Adam Smith Wins Event #3 at the 2006 Bellagio Five-Star World Poker Classic
Las Vegas, Nevada -- April 8, 2006 -- The third event of the 2006 Bellagio Five-Star World Poker Classic was $2,500 (+$100) No-Limit Hold'em. It attracted 259 players, making it the first event of this tournament to show an increase over last year (when only 246 players entered).
The total prizepool for this event was $628,075, and first prize was worth $230,375, plus a seat into the WPT World Championship held here on April 18th. The top 27 players would finish in the money (about 10.4% of the field), and day one would play down to the final twelve players before calling it a night. Here were the official chip counts:
1. Al Barbieri - 171,500
2. Robert Spino - 170,500
3. Justin Gaines - 162,000
4. Chris Bjorin - 152,500
5. Joe Pecoraro - 138,000
6. Adam Smith - 96,000
7. Jimmy Tran - 95,500
8. Beverly Cheney - 83,000
9. Raul Paez - 63,500
10. Jeff Freedman - 58,500
11. Jeff Rine - 50,000
12. Alan Glover - 49,500
The average stack was about 108,000, meaning nobody was particularly dominant or short-stacked. (Nobody had even double the average, and the short stacks were one double-up away from about average).
They started the day by racing the $500 chips off the two tables, but the action got underway promptly at 3:00 pm, with blinds at 3,000-6,000, with a 1,000 ante. There was a lot of action at the two short-handed tables, and a lot of swings in the chip counts.
At 3:16 pm, Jeff Freedman was all in with 10c-6c against Jimmy Tran's Ad-Ks. Two kings on the flop put Freedman into a hole he couldn't climb out of. Jeff Freedman was eliminated in 12th place, earning $7,230.
At 3:32 pm, Alan Glover was eliminated when his pocket sevens failed to improve against the Robert Spino's pocket queens. Alan Glover was eliminated in 11th place, earning $7,230.
The remaining ten players redrew for seats at the final table. Here were the approximate chip counts at that point:
1. Robert Spino - 230,000 (seat 4)
2. Chris Bjorin - 160,000 (seat 6)
3. Jimmy Tran - 145,000 (seat 9)
4. Justin Gaines - 135,000 (seat 1)
5. Beverly Cheney - 130,000 (seat 5)
6. Al Barbieri - 125,000 (seat 2)
7. Jeff Rine - 90,000 (seat 8)
8. Joe Pecoraro - 85,000 (seat 7)
9. Adam Smith - 70,000 (seat 3)
10. Raul Paez - 65,000 (seat 10)
At 3:41 pm, short stack Raul Paez was all in preflop with pocket eights (8c-8h) against Al Barbieri's pocket aces (Ah-As). The flop came Ac-Jh-9s, giving Barbieri a dominating position with a set of aces. Paez could only survive with a runner-runner straight or runner-runner quads. But the turn card paired the board with the Jd (giving Tran a full house), and Paez was drawing dead. (The meaningless river card was the 10h.) Raul Paez was eliminated in tenth place, earning $7,230.
At 4:01 pm, the blinds increased to 4,000-8,000, with a 1,000 ante.
At 4:05 pm, Joe Pecoraro and Robert Spino saw a flop of Ah-Jd-6d. The two players bet and raised until they were both all in. Pecoraro showed As-Jc for top two pair, while Spino had 8d-7d for a flush draw. Their chip stacks were counted down, and Spino had Pecoraro covered by just 6,000. This was a make it-or-break it pot for both players. The turn card was the 5c, which gave Spino an open-ended straight draw to go with his flush draw, giving him a full 15 outs headed to the river. But the last card was the 3c, and he missed. Pecoraro catapulted to the lead with about 280,000 in chips, while Spino was crippled to just 6,000.
A few minutes later, Spino was all in against three other players, and eliminated when his Qc-5c was defeated by Justin Gaines' Ac-4d. Spino finished with two pair (fives and threes), but Gaines flopped a wheel straight to win the hand. Robert Spino was eliminated in ninth place, earning $9,640. What an unfortunate turn of events for Spino, who had a solid lead over the final table just 30 minutes earlier. Ouch.
