2009 PokerStars.net LAPT Playa Conchal

LAPT Playa Conchal Main Event
Day: 4
Event Info

2009 PokerStars.net LAPT Playa Conchal

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
107
Prize
$172,095
Event Info
Buy-in
$2,500
Prize Pool
$628,075
Entries
259
Level Info
Level
28
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
10,000

Amer Sulaiman Profile

Amer Sulaiman
Amer Sulaiman
Born in Iraq, Amer Sulaiman now calls Toronto, Canada his home. He works in the coffee export business and plays poker for fun. He's been playing for the past 15 years with two cashes on record. ONe of those cashes was a second-place finish in an event at the 2006 British Columbia Poker Championships good for nearly $60,000.

Sulaiman and his girlfriend came to Costa Rica on vacation, not planning on playing the event. Sulaiman ended up buying into the event and it looks like it was a great idea. He's guaranteed his largest cash ever and could become the first champion of the LAPT's Season 3.

Some information obtained from the PokerStars blog.

Tags: Amer Sulaiman

Sol Bergren Profile

Sol Bergren
Sol Bergren
Sol Bergren describes himself as a travel junkie. He has been to places all over the world, but not so much to just play poker. The 29-year-old Canadian was down in Aruba just last month and has spent many weeks here in Costa Rica leading up to this event.

We even caught a glimpse of Bergren in Australia back in 2007 at the APPT Sydney tournament. He finished fourth in that event for over $200,000. In total, Bergren has just under $285,000 in career tournament earnings. You can add at least $100,000 to that number as he's guaranteed a second-place finish here.

Bergren has also cashed in the WSOP Main Event three times: 2005, 2006 and 2009.

Some information obtained from the PokerStars blog.

Tags: Sol Bergren

Sulaiman Takes Over

Both went to the flop without a raise and it came {8-Hearts} {7-Clubs} {5-Hearts}. Amer Sulaiman had the button and Sol Bergren was first to act. he fird 60,000 and Sulaiman called.

The turn brought the {3-Spades} and Bergren checked. Sulaiman fired 135,000. HIs opponent called, creating a healthy pot for the river.

After the river card completed the board with the {Q-Hearts}, Bergren fired 210,000. Sulaiman tanked and then made the call. He turned over {8-Spades} {8-Diamonds} for a set of eights and Bergren mucked his hand.

"Queen ten." said Bergren, but he didn't show.

Sulaiman is up to 3.130 million and Bergren is down to 2.050 million.

Tags: Amer SulaimanSol Bergren

Sulaiman Strikes First

Amer Sulaiman
Amer Sulaiman
Amer Sulaiman just took down the first pot of heads-up play, stealing the chip lead from his heads-up opponent.

Sol Bergren opened the pot with a raise to 120,000 which was called by Sulaiman. The flop came down {Q-Hearts}{4-Clubs}{9-Hearts} and Sulaiman checked to Bergren who fired a 130,000 continuation bet. Sulaiman called.

Both players checked after the dealer burned and turned the {A-Spades}.

The last card off the deck was the {2-Clubs} and Sulaiman checked once more to Bergren, who tried to claim the pot with a smallish 120,000 bet.

"Make it all," Sulaiman said, moving all in over the top of Bergren.

Bergren looked up at Sulaiman, puzzled and curious, but he eventually laid down his hand.

Sulaiman then slammed the {K-Spades}{4-Spades} face up on the table showing a single pair of fours.

After the hand, Sulaiman stacked up 2,650,000 in chips while Bergren dropped to 2,535,000.

Tags: Amer Sulaiman

Let the Battle Begin!

Sol Bergren and Amer Sulaiman are the only two left. One player will be taking home the title of LAPT PLaya Conchal champion and nearly $175,000. Both are guaranteed a six-figure payday.

Here's how the counts look at the beginning of heads-up play:

Sol Bergren - 2,905,000
Amer Sulaiman - 2,280,000

Tags: Amer SulaimanSol Bergren

Rogelio Pardo Eliminated in 3rd Place ($61,551)

Rogelio Pardo - 3rd Place
Rogelio Pardo - 3rd Place
Just one hand after the Eric Levesque elimination, Rogelio Pardo moved all in from first position. Amer Sulaiman folded, but Sol Bergren made the call.

Bergren held {5-Spades} {5-Clubs} and Pardo held {A-Clubs} {3-Hearts}. Pardo was all in for 540,000.

The flop came down {K-Clubs} {8-Diamonds} {6-Clubs} and not much help for Pardo. The turn added some outs when the {4-Clubs} came, giving Pardo a flush draw now. The river was the {5-Hearts} though, not improving Pardo at all and sending him home in 3rd place. He earned over $60,000 for his finish.

We're now guaranteed to have a Canadian champion here at the 2009 PokerStars.net LAPT Playa Conchal.

Tags: Amer SulaimanEric LevesqueRogelio PardoSol Bergren

Eric Levesque Silenced in 4th Place ($45,221)

Eric Levesque
Eric Levesque
In what was the biggest pot of the tournament thus far, Canadian Sol Bergren has just knocked out fellow Canuck Eric Levesque to move back into the chip lead.

Bergren opened the pot with a raise to 120,000 and the action moved to Levesque.

"I feel more than good," Levesque said, after raising to a whopping 700,000; this just one hand after he moved in over the top of another 120,000 preflop raise from Bergren).

Bergren double-checked his cards before making his decision.

"All in," he announced. A call was made and the players would soon find out they'd be racing for fourth place:

Bergren: {8-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}
Levesque: {A-Clubs}{Q-Diamonds}

"Put a snowman up there," Bergren said.

Though no eight appeared, the {J-Hearts}{5-Diamonds}{4-Spades}{3-Clubs}{7-Hearts} board was kind to Bergren, whose pocket eights held up to earn him the pot.

Bergren stacked up 2.285 million in chips after the hand.

Tags: Eric Levesque

PokerNews Exclusive Video

Busting out of this tournament hasn't been so bad when in the center of paradise. Yesterday we took a walk around the resort to see how the players are passing time now that they're out of the Main Event: