Isle Casino Poker : July 2018

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): Igor Merda Wins 2018 FSPC Main Event ($145,517), Jonathan Jaffe Runner-Up ($102,005)

2018 Florida State Poker Championship $1,500 NLH Main Event Winner - Igor Merda (Miami, FL)

On the final hand of Event #14, Igor Merda would limp on the button, with Jaffe making it 400,000 to go. Merda called, and the two players would see a flop of 3♦ 5♣ 7♥, with Jaffe betting out 250,000. Merda made the call, with the dealer placing down the 2♣ on the turn. Jonathan would continue the aggression, pushing forward a bet of 1,050,000. Igor took just over a minute thinking about his decision, eventually cutting out the chips for a call, and pushing them across his cards. The board would complete with the 8♦ on the river, and Jaffe announcing he was all-in (for just under 2,500,000). "I call...I call," Merda said aloud, with Jonathan seemingly knowing his rivered two-pair (8♥ 5♥) was no good. Igor would roll over A♦ 4♦, having turned the wheel, and would be crowned the 2018 FSPC Main Event champion.

Merda earns $145,517 for the win, while Jaffe takes home $102,005 as the runner-up.

FSPC Main Event Runner-Up Jonathan Jaffe

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): Merda Strikes First During Heads-Up, Close To 2:1 Advantage

2018 Florida State Poker Championship
Event #14 | $1,500 No Limit Hold'em ($500,000 GTD)
Level 29 (Blinds 50,000/100,000/100,000)
Total Event #14 Entries: 564
Event #14 Players Remaining: 2

The most recent heads-up hand was caught on the turn, which was K♣ 9♣ 5♦ 8♦. Jaffe had bet 500,000, with Merda check-raising to 1,500,000. Jaffe made the call pretty quickly, and the pair would see the board complete with the Q♥. Merda announced a river bet of 2,500,000, with Jaffe peering back at his cards. He'd grab some water, do some talking to Merda, and eventually toss in chips for a call. Igor tabled 6♦ 7♣, having turned the nut-straight, with Jaffe pushing his cards towards the muck.

Igor Merda - 10,900,000 (109bb)
Jonathan Jaffe - 6,000,000 (60bb)

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): Jaffe Spikes A Set On The Turn, Eliminates Dmitri Perfilev In 3rd Place ($65,587)

Dmitri Perfilev does not play tournaments often, with this his first result in years. He would earn $65,587 for third place, which is his largest ever tournament cash.

After three orbits of pretty uneventful hands, Dmitri Perfilev would complete the small blind, with Jonathan Jaffe raising to 265,000. Dmitri quickly announced he was all-in, with Jaffe tossing in a chip for the call:

Perfilev: A♣ K♦

Jaffe: 8♣ 8♦

Runout: A♥ Q♣ 9♠ 8♠ 4♥

Dmitri grabbed the lead on the flop, but would be drawing dead after the turn, with Jaffe spiking an eight. The two players would shake hands, as the table was prepared for heads-up play. The chip counts are posted below:

Jonathan Jaffe - 8,600,000

Igor Merda - 7,700,000

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): Adam Adler The First To Depart After Dinner, Out In 4th Place ($46,476)

Adam Adler (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) would lose a crucial hand to Jonathan Jaffe early in Level 26, which left him somewhat hampered stack-wise. He'd manage to ride the short stack for a while, but ran into an unlucky river to exit the final table.

After Jonathan Jaffe opened the button to 160,000, Igor Merda folded his small blind, with Adam Adler three-bet shoving for just over 1,300,000. Jaffe quickly made the call, and the two hands would be tabled:

Adler: 10♥ 10♦

Jaffe: A♥ J♦

Runout: K♥ K♠ Q♦ 4♥ A♠

The paired flop added an extra out to Jaffe's hand, as he could win with a queen, but his broadway draws were removed. After the turn, Jaffe needed to hit one of the three remaining aces in the deck, which would appear on the river. Adler earns $46,476 for his fourth place finish, while Jaffe chips back up to 5,800,000.

