$$ Cash 4 Seat $$

Live updates from Day 4, levels 23 and 24 of the $25,000 High Roller brought to you by Stephen Bartley, Howard Swains, Brad Willis.
Click refresh to see the latest updates below. Click through to the chip count page for the chip counts, updated regularly throughout the day.

Blinds:
Level 23: 15,000-30,000 (3,000 ante)
Level 24: 20,000-40,000 (4,000 ante)
Level 25: 25,000-50,000 (5,000 ante)
Level 26: 30,000-60,000 (5,000 ante)

8:44pm: Reynolds wraps it up
And it is over. William Reynolds is the 2010 PCA High Roller champion. Will Molson moved all-in pre-flop and Reynolds snap-called. Molson held [kc][8d] to Reynolds [ad][td]. The board ran out [5h][7h][9s][jh][ac]. Molson wins $322,075 for second place. Reynolds picks up $576,240. A full wrap up of the day is coming up.

8.30pm: Approximate chip counts
William Reynolds — 3,000,000
Will Molson — 1,200,000

8:29pm: Reynolds gets it back
It some lightning-fire betting, Reynolds made it 125,000, Molson moved all-in, and Reynolds snap-called with [7s][7d]. Molson held [ah][3h]. The board gave Molson a wheel draw, but his out didn’t hit and Reynolds is back to a 3-1 chip lead.

Molson in trouble

8.22pm: Blinds up
End of the level means new blinds as we creep into level 26. Blinds are now 30,000-60,000 with a 5,000 ante.

8.18pm: Approximate chip counts
That hand swings the advantage in Will Molson’s favour:
Will Molson — 2,400,000
William Reynolds — 2,000,000

8:17pm: Molson doubles through Reynolds
William Reynolds came in for his standard 110,000 raise and Molson almost immediately shoved all-in. “Do you have a hand?” Reynolds asked. He didn’t wait long before announcing call.

Molson: [as][9c]
Reynolds: [ad][8h]

The flop brough two nines, nearly sealing the deal for Molson. He faded the runners and doubled up to 2.4 million. He now has a slight chip lead over William Reynolds for the first time since heads up play began.

Reynolds sees what he’s up against

8.10pm: All in
This is the first all in declaration of the heads-up duel. Reynolds raises to 110,000 and Molson shoves for 1,100,000 approx. Quick fold.

8.09pm: Approximate chip counts
William Reynolds — 3,100,000
Will Molson — 1,100,000

8:08pm: Nearly 3-1
William Reynolds came in for a raise to 110,000 and Will Molson called. The players checked the flop and turn on a [8d][2d][jc][as] board. On the [9s] river, Reynolds bet 170,000 and Molson called. Reynolds held pocket tens for the win. Reynolds now has Molson almost 3-1 in chips.

8pm: Two to Reynolds, no showdown
Molson completes Reynolds’ big blind and they see a [4c][3s][2s] flop. Molson bets 75,000, which Reynolds calls, and they both check the [10s] turn. The river is [2d] and Reynolds bets 165,000, which is enough to get rid of Molson.

On the next hand, Reynolds raises pre-flop, making it 110,000, and Molson calls. The flop is [ac][ad][6c] and Molson check-calls Reynolds’ 75,000 stab. They check the [qd] turn and on the [8c] river, Molson checks, Reynolds bets 285,000 and Molson folds.

Will Molson

7.52pm: Approximate chip counts
William Reynolds — 2,700,000
Will Molson — 1,500,000

7.49pm: Update
Some pre-flop betting and some pre-flop folding. That’s your first ten minutes of play back from the break.

7.39pm: Cards in the air
We’re back from the break, fed and watered. Blinds are still 25,000-50,000 with a 5,000 ante for the remaining 41 minutes of this level.

7pm: Pause in play
Players are taking a 30 minute break midway through the level to allow the TV crew to eat after a long shift. Chip counts are as follows:

William Reynolds — 2,600,000
Will Molson — 1,570,000

6:46pm: First hand at the new level
On a raise to 120,000 from Molson, Reynolds called. The flop [ks][qc][5h], Reynolds checked and Molson did the same. The [3d] came on the turn. Reynolds bet 185,000 and Molson folded. There are only 80 or so big blinds left at the final table. Thing is, the guys are pretty evenly matched, so the big bets aren’t coming right now.

