Igor Yaroshevskyy Leads PokerStars Championship Panama

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Mar 16, 2017 4 min read Last updated Mar 17, 2017

Day 2 of the PokerStars Championship Panama started with four new players signing up, boosting the total to 366 players for the inaugural event in Panama City. Martin Jacobson, Ambrose Ng, Erik Seidel and Bryn Kenney joined the field of 171 players that had survived Day 1a and 1b to start Day 2.

[It's] by far the biggest event in the history of Panamanian poker

With 366 players and a total prize pool of $1,775,100, the PokerStars Championship Panama Main Event is by far the biggest event in the history of Panamanian poker. In fact, the three biggest events on Panamanian soil were all held this week with the $50,000 Super High Roller and $25,000 High Roller coming in second and third. The $5,000 High Rollers that were part of the LAPT in former seasons never got more than 68 entries.

After five levels of play on Day 2, just 79 players remain. With 71 making the money, the bubble is going to burst early on Day 3. Igor Yaroshevskyy has the best position, as he brings a massive 745,500 in chips to Day 3.

Top 5 Chip Counts After Day 2 PokerStars Championship Panama

The second day of play started full of action. Yaroshevskyy, who already started out as the biggest stack, got the entire stack of Vicente Delgado, who six-bet pushed with ace-deuce suited for 138,000. Yaroshevskyy called with kings and saw his hand hold up to strengthen his lead over the rest of the field.

His opponent flopped quads, and after just three community cards, Staples was drawing stone dead.

Team PokerStars Pro Online's Jaime Staples started out as one of the shortest stacks in the tournament. While he did outlast Delgado, he met his destiny just a couple hands later.

He doubled first but ran out of luck when he pushed ace-six into queens. He still had a fair shot at doubling up as any ace would be enough, but the dealer would not be kind to him. His opponent flopped quads, and after just three community cards, Staples was drawing stone dead.

The two competing WSOP Main Event champions followed in quick succession. Jacobson was first to go, getting it in with ace-queen against kings and not managing to suck out. Ryan Riess followed seconds later; he ran ace-king into queens and did not hit.

Not only did Jacobson bust from the late registrants, but all four of them hit the rail before the bagging and tagging would begin. Ng (bustout unknown), Seidel (ace-king into queens) and Kenney (ace-nine into tens) all got eliminated well before the day was done.

Team PokerStars Pro Leo Fernandez would also go out prematurely. He got it in with jacks against aces on a nine-high board and did not improve.

Tito Ortiz starts Day 3 with 90 big blinds.

Tito Ortiz did manage to survive the day, bagging a very respectable 270,500. He grinded all day and managed to keep his stack around the average, only to win the last three hands and win a ton more. He'll start Day 3 with 90 big blinds.

Day 3 of the PokerStars Championship Panama Main Event starts at noon on Friday. Eight players go home empty-handed, $7,720 awaits those who min-cash, and everyone will hunt the $293,860 that awaits the winner, which will be handed out Monday.

PokerNews will be on the floor all day again to bring you photos and updates from the Sortis Hotel Spa & Casino?.

PokerStars Championship Panama Main Event Day 3 Seat Draw

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