What is it with Barcelona and the bubble? Last year there has been no bubble boy, but rather a bubble chair. And this year five players went out at the same hand meaning all of them bubbled the tournament.
Usually, that would've been the tip of it but because there has been a consolation prize of a $5,300 seat to the $10m guaranteed Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open (which starts on Wednesday), tournament staff needed to figure out who was the pure bubble in order that they could dish out the spoils. That was not as easy because it sounds.
That's since the situation was further complicated because Francois-Charles Scapula and Daniel Studer went out at the same table, while the 3 others - Randal Flowers, Farid Chati and Richard Dubini - went out on separate tables. The standard rule is if two players exit at the same table the player with more chips gets the money, but when players from different tables bust at the same hand then any prize money is chopped. But both had happened, so what to do?
Over to Neil Johnson, PokerStars Live Event specialist to provide an explanation for. "IT IS A rare occurrence that you simply see perhaps once every two-years and there is no specific rule in place for it," Johnson said. "So what myself, Edgar Stuchly and Toby Stone did was return to rule one, that being to behave within the best interest of the sport. We decided that the most suitable choice was to separate the primary four payouts between the five players and play a sit and opt for the bubble prize. I've already sent an email to our four fantastic TDs so one day if this happens, hopefully we'll have a rule in place."
So Toby Stone sat right down to explain to the players that all of them had locked up a €6,440 cash and that there has been a $5,300 seat (and a guitar) to play for. Dennis Phillips, who's acting as a intermediary between PokerStars and the tournament organisers, then piped up.
"A player has to move all the way down to Miami and play," Phillips said. "IF YOU HAPPEN TO win it you'll transfer it, it doesn't need to be you who plays, you'll be able to transfer it."
At this point it was then talked about that they did not even wish to play a sit and opt for the seat in the event that they could come to a few other arrangement. "I'm already registered to play it," Flowers said. "IT IS A re-entry so I'm already playing Day 1B, but when I bust that and win this I'll use it to play Day 1C."
The tournament, which awarded just shy of $1,750,000 to Blair Hinkle, who won last year, starts in three days and it is all well and good for Flowers, who's American, to be expected to head and play it. But what of the others? They're variously from France, Switzerland, Turkey and Argentina. Studer no less than seemed keen to head should he win. "Oh definitely, evidently I'LL play should I win," Studer said.
With everyone on board for some more poker Stone gave instructions to a different member of his tournament team. "We'll make it a cheap turbo, bring me 5k in chips for every player, a timer and a dealer. I'll make a structure."
He then hastily scribbled down some numbers on a work of paper that was rapidly filling up. It revealed a structure that some Main Events could be envious of. He then showed it to the players and said: "With 15 minute levels this could take an hour to an hour and a half."
When the poker got under way, Chati was first to go, finally capable of collect his Main Event cash, and Richard Dubini soon followed. Three-handed play between Flowers, Studer and Scapula took a while, but throughout, the sit and go was played in a jovial atmosphere with Flowers saying: "Technically whoever wins this seat goes to earn more money than the following first 30 eliminations."
Most pots were played - and won - with a smile, but Studer was eventually dispatched when his A♥4♠ lost out to Scapula's A♠J♥.
Yet the Frenchman faced a 15,000 to 10,000 chip deficit against Flowers when heads-up play began throughout the 150/300 25 ante level. The match swung from side to side with much ribbing. "You should've done it, you should've pulled the trigger," Flowers said when Scapula declined to bet the river with nine high in a pot that was chopped.
By the time the blinds had ticked as much as 300/600 ante 75, Scapula had taken the lead. When Flowers shoved for 11,200 with K♥7♥ and Scapula aroused from sleep with A♠K♦ probably the most protracted bubbles in EPT history was set to finish.
Five cards later it had and Scapula immediately got out his phone and sent a text. A COUPLE OF moments later he punched some numbers in and put the telephone to his ear, perhaps he was booking a flight to Miami?
He was certainly smiling, no less than until the cameras began to flash, "I hate the photos," he said. "I DO NOT know yet if I WILL BE ABLE TO visit play it. I'VE a role I only came to play the primary Event," he told the PokerStarsBlog. The 36-year-old from Paris runs his own trading house.
This is purely his third ever EPT and it's his first cash. One thing's for sure, this one can have struck a chord with him. As for Flowers not just was he the double-bubble boy but he was collared by Sarah Grant shortly afterwards for an interview.
Follow the entire action from the tournament floor at the main EPT Barcelona page. There's hand-by-hand coverage within the panel on the top, including chip counts, and have pieces below. There's also EPT Live, that is streaming action from Day 3 of the principle Event.
Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com]
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