6.45pm: We play on
Time is called on this level. Players have already agreed to delayed the dinner break so will play on. Blinds now increase to 25,000-50,000 with a 5,000 ante as we enter level 25.

6.40pm: Check check
A hand gets checked down on a board of [7h][6h][8c][5s][jh]. Williams Reynolds shows [ts][4h] for a straight, taking the pot.

6:34pm: Reynolds stays ahead
Molson completed from the small blind and Reynolds checked. The flop came [4s][4d][9s]. Reynolds checked, Molson bet 65,000, and Reynolds called. The [7c] on the turn brought checks from both players. The [3c] came on the turn and Reynolds bet 135,000. He got the call and his [9h][7h] was good for the win.

William Reynolds

6:29pm: Well that was weird
There was no action at all on the [th][5d][8c][jc][js] board. At showdown the players turned up a pair of black nines and a pair of red nines.The chop makes us think we’ll be here until sometime this Sunday.

6.25pm: Approximate chip counts
William Reynolds — 2,400,000
Will Molson — 2,000,000

6:16pm: Reynolds outkicked
Reynolds raised to 85,000 pre-flop and Molson made the call. When the flop came down [js][kh][3h], Molson checked and Reynolds checked behind. The [9d] on the turn drew a 115,000 bet from Molson. Reynolds called. The river brought the [jc]. Molson checked this time and Reynolds put out a 150,000 bet. Molson raised to 420,000 and Reynolds called. Both players had a jack, but Reynolds eight kicker was no good against Molson’s queen.

6:09pm: First hands of heads up goes to
On the first hand of heads-up play, it was a raise to 110,000 from Molson and a call fromo Reynolds. Both players checked the [th][2d][4h] flop. On the [9h] turn, Reynolds led for 165,000 and Molson called. The river came the [Ah]. Both players checked and the [js][ts] for Reynolds was better than Molson’s nine.

Will Molson (left) and William Reynolds

6.07pm: Play resumes
Handshakes and hugs and we’re playing again with 35 minutes remaining on the level.

5.55pm: Heads-up chips counts
William Reynolds — 2,455,000
Will Molson — 1,747,000

Players are taking a ten minute break before we rejoin the Battle of the Wills.

5.50pm: Adolfo Vaeza out in third earning $218,150
William Reynolds made it 90,000 pre-flop and Adolfo Vaeza called. They went to a flop of [4d][6h][ad] and Reynolds fired 90,000. Vaeza moved all in over the top and it was an insta-call from Reynolds.

Reynolds: [as][ks]
Vaeza: [3c][5c]

So, it was top pair, top kicker for Reynolds and Vaeza needed to fill an open-ended straight draw to stay alive. He didn’t. The turn was [jh] and the river [5s]. Vaeza departs in third, the second time he’s finished in that spot in High Roller events.

Goodbye to Vaeza

5:34pm: Approximate chip counts
Will Molson — 2 million
William Reynolds — 1.5 million
Adolfo Vaeza — 700,000

5.30pm: Michiel Brummelhuis out in fourth, earning $154,350
Michiel Brummelhuis shoved under the gun for his last 350,000-odd. William Reynolds had the easiest decision of his tournament so far: he had woken up in the big blind with [ac][ah]. Brummelhuis’ [qs][9h] needed a lot of help - and the flop of [10s][6d][3c] wasn’t it. The turn, though, was great for Brummelhuis: [jd] and he had picked up eight outs for the unlikely double through. However, the [7d] river quashed his chances and he was gone.

Michiel Brummelhuis resigns himself to fourth place

5.25pm: Blinds up
Will Molson wins a small pot at the end of the level. We move now into level 24 and 20,000-40,000 blinds with a 4,000 ante.

The final four

5:15: From the files of The Blue Lagoon
William Reynolds raised to 70,000 and sent Will Molson back to his think-tank. When Molson emerged, he made it 171,000 from the small blind. Back to Reynolds who folded. This hand went nowhere, but gave us an opportunity to look at Reynolds a little more. It’s made us decide he might be related to Christopher Atkins, the man made famous by his appearance opposite Brooke Shields in the 1980 film “The Blue Lagoon.”

5:10pm: Molson gives up
Will Molson raised to 77,000 and William Reynolds re-raised to 192,000 out of the small blind. Michiel Brummelhuis got out of the way in the big blind. Molson assumed this thinking pose, then mucked.

5.06pm: Brummelhuis shoves
Michiel Brummelhuis just moved all in on the button for 330,000. Will Molson folded the small blind, Adolfo Vaeza did the same with the big.

5:04pm: Blind check-raising the blind
William Reynolds called from the small blind and Michiel Brummelhuis checked his option to the [7d][4s] [9c] flop. Reynolds checked, Brummelhuis bet 40,000, and Reynolds called. On the [8c] turn, Reynolds checked again, Brummelhuis bet 95,000, and Reynolds almost immediately announced all-in, Brummelhuis insta-mucked.

4.50pm: Break-time chip counts

Will Molson - 1,483,000
William Reynolds - 1,199,000
Adolfo Vaeza - 1,026,000
Michiel Brummelhuis - 488,000

Will Molson

4.45pm: Adolfo Vaeza moves all-in
Will Molson raised to 80,000 from the small blind and Adolfo Vaeza called from the, for a flop of [8c][jc][ks]. Molson bet another 90,000 before Vaeza moved all-in for 427,000. Molson called showing [ac][3c] for a flush draw, against Vaeza’s [kh][8h] two pair.
The turn gave Molson a flush but filled Vaeza up, coming [kc]. That was that. A [3h] on the river and Vaeza doubles up. Players are now taking a 15 minute break.

4:39pm: Between the blinds
A battle of the blinds between William Reynolds and Michiel Brummelhuis ends when Brummelhuis bets 36,000 on a checked board showing [qs][6s][ah][4d][3d]. He’d made it 36,000 which prompted Reynolds to fold.

4:36pm: Lisa Hamilton eliminated in fifth place earning $133,770
William Reynolds opened to 70,000 which Will Molson called in the small blind. Lisa Hamilton was in the big blind and raised another 110,000 on top. Reynolds folded but Molson announced all-in. Hamilton called showing [jc][js] while Molson turned over [qh][ac]. The board came [8c][4h][6c][qc][ks]. The turn was the killer for Hamilton, the card that sends the WSOP Ladies event bracelet winner out in fifth place.

Players bid farewell to Lisa Hamilton

4.20pm: Who knows
It’s difficult to guess what anyone had here, but here’s how the hand played out. William Reynolds made up Michiel Brummelhuis’ blind and they saw a flop of [6d][3c][ad] and both checked. The turn was [ac] and Reynolds check-called Brummelhuis’ 45,000 bet. The river was [5d] and Reynolds led at it for 132,000. The optimistic prediction that this was an ace-five versus [kd] [qd] cooler did not come true: Brummelhuis folded.

4:14pm: New level, new chip counts
We’ve moved up to a new level. Here’s some approximate chip counts.

Vaeza: 560,000
Reynolds: 1,150,000
Brummelhuis: 650,000
Molson: 1,350,000
Hamilton: 550,000

Will Molson

Live updates from Day 4, levels 21 and 22 of the $25,000 High Roller brought to you by Stephen Bartley, Howard Swains, Brad Willis.
Click refresh to see the latest updates below. Click through to the chip count page for the chip counts, updated regularly throughout the day.

Blinds:
Level 22: 12,000-24,000 (2,000 ante)

4.12pm: Level done
That was the last action of the level and we’ve smoothly moved into level 23.

4.10pm: Hamilton squeezes
William Reynolds started this one off, raising to 56,000 from the cut off. Michiel Brummelhuis called from the button. Will Molson folded his small blind, but Lisa Hamilton found the squeeze play in the big blind and made it 206,000 to go. No thanks, said Reynolds, and folded. Brummelhuis took longer, but did the very same thing.

4:02pm: From outside the curtain
The High Roller final table is the last thing that will be televised here from the 2010 PCA. It currently is playing out surrounded by a giant black curtain. There are a couple of small side events finishing up outside, and a few straggling cash games. This is just about the end of this year’s PCA. Meanwhile, a few players have set up some sort of odd game remeniscent of the fabled Lime Tossing done at the WSOP and around the world. This version involves a red five dollar chip and some unused chairs. Anything for action.

3:53pm: Reinkemeier out in sixth, earning $108,045
Tobias Reinkemeier’s miserable day is done. After losing all those chips to Will Molson, he couldn’t play his aggressive three-betting game with such precision and he was forced to shove pre-flop. His timing was off. After William Reynolds raised to 56,000 from mid position, Reinkemeier shoved for about 450,000. Reynolds snap-called and showed [kh][kd]. Reinkemeier had [8h][8c]. Although we know not to expect anything to hold until the very last card is revealed, this time it did. The flop came [jd][4c][7h], the turn was [ac] and the river was [qh]. Reinkemeier was sent out and Reynolds has more than a million.

Tobias Reinkemeier makes his way to the door…

…pausing only to bid Lisa Hamilton goodbye. (His other opponents did not get a kiss.)

3:45pm: From the blinds
On a flop of [jc][jh][2h] William Reynolds and Michiel Brummelhuis engaged in a battle of the blinds. Renolds made it 46,000 from the small which Brummelhuis called for a [ac] turn. Reynolds now made it 102,000 which Brummelhuis called again for a [8h] river card. Check this time from Reynolds before Brummelhuis moved all in for roughly 300,000. Reynolds folded, showing [ad][2d]. Brummelhuis took the chips showing [ks][4c].

3:27pm: A battle of Wills
William Reynolds and Will Molson see a flop of [4h][qh][ah]. Both check for a [qd] turn. Reynolds made it 104,000 which Molson called. On the [kd] river Reynolds made it another 232,000 to play. Molson removed his sunglasses and rubbed his head. He folded, reluctantly, showing [ac][th].

One of the Wills (in this case, the chip leading Molson)

3:28pm: Molson from the button
Will Molson opened for 58,000 on the button which Lisa Hamilton called from the big blind. “Just the call?” asked Molson before the saw a [kc][4s][4d] flop. They each checked the flop for a [ts] turn. Hamilton bet 55,000, enough to force Molson to fold.

3:16pm: Hamilton all-in
William Reynolds opened for 57,000 from under the gun. The action reached short stack Lisa Hamilton on the small blind who moved all-in for around 220,000 more. Reynolds thought about it, opted to fold.

3:10pm: Back in action
We’re in action and playing higher now. We’ll be at 12,000-24,000 (2,000 ante) for the next hour.

Level 21: 10,000-20,000 (2,000 ante)

2.45pm: Reynolds raises Reinkemeier; on break
On the last hand of the level, William Reynolds raised to 46,000 from the cut off and Tobias Reinkemeier called from the big blind. The flop was [9h][jh][8d] and they both checked. But there was some trapping going on it seemed, because when the [9d] turned, Reinkemeier bet 65,000 and Reynolds raised to 160,000 total. Reinkemeier flicked them into the muck, and allowed everyone to drift off on a 20-minute break. Action resumes at 3.05pm.

2:38pm: Help Haiti
Despite the silliness we’re spouting here, we can’t help but take a moment to think of the suffering going on not too far from here in Haiti. As you no doubt have heard, thousands upon thousands are feared dead there after a massive earthquake a couple of days ago. PokerStars and its players are reaching out to help. If you’d like to learn more about how you can help aid the suffering in Haiti, please see PokerStars sets up Haiti earthquake appeal.

2:37pm: Molson order a Kalik
There are no rules that require a man to drink a beer that shares his name. Plus, Kalik is a pretty darned good beer, so no reason to begrudge Will Molson for drinking a Kalik right now.

2:33pm: Calling it
Tobias Reinkemeier bet, Adolfo Vaeza moved all in and Reinkemeier called. As simple as that. Reinkemeier showed [qs][qd] to Vaeza’s [jc][7c].

Vaeza began asking for stuff. “Eight, nine, ten,” he said the dealer, in that way that any desperate player does when the need help.

“Eight, nine, ten,” he said again. The flop came [8c][9d][5c]. He’d just found a gutshot and a flush draw. Nothing from the [5d] but the [6c] on the river doubled up the Uruguayan.

Vaeza turned to the dealer. “I asked you for a ten!” he said.

Vaeza, calling it

2:29pm: Chip count update
Here are some rough estimates on the chip counts after that last hand.

Vaeza: 300,000
Reynolds: 500,000
Brummelhuis: 700,000
Molson: 1,300,000
Reinkemeier: 1,000,000
Hamilton: 400,000

2:25pm: Three bet, four bet, showdown
Michiel Brummelhuis raised to 47,000 from the button, Will Molson re-raised to 117,000 from the small blind, and Tobias Reinkemeier re-reaised all-in out of the big blind for 446,000 total. Brummelhuis got out of the way and left it to Molson to consider. He rubbed his hands together, took off his sunglasses, stared at his chips, laced his fingers, dropped his head to his hands, probably did some high-level math that we wouldn’t understand, and then called.

