‘FPO Championship’
Level 24 (12,000/24,000/4,000)
Total Entries: 557
Players Remaining: 11
Avg. Chips: 1,520,000
Sang Kim has been quiet over the course of this Day 3 session but he just announced himself to this FPO Championship field in a big way. Kim doubled with pocket kings against chip leader Henry Lu and it now looks like Kim playing one of the bigger stacks in the room with just shy of 2,000,000.
Sang Kim came into this Day 3 session near the top of the FPO Championship leaderboard and at both tables he’s been at, he’s had to contend with the white hot Henry Lu. Kim claims he’s waited the better part of two hours to pick up a hand against Lu and with just over 15 minutes remaining in Level 24, he finally did.
That hand was picked up with Lu opening to 50,000 from late position and after Mike Dentale flatted on the button, Kim three-bet to what looked to be 225,000. The big blind folded and Lu slid out a full stack of pink 25,000 value chips for a four-bet of 550,000. Dentale got out of the way and Sang announced “all-in”, with Lu calling and turning over {6c}{6h}.
He was likely hoping for a flip but Kim turned over {Kc}{Ks} and that left the big stack searching for two outs to score the knockout. After the {Kd}{9h}{3h} flop, Lu needed running cards and while Kim was standing, away from the table, celebrating what he thought was a guaranteed double, one of those runners came on the turn as the {4h} fell.
At first, the {5d} river card made Table 2 think that that flush did come in but on second glance, the river missed Lu’s draw. Kim then returned to the table to see just how close he’d come to actually not doubling up but once the dust settled, he had just under 2,000,000 in front of him
Kim began stacking his chips and made sure that the table and Lu knew that Sang “was back”, after waiting the better part of two levels to make his move up this FPO Championship leaderboard. Almost immediately after Sang’s double, short stack Chris Tryba cut down Henry Lu a bit more, as his {8s}{7c} ran down Lu’s {As}{10c} on a board of {Js}{6h}{5d}{7h}{8c}.
That all-in was for much less than Sang’s, as Tryba is now playing just under 650,000. A complete rundown of the remaining stacks will be posted shortly, as this field is on another break.
‘FPO Championship’
Level 24: Blinds 12,000/24,000/4,000 ante
Total Entries: 557
Players Remaining: 12
Avg. Chips: 1,395,000
Henry Lu can only laugh as he’s the first player over the 2,000,000 chip mark in this Fall Poker Open Championship.
The remaining field as just returned from their third break of the day and while there have been players with some big stacks over the course of this Day 3 session, we’ve yet to see a player in this FPO Championship break the 2,000,000 chip mark. After recording a strong last level and the elimination of Giuseppe Pizzolato, Henry Lu is the first player to eclipse that threshold.
The Brooklynite is not foreign to ‘championship’ events, as he has nearly $1,000,000 in career earnings, as well as a WSOP bracelet to his credit. That WSOP win came in 2012 and earned him his first six-figure cash. His most recent six-figure score came during last year’s Fall Poker Open series, when Lu finished 2nd in the opening $1,000,000 GTD event.
Now, just two spot from the final table, he’ll try to best that result today in another $1,000,000 event and is in a good spot to do so, as the only player over the 2,000,000 chip mark.
‘FPO Championship’
Level 23 (10,000/20,000/3,000)
Total Entries: 557
Players Remaining: 12
Avg. Chips: 1,395,000
Giuseppe Pizzolato (Ridgewood, NY)
History was made in the opening event of this Fall Poker Open series, as Stephanie Hubbard became the first female player to ever win an opening BPO event, but history will not be made at the end of this FPO series. That’s because Giuseppe Pizzolato’s run towards a third FPO title just ended in 13th place, after his rivered flush was beat by Henry Lu’s turned full house.
The hand was picked up on a board of {Ac}{4c}{3c}{3d}{9c}, with Lu checking and Pizzolato betting what looked to be 197,000. Quickly, Lu announced himself “all-in” and after some thought, Pizzolato called only to see that his flush, with {Kc}{Qs}, was no good.
That’s because Lu turned over {4h}{4s} for a turned full house and the unfortunate river was gin to get Pizzolato to commit his entire stack. With two wins under his belt already, Pizzolato certainly won’t be complaining as he adds another $13,500 to his FPO haul.
When the dust settled, the pot moved Lu up near the top of the FPO Championship leaderboard, with those updated counts coming when this field heads on a short break.
