Poker Tournament Results

Rob Hollink

European Pro Rob Hollink Wins Event #2 at the 2006 Bellagio Five-Star World Poker Classic

Las Vegas, Nevada -- April 7, 2006 -- The second event of the 2006 Bellagio Five-Star World Poker Classic was $2,000 (+$80) No-Limit Hold'em. It attracted 285 players, which was 14 fewer than the year before. However, the start of this event coincided with a World Poker Tour event starting on the East Coast at the Foxwoods Casino, and a lot of traveling pros won't appear at Bellagio until they finish with that event.

The total prizepool for this event was $552,900, and first prize was worth $204,815, plus a seat into the WPT World Championship held here on April 18th. The top 27 players would finish in the money (about 9.5% of the field), and day one would play down to the final table. Day one finished with just one minute left at Level 11, with blinds of 1,500-3,000 (500 ante). Here were the official chip counts:

The final table began on Friday, shortly after 3:00 pm. After one minute of play at Level 11, the blinds increased to 2,000-4,000, with a 500 ante. That's effectively where the final table began.

About 15 minutes into the action, short stack Cy Kavoosi was all in preflop with pocket deuces (2c-2s) against Stan Fulton's Ad-10s. The flop missed Fulton, falling Kc-3c-3d, but the Kd on the turn was as good as an ace or a ten for him, because it put a higher two pair on the board; Kavoosi's pair of deuces was reduced to a single two as the worst possible kicker. Kavoosi needed a two on the river to survive, but the last card was the 6s. Cy Kavoosi was eliminated in ninth place, earning $8,440.

James English couldn't wait forever to make a move, and about 3:40 pm he was all in preflop with Qh-10h. Unfortunately, he was up against Chris McCormack's pocket aces (Ad-As). English stayed optimistic, saying he felt lucky about this hand. The flop of Qs-9d-2d gave him a pair of queens and some hope -- he could catch a ten, another queen, or a runner-runner straight. The turn card was the 6h, and he was down to five outs. But the last card was the 2s, and James English was eliminated in eight place, earning $10,550.

The two players starting the day with the fewest chips were the first to go home. That was a bad trend for Edward Forlani (next on the list), and a good sign for Stan Fulton.

At 4:05 pm, it was time to increase the blinds to 3,000-6,000 (1,000 ante). The players took a short break as the white ($500) chips were raced off the tables. Here were the approximate chip counts at that point:

A short while later, David Daneshgar was all in preflop with Ad-Kh against Rob Hollink's pocket eights (8c-8h). The flop favored Hollink, falling 10s-10h-9h, but the turn and river favored Daneshgar, coming As-Ks. Daneshgar made a higher two pair to win the hand and double up to about 110,000 in chips. Hollink absorbed the blow with about 225,000 left in front of him.

About 4:45 pm, Edward Forlani was in danger of finishing in seventh place after starting the day in seventh position. He was all in preflop with Ah-Qd against Rob Hollink's pocket fours (4h-4s). Forlani missed the flop of 10c-7h-5h, but the As on the turn gave him a higher pair. The last card was the 10h, and Forlani doubled up to about 90,000 in chips, leaving Hollink with about 245,000 in chips.

At 5:11 pm, the players took a 15-minute break before the blinds would increase to 4,000-8,000, with a 1,000 ante. Here were the official chip counts:

At 5:28 pm, Forlani was all in with As-Qd against Stan Fulton's pocket fives (5c-5d). But the board came low, 7d-6s-2h-10d-8h, and the pocket pair held up. Edward Forlani was eliminated in seventh place, earning $13,185. That hand catapulted Fulton back into the lead with about 350,000 in chips.

To this point, the bottom three players in the opening chip counts were the first three eliminated, putting a small jinx on David Daneshgar. It might give the short-stacked Cousineau some measure of hope, but he doesn't believe in trivial crap like this.

Cousineau was slowly but surely losing chips, but Plastik put him all in from the small blind, and Cousineau called from the big blind with Kh-4d. He was pleased to see he had king high in the big blind, and thought he might have the best hand here. Nope. Plastik showed pocket eights (8d-8s), and was favored to bust Cousineau here. The board came Js-5c-6c-5s-Kd, and Cousineau was saved by that king on the river. Cousineau doubled up to about 36,000 in chips, while Plastik was left with about 125,000.

At about 5:50 pm, Cousineau moved all in from early position, but he didn't have enough chips to scare out Fulton (who called from the button) or McCormack (who called from the big blind). Fulton and McCormack had side action, but they both checked down a board of Ac-Qd-3d-6h-10h. Cousineau showed his pocket jacks (Jc-Jh), but they lost to Fulton's Kd-Qs (pair of queens). McCormack mucked, Fulton dragged the pot, and Tony Cousineau was eliminated in sixth place, earning $18,460.

The pace for this final table was noticeably slower than the day before. At this time yesterday, Anthony Reategui was already trying on his bracelet; today, we still have five of the original nine players in action.

At 6:25 pm, the blinds increased to 6,000-12,000, with a 2,000 ante. Fulton had taken a huge lead at this point, with over half the chips in play. Here were the approximate chip counts at that point:

There wasn't much action for a while, until 7:00 pm, when Plastik was all in with pocket nines (9c-9d) against Hollink's 10s-2s. The flop came Qh-Jc-4h, and Plastik retained the lead. But the As on the turn gave Hollink additional outs, and he could now win with a ten or a king. Sure enough, the river card was the Kh, and Hollink made an ace-high straight. David Plastik was eliminated in fifth place, earning $23,735.

Less than ten minutes later, Daneshgar was all in with pocket tens (10d-10h) against Rob Hollink's Ac-6d. But lightning struck twice for Hollink, and he cracked the favored hand by making an eight-high straight on the board of 7c-5h-4s-Kh-8h. David Daneshgar was eliminated in fourth place, earning $31,625.

The action was coming quickly now. Five minutes later, McCormack was all in with Ad-9c, dominated by Hollink's As-Jc. Hollink was in excellent position to bust McCormack and pick up enough chips to contend with Fulton. But McCormack paired his nine on the turn (Qs-10c-6h-9h-3c) to stay alive and double up.

At 7:25 pm, the players took a 15-minute break before the blinds would increase to 8,000-16,000, with a 3,000 ante. Here were the official chip counts:

Shortly after the break ended, Hollink and McCormack limped from the blinds to see a flop of Qc-Jd-Js. Hollink bet 40,000, and McCormack called. the turn card ws the 5h, Hollink bet 65,000, McCormack moved all in, and Hollink immediately called with Jh-8h (trip jacks). McCormack showed Qh-9c (pair of queens), and he can only be saved by a queen on the river. The last card was the 6h, and Chris McCormack was eliminated in third place, earning $55,375.

As they moved to heads-up play, the final two players were nearly even in chips. And they got them all in the pot almost immediately, with Qh-5h for Fulton against Hollink's As-Kh. The flop came Ad-Ac-3c, and Jack McClelland announced, "The flop comes ace-ace-three, and Rob takes a slight lead." That's a typical humorous understatement from Mr. McClelland, as Fulton was already drawing dead -- he had no pair and no draw against three aces. A fourth ace fell on the river to leave little doubt as to who won the hand.

Fulton was certain Hollink had him covered, and had already conceded defeat. But the chip stacks were counted down, and Fulton actually had 13,000 in chips remaining, compared to 1.13 million. Fulton was all in on the next two hands, doubling up on the first (his pocket fours held up against J-7), and losing the second (his 9-4 couldn't overtake Hollink's A-9). Stan Fulton was eliminated in second place, earning $110,755.

Top European player Rob Hollink emerged as the winner of Event #2 ($2,000 No-Limit Hold'em) at the 2006 Bellagio Five-Star World Poker Classic. He picked up $204,815, a gold-and-diamond Bellagio bracelet, and a $25,500 seat in the WPT World Championship that begins here on April 18th.