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): Perfilev Takes Sizable Pot From Jaffe, Assumes Chip Lead

2018 Florida State Poker Championship
Event #14 | $1,500 No Limit Hold'em ($500,000 GTD)
Level 28 (Blinds 40,000/80,000/80,000)
Total Event #14 Entries: 564
Event #14 Players Remaining: 4

The final table was approached just as Dmitri Perfilev was calling a 500,000 pre-flop three-bet from Jonathan Jaffe. The two would see a flop of 10♣ 9♦ 2♥, with Perfilev check-calling a flop bet of 325,000 from Jaffe. The turn would bring the 3♦, and once agains Dmitri checked. with Jaffe continuing the pressure. Jonathan pushed forward two stacks of blue chips (1,000,000), and after a minute of thought, Dmitri made the call. The 4♦ fell on the river, and after a few minutes of what looked like agonizing thought, Dmitri announced he was all-in (2,000,000).

Jaffe quickly shot a glare Perfilev's way, eventually looking up to his table mates and saying, "What do you guys think?" No answer was given from the two players not in the hand, and after another thirty seconds, Jaffe tossed his hand in the muck.

Dmitri Perfilev - 5,100,000 (63bb)
Jonathan Jaffe - 4,100,000 (51bb)

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): Adam Adler Doubles Through Jonathan Jaffe, Still Below Twenty Bigs

2018 Florida State Poker Championship
Event #14 | $1,500 No Limit Hold'em ($500,000 GTD)
Level 28 (Blinds 40,000/80,000/80,000)
Total Event #14 Entries: 564
Event #14 Players Remaining: 4

Two orbits back from dinner, Adam Adler would shove from UTG (for 625,000), and would be called by Jonathan Jaffe. Adler tabled J♦ 8♣, and would be up against Jonathan's A♦ 3♦. The board ran out 9♣ 5♠ 3♠ J♠ 10♥, with Adler making a pair of jacks on the turn, and doubling up to 1,400,000.

Jonathan Jaffe - 6,400,000 (80bb)
Adam Adler - 1,400,000 (17bb)

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): Updated Final Table Chip Counts At Dinner Break

Players are are on their hour long dinner break, which will see play resume at 6:50pm. Updated chip counts from the final table are listed below:

Dmitri Perfilev - 4,250,000
Jonathan Jaffe - 5,400,000
Igor Merda - 5,900,000
Adam Adler - 900,000

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): Jaffe Hands Chip Lead To Igor Medra, After Losing 7,700,000 Chip Race

2018 Florida State Poker Championship
Event #14 | $1,500 No Limit Hold'em ($500,000 GTD)
Level 27 (Blinds 30,000/60,000/60,000)
Total Event #14 Entries: 564
Event #14 Players Remaining: 4

Jonathan Jaffe and Igor Merda just got it all-in pre, with the two racing for a pot worth just under 7,700,000. Merda was at risk holding A♠ K♠, agains the Q♥ Q♠ of Jaffe, with Jonathan joking that he wanted to just call pre (opposed to shoving over three-bet). The 10♦ 4♠ 2♣ flop ran out clean for Jaffe, leaving the table just two cards from three-handed play. There would be a quick halt on those plans though, as Merda spiked an ace on the turn, grabbing a lead he would not relinquish.

Igor Merda - 7,700,000 (128bb)
Jonathan Jaffe - 3,600,000 (60bb)

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): Antonio Salorio's Short-Stacked Ride Ends In 5th Place ($35,679)

Antonio Salorio (Coral Springs, FL) has a resume boasting impressive scores, most of which came before 2010. This is his first cash since 2015, and third largest of his career.