‘FPO Championship’
Level 23 (10,000/20,000/3,000)
Total Entries: 557
Players Remaining: 13
Avg. Chips: 1,285,000
Connor Berkowitz (Manalapan, NJ
After getting more or less crippled in a set over set encounter with Scott Matte, Connor Berkowitz worked a short stack for a few orbits. He managed to get some all-in shoves through but the first time he was called, he would lose a flip for his tournament life to go out in 14th place.
That hand was picked up with Scott DiClaudio opening to 65,000 and after a large pre flop raise, Berkowitz moved all-in for just under 300,000. The table folded back around to The Judge and after some thought, he eventually decided that he was “priced in”. He called and held {Kh}{Qs} to the short stack’s {10c}{10s}.
The flip was more or less over on the {Kd}{Jd}{5h} flop, as Berkowitz was left drawing to just two outs. Neither of those outs came on the turn and river and he was sent to the rail to collect his $13,500 score. A few hands later, DiClaudio was sending the chips he won from Berkowitz to Orson Young, who doubled with {5s}{5d} against DiClaudio’s {Ac}{10s}.
Young flopped a set and turned quads to move up to 650,000 and when the dust settled, The Judge was playing just over 1,400,000.
‘FPO Championship’
Level 23 (10,000/20,000/3,000)
Total Entries: 557
Players Remaining: 14
Avg. Chips: 1,197,000
Joe McKeehen (North Wales, PA)
Joe McKeehen was starting to get some traction at Table 1 but in tournament poker, chips can multiply and divide very quickly. The recent World Series of Poker Main Event champion just had the latter happen to his stack, as he ran a bluff on a three-flush, paired board that was picked off by Theo Nerantzinis.
The hand was picked up on a board of {8s}{7s}{4s}{3h}, with Nerantzinis leading out from the blinds for 80,000. McKeehen then quickly raised to 205,000 and after some thought, Nerantzinis called to see the {3c} pair the board on the river. Both players were around the 420,000 mark and after the out of position Nerantzinis checked, McKeehen announced himself “all-in”.
With McKeehen having him slightly covered, Nerantzinis thought for a few moments and then called, an action that got a quick tap of the table from his opponent. McKeehen was conceding defeat, defeat that was confirmed as soon as Theo The Greek turned over {Kh}{8h}. Just top pair was good though, as McKeehen turned over {Qs}{10c} and the rest of the table was in shock, as many thought that he was calling with a much, much stronger hand.
When the stacks were cut down, McKeehen got a 11,000 chip rebate and one the very next hand, Nerantzinis finished what he started and sent the recent World Champ to the rail in 15th place. He’ll make just over $13,500 for his deep FPO Championship run and Theo The Greek is now playing just under 1,500,000.
‘FPO Championship’
Level 23 (10,000/20,000/3,000)
Total Entries: 557
Players Remaining: 15
Avg. Chips: 1,144,000
Joe McKeehen was the executioner at this month’s WSOP Main Event final table and he’s now trending upwards a few spots from this FPO Championship final table.
Since these final two tables redrew, most of the pots have been tightly contested and at Table 1, a majority of those pots have been played between Joe McKeehen and Scott DiClaudio. The two are more or less polar opposites, as McKeehen is a veteran professional coming off the biggest victory of his career at the World Series of Poker Main Event and DiClaudio is a full-time Philadelphia based judge, who rarely plays tournament poker.
Despite their differences, they’ve provided most of the action over the last hour. Their most recent hand was picked up on a board of {Qd}{8s}{3s}{2h}{8d}, with The Judge facing a 170,000 chip river bet from McKeehen. The recent World Champion was staring his opponent down and DiClaudio made it very clear that he wasn’t intimidated in the slightest.
“I have people stare me down like that every day.” he joked before telling the table that he was contemplating the call with ace-high. Eventually, after a player called the clock, DiClaudio laid his hand down and while McKeehen’s stare evidently won’t be altering any of DiClaudio’s action, his play at that WSOP final table likely will.
McKeehen put together one of the more dominating performances in the November Nine era, scoring a handful of knockouts prior to the final table and on the ESPN live stream. He may not have the same type of chip lead that he did earlier this month but McKeehen remains one of the best closers in the game and will be a serious threat if he’s able to pick up a sizable stack.
‘FPO Championship’
Level 23 (10,000/20,000/3,000)
Total Entries: 557
Players Remaining: 15
Avg. Chips: 1,144,000
Scott Matte just flopped a set of queens to down Connor Berkowitz’s flopped set of nines, in what looked to be the biggest pot of the tournament.
We’ve seen some big pots over the last two days but the biggest pot of the tournament just played out on Table 1, as we saw another huge set over set encounter. That action was picked up after Connor Berkowitz opened to 45,000 and Scott Matte three-bet to 110,000 from late position. Berkowitz called and then checked the {Qs}{9c}{8h} flop.
