In Event #24, $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em 2,506 paid the $1,500 entry fee, giving 607,256 to the eventual winner
Day 3 kicked off with only 19 survivors, but it didn’t take long to drop down to just two tables. Chris Sparks got his chips preflop in one of the fiorst hands of the day versus AK and was drawing slim on AAK flop. When a second K hit on the turn it was all over for Sparks. He collected $17,753 for his 19th-place finish.
Other early eliminations included Andrew Seden (18th, $25,347), Roberto Correa (17th, $25,347), Ali Davoudi (16th, $25,347) and Roberto Truijers (15th, $36,225). Mihai Manole lost a standard coinflip when he busted in 14th place ($36,225) and after the elimation of Stuart Marshak (13th, $36,225), Gualter Santos (12th, $51,755) and Benny Champlin (11th, $51,755) the remaining ten players consolidated to one ten-handed table awaiting the official final table.
The final table bubble came fairly quickly, as Ronnie Kevin sent Ernst Hermans home in tenth place ($51,755), and the final table seating assignments and chip counts looked like this:
Seat 1: David Lerman — 625,000
Seat 2: Ronnie Kevin — 670,000
Seat 3: Dean Hamrick — 1,450,000
Seat 4: Glenn McCaffrey — 1,900,000
Seat 5: Michael Greco — 400,000
Seat 6: Brian Fitzpatrick — 390,000
Seat 7: Andy “BKiCe” Seth — 2,770,000
Seat 8: Alan Jaffray — 1,200,000
Seat 9: Panayote “Pete” Vilandos — 1,490,000
On the FT bubble Brian Fitzpatrick made his moved with A8o and shoved preflop only having Vilandos call and show ATo. The flop came Ten high and he had to settle for ninth place and $73,886.
Kevin headed home in eighth place ($79,017). Andy Seth raised preflop, Pete Vilandos reraised, and Ronnie Kevin moved all in over the only to have Vilandos make an the easy call with KK. Kevin needed to catch an ace with his AQo, but the board bricked.
Lerman was done in seventh place ($88,937) after a 3way flop of Tc3s4c in a raised pot Lerman fired first, moving all in on the flop. McCaffrey went into the tank and he reraised. Jaffray folded and McCaffrey showed KThh for top pair and Lerman tabled 94hh for bottom pair. The turn and river bricked and he was sent on his bike.
Alan Jaffray was sent packing next in sixth place ($105,699) when he shoved preflop with KQo. Pete Vilandos called with AQo, and Jaffray was was in a world of hurt.The board came Queen high and Vilandos took over the chip lead.
Vilandos then claimed a second casualty when he busted Dean Hamrick in fifth place ($132,380). Hamrick raised preflop, then called off the rest of his stack when Vilandos moved in over the top. Hamrick had AQs versus the pocket nines of Vilandos. The flop was safe for the 99 and the turn brought one of the two remaining 9’s in the deck making it all over for Harmick.
Next to drop was Glenn McCaffrey in fourth place ($176,165). Seth opened for a raise preflop, McCaffrey moved all in over the top with AJo and Seth made the call with A7o. McCaffrey held the lead going into the hand, but the board ran 4 diamonds to give Seth a diamond flush with the 7 and sent McCaffrey on his bike.
Well known English actor and poker player Michael Greco logged his second WSOP final table in this event. He also picked up his biggest tournament cash to date when he busted third place ($248,855). The money all went in again preflop on a coinflip, Andy Seth’s 77 vs Greco’s ATo. However, there was no help for Greco on the board and Andy Seth took a slight chip lead over Pete Vilandos into heads-up play.
They went back and forth for a little while, but were fairly even in chips until thihs hand cropped up. Andy Seth raised preflop from the button, Vilandos reraised and Seth four-bet. Vilandos shoved and Seth pretty much snap called, but found himself absolutely crushed when he tabled AQo to Vilandos’ AQo. The board bricked and Vilandos took a massive chip lead.
A few hands later, Pete Vilandos limped in from the button and Seth raised. Vilandos moved in over the top with A5o and Seth quickly called. Seth showed AJo but Vilandos came from behind and turned the wheel on a Td4d3s2cKc board.
Vilandos had won the bracelet and the $607,256 top prize!
Pete Vilandos moved over the $1 million mark in total 2009 winnings, adding a first-place finish to the second place he picked up in the “Stimulus Special”.