Molson tanks

Here are the hands:

Molson: [ah][jh]
Reinkemeier: [ad][kd]

The board, [3h][3d][2d][6d][2c], gave the man from Germany the flush and the double-up.

2.16pm: No easy blind
Lisa Hamilton made it 51,000 from the button. Adolfo Vaeza announced all-in from the small blind and Hamilton passed.

2:09pm: From the blinds
William Reynolds opened for 51,000 with the action folded around to him in the small blind. Michiel Brummelhuis was in the big blind and called for a flop of [8s][ac][3c]. Reynolds then made it another 55,000 to play before Brummelhuis passed.

1:58pm: Ohhhhhh!, OOOOOOHHHHHHH!
And here’s a hand that will definitely make the TV show.

Michiel Brummelhuis came in for a raise and Lisa Hamilton put him all in out of the big blind. Brummelhuis made the snap call with his aces. Hamilton only held pocket nines. The flop hit and “Ohhhhhhhhh!” there was the nine. With his tournament on the line, Brummelhuis needed one of the two remaining aces in the deck…and “OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH!” there it was on the river.

Brummelhuis held 346,000 and doubled up.

Incidentally, if you have young children watching the EPT Live web cast, we’re sorry about the profanity.

A high five for the re-suck

1:55pm: Molson not light
It started off as a straightforward small blind v big blind hand. Will Molson completed in the small blind but Tobias Reinkemeier topped it up with another 40,000 to play. Molson called for a flop of [jc][8d][td]. Molson checked before Reinkemeier bet 65,000. Molson paused. “Let’s make it 180,000 total,” he said, and pushed some chips in.
Reinkemeier then said he was all in. Molson called.

[kd][9d] for Reinkemeier, open ended straight draw, plus the flush draw, [kh][qh] for Molson, who was the at risk player, needing an ace or a nine. Both players shook hands.

Someone, probably more than one person actually, used the word sick, and we saw the turn.

The [th] changed nothing, except bring a chop possibility. But the [as] on the river gave Molson the straight, doubling him up.

Molson celebrates

1:48pm: Reynolds raising
Lisa Hamilton opened for 50,000 from the cut off. William Reynolds was in the small blind and raised to 106,000 total. “What you have left?” asked Hamilton. Something around 430,000 for Reynolds. Hamilton announced re-raised, getting an insta-fold in response.

1:47pm: Thief collared
Shortly after Matt Marafiotti’s departure, Lisa Hamilton discovered her bottle of Fiji water had disappeared. She asked around, but couldn’t figure out what happened. Well, scroll down to the photo a couple of posts back and you’ll see what happened.

Since then, two admirers have brought her replacements. We’re now going off to buy her a case of the stuff courtesy of the PokerStars Blog team.

1:46pm: All in, call, sweat, chop
Will Molson made it his customary 47,000 from early position and William Reynolds moved all in for about 380,000. Molson snap called and they exposed their near-identical hands. Molson: [ad][qs] Reynolds: [ac][qh] It was almost very, very cruel for Reynolds as the flop came all spades: [5s][js][2s]. That meant he had to fade another one on turn and river — and did so successfully. They chopped it up.

1:45pm: Molson and Vaeza
Will Molson opened for 47,000 and was called by Adolfo Vaeza for a flop of [qc][js][7d]. Vaeza bet 55,000 which Molson called, then 100,000 on the [5h] turn card which Molson called, then another 100,000 on the [3s] river. Molson then moved all-in, steering his chips into the middle like a kid pushing a toy car. 415,000 in total. Vaeza took his time deciding but eventually folded.

1:32pm: Matt Marafioti eliminated in seventh place earning $87,465
The action was folded to Matt Marafioti who made it 45,000. William Reynolds moved all-in and Marafioti called showing [7s][7c] to Reynold’s [ah][ks].
“It’s the only hand I’ve had the entire day,” said Marafioti as they waited for the board. [9c][4c][th], then the killer [ad] and the final [6s].

