$50,000 7-Handed
Day 2 Completed
2023 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure
$50,000 7-Handed
Day: 2
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
2023 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure
Buy-in
$50,000
Prize Pool
$1,412,532
Entries
29
Level
24
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
80,000
Entries
23
Players Left
1
Level 24
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
A big gamble doesn't always result in a big reward, but sometimes it does. It did today for the United Kingdom's Conor Beresford as he took down Event #19: $50,000 7-Handed at the 2023 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) at Baha Mar Resort for $436,812 after late-regging the tournament on Day 1.
Beresford, who takes home his biggest live cash, reached an ICM deal with heads-up opponent and fellow Brit Ben Heath ($446,020) following the elimination of American Dan Smith (3rd - $229,550), while Timothy Adams (4th - $165,950) and Juan Pardo (5th - $134,200) also made the money.
The red ponytailed and jovial Brit had never cashed an event at this buy-in level when he sat down among the 28 other entrants — among them Stephen Chidwick, Michael Addamo, Sam Greenwood, Daniel Dvoress and Mikita Badziakouski — but that didn't stop him from making his way to the final table and ultimately taking home the trophy.
“I’ve played quite a lot of them but this is literally my first cash in any $25k-plus live, and I’ve played at least 20 or so," Beresford told PokerNews in a winner's interview. "Got my money back finally, essentially!”
Beresford sized up the field on Day 1 and while he admitted it "didn't look amazing," he decided to give it a shot. "It’s all the best players in the world, so I just wanted to gamble a bit."
$50,000 7-Handed Final Table Results
| PLACE | PLAYER | COUNTRY | PRIZE (IN USD) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Conor Beresford | United Kingdom | $436,812* | |
| 2nd | Ben Heath | United Kingdom | $446,020* | |
| 3rd | Dan Smith | United States | $229,550 | |
| 4th | Timothy Adams | Canada | $165,950 | |
| 5th | Juan Pardo | Spain | $134,200 |
*Denotes heads-up ICM deal
Day 2 Action
Just 18 players were in the field on Day 1 but several joined the ranks during the late registration period extending into Day 2, including $100,000 PCA Super High Roller champion Isaac Haxton, Adrian Mateos and Orpen Kisacikoglu, whose presence was short-lived as he ran his top pair into the flopped flush of Pardo immediately upon sitting down.
Kisacikoglu wasn't the only player who had a rough Day 2. Greenwood entered the day as chip leader but lost most of it early and was riding the short stack until he busted on the final table bubble in a double knockout that left Adams richer and sent Greenwood and Mateos packing.
Making the final table didn't guarantee a piece of the $1,412,532 prize pool as only five places paid. Vogelsang and Haxton both fell ahead of the money before Sean Winter went out on the money bubble after three-bet shoving with king-queen and getting looked up by the ace-queen of Heath.
After that, Pardo went out in fifth place when the Spaniard's pocket eights couldn't improve against the pocket aces of Smith. After the elimination of Adams in fourth place, Smith doubled through Heath to take the chip lead before a pivotal hand that set Beresford up for victory.
Out of position in a three-bet pot, Beresford bet each street on the board of 
before Smith raised him all in on the river. It was an easy call for Beresford as he held 
for aces full, losing only to quad sixes. Smith didn't have that and he quickly mucked after flashing his hand.
“That was a wild one," recalled Beresford. "It always feels so strange when you have aces in a spot like this where you have the full coverage of the board, essentially, so you don’t really know what to bet. So I just bet 10%, 10%, 10%, because I don’t know what else to do! How else do I get the money in?”
Once Smith fell, it didn't take long for the two Brits to decide on a chop rather than play out the 15-minute turbo format.
“I don’t really see the point in playing for an hour a so," said Beresford. "Just move on and get in the next event, or maybe celebrate a bit.”
As for what Beresford will play next in this series, your guess is as good as his.
"I don’t pick out events that I want to play," he admitted. "I play what I can, essentially. What I deem to be the right thing to play, which is usually the lower-stakes stuff. But then when I bust the lower stakes I usually (go higher). Martingale strat, essentially!”
That wraps up coverage of $50,000 7-Handed, but be sure to check out the PokerNews live reporting team's coverage of Day 3 of the $10,300 PCA Main Event and other events here at the 2023 PCA.
Level 24
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Conor Beresford was all in and at risk as he and Ben Heath flipped for the trophy.
Conor Beresford: 
Ben Heath: 
The board ran out 
and Beresford moaned and groaned on every street as both players' cards remained face-down.
"Oh no!" said Beresford before tabling the winner with ace-high to double up.
"Why did you say 'Oh no'?!" said Heath. "I feel like I just got robbed of the trophy!"
Heath was left with crumbs and it all got in on the next hand.
Conor Beresford: 
Ben Heath: 
The flop of was terrible news for Heath as Beresford had paired his queen and the 
turn had Heath drawing stone dead before the river.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
4,350,000
2,270,000
|
2,270,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 24
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Conor Beresford and Ben Heath have reached a deal two-handed and will flip for the trophy. Heath has a slight chip lead and will take home $446,020, while Beresford will take home a career-best $436,812.
Level 24
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
In a repeat of the previous orbit, Ben Heath announced all-in from the small blind to put Dan Smith on a decision for all of his chips. Smith quickly called and the hands were turned over.
Dan Smith: 
Ben Heath: 
Heath hit a pair on the 
flop and took the lead with another 
on the turn. The river 
changed nothing, as Smith wished his opponents well with his run coming to an end in third place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,270,000
770,000
|
770,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,080,000
180,000
|
180,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 24
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Conor Beresford opened to 240,000 from the small blind and Ben Heath defended his big blind.
Beresford continued for 190,000 on the flop of 
and Heath called. Beresford slowed down on the turn and Heath used a time bank before betting 305,000. Beresford folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,900,000
-280,000
|
-280,000 |
|
|
1,500,000
320,000
|
320,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
950,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
|
||
Level 24
: Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Ben Heath raised enough from the small blind to put Dan Smith all in, with Smith calling instantly in the big blind.
Dan Smith: 
Ben Heath:
Smith's king-high maintained the lead through the 
runout, doubling his stack while closing the gap on Heath.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,180,000
280,000
|
280,000 |
|
|
1,180,000
-670,000
|
-670,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
940,000
340,000
|
340,000 |
|
|
||
Level: 24
Blinds: 40,000/80,000
Ante: 80,000
Level 23
: Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
Ben Heath completed in the small blind and Dan Smith checked his option in the big blind.
Heath checked on the flop of 
and Smith checked back. Heath then bet 90,000 on the turn and Smith laid it down to earn the Brit the blinds.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,900,000
-400,000
|
-400,000 |
|
|
1,850,000
450,000
|
450,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
600,000
-50,000
|
-50,000 |
|
|
||
Level: 23
Blinds: 30,000/60,000
Ante: 60,000