$500,000 Guaranteed Main Event
Day 3 Completed
2012 Sands Bethlehem DeepStack Extravaganza
$500,000 Guaranteed Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2012 Sands Bethlehem DeepStack Extravaganza
Buy-in
$2,500
Entries
188
Level
24
Blinds
12,000 / 24,000
Ante
3,000
Level 24
: 12,000/24,000, 3,000 ante
It has been a wild four days here in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where the 2012 Sands Bethlehem DeepStack Extravaganza $500,000 Guaranteed Main Event has played down to a conclusion. From 188 total entries Chris Klodnicki has emerged as the tournament's winner after having led at the end of Day 1a and Day 2 as well.
The money bubble having burst late Sunday night on Day 2, just 16 players remained of the 188 total entries in the event, with Klodnicki carrying a healthy advantage into Monday's final day of play. Then the first 90-minute level saw three more eliminations — Denis Gnidash in 16th, Michael Ryan in 15th, and Vince Baldassano in 14th.
The pace remained rapid during the following level as Edward Pham eliminated John Chapman in 13th, Klodnicki knocked out Drew Heller in 12th, then Richard Allen knocked out both Ian Searing in 11th and Daniel Wach in 10th to set up the nine-handed final table.
Klodnicki had a slight lead over Joseph Tracy to start the final table, and as they played into the next level Klodnicki claimed the first elimination by knocking out a short-stacked Michael Schoultz in ninth when Schoultz's 
failed to improve versus Klodnicki's 
. Micah Raskin then lost a lot of his chips to Pham after the latter was all in with pocket aces against Raskin's flopped two pair, then the board paired to counterfeit Raskin and give Pham the better hand. Soon after Klodnicki eliminated Raskin in eighth when his 
held versus Raskin's 
.
A short while later William Tonking felted Timothy Chang in seventh in hand that saw Chang all in with 
against Tonking's 
, but a ten flopped and Chang couldn't catch up. And next to go was Tracy in sixth after jamming a flop with second pair of kings only to run into a flopped set of aces for Pham.
Pham soon assumed the chip lead and would maintain it as Allen knocked out Tonking in fifth when the latter's 
failed to hold against Allen's 
. Then Pham knocked out Coury Mascagni in fourth after Mascagni ran 
into Pham's 
to lose the last of his stack.
Three-handed play between Allen, Klodnicki, and Pham was especially well contested, with each of the three enjoying the chip lead at times as the stacks remained fairly close throughout. Then came a decisive hand in which Allen ran pocket queens into Klodnicki's pocket aces to lose most of his stack, then Klodnicki took the rest shortly thereafter to eliminate Allen in third.
We were preparing for what might well have been a lengthy heads-up duel between Klodnicki and Pham — both had especially deep stacks of 100-plus big blinds each — with Klodnicki enjoying a slight chip advantage to begin their battle. But the pair decided upon a different course, and after playing out a hand in which Pham shoved and mucked, thereby eliminating Pham in second, Klodnicki earned the title.
Thanks to Joe Giron for providing the excellent photos throughout the tournament, and to the Sands for being such great hosts. Good night and happy holidays from Bethlehem!
Kind of an unusual final chapter to write here from the Sands Bethlehem casino, as the final two players, Chris Klodnicki and Edward Pham, have made arrangements essentially to forgo heads-up play, with Klodnicki technically earning the title of the first Bethlehem DeepStack Extravaganza Main Event champion.
The pair had a discussion prior to the start of heads-up play during which the terms of their arrangement were settled upon. At that point a hand played out that saw Pham push all in and Klodnicki call, then Pham muck his hand. For the sake of trivia, Klodnicki's winning hand was 
and the board ran out 
.
Back shortly with a full wrap-up of the day's events.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
5,640,000
2,555,000
|
2,555,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,085,000
-25,000
|
-25,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,555,000
155,000
|
155,000 |
Richard Allen lasted one more short orbit after that big queens-vs.-aces hand against Chris Klodnocki.
Allen's last hand began with a Klodnicki raise to 50,000 from the button, then Allen pushed his last 95,000 or so from the big blind and Klodnicki called. Allen had 
and Klodnicki , and five cards later — 
— Allen was out.
There will be a brief pause while preparations are made for heads-up play.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
A huge hand just developed between Chris Klodnicki and Richard Allen.
Before the flop Klodnicki raised to 50,000 from the button, and after Edward Pham folded Allen raised to 135,000 from the big blind. Klodnicki then made it 275,000 to go, with Allen responding with an all-in shove and Klodnicki quickly calling.
Allen: 
Klodnicki: 
A bad spot for Allen, while Klodnicki appears to have taken over picking up pocket rockets now from Pham. The board ran out 
, and now Allen is down to just about four big blinds.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,110,000
1,510,000
|
1,510,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
105,000
-1,575,000
|
-1,575,000 |
Edward Pham raised to 55,000 from the small blind, Richard Allen reraised to 135,000 from the big blind, and Pham called.
The flop came 
and Pham checked. Allen bet 130,000, and Pham skedaddled.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,400,000
-150,000
|
-150,000 |
|
|
1,680,000
180,000
|
180,000 |
After Chris Klodnicki folded on the button, Edward Pham raised to 55,000 from the small blind and Richard Allen called. The flop came and Pham continued with a bet of 40,000. Once again Allen called. The turn was the 
, and this time when Pham checked, Allen took the opportunity to bet 55,000. Pham considered a moment, then called.
The river was the . Pham checked again, Allen fired 85,000, and Pham called. Allen showed 
for a busted flush draw, and Pham tabled 
to claim the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,550,000
250,000
|
250,000 |
|
|
1,500,000
-270,000
|
-270,000 |
After Chris Klodnicki raised to 60,000 from the small blind and Edward Pham called from the big blind, the flop came all small — 
— and Klodnicki led for 50,000. Pham responded with a raise to 140,000, and Klodnicki tossed his cards away.
That one inches Pham back out in front as this three-way battle continues.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,300,000
318,000
|
318,000 |
|
|
1,600,000
-300,000
|
-300,000 |
|
|
||