Matt Marafiotti, 7th place, $87,465, and comforted by Lisa Hamilton

1.15pm: Vaeza v Molson
Adolfo Vaeza limps from early position for the two hands in a row. On the first occasion, he attracts both blinds — Tobias Reinkemeier and Lisa Hamilton — to an all-heart flop and then bets out when it’s checked to him. He wins. The second time isn’t quite so successful: Will Molson, on the button, bumps it up to 67,000 and Vaeza folds.

The same two tangle on the next hand. Molson raised to 47,000 from the cut-off and Vaeza calls from the big blind. They both check the [jh][kd][3c] flop, but a bet from Molson on the [jc] turn takes it down.

1:14pm: Your final table
Here’s what these folks look like.

1:05pm: Small skirmish in the blinds
Folded to Will Molson in the small blind, he opted to complete Tobias Reinkemeier’s big. The German player checked his option and they saw a flop of [5h][kc][6s]. Molson checked, Reinkemeier bet 25,000, and Molson gave it up.

1:02pm: “I don’t want to see it!”
Michiel Brummelhuis just got a walk in the big blind and went to muck his cards. His opponents encouraged him to look at what he held. “I don’t want to see it!” he exclaimed. “It will tilt me if I had a big hand.” He turned over the cards anyway to see a pocket pair of fours. It didn’t tilt him, but we got the impression Brummelhuis would’ve liked a chance to play the pair.

1:01pm: Three to the flop
Three players saw a flop of [3s][9d][6s], paying the 41,000 that Will Molson asked them for when he’d raised pre-flop. Tobias Reinkemeier and Adolfo Vaeza had called and it was Vaeza betting, making it 50,000 to play. Molson passed but Reinkemeier fired back, making it 175,000 total, enough to take the lot.

12:52pm: Dmitry Stelmak eliminated in eighth place earning $66,885
The first all-in and the first elimination of the day. Short stack Dmitry Stelmak open shoved with [kh][th] for a little less than 150,000 and was called by Tobias Reinkemeier showing [ah][tc].

The flop came [ad][td][9d] giving everyone a little something, but on the [kc] Stelmak was left with just two outs. Neither came, a [jd] sending Stelmak to the rail.

Dmitry Stelmak, 8th place, $66,885

12:45pm: First blood to the lady
Lisa Hamilton takes the first pot of the final, making it 50,000 from under the gun and getting no takers.

12:42pm: Now we’re playing
The final table players are now looking at their first cards. After unanimous consent from the players (and the sign-off from the tournament director, the table will now play 10,000-20,000 level for two hours before moving on to Level 22. The decision was made to offset the 4+ hours it took to get from nine players down to eight last night.

12:37pm: New specs
If you were following our reporting yesterday, you know that Michiel Brummelhuis broke his trademark sunglasses. Today he’s shown up with a new pair that we, quite frankly, feel look much better on his face. We’ll see if it does anything to his game.

12:20pm: Final table about to begin
After the ordinary TV set-up work, the final table is ready to begin. We have a table full of people set up and ready to report. Probably a few more minutes and we’ll be underway.

Tobias Reinkemeier

There is nothing trivial about a $25,000 poker tournament. It is, by definition, big.

The size notwithstanding (we’re told size doesn’t matter, and we choose to believe it), there are several points of trivia worth noting about the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure High Roller tournament.

For instance, two women entered this field. Two women made the final table of nine. One made it to tomorrow’s televised final fight.

Another: the biggest stack coming into Day 3 (Dario Minieri) didn’t even finish in the money. The smallest stack coming into Day 3 (Will Molson) made the final table in third.

Can you take one more? How about this? On Day 2 it took around four hours to get from 52 players down to 24. Today it took us the around same amount of time to drop from nine players…to eight.

When that finally happened, we had the best trivia of all. High Roller chip leader Tobias Reinkemeier is already guaranteed more money in this event than he has ever won in a live poker tournament. Before now, his biggest live tourney cash was a $52,000…and that was in the PCA Main Event just a few days ago.

“I feel really really great. I’ve had so many deep cashes - 11th in London, 23rd in Barcelona, 46th here in the main event - but no final table,” he said. “Now I’ve made it. It’s an amazing feeling, especially as I am going in to the final as chip leader, with a big buy-in and a field so strong.”

Midway through Day 2 of the 2010 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure High Roller event, Team PokerStars Pro Greg Raymer half-joked he would only have an edge on the field if he could get four or five-handed and be up against players who would be affected by the amount of money on the line. Then he looked around at the remaining players and realized that among this field the money really wasn’t that big of a deal.

