FSPC Event #9 (Day 2): Michael Amato Hears It From Peanut Gallery, But Spins 30,000 Into 200,000

2018 Florida State Poker Championship
Event #9 | $1,100 No Limit Hold'em ($200,000 GTD)
Level 15 (Blinds 2,000/4,000/4,000)
Total Event #9 Entries: 341
Event #9 Players Remaining: 72

Michael Amato (Boca Raton, FL) was one of fourteen players to buy in before play started this afternoon, and is seeing the most success of any of those players.

Michael Amato was one of the fourteen players to buy into action this afternoon, and after getting a quick double through Richard Rice, he'd end up moving to Table 2 with less than he started the day with.  After Steve Harris opened with a raise to 8,000, Bruce Snell (button) an Juan Martinez (small blind) would make the call.  With just under 30,000 in front of him, but 6,000 invested (as big blind and ante), Amato decided to call the extra 5,000, and the players would see a K♠ 10♥ 2♣ flop.  The action would get checked around, with Juan Martinez leading after the 7♥ fell on the turn.  Amato then dumped the rest of his stack across his cards (23,500), with Harris and Snell folding behind.  Martinez thought for a few moments, before making the call with J♦ 7♦, well behind the K♠ Q♠ of Amato.  The A♣ on the river changed nothing, and Amato would more than double to 85,000. 

"You're lucky you checked the flop," one of the players in the hand said.

"What are you doing just calling the raise pre-flop," another asked, criticizing the way Amato played the hand.

On the very next hand, action would fold around to Juan Martinez on the button, who would open with a raise to 13,000.  After peering down at his hand, Amato would announce himself all-in, having not even stacked all of his newfound chips yet. The player in the big blind asked for an exact count, and the re-shoved for over 150,000.  Martinez would fold his hand, and Amato would be at risk for his tournament: 

Amato: A♠ 10♠
A. Nonymous: Q♠ Q♦

Runout: A♥ 9♠ A♣ 9♣ K♦

Michael would smash the flop, and have his opponent drawing dead on the turn.  So in the matter of two hands, Amato turned his 28,000 stack into over 200,000.

"You're playing ace-ten there man...come on," his opponent said, once again criticizing the line that Michael took.  Regardless of what the players are saying to Amato, they are seeing their stacks decline, while he's been the biggest mover of the afternoon so far.

Michael Amato - 204,000 (51bb)