Matte cut out a bet of 160,000 and, very quickly, Berkowitz raised to 315,000. After some thought, Matte announced himself “all-in” and after a re-check of his cards, Berkowitz called and tabled {9h}{9d}. The WSOP bracelet winner felt he was in a great spot to score the knockout and potentially take the chip lead, that was until Matte turned over {Qh}{Qc} for a bigger flopped set.
Berkowitz shot from the table and put his hands on his head, bemoaning his luck, or lack thereof, while Matte sat and could only laugh, as he was obviously scared of possible straights on a very coordinated board. The {2c} and {8c} completed that board and the double for Matte, who came into this Day 3 session with just under 300,000 chips.
He’s now playing the better part of 1,500,000 after taking down the biggest pot of this FPO Championship, while it’s back to the drawing board for Berkowitz, who is currently playing just over 300,000.
‘FPO Championship’
Level 23 (10,000/20,000/3,000)
Total Entries: 557
Players Remaining: 15
Avg. Chips: 1,144,000
Coming back from the last break, a few players on the rail made the comment that this FPO Championship was “Getting into the big money.” While 22 players came back with almost $7,500 already locked up, Mike Dentale was right when he corrected them with a quick, “Not yet.” before he took his seat for the start of Level 22.
75 minutes later, we still aren’t in the big, big money but we are getting closer, as the remaining 15 players are now guaranteed at least a nearly $13,500 score. Everyone coming back from the last break will be looking to the top of the FPO Championship payouts, as there is close to $340,000 up top for the eventual winner.
That winner likely won’t be crowned for a while but heading into Level 23, we thought a reminder of the FPO Championship payouts was in order. That pay scale is provided below and cards are set to get back in the air shortly.
- $336,331
- $189,102
- $121,565
- $96,577
- $75,641
- $62,133
- $49,301
- $38,496
- $27,015
10-12. $17,559
13-15. $13,507
‘FPO Championship’
Level 22 (8,000/16,000/2,000)
Total Entries: 557
Players Remaining: 15
Avg. Chips: 1,144,000
Steven Coppola (Staten Island, NY)
Scott Matte sent Aaron Mermelstein to the rail with a set of nines on the other side of the redraw and he just notched the first elimination after the redraw with another set. That set of tens sent Steven Coppola to the rail in 16th place after Matte opened in middle position and both Connor Berkowitz and Coppola called in the blinds.
Berkowitz checked the {Qd}{10s}{6h} flop and Coppola then moved all-in for 189,000. Matte thought for a few moments and then called, with Berkowitz folding to see the two hands get turned over. Coppola held {Qh}{8s} and while he had top pair, he was in a tough spot, as Matte had flopped a set with {10d}{10c}.
“Some interesting turn cards.” Joe McKeehen said, referencing some of Coppola’s running outs but the {5d} wasn’t interesting in the slightest, as it confirmed his elimination. He’ll make just over $10,000 for his deep FPO Championship run and the time of his knockout allows him to get home just in time to make his “world famous artichokes”, something his wife, Judy, and family will certainly enjoy.
There are just a few minutes remaining in Level 22, after which there will be another break in the action.
‘FPO Championship’
Level 22 (8,000/16,000/2,000)
Total Entries: 557
Players Remaining: 16
Avg. Chips: 1,044,000
Connor Berkowitz won a bracelet at this summer’s World Series of Poker and now, with two tables left in the FPO Championship, he could be adding to his trophy case. Berkowitz has almost doubled his stack through the last two levels an is now one of only a half dozen players over the 1,000,000 chip mark.
After the flurry of eliminations with three tables remaining, we are now down to our final two tables, albeit a little lighter than we originally thought. That’s because three players were eliminated in the last hand before the redraw so only 16 players have taken their new seats, with those assignments listed below:
Table 1
- Scott Matte – 720,000
- Joe McKeehen – 890,000
- Orson Young – 630,000
- Theo Nerantzinis – 690,000
- Scott DiClaudio – 1,230,000
- Connor Berkowitz – 1,280,000
- Steven Coppola – 240,000
- Taylor von Kriegenbergh – 1,370,000
Table 2
- Henry Lu – 1,040,000
- Giuseppe Pizzolato – 1,360,000
- Mike Dentale – 950,000
- Sang Kim – 1,280,000
- Richie Tenenbaum – 1,830,000
- Jason Paster – 1,560,000
- Chris Tryba – 455,000
- Greg Fishberg – 960,000