Antonio Salorio (Coral Springs, FL) spent most of the day grinding a short stack, but was able to find some well-timed double-ups, that helped him ladder up. After Jonathan Jaffe opened to 140,000, Salorio three-bet shoved for just over 500,000, with players folding behind. Jaffe tossed in a chip for the call, and the hands would be tabled:

Salorio: A♦ K♣

Jaffe: Q♥ 10♥

Runout: Q♣ 7♣ 6♠ 6♥ 9♣

Salorio stood from his seat just as the flop was coming out, and after seeing Jaffe flop a queen, he'd ask for an ace. There would be no ace or king on the turn or river, and Antonio would bow out in 5th place ($35,679). Today's result was Salorio's first since 2015, and helped bring his lifetime earnings to just over $385,000.

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): Updated Five-Handed Chip Counts, Jaffe Extending Lead

Play just entered Level 27, with the blinds going up to 30,000/60,000/60,000. The 3,384,000 chip average is still super deep (over 50 big blinds), but only one player at the final table sits with over that amount...Jonathan Jaffe. Updated five-handed counts are listed below:

Dmitri Perfilev - 2,750,000 (45bb)
Jonathan Jaffe - 7,500,000 (125bb)
Antonio Salorio - 770,000 (12bb)
Igor Merda - 2,900,000 (48bb)
Adam Adler - 2,000,000 (33bb)

Players will be going on dinner break at the end of this level, which will run from 5:50pm-6:50pm.

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): Marc Duquette Falls In 6th Place ($29,390), Loses Flip Against Perfilev

Marc Duquette (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) found himself in a few percarious situations over the course of the day, but managed to record his largest lifetime cash.

Moment ago, Marc Duquette (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) open shoved for 710,000, with Dmitri Perfilev making the call. The remaining players behind folded their hands, and the cards would find their backs:

Duquette: 7♦ 7♠

Perfilev: A♥ Q♥

Runout: K♣ Q♦ 4♥ 10♦ 9♠

"It's been a good run," Duquette said aloud, even before the flop came out. He seemed almost resigned to his fate, but did hold the lead before the runout. Perfilev hit a queen on the flop to take the lead, which he would not relinquish. Marc earns his largest lifetime cash ($29,390), and brings his career earnings to $145,000.

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): Jonathan Jaffe Knocks Out Michael Moreno In 7th Place ($24,365), Wins Largest Pot Of The Tournament

Michael Moreno (Boca Raton, FL) earns his largest cash since 2012, but will be replaying his bustout hand in his head for a good while.

Jonathan Jaffe now had a very sizable chip lead, after eliminating Michale Moreno (Boca Raton, FL) in the pot of the day. Moreno opened the action with a raise to 115,000, with Jonathan Jaffe three-betting (on the button) to 260,000. After the players folded behind, Moreno pushed forward to stack of blue chips, equaling 1,015,000. Jonathan got an exact count, and after about three minutes in the tank, made the call.

The dealer fanned out a flop of Q♣ 7♠ 2♣, with Moreno looking up at the dealer, and announcing that he was all-in (for just under 1,000,000). Jaffee casually tossed a chip in the pot, and tabled A♥ A♣, with Moreno begrudgingly rolling over A♦ K♥. Moreno needed a special turn and river to win the pot, but gained no hope on the turn, and would be drawing dead.

Jaffe chips up to 6,900,000 with the pot, and holds close to half of the chips in play.

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): After Dwindling Down To Sub-Five Bigs, David Shmuel Eliminated In 8th Place ($19,370)

David Shmuel (Miami, FL) came into the day in good standing (fourth in chips), but that was about the best thing to say about Shmuel's Day 3.

After coming into the day with the fourth largest stack, David Shmuel (Miami, FL) had a difficult time finding any traction. As each level passed, and chip counts were updated, Shmuel would be trending in the wrong direction. He'd enter this level with just six big blinds, and by the time he was just all-in, his stack was less than five bigs. He'd be knocked out by Marc Duqeutte just a few minutes ago, with this $19,370 score helping to bring his career earnings north of $200,000.

