With 45 returning and a plan to minimize to the eight-handed final table, it appeared this morning that a long day was in store for Day 3 of the LAPT Peru Grand Final Main Event. RATHER LESS than six one-hour levels later, such speculations proved misguided way to a wild, fast-paced, action-filled afternoon and early evening.
As if to prove how wild the day was, Jerson Backmann of Mexico started the day in 41st position out of the 45 players who had returned, then finished with the chip lead entering tomorrow's final table with a stack of just over 3 million.
During the day's first two levels at least 16 would fall, and in reality if not for some luck for some that number might have been higher.
Among the early knockouts today was start-of-day-2 chip leader Henry Zapana (36th), Ariel Scaparro (26th), and Walid Mubarek (25th). Meanwhile Gilmar Gallegos quickly climbed the counts to benefit from the chip lead with 21 left.
Another rush of eliminations followed while Daniel Campodonico took excessive spot, with start-of-day-3 leader Nacho Barbero's quest to win a record-third LAPT title falling short with a 17th-place finish.
With two tables left, Thiago Nishijima was the following out in 16th, followed by Nestor Silva (15th) and Claudio Moya (14th), at which point the Chilean Oscar Alache had cruised out into the lead.
Backmann was still short then (12th of 13), and after three more knockouts -- Carlos Henrique da Rocha (12th), Gilmar Gallego (11th), and Ariel Celestino (10th) -- he was still within the lower half the counts when the nine-handed not-quite-final final table commenced.
But Backmann would win a large pot early versus Carlos Sobenes to chip up and contend for the lead. That's when the lone American remaining, Ryan Deroo found himself knocked backtrack to simply 126,000 after losing a preflop all-in versus Luis Perez.
After a Deroo open, Perez had pushed from the large blind with J♠J♣ and Deroo called with A♣K♥, but after a 2♥T♣8♣T♠J♥ board Deroo was right down to just over three big blinds.
Deroo did manage one double-up a few hands later, this time hitting a couple with A♥Q♠ versus Jakub Kyrian's J♣J♥. But before long he was open-pushing again from the button for 270,000, and getting called by new chip leader Backmann from the massive blind.
Deroo had 8♣7♦ while Backmann had K♠5♠. The 6♦Q♠Q♣J♦4♣ board then missed the American, ending his run in ninth.
Play was paused with as regards to five minutes to head in Level 26. Here's how the chip counts will look when play starts back tomorrow, with a last table at which a unique country might be represented at all the eight seats:
Jerson Backmann (Mexico) -- 3,005,000Oscar Alache (Chile) -- 2,235,000Marcos Exterkotter (Brazil) -- 2,150,000Jakub Kyrian (Czech Republic) -- 1,710,000Luis Perez (Venezuela) -- 1,570,000Jose Torre (Argentina) -- 1,105,000Daniel Campodonico (Uruguay) -- 1,005,000Carlos Sobenes (Peru) -- 695,000
We'll refrain from making any longer predictions about how things might go on Sunday when play resumes at 12 noon. What's assured is drama -- whether quickly delivered or lengthily protracted -- as Season 7 of the Latin American Poker Tour discovers its Grand Final champion. See you mañana!
Photography from LAPT7 Peru by Carlos Monti. Take a look at the start-to-finish live streaming coverage (in both Spanish and Portuguese) at PokerStars.tv. Click here for live updates in Spanish, and here for live updates in Portuguese.
Martin Harris is Freelance Contributor to the PokerStars Blog.
Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com :: Latin American Poker Tour]
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