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

• October 25, 2009 -- Jones Bubbles TV Table
• October 26, 2009 -- Deeb Bad Beat to 4th, Crivello Out 3rd
• October 26, 2009 -- Festa al Lago Final Table
• October 26, 2009 -- Festa al Lago 2009 Final Table Gallery