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): Duquette Scores Back-To-Back Doubles

2018 Florida State Poker Championship
Event #14 | $1,500 No Limit Hold'em ($500,000 GTD)
Level 26 (Blinds 25,000/50,000/50,000)
Total Event #14 Entries: 564
Event #14 Players Remaining: 8

Marc Duquette let his stack dwindle down to just four big blinds, but it looks like that plan is working out just fine. After shoving under-the-gun for 215,000, Marc was called by Adam Adler (in the big blind), and would double to over 450,000. The very next hand, after Dmitri Perfilev opened to 100,000, both Jaffe and Duquette (big blind) would call.

The three players saw a flop of K♥ J♠ 3♥, with Duquette checking, and Dmitri continuing for 130,000. Jaffe made the call, and Duquette would shove for just over 300,000. Perfilev casually made the call, with Jonathan releasing:

Duquette: J♣ J♦
Perfilev: Q♦ J♥

Turn: 6♣
River: 6♥

Marc's set would hold up through the runout, and he'd double once again, this time to 1,200,000.

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): Updated Final Table Chip Counts From Second Break

The remaining players from the final table are on their second break of the day, and will be returning to Level 25, with new blinds of 25,000/50,000/50,000. Antonio Salorio was able to double-up through Jonathan Jaffe towards the end of Level 25, but is still on of three very short stacks:

Dmitri Perfilev - 3,000,000 (60bb)
Michael Moreno - 2,000,000 (40bb)
Jonathan Jaffe - 4,800,000 (96bb)
Antonio Salorio - 660,000 (7bb)
Igor Merda - 3,600,000 (72bb)
Adam Adler - 2,600,000 (52bb)
Marc Duqutte - 245,000 (4bb)
David Shmuel - 300,000 (6bb)

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): Steve Karp's Pocket Kings Fall Once Again, Exits Final Table In 9th Place ($14,550)

2018 Florida State Poker Championship
Event #14 | $1,500 No Limit Hold'em ($500,000 GTD)
Level 25 (Blinds 20,000/40,000/40,000)
Total Event #14 Entries: 564
Event #14 Players Remaining: 8

Steve Karp (Miami, FL) had recorded (19) results to this point in the year, with this being is his first five-figure score of 2018.

Steve Karp would open the action with a raise to 100,000, as players folded around to Jonathan Jaffe. Jaffe would make the call, leaving Igor Merda still to decide. He would stare down the stack of Steve Karp (which was close to 600,000), before verbalizing an all-in (for over 1,000,000). Karp would also announce that he was all-in, and Jaffe would release his hand:

Karp: K♥ K♣

Merda: A♦ Q♣

Runout: 9♠ 2♠ 3♣ A♠ 5♦

The flop was clean for Karp, who was unable to fade the turn, as Merda paired his ace to take a commanding lead. The river brought no help to Karp, who would become the second player to exit the final table. After collecting the pot, Igor Merda would chip up to 2,100,000.

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): Immediate Final Table Fireworks, Seth Gilson Eliminated In 10th Place ($12,038)

Seth Gilson (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) just earned his third five-figure score of the year, after reaching the final table in two of the events during Hard Rock's DeepStack Series.

There would be no waiting for action at the final table, as just a few hands in, we'd see the first player eliminated. Jonathan Jaffe opened with a raise to 65,000, and after folds from Salorio and Merda, Seth Gilson would three-bet shove (for just under 900,000). Jaffe quickly made the call, and would be in dominating position when the cards were tabled:

Jaffe: K♥ K♦

Gilson: Q♥ Q♦

Runout: A♦ 7♦ 2♦ 3♠ 9♥

Having Gilson's suits covered became even more important after the all diamond flop, as Seth was drawing to just two outs on the turn and river. He was unable to find a queen to make the comeback, and exited the final table as our tenth place finisher ($12,038).