The buy-in should’ve been a clue. There are few poker tournaments in the world in which the seat alone costs $25,000. What’s more, an event like this is awash with high stakes cash players, WSOP champions, and pros who spend their days thinking in terms of millions rather than thousands. Matters of finance hardly concern these folks.

And yet, as we head into the final table, there is a first prize of more than half a million dollars at stake and the remaining eight players will not rest until their chips are gone or their pockets are further bulging.

Here are the final eight:

Tobias Reinkemeier (Germany) 1,072,000
Adolfo Vaeza (Uruguay) 790,000
Will Molson (Canada) 669,000
William Reynolds (USA) 482,000
Lisa Hamilton (USA) 440,000
Michiel Brummelhuis (Netherlands) 394,000
Matt Marafioti (Canada) 236,000
Dmitry Stelmak (Russia) 150,000

If you have a keen eye (and read from the top down), you’ll no doubt note that we almost had a final table made up of 25% women. Instead, Team PokerStars Pro Sandra Naujoks was the ninth place finisher, leaving 2009 WSOP Ladies Event champion Lisa Hamilton to battle some of the toughest players in the world.

Sanda Naujoks, Team PokerStars Pro Germany, 9th place

While the biggest paydays are still to come, there were some financial victories to report from Day 3. Raymer himself took 13th place for a tidy $46,305. Fellow WSOP champ Joe Cada finished two spots better for $51,540. Meanwhile, Carter Phillips, Isaac Baron, Shawn Buchanan, James Calderaro all finished among the PCA High Roller winners.

Greg Raymer gives an autographed fossil bounty

Cada accepts his fate

Now we are left with eight folks who are free to go to their rooms and roll around in piles of cash for the next 12 hours. After that, they are due back here under the TV lights to play for the title. We’d try to handicap the field for you, but for the fact that this game is crazy. And frankly, we can’t tell spades from clubs anymore.

For now, you can check out the PCA High Roller chip counts, PCA High Roller winners, or any of the links below for our coverage from Day 3.

Angling for the final
Levels 12 and 13
Levels 14 and 15
Levels 16 and 17
Levels 18 and 19
Levels 20 and 21

Want to read it all in a different language? We’ve got that, too.

Swedish, German, Italian, Spanish and our Brazilian’s Portuguese.

Thanks to our top photographers Joe Giron and Neil Stoddart who hold the © to all the photos you see here.

Now, because we neither have $25,000 in our pockets or a chance to win half a million tomorrow, we’re off to check and see if we have enough of our per diem to share a cold one.

See you at noon ET Thursday.

Live updates from Day 3, levels 20 and 21 of the $25,000 High Roller brought to you by Howard Swains, Brad Willis, and Simon Young.
Click refresh to see the latest updates below. Click through to the chip count page for the chip counts, updated regularly throughout the day.

Blinds:
Level 20: 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

Sandra Naujoks busted, final table set
Team PokerStars Pro Sandra Naujoks has busted in ninth place, meaning we now have our eight players to return to tomorrow’s final table.

Tobias Reinkemeier had made it 45,000, and Naujoks moved all in for 267,000.

Sandra Naujoks moves all in

Reinkemeier called with a “well, I have to call” shrug, and the cards were turned over.

Naujoks: [as][9c]
Reinkemeier: [js][jd]

Naujoks needed a lot of help, and despite the [9s][kh][5c] flop offering her a couple more outs, the [3d] turn and [5d] river failed to hit any of them. She leaves with $56,955.

Sandra Naujoks makes her way out

We’ll have a full wrap of today’s marathon in a short while.

11:10pm: Race ends in…everyone still playing
Tobias Reinkenmeier came in for a raise to 45,000 and William Reynolds pushed all-in from the big blind for 234,000 total. Reinkemeier called in a shot. It was pocket eights for Reynolds versus Reinkenmeier’s big slick. The ace-king missed five times and William Reynolds doubled.

11.05pm: Still here?
I’m not sure I am. The action continues, with stacks evening out again. Reynolds is still the man under most pressure, and Vaeza and Reinkemeier are at and around the chip lead of 800,000.

10.45pm: Another double up for Reynolds
Just when we thought this was all over, it wasn’t. It was folded around to short-stacked William Reynolds on the small blind who moved all in for around 110,000. Michiel Brummelhuis called.

