Isle Open Event 1 (Flight 1C): It Became A Close Race, But Bikius Pulls Away

2017 Isle Open | Event #1
$175 No Limit Hold'em | $100,000 GTD
Level 16 (Blinds 2,000/4,000/500)
Total Flight 1C Entries: 107
Flight 1C Players Remaining: 17

Flight 1C chip leader Paulius Bikus (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) earns a seat into Event #15 of the 2017 Isle Open.

Just as Level 16 was starting, Alfonso Perez and Brian Gelrod played a 190,000 pot, with Perez holding A♣ A♦ on a 10♦ 9♦ 2♦ flop, against Gelrod's K♦ Q♦.  Alfonso needed a diamond on the river (after the K♣ on the turn), but it couldn't be the J (which would give Gelrod a straight flush).  It was clear what came on the river, after Perez let out a huge yell in celebration, with the 5♦ giving him the winning hand.  Perez would chip up over 200,000, and surpass Paulius Bikus for a brief moment.

That was until Jeffrey Fogel tried to push Bikus off a hand, shoving for over 50,000 on the turn of a board reading 10♦ 9♥ 4♣ 2♠.  Unfortunately for Fogel, Bikus has flopped top set, and was waiting for Jeffrey to take that exact line (Fogel was holding a zero equity bluff).  The pot would bring Bikus close to 300,000, and while Alfonso Perez continued to climb, he couldn't reach Paulius's number.

Pails becomes the third player to earn a seat into Event #15 ($1,100 No Limit Hold'em | $150,000 GTD), joining Darcy Deconza and Sean Jones.  Official chip counts from this flight will be posted once the bags have been verified by the tournament floor.