Wed Apr 06 21:05:00 PDT 2005
Mark Boudewijn
Mark Boudewijn (from the city of Gouda in the Netherlands) doesn't play many big tournaments, and his best finish before this was 14th place (other than some smaller internet tournaments). Needless to say, winning the opening event of Bellagio's Five-Star World Poker Classic (along with $222,570) is a pretty big deal for him. Thankfully, he had a small group of supporters here to cheer him on, and they were all treated to a complementary dinner here at Bellagio.
Boudewijn has also earned a seat in the WPT World Championship event that caps off this tournament in two weeks. Congratulations, Mark Boudewijn!
Wed Apr 06 21:00:00 PDT 2005
Update on the $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em Event that Started Today
At 9:00 pm, the 30 remaining players in the $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em event take a one-hour dinner break. The top 27 finishers will walk away with prize money according to the following list:
1st: $212,070
2nd: $115,235
3rd: $57,620
4th: $32,950
5th: $24,695
6th: $19,205
7th: $13,720
8th: $10,975
9th: $8,780
10th - 12th: $6,585
13th - 15th: $5,485
16th - 18th: $4,390
19th - 27th: $3,290
CardPlayer.com will resume coverage of this event tomorrow at 3:00 pm for the final table.
Wed Apr 06 20:24:00 PDT 2005
Mark Boudewijn Wins the Bellagio $1,500 No-Limit Hold'Em Event
Harry Demetriou is all in with J-7 of diamonds, and Mark Boudewijn shows K-J offsuit. Boudewijn increases his lead with a flop of A-K-8 with only one diamond, but the 10 of diamonds on the turn gives Demetriou a flush draw and a double-gut-shot straight draw. But the river card is another king, and Harry Demetriou is eliminated in second place, earning $118,240.
Mark Boudewijn wins $222,570, plus a $25,500 seat in the WPT World Championship later this month.
Wed Apr 06 20:21:00 PDT 2005
Mark Boudewijn Takes the Chip Lead
After a flop of 9-8-2 with two diamonds, Mark Boudewijn and Harry Demetriou are both all in. Boudewijn has 6-4 of diamonds for a flush draw, and Demetriou currently has the lead with queen high -- Q-10 offsuit for a gut-shot straight draw. But a 4 on the turn puts Boudewijn in the lead, and the ace on the river changes nothing. Mark Boudewijn doubles up to a substantial lead, and he now has about $1,180,000 in chips to Demetriou's roughly $210,000.
Wed Apr 06 20:12:00 PDT 2005
Mark Boudewijn Doubles Up Through Harry Demetriou
Mark Boudewijn pushes all in preflop with pocket fives, and Harry Demetriou calls with the A-10 of diamonds. The flop comes K-9-6 with two diamonds, so Demetriou has a flush draw to go with his overcards. The turn card is an offsuit 7, giving them both gut-shot straight draws as well, although if an 8 shows up Demetriou would have a higher straight. The jack on the river doesn't make anything for Demetriou, and Boudewijn doubles up.
Harry Demetriou now has about $850,000, and Mark Boudewijn has about $520,000.
Wed Apr 06 19:56:00 PDT 2005
Players Still Patient
Harry Demetriou and Mark Boudewijn are still showing patience, although Boudewijn is gaining some ground, with about $425,000 in chips, compared to Demetriou's $1,000,000.
Wed Apr 06 19:45:00 PDT 2005
Blinds Increase to $10,000-$20,000 ($4,000 ante)
The players return from their break to find the blinds at $10,000-$20,000, with a $4,000 ante. Harry Demetriou has about $1,150,000 to Mark Boudewijn's $240,000.
Wed Apr 06 19:30:00 PDT 2005
15-Minute Break
The players take a 15-minute break.
Wed Apr 06 19:25:00 PDT 2005
Patient Play Heads Up; Approximate Chip Counts
So far, Harry Demetriou and Mark Boudewijn have been exhibiting patience and playing cautiously, and they both have enough chips (relative to the blinds) to wait. The community cards that they have seen have usually gone check-check or bet-fold.
Mark Boudewijn is losing a little ground, and now has about $285,000 to Harry Demetriou's $1.1 million.
Wed Apr 06 19:05:00 PDT 2005
Abraham Gray Eliminated in Third Place ($62,405)
Abraham Gray found himself all in with A-J of diamonds against Harry Demetriou's pocket aces. He needed a lot of help, but missed the flop of K-9-2. A jack on the turn gave him some outs, but the 5 on the river sent Abraham Gray home in third place, earning $62,405.
It's now down to Harry Demetriou (over $1 million in chips) heads up against Mark Boudewijn (about $380,000 in chips).
