Tommy Vedes Runs Hot, Wins Festa al Lago
by Court on 10.27.09, 1:01 am
Tommy Vedes started heads up play with a chip lead of almost 2 million chips with his 9.2 million to Jason “StatusUp” Lavallee’s 7.3 million. Lavallee picked up small pots to take a slight chip lead and the two went back and forth trading the lead. Lavallee got to where he held a 2 million chip lead and then Vedes pulled back to even.
The two continued to battle around even and the blinds ran up to the 100k / 200k 20k ante level. Lavallee limped in from the small blind and Vedes checked. On the 8
4
3
flop Vedes bet 200k and was called. With the Q turn Lavalle called a 400k bet from Vedes and on the 8 river Jason raised to 2.6 million after Vedes bet 800k and Tommy made the call. The K4 for Lavallee made a flush while Tommy had made trip eights on the river. After raking in the pot Lavallee took the largest lead of heads up play with his 13 million chips to the 3.5 million of Vedes.
Soon after Tommy was all in and again had the worst of it. His AT was up against the A
J of Lavallee and Jason was oh so close to claiming the title. A ten on the flop hit the three outer for Vedes though and he was able to double up to get back up to 7.5 milion while Lavallee still held a lead with 9.5 million.
The all ins were flowing at this point and the two soon had the chips in the middle again. Vedes raised to 600k and Lavallee moved all in having Tommy covered by about 2.5 million chips. Tommy made the call and rolled over the 55 and this time he was the one with the best of it, being one pip ahead of the 44 of Lavallee. The AT6Q7 board was no improvement for Lavallee and in just a few hands he had went from a 13m to 3.5m lead to the other end of it trailing with his 2.5 million remaining chips to the 14 million Vedes held.
Only a few hands later Lavallee moved all in for 2.75 million chips and Vedes called. Tommy had the KQ and was up against the 86 for Lavallee. Jason flopped a gutshot on the A95 board but the Q turn paired Vedes and instead of the seven he needed on the river Lavallee was eliminated when the Q hit. For his 2nd place finish Jason Lavallee (left) earns $795,150.
Tommy Vedes takes the title and the top prize of $1,218,225 much to the delight of his large and rowdy group of supporters.
Deeb Bad Beat to 4th, Crivello Out 3rd
by Court on 10.26.09, 11:36 pm
Freddy Deeb (right) was one card away from taking a significant chip lead and making the Festa al Lago WPT final table a 3-handed event. Freddy had opened for 400k and Tommy Vedes raised to 1.25 million. Freddy checked to see what Tommy had left and then announced he was all in. Vedes had started the hand with just over 3 million chips and he called the rest of them off after Freddy moved him in.
Tommy had pocket queens but was way behind the kings of Deeb. The 6 million chip pot was almost added to Freddy’s stack as the board came out J956 but then a Q on the river hit the 2 outer for Vedes and saved him yet again from elimination. “The lady’s love me,” Vedes had said when he saw he was all in against kings and in this case he it worked out for him. The double up put Vedes in the chip lead and he was able to add to that lead soon after when he finished off Deeb.
Freddy open shoved for 975k and Vedes made the call. This time Freddy was behind with his A4 needing to improve against the 66 of Vedes but the 872TQ board was brought no improvement for Deeb and he was eliminated in 4th place for 278,000.
After Vedes ended Deeb’s run Jason “StatusUp” Lavallee was able to eliminate Craig Crivello and send the action to heads up play. Jason had raised to 280k and Crivello moved all in for 1.95 million. Lavallee called the all in with his pocket tens and was racing against the two overs Craig had with his KJ. The board came Q8399 and with that Crivello (left) was out 3rd for $477,090.
The two eliminations leave Jason Lavallee and Tommy Vedes heads up for the title. Vedes holds a chip leads with 9,190,000 while Lavallee has 7,300,000 to work with going into heads up play. Heads up play will begin with the players at the 60k / 120k 10k ante level.
The two are fighting it out for the difference between the $1.2 million first prize and the almost $800,000 for second place along with all the ansillary benefits and pride of being a WPT champion.
Lavallee Starts Strong; Cunix 6th, Burt 5th
by Court on 10.26.09, 9:09 pm
Jason “StatusUp” Lavallee - 5.6 million
Freddy Deeb - 5.1 million
Tommy Vedes - 2.9 million
Craig Crivello - 2.9 million
The playdown day didn’t go exactly as Jason “StatusUp” Lavallee (right) would have liked. He came into the day with over 4 million chips and the lead in the tournament but by the time the field was down to the final 6 Lavallee had dropped back to 2 million and went into the final table today in the bottom half of the chip counts.