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): Final Table Lineup Set (Updated Chip Counts Included)

2018 Florida State Poker Championship
Event #14 | $1,500 No Limit Hold'em ($500,000 GTD)
Level 24 (Blinds 15,000/30,000/30,000)
Total Event #14 Entries: 564
Event #14 Players Remaining: 10

Players took a short break after the re-draw, returning to the following seating assignment. Next to each player's name, are their updated chip counts to start the final table:

Dmitri Perfilev - 2,000,000
Michael Moreno - 3,700,000
Jonathan Jaffe - 4,300,000
Antonio Salorio - 375,000
Igor Merda - 1,300,000
Seth Gilson - 900,000
Adam Adler - 3,300,000
Marc Duquette - 550,000
Steve Karp - 1,000,000
David Shmuel - 465,000

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): Set Over Over Sees Sergio Giha Out In 11th Place ($12,038), And The Final Table Reached

Sergio Giha would be the Event #14 final table bubble-boy, after losing in a set-under-set confrontation.

While Jonathan Jaffe was pondering a call of Marc Duquette's all-in (at Table 1), we lost Sergio Giha on the final table bubble. Giha opened the action at Table 2 with a raise to 75,000, with action folding around to Michael Moreno, who was in the big blind. Moreno called, and the two would see a flop of K♣ 9♣ 4♠, with Michael check-calling a 100,000 bet from Giha. After the J♥ on the turn, Moreno checked once again, but would raise all-in, after Sergio bet 200,000. Giha quickly made the call, and would see the incredibly bad news:

Giha: 9♥ 9♠ (flopped middle set)

Moreno: K♥ K♦ (flopped top set)

River: 4♣

Giha would not find his one-out miracle on the river, and would be eliminated on the final table bubble. The players are now re-drawing for their final table seats, which will be posted in just a few moments.

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): After Losing Massive Pot To Adam Adler, Luis Zedan Eliminated In 12th Place ($12,038)

Luis Zedan (Miami, FL) said it best after his elimination..."At the end of the day, it's just a game."

Luis Zedan's final hand was just a mere formality, as he was all-in for less than three big blinds. His fate was determined just a few hands earlier, when Zedan and Adam Adler got it all-in pre, flipping for a pot worth well over 2,000,000. Luis held 7♠ 7♦ against Adler's A♦ Q♣, with the board running out A♠ 10♥ 2♠ J♦ 8♣. Zedan was eliminated by David Shmuel just a few hands later, gracefully wishing all of his opponents good luck, before walking away from the table.

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): Second Three-Way All-In Sees Ray Millard Out In 13th Place ($9,632), And Moreno Over 2,000,000

Ray Millard just missed out on his second final table of the series, but still walked away with just under $10,000 for his 13th place finish.

At the same time that the Miles/Perfilev hand was unfolding at Table 1, Ray Millard (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) would limp at Table 2, with Michael Moreno raising to 65,000 (next to act). After Sergio Giha released his hand, Steve Karp would three-bet to 190,000, with Millard then verbalizing an all-in (for about 500,000). Moreno made the call, with Karp then dropping a chip across his cards, giving us our second three-way all-in of the day:

Moreno: J♥ J♠

Millard: A♦ Q♠

Karp: K♠ K♦

Runout: A♠ Q♦ J♣ 2♣ 9♦

Millard would flop top-two, but Michael Moreno flopped bottom set, grabbing a strong lead in the hand. Moreno still needed to fade the final two streets, which he would do, to triple up above 2,000,000. Millard would exit the table, earning $9,632 for his 13th place finish. Following his Event #4 runner-up finish, Millard would wrap up one of his best series here at the Isle.

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): TK Miles Eliminated In 13th Place ($9,632)

TK Miles (Tallahassee, FL) is in the midst of his best year of tournament poker, with almost $650,000 in earnings to be point of 2018.

