♣ Q♣ on a Q 6 2♠ Q board, and called a check-shove on the turn from Gautam Lillaney.  After seeing Lillaney's 6 6♠ (full house), and bricking out the river, Gambino collected his things to exit the tournament table.  AJ couldn't leave just yet though, as he was left with 15,000 units, which was less than the small blind.  Gambino's book bag stayed on his shoulders, as he sat on the chair with one foot towards the tournament podium.  That was until he was able to double...and double...and the double once more.  From 15,000 to over 500,000, it was the ever-elusive "chip and a chair story" unfolding right in front of us.  Gambino was then able to double one final table, as his 10 9 cracked the Q♣ Q of Ernest Bush (all-in pre).

Gambino completed what seemed to be impossible, and players began discussing a potential deal.  The ICM numbers, which have become such a mainstay for these chops, were eventually bypassed for an even deal (five ways).  Matthew Bretzfield was awarded the event's trophy, as he held the overall chip lead when the chop was agreed to.  Official numbers from the deal are posted below:
  1. Matt Bretzfield (Kings Park, NY) $35,443
  2. Ernest Bush (Germantown, TN) $35,443
  3. Gautam Lillaney (Kingston, Jamaica) $35,443
  4. Matt Smith (Margate, FL) $35,443
  5. AJ Gambino (Royerdford, PA) $35,443
Tournaments: Tuesday's tournament schedule kicks off at 11:00am, with a $100 No Limit Hold'em event. The tournament is structured with 15,000 unit starting stacks, and levels that last (20) minutes throughout.  Registration for the tournament is open through Level 8, and the ten minute break that follows.

The headlining event of the day is in the 6:00pm time slot, as players have circled the $175 No Limit Hold'em ($25,000 GTD) since the August Tournament Schedule was released.  For an evening event, the tournament has a very solid structure, with 20,000 unit starting stacks (and 20 minute levels).  Registration for the event is open through Level 8, and stays open until the first hand of Level 9 is dealt.

Promotions: Tuesday's promotions start with the every-popular Full House Early Bird, with the first (25) full houses awarded up to $60.  The amount won depends on which game is being played, as 2/2 Limit Hold'em players earn $20 (for each full house while eligible), 2/4 Limit Hold'em players earning $40 (for each full house while eligible), and $60 for those playing: 1/2 No Limit Hold'em, 2/5 No Limit Hold'em, 5/10 No Limit Hold'em, 3/6 Limit Hold'em, and 8/16 O.E.

The standard high hands begin at 10:00am (because off the full house promotion), with the opportunity to win $400 every (30) minutes. During that period , the promotion sees tournament players eligible each half-hour for $100 high hands, 2/2 limit hold'em players eligible for $200 high hands, 2/4 limit hold'em players eligible for $300 high hands, and all other raked games (1/2-5/10 NLH, 4/8 Omaha 8B, 6/12 O.E., etc.) eligible for $400 high hands.  

At 6:00pm, the promotion transitions, and offers the opportunity for players to earn $1,500 every (30) minutes.  If a player (in no limit hold'em) flops the high hand (and it qualifies as the winning high hand for that period), they will be awarded $1,500.  If the player is at a limit hold'em table (or tournament), and flops the high hand, they will be awarded $750.  The promotion will end at 12:00am.

From 12:00am-3:00am, players are eligible for $100 high hands every hour.

It should also be noted that players are able to win the high hand using only one card in their hand.  The payouts for those that use one card are different than the standard numbers listed above, and can be found (full listing of one-card payouts on flyers in the poker room).

11:00am - $100 No Limit Hold'em

- Players start with 15,000 in tournament chips
- Late and re-entries for the first (8) levels
- Alternates and late entries will start with a full stack
- Levels will last (20) minutes

6:00pm - $175 No Limit Hold'em ($25,000 GTD)

- Players start with 20,000 in tournament chips
- Late and re-entries for the first (8) levels
- Alternates and late entries will start with a full stack
- Levels will last (20) minutes