$1,100 Summer Series Event 2
Day 2 Completed
$1,100 Summer Series Event 2
Day 2 Completed
After a grueling day of No-Limit Hold’em at the PokerStars Summer Series at Live! Casino and Hotel Philadelphia, Event #2: $1,100 No-Limit Hold'em has ended and Soukha Kachittavong has come out on top.
The Rhode Island resident made his way to Philadelphia for the second time in two weeks. Kachittavong finished seventh in the first event of this series, and he made it a goal to take home the trophy and the title of PokerStars Summer Series champion. This goal would come to fruition after he battled his way to heads-up play and ultimately agreed to an even chop with Cheng Xu of the remaining prize pool. However, because he was chip-leading by a few blinds, he also took home the title and the trophy. Both players locked up a prize of $105,407.
Kachittavong had a slow start to the day but played the short stack well. This led to a few key hands before the final table that would allow him to have some breathing room to exploit his opponents throughout the end of play.
“So, this is probably the longest poker session in one day that I have played,” Kachittavong said when asked about how it felt to play for 18 hours.
“It just feels really good. Excited about it, and I need to be back next week to try for the trifecta back to back, back to back.” He said as he referenced next week’s $2,200 buy-in event.
“Probably more poker!” was Kachittavong's answer when asked what he would do with the money. If he puts those dollars to good use, he should have no issue turning his six-figure score into much more.
Place | Player | Country | Prize |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Soukha Kachittavong | United States | $105,407* |
2 | Cheng Xu | United States | $105,407* |
3 | Nhan Cao | United States | $56,460 |
4 | Johanssy Joseph | United States | $41,710 |
5 | Ron Adams | United States | $31,770 |
6 | Soheb Porbandarwala | United States | $25,250 |
7 | Scott Kret | United States | $20,920 |
8 | Bill Chonka | United States | $16,635 |
9 | Jeffrey Yanchek | United States | $12,490 |
*denotes a heads-up deal
Final Table Action
Jeffrey Yanchek was the first elimination from the final table when his pocket tens would go down to pocket nines after the nines drilled a set. Bill Chonka was the next player off the board after his opponent called his all-in with pocket nines, and they held on against Chonka’s five-six.
Soheb Poybandarwala andScott Kret would be the next to be taken off the final table after their hands went down to two pair each. Ron Adams had many chips for most of the Day. Unfortunately, a few missed flips would leave him short and ultimately make him find the rail.
Johanssy Joseph would fall in fourth place after an incredible run that started by heading into Day 2 as the second largest stack and steadily grinding it up to the chip leader entering the final table. The last elimination would then be Nhan Cao who was very close to an ICM chop three-handed but ultimately, one player wanted to play it out for the trophy and the title, and unfortunately, Coa couldn’t hold on.
That brought them to an awesome heads-up battle, a roller coaster of chips moving hands. Xu was the chip leader when heads-up play started, but a massive hand broke out where Kachittavong got all the chips in the middle on the flop when he hit a set of sixes in a four-bet pot. However, Xu would battle back and even the chip deficit to just a few big blinds. That is when the talks of chops came into play, and ultimately, they made a deal.
Both players expressed their excitement to get the morning finished after play did not conclude till almost 6:00 a.m. local time. Xu may have gotten the second-place finish, but it should be noted that during three-handed play, Xu was in second place and turned down an ICM chop to play it out for the trophy, and this denial of a three-way chop earned him an extra $10,000 in prize money by battling to an even split. Not everyone has the guts to give up guaranteed dollars for the prospect of a title, which should be commended.
This event was a huge success; the players at the final table and beyond were fortunate to be at an event that doubled the prize pool. There is still the $2,200 event next week to finish the series, and one thing is for sure… Kachittavong will be back to see if he can make final table #3.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for all the updates from around the poker globe.
After 18 hours of play and a seven hour final table, Soukha Kachittavong and Cheng Xu have agreed to an even chop. Kachittavong was the chip leader by just a couple big blinds and the agreement included him taking home the trophy and the title.
Full recap and winners interview coming soon.
Action was opened by Soukha Kachittavong from the button to 550,000. Cheng Xu came in for the cold three-bet to 1,200,000. Action was back on Kachittavong who thought for a moment before putting in a four-bet to 2,600,000. Xu called.
The 6?2?Q? hit the felt and Xu checked it over to Kachittavong who put out a bet of 3,000,000. Xu only sat in the tank for a moment before announcing he was all in. Kachittavong snap called.
Soukha Kachittavong: 6?6?
Cheng Xu: K?K?
The turn brought a 4? and the river was an 8? and Kachittavong would earn the pure double after his aggression preflop paid-off post-flop.
Xu would go on to double two hands later and play rages on.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Soukha Kachittavong |
20,200,000
7,700,000
|
7,700,000 |
Cheng Xu |
8,300,000
-7,700,000
|
-7,700,000 |
Level: 32
Blinds: 150,000/250,000
Ante: 250,000
Action was opened on the button by Nhan Cao who moved all in for his tournament life. Cheng Xu was in the small blind and rejammed. The big blind folded and they were off to a full board.
Nhan Cao: A?7?
Cheng Xu: A?10?
The full board ran out Q?3?5?A?K? and Cao hit the rail in third place after an amazing run.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Cheng Xu |
16,000,000
6,500,000
|
6,500,000 |
Soukha Kachittavong |
12,500,000
-1,400,000
|
-1,400,000 |
Nhan Cao | Busted |
The clock was stopped to talk chop numbers but after an agreement could not be made the clock has been restarted and play rages on.
Johanssy Joseph was under the gun and moved all in for his last 800,000. He got a call in the small blind from Nhan Cao who flat called and the big blind folded.
Johanssy Joseph: Q?10?
Nhan Cao: A?3?
The full board ran out 6?A?2?9?Q?, and Joseph would hit the rail in fourth place.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Nhan Cao |
4,000,000
900,000
|
900,000 |
Johanssy Joseph | Busted |
Action was opened when Nhan Cao moved all in under the gun. It folded to chip leader Soukha Kachittavong in the big blind who called and the cards hit their backs.
Nhan Cao: A?J?
Soukha Kachittavong: 5?5?
The full board ran out Q?4?4?J?4? and with the jack on the turn Cao doubles and play rages on four-handed.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Soukha Kachittavong |
13,900,000
-1,500,000
|
-1,500,000 |
Nhan Cao |
3,100,000
800,000
|
800,000 |
Level: 31
Blinds: 100,000/200,000
Ante: 200,000