He started the day in the big blind and got a walk and things kept looking up for him throughout the first hour of play. Jason called a 300k raise from Tommy Vedes and then on the Q-T-9 flop with 2 clubs Lavallee moved all in for just over a million after Vedes led out for 440k. Tommy got caught with his hand in the cookie jar and folded sending a nice pot to Lavallee. A few hands later Jason won another pot when he got Freddy Deeb to fold and his stack grew to over 3 million. After that he was involved with Vedes again and after winning yet another pot without going to showdown Lavallee saw his stack back over the 4 million mark.
For Vedes the early hits took him from being one of the chip leaders to being a shorter stack. He was able to get back up near the top of the chip counts after winning a big all in hand. Five of the 6 players put in 240k preflop and on the KQ6 flop Shawn Cunix (left) bet 720k when the action got to him. Vedes moved all in for 1.325 million and everyone folded back around to Cunix who called right away. Shawn had flopped a set with his 66 while Tommy was on the verge of elimination with his KQ for two pair. The K jumped out on the turn though giving Tommy a larger full house and leaving Cunix drawing to the case 6. There was no re-suck for Cunix and the 5 river took Cunix down to around 600k and gave Tommy a big double up to almost 4 million that put him right in the mix with Lavallee and Deeb for the chip lead with all 3 right at the 4 million mark.
Shawn was able to move all in and pick up a few pots uncontested but it didn’t take long for him to end up all in with his last 550k in the pot. Craig Crivello called the all in with his AQ and had to hold up against Shawn’s live 86. Cunix flopped a pair on the KT6 flop and his pair was good through the 3 turn but one of the many outs for Crivello came in with the J on the river. The ace high flush eliminated Cunix in 6th place for $168,970.
After that it only took a few moments of play before the next shortest stack was all in. Jason Burt moved in for 1,090,000 after Freddy Deeb had opened for 400k. The action folded back to Deeb and he called having Burt notched with his AQ against Jason’s AJ. The flop KQ4 flop paired Freddy’s queen but left Burt drawing live to a ten for a straight. The turn and river were the 9 and the 8 making Jason Burt (right) the 5th place finisher for $208,725.
Going into 4 handed play the stacks came out with the top two over 5 million chips and the bottom two both just under 3 million.
Final 4 Chip Counts: Blinds 50k / 100k 10k ante
Jason “StatusUp” Lavallee - 5.6 million
Freddy Deeb - 5.1 million
Tommy Vedes - 2.9 million
Craig Crivello - 2.9 million
Festa al Lago Final Table
by Court on 10.26.09, 7:31 pm
Freddy Deeb - 3.84 million
Shawn Cunix - 3.67 million
Tommy Vedes - 2.99 million
Craig Crivello - 2.57 million
Jason “StatusUp” Lavallee - 2.045 million
Jason Burt - 1.375 million.
The stage is set for the final table at the Festa al Lago World Poker Tour event. The 275 entrants have been whittled down to the final 6 and all the preliminary activities that go along with a televised final table are about wrapped up, leaving just the poker to determine the champion.
Freddy Deeb is the WOT regular at the final table, but the other 5 all want to make their mark on the tour and more importantly take home the $1.2 million top prize. The blinds will continue at the 40k / 80k 5k ante level to start the day and once that level is complete the cost of poker goes to 50k / 100k with a 10k ante.
Here is how the players are lined up. Tommy Vedes is in the 1 seat, Jason “StatusUp” Lavallee in the 2 seat, Craig Crivello in the 3 seat, chip leader Freddy Deeb in the 4 seat, Jason Burt in the 5 seat and Shawn Cunix in the 6 seat.
Freddy Deeb takes a slight chip lead into final table play. Here is how the final 6 stack up to start the day:
Chip Counts
Freddy Deeb - 3.84 million
Shawn Cunix - 3.67 million
Tommy Vedes - 2.99 million
Craig Crivello - 2.57 million
Jason “StatusUp” Lavallee - 2.045 million
Jason Burt - 1.375 million.
Festa al Lago 2009 Final Table Gallery
by Court on 10.26.09, 7:14 pm
