Nazari Captures PCA Main Event as ElkY Takes Down High Rollers

The PokerStars Caribbean Adventure kicked off the 2009 poker season with a record-breaking field of 1,347 fronting up in the Bahamas to participate in the Main Event.

 

735 PokerStars qualifiers took their place in the main event that saw a prizepool generated of $12,674,000. With over 50 countries being represented and the top pros from around the world making their journey to the Atlantis Hotel and Casino, it was no surprise to see such a diverse mix on the final table.

 

PokerStars Team Pros Daniel Negreanu, Barry Greenstein, Joe Hachem and Gavin Griffin were joined by Gus Hanson, Phil Ivey, Boris Becker, most of the November Nine and a bevy of others. However it would be Kevin “BeLOWaBOVe” Saul generating the most buzz as he accumulated a huge amount of chips as the bubble burst at 199 players and play pushed on to the final table.

 

However it would be recent WSOP-bracelet winner and Brazilian Alexandre Gomes cruising though to the final eight with the chip lead at the expense of a huge confrontation with Saul. With Saul flatting a raise from Gomes pre-flop, Gomes would fire again on a board reading . The turn fell the and this time Saul led with Gomes calling before checking the action over to Saul when the fell on the river. Saul fired again but was met with an all-in re-raise, and after showing visible distress, he made the call tabling , but it would be Gomes’ good for the pot and chip lead.

 

With that pot and a few eliminations later the final table would be set:

 

Alexander Gomes – 8,080,000

Poorya Nazari – 6,790,000

Benny Spindler – 3,520,000

Anthony Gregg – 2,245,000

Kevin Saul – 1,640,000

Daniel Heimiller – 1,440,000

Peter Tielen – 930,000

Dustin Dirksen – 765,000

 

Saul would fall first, followed by Daniel Heimiller and Dustin Dirksen. PokerStars qualifier Peter Tielen would fall at the hands of Benny Spindler in fifth and fourth would be reserved for Gomes when his pocket aces were cracked by Spindler’s flopped quad-jacks. Spindler would slowly leak chips to Nazari and Gregg before being eliminated in third following a suck-out to Gregg.

 

Heads-up play began with Poorya Nazari having just under a two to one advantage on Anthony Gregg and in the fourth hand of play it would all be over. Gregg moved all-in holding and Nazari made the call tabling . With the final board reading Poorya Nazari would be crowned the 2009 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Champion and be awarded the huge trophy and $3million first prize.

 

The 22-year old Biochemistry graduate from Toronto, Canada, who won his seat in a PokerStars $33 triple turbo rebuy stated, “It was only today that I started thinking about winning”, and it was a good time too as he parlayed his $700 investment into $3million.

 

 

With the buzz of the biggest main event occurring at one end of the poker room, a few of the side events during the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure were still attracting strong fields.

The $25,000 High Roller Event was won by last year’s PCA champion Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier who took home $433,000 for his efforts. Hevad “RaiNKhAN” Khan also collected $200,000 in the $2,000 No Limit Hold’em side event as did recent WSOP Main Event winner Peter Eastgate who collected $343,000 for winning the $5,000 No Limit Hold’em side event.

 

As the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure is all wrapped up, most of the participants will be leaving the Bahamas and journeying down under to compete in the Southern Hemisphere’s largest tournament; the 2009 Aussie Millions Poker Championships.

 

With Ivan Demidov, Sorel Mizzi, Patrik Antonius, Alexander Kostritsyn, Tony G and Annette “Annette_15” Obrestad already here, the next few weeks are going to be action packed! For all your 2009 Aussie Millions updates make sure to stay logged on to PokerNetwork where will be providing daily recaps on the big bust outs, zany prop bets and newly crowned gold-ring wearing Champions!