At 4:25 pm, Beverly Cheney was all in with pocket aces (Ad-As) against Adam Smith's Ac-Kc. Smith was looking for clubs, but the flop brought three diamonds -- 8d-6d-5d, giving Cheney a flush draw, leaving even fewer outs for Smith. The Ah on the turn clinched it, giving Cheney a set, and the meaningless last card was the 3h. Cheney doubled up to about 110,000 in chips, while Smith was knocked down to a dangerously low 30,000.
The next hand, Smith put all his chips in the pot under the gun, and he was called by Pecoraro in late position and Barbieri in the big blind. Those two players checked down a board of Kc-7h-2c-3d-8h, giving Smith no protection. But it turns out he didn't it. Smith's Ad-6d (ace high) outranked Pecoraro's Qc-10c (queen high) and Barbieri's Jh-5h (jack high). Adam Smith tripled himself out of trouble, and he was now back up to nearly 100,000 in chips.
At 4:47 pm, Jeff Rine was all in with As-Jd against the dominating Ad-Qd of Justin Gaines. The flop of Ac-Qs-Jh gave both players two pair. Rine would need a jack to win (with a full house), or running kings or a runner-runner straight on the board to chop. But the last two cards were 9d-5c, and Jeff Rine was eliminated in eighth place, earning $12,050.
At 4:53 pm, Jimmy Tran was all in preflop against Joe Pecoraro and Al Barbieri. Pecoraro and Barbieri both checked down the board of 6d-4s-2h-5s-2s. Barbieri showed Js-10d (jack high), Pecoraro showed Ah-9d (ace high), and Tran mucked his hand. (He briefly flashed what looked like K-10.) Jimmy Tran was eliminated in seventh place, earning $15,065.
At 5:01 pm, the players took a 15-minute break before the blinds increased to 6,000-12,000, with a 2,000 ante. Here were the official chip counts, with the average about 215,000:
1. Joe Pecoraro - 478,000 (seat 7)
2. Justin Gaines - 313,000 (seat 1)
3. Al Barbieri - 209,000 (seat 2)
4. Beverly Cheney - 163,000 (seat 5)
5. Adam Smith - 58,000 (seat 3)
6. Chris Bjorin - 55,000 (seat 6)
Shortly after the break (5:20 pm), Smith moved all in under the gun for 54,000, and Cheney moved all in over the top for 159,000 right behind him. Justin Gaines considered calling for several minutes from the small blind (he had about 300,000 in chips) before folding. Smith showed pocket queens (Qc-Qh), and Cheney showed Ad-Ks -- they were in a race situation. The flop came Qd-5d-4d, giving Smith top set against Cheney's nut-flush draw. The turn card was the 10h, giving Cheney a gut-shot straight draw to go with it, and she now had 11 outs to bust Smith. But the last card was the 8c, and Smith doubled up to 138,000 in chips, leaving Cheney with just 105,000.
At 5:28 pm, Bjorin was all in with pocket eights (8d-8s) against Barbieri's 7h-6h. The flop of Qs-5d-3d gave Barbieri a gut-shot straight draw. The turn card was the Qh, and Barbieri needed a four to bust Bjorin. The river card? The 4c. Barbieri hit his gut-shot straight draw on the river to eliminate Chris Bjorin in sixth place, earning $21,090.
At 5:45 pm, Smith was all in with Kh-10h against Pecoraro's Qs-8c. The flop of Qc-10d-3s put Pecoraro in the lead with a pair of queens over Smith's pair of tens. The Js on the turn gave Smith an open-ended straight draw, and he needed to catch a nine, a ten, a king, or an ace to stay alive. The river card was -- the 9c, and Smith hit a straight on the river to stay alive and double up to about 120,000 in chips. Pecoraro was still comfortable with over 400,000.
At 5:59 pm, Gaines limped from the small blind and Barbieri checked his option. Gaines checked the flop of 10d-3h-2d, Barbieri bet 35,000, Gaines raised to 95,000, and Barbieri considered the situation for several minutes. He ended up flipping a coin to make the decision for him, and after the coin flip he moved all in. Gaines called with 10c-7d (pair of tens, seven kicker), but Barbieri showed Qs-10h (pair of tens, queen kicker). Gaines needed a seven or running diamonds to bust Barbieri, but the last two cards were 5s-Js. Barbieri doubled up in chips.
