‘Leicester’.
‘Definitely’.
‘Vacuum’.
‘Rhythm’.
Words that for the life of me I cannot spell correctly.
I have a new one to add to the collection.
‘Imsirovic’.
It doesn’t matter how my brain soaks it up; my fingers still want to type ‘Ismirovic.’
It’s a problem I need to fix pronto because something tells me I am going to be banging his name out on my keyboard more frequently in the next 18-months.
Five down.
Two to go.
Ali Imsirovic is in with a shout of winning a Purple Jacket after taking down Event #5: $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em at the 2018 Poker Masters.
The event pulled in 66 entrants.
After the end of Day 1, here was the final table.
Final Table
Seat 1: Brian Rast – 1,200,000
Seat 2: Jake Schindler – 2,725,000
Seat 3: Ali Imsirovic – 1,615,000
Seat 4: Daniel Negreanu – 215,000
Seat 5: Jason Koon – 905,000
Seat 6: Ben Yu – 1,695,000
Jake Schindler, Jason Koon and Daniel Negreanu are together again after the trio made the final table of Event #3: $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em. Ben Yu was also making his second final table after finishing third in Event #4: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha.
The Run-In
Daniel Negreanu Eliminated in 6th Place.
He began things with a few grains of rice in his bowl, so it was no surprise when Daniel Negreanu registered as the first elimination.
Ben Yu opened to 100,000 from late position holding pocket eights, and Negreanu called from the big blind holding 52cc, leaving 10,000 chips behind (the rest went in on the flop), and despite flopping a five, there was no bad beat in the jukebox, and Negreanu was out for $99,000.
Jason Koon Eliminated in 5th Place.
Only Justin Bonomo ($24.9m) and Mikita Badziakouski ($12.4m) have won more money than Jason Koon this year ($11.5m), but his name would not end up engraved in this trophy.
Ali Imsirovic put in a raise with AKo in late position, and Koon moved all-in from the small blind holding ATo, and you all know that these little struggles don’t end up well for ATo. This hand was no exception. Imsirovic flopped the top two pairs, and Koon never recovered. His consolation prize was $132,000.
Brian Rast Doubles Through Ben Yu
Brian Rast opened to 115,000 from the first position holding A2cc, and Ben Yu looked him up from the big blind holding 7d5s. The flop of Ah6d2s handed Rast a two-pair hand, but Yu must have had a plan because he check-called a 110,000 Rast c-bet holding a bag of bones.
The dealer burned and turned the 4c on the Fourth Street, and now Yu had something to chew. Rast fired 250,000, Yu check-raised all-in with his straight draw, and Rast made the call. An uncontroversial river card later, the man had doubled into the chip lead.
Chip Counts
- Brian Rast – 3,815,000
- Ali Imsirovic – 2,120,000
- Ben Yu – 1,310,000
- Jake Schindler – 1,010,000
Jake Schindler Eliminated in 4th Place.
The action folded around to Schindler in the small blind. He peeked at his cards and saw the unremarkable looking 8c6d staring back at him. Schindler moved all-in for 440,000, and Imsirovic called in the big blind with Ac9s. The flop missed both, and a much-needed Ad arrived on the turn for Imsirovic, because Schindler did find a pair of eights on the river.
Schindler walked away with $165,000.
Imsirovic Doubles Through Rast
And then we had a pivotal moment in the competition.
Imsirovic limped on the button holding pocket jacks, Yu called in the small blind holding K8hh, and Rast moved all-in from the big blind, holding Ac5s. Imsirovic called, and Yu folded. The board ran out KsQc4s2h7h and Imsirovic was the new chip leader.
Brian Rast Eliminated in 3rd Place.
Nobody has won more money playing live tournaments in the ARIA than Brian Rast, and he added to that significant lump by banking another $214,500 after hitting the rail in third.
Ben Yu moved all-in with Ah2s, and Rast took him on with pocket sevens. An ace on the river sent new hope into the lungs of Yu, and Rast became the short-stack.
Then Imsirovic moved his big stack into the middle on the button holding pocket sixes, and Rast called in the big blind with Ac3d. The aces and wheel combos stayed in the deck, and Rast was out, giving Imsirovic a big chip lead going into his heads-up encounter with Yu.
Heads-Up
Ali Imsirovic – 5,895,000
Ben Yu – 2,360,000
The finale lasted as long as a plastic bag containing half-opened tins of fish left too close to Bagpuss and his buddies.
Imsirovic limped on the button holding pocket fives, and then called when Yu moved all-in holding Ac6d. The flop of Kh8d5d handed Imsirovic a set, and the 2h turn card left Yu drawing dead.
It was all over.
Imsirovic had won his third title of the year.
Final Table Results
- Ali Imsirovic – $462,000 (300)
- Ben Yu – $330,000 (210)
- Brian Rast – $214,500 (150)
- Jake Schindler – $165,000 (120)
- Jason Koon – $132,000 (90)
- Daniel Negreanu – $99,000 (60)
Poker Masters Leaderboard
– Brandon Adams – 510 points
– Isaac Haxton – 480
– Ben Yu – 360
– Ali Imsirovic – 360
– David Peters – 300
– Keith Lehr – 300
– Jake Schindler – 270
– Jonathan Depa – 270
– Jason Koon – 240
Results to Date
Event #1: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em – David Peters ($193,200)
Event #2: $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em – Brandon Adams ($400,000)
Event #3: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha – Keith Lehr ($333,000)
Event #4: $10,000 Short-Deck – Isaac Haxton ($176,000)