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.