Action at Table 1 would fold around to TK Miles, who just completed his small blind for the 30,000. Dmitri Perfilev would raise to 70,000, with Miles then announcing himself all-in, for just over 660,000. The two stacks were very close, and while Perfilev held more chips, a loss in the hand would leave him with less than ten bigs. After about three minutes in the tank, Dmitri made the call, and the cards found their backs:

Perfilev: A♦ 8♠

Miles: A♥ Q♠

Runout: 2♦ 5♦ 10♦ 3♦ 5♠

Dmitri was not happy about his situation, but got an above average flop, which led to him making a winning flush on the dinner. Following an incredible summer, TK Miles caps off the FSPC with a 13th place finish, worth $9,632.

Dmitri Perfilev now has 2,100,000 (70bb).

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): Updated Chip Counts From Day's First Break

Players are on their first break of the day, and will be returning to Level 23, with new blinds of 15,000/30,000/30,000. Updated chip counts from the final two tables are listed below:

Table 1

Jonathan Jaffe - 3,450,000 (115bb)
Igor Merda - 1,200,000 (40bb)
TK Miles - 800,000 (26bb)
Dmitri Perfilev - 780,000 (26bb)
Antonio Salorio - 380,000 (12bb)
Marc Duquette - 720,000 (24bb)
Seth Gilson - 1,400,000 (46bb)

Table 3

Sergio Giha - 1,050,000 (35bb)
Steve Karp - 1,900,000 (63bb)
Adam Adler - 1,200,000 (40bb)
Luis Zedan - 1,600,000 (53bb)
David Shmuel - 1,350,000 (45bb)
Ray Millard - 850,000 (28bb)
Michael Moreno - 800,000 (26bb)

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): Jaffe Extends Chip Lead, After Knocking Out Steve Fox In 15th Place ($9,632)

2018 Florida State Poker Championship
Event #14 | $1,500 No Limit Hold'em ($500,000 GTD)
Level 23 (Blinds 15,000/25,000/25,000)
Total Event #14 Entries: 564
Event #14 Players Remaining: 14

Steve Fox (Mason, MI) recorded his first ever Isle Casino tournament cash just moments ago, adding to lifetime earnings of $74,005.

For someone who returned with one of the shortest stacks, Steve Fox (Mason, MI) experienced a lot of Day 3 ups-and-downs. Fox would lose most of his stack in the Ashkenazi/Aron/Fox three-way all-in, but was then able to double through Aron just an orbit later. Moments ago, after Perfilev opened to 50,000, Fox would three-bet shove for 560,000. Action folded around to Jonathan Jaffe, who made the call, which was followed by Perfilev releasing his hand:

Fox: 4♠ 4♣

Jaffe: 9♠ 9♥

Runout: Q♣ 6♣ 2♠ 8♠ 10♥

Fox would stand from the table before the runout began, and after the flop, starting to wish everyone good luck. "It was really nice playing with you guys," Fox would say, before heading to the podium (to collect his $9,632 prize money).

Jaffe is now up to 3,500,000, and holds almost 25% of the chips in play.

FSPC Event #14 (Day 3): After Tripling Up, Michael Aron Dips Back Down, And Is Eliminated In 16th Place ($8,033)

Michael Aron (Palm Beach, FL) has to be pretty happy with this result, considering he bought into this tournament before the cards were in the air for Day 2.

After coming into the day as the shortest stack (165,000), Michael Aron could not have asked for a better start, more than tripling up to 700,000 (just moments ago). He'd then double up a short stacked Steve Fox, finding himself once again with less than twenty big blinds. Michael would be all-in for under 400,000 just two hands ago, and at risk against TK Miles:

Miles: Q♦ Q♣

Aron: A♥ Q♠

Runout: 7♥ 8♣ 9♣ 10♥ 5♥

While Aron whiffed the flop, he did gain some outs to a straight on the turn, but was unable to steal the hand away on the river. Even though Aron outlasted two players, he fell just one spot short of the day's first pay jump.