Two minutes later, Cheney was all in with Ac-10s against Barbieri's Qh-Jd. The flop came 9d-7s-4h, and Cheney still led with ace high. But the Ks on the turn gave her a scare and she grabbed her heart -- she didn't want to see face cards. But the 3c on the river left her ace high out in front, and she doubled up in chips.
Three minutes later, Smith was all in with pocket aces (Ad-As) against Al Barbieri's Kd-9d. The flop came Kh-Jh-6c, and Barbieri hit a pair of kings to give himself a chance -- he needed another king or a nine to bust Smith. But the turn was the 4h, and the river was the 10h, and Smith doubled up in chips. Beverly Cheney commented that Smith must have nine lives, because he was short-stacked quite a few times, but always managed to bounce back.
Five minutes later, he would bounce back against her. Cheney was all in with pocket eights (8c-8d), but Smith had her dominated with pocket queens (Qd-Qs). Cheney was looking for an eight, but after the first four cards fell Qh-5c-4d-7h, she picked up a gut-shot straight draw, and could win with a six. But the last card was the 9d, and Beverly Cheney was eliminated in fifth place, earning $27,115.
About 6:15 pm, the blinds increased to 8,000-16,000, with a 3,000 ante.
At 6:17 pm, Smith and Pecoraro were both all in after a flop of Jc-4c-4s. Smith had Jd-3d (pair of jacks), but Pecoraro had the lead with pocket queens (Qh-Qs). Pecoraro needed a jack or running threes to stay alive. The turn card was the Ac, and the river card was -- the Jh. Smith escaped death once again, this time making trip jacks on the river to crack Pecoraro's queens. That put Smith up over 400,000 in chips, while Pecoraro was down to about 200,000.
A few minutes later, Gaines was all in preflop with Ac-9d against the As-Kd of Pecoraro. Gaines never caught the nine he was looking for -- the board fell Jc-6h-2c-Qd-6d. Justin Gaines was eliminated in fourth place, earning $36,170.
Twenty minutes later (about 6:45 pm), Pecoraro had taken a sizable chip lead. Here were the approximate counts:
1. Joe Pecoraro - 600,000
2. Al Barbieri - 250,000
3. Adam Smith - 190,000
These approximates might be off a bit more than usual, because none of these players has standard-sized chip stacks. But they should be close enough for our purposes here, to see the relative chip positions.
At 6:50 pm, Barbieri raised to 50,000, Smith called, Pecoraro moved all in, and Barbieri called without hesitation. Barbieri shows As-Ks, which dominates Pecoraro's Ad-Qc. Smith lets it be known that he folded pocket tens, which would have been the favorite. The flop comes 10h-7h-2d, and Smith's tens would have been a big favorite. But Barbieri led this pot with his big slick, and it held up when the last two cards fell 7s-6s. Barbieri doubled up in chips.
At 7:05 pm, it was time for a 15-minute break before the blinds increased to 10,000-20,000, with a 4,000 ante. The official chip counts show big changes in the last 20 minutes.
1. Adam Smith - 932,000
2. Joe Pecoraro - 304,000
3. Al Barbieri - 61,000
Shortly after returning from the break, Pecoraro limped from the small blind, and Barbieri checked his option. The flop came 9h-7c-2c, Pecoraro bet 20,000, and Barbieri called, effectively pot-committing himself. The turn card was the Ad, and Pecoraro threw in a handful of chips to put Barbieri all in. Barbieri called with Jc-5c (flush draw), and he was behind Pecoraro's pocket jacks (Jh-Js). Only a club could save Barbieri, but the last card was the Kh. Al Barbieri was eliminated in third place, earning $63,270.
Here were the approximate chip counts for the final two:
1. Adam Smith - 950,000
2. Joe Pecoraro - 425,000
Before anyone knew what was happening, they were all in on the very next hand. All we know is that Smith won the hand -- and the tournament -- with J-3 offsuit. Joe Pecoraro finished in second place, earning $126,540.
Adam Smith won Event #3 ($2,500 No-Limit Hold'em), earning $230,375, a gold-and-diamond Bellagio bracelet, and a $25,500 seat into the WPT World Championship that starts here on April 18th.
Smith entered the final table ninth in chips, but he refused to die every time he was shortstacked, always managing to find a way out of the hole. And in the end, he was the last player standing. It was a heck of a comeback.
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