Reynolds: [ah][7d]
Brummelhuis: [qs][9d]

The flop was [4h][qh][5h], shooting Brummelhuis in to the lead. But then, like a dagger through the bloggers’ hearts, the turn was [3h] filling up Reynolds’ nut flush. The river was [jh].

We go on. And on.

Another double up for William Reynolds

10.35pm: Leader
This is our chip leader heading into level 21.

Adolfo Vaeza

Here are the counts:

1 Adolfo Vaeza - 811,000
2 Sandra Naujoks - 299,000
3 William Reynolds - 148,000
4 Michiel Brummelhuis - 582,000
5 Dmitry Stelmark - 279,000
6 Will Molson - 588,000
7 Tobias Reinkemeier - 750,000
8 Lisa Hamilton - 484,000
9 Matt Marafioti - 262,000

10.20pm: Reynolds back from the brink. Again
We’ve never been closer to a resolution, but William Reynolds has just doubled up to stay in the game. He shoved from the small blind with less than 100,000 remaining and Michiel Brummelhuis called from the big blind. “I’ve got an ace,” said Reynolds, and showed [ac][3h]. “I’ve got a king,” said Brummelhuis and showed [ks][4c]. The flop had Reynolds mentally packing his bag: it came [5h][kh][3d], putting Brummelhuis into the lead. The turn was [2d] which now gave Reynolds some more outs and the [3s] on the river was one of them.

William Reynolds doubles up through Michiel Brummelhuis

On we go.

10.15pm: One more for Hamilton
Tobias Reinkemeier makes it 40,000 and Lisa Hamilton calls. On the [5d][qd][kd] flop, Reinkemeier makes it 56,000, but Hamilton moves all in. Insta muck from the German.

10.05pm: It’s going to be on my watch, isn’t it
Something’s got to give here, but as yet nothing is. Tobias Reinkemeier is doing what he’s supposed to and raising a lot of pots, usually to 42,000. But the short stacks, particularly Lisa Hamilton, are doing their bidding too and shoving all in to make him fold. So we go on, and what was once an energetic relay of PokerStars Blog writers is becoming less enthusiastic. “It’s going to be on my watch, isn’t it,” hinted a colleague earlier as he assumed the post beside the table.

Will Molson, Tobias Reinkemeier and Lisa Hamilton

9.45pm: Vaeza’s takes a nice one
Adolfo Vaeza opens for 32,000, Dmitry Stelmak calls, as does Lisa Hamilton from the big blind. On the [5h][qh][6d] flop Hamilton checks, Vaeza makes it 40,000 and only Hamilton calls. On the [2s] turn Hamilton checks, Vaeza makes it 50,000 and Hamilton re-raises for another 80,000 on top. Vaeza moves all in and that sends Hamilton in to the tank. Eventually she folds and is now down to around 240,000. Vaeza is up to 790,000.

9:35pm: Level up, still going
It’s been two hours and 45 minutes since Alex Brenes busted in tenth place. That’s all we’re saying. The laws of poker dictate, somebody has to bust eventually. It probably will not be chip leader Tobias Reinkenmeier.

Live updates from Day 2, levels 12 & 13 of the $25,000 High Roller brought to you by Howard Swains, Brad Willis, and Simon Young.
Click refresh to see the latest updates below. Click through to the chip count page for the chip counts, updated regularly throughout the day.

Blinds:
Level 16: 3,000-6,000 (500 ante)
Level 17: 4,000-8,000 (1,000 ante)

7pm: Level over
With 10 players left, the level is over. We’re going into level 18.

6.55pm: You bladed Reynolds, dude
Will Molson and William Reynolds were alone to a [8c][9s][10s] flop. Molson bet 26,000, which Reynolds called. The turn was [qs] and Molson checked, eliciting a bet of 48,000 from Reynolds. Molson moved all in, for 124,000 more, and Reynolds called. Molson was delighted, tabling [as][2s] and a dismayed Reynolds said: “I’m drawing dead.” He showed [ac][jc] for the straight, but it wasn’t good enough to beat Molson’s nut flush.

Matt Marafioti came over to see what the commotion was all about, and said to his friend Molson: “You bladed Reynolds, dude.”

6:50pm: Naujoks KO’s Cada
Word of warning: just because Sandra Naujoks is pretty doesn’t mean she won’t eat your lunch then take your mom out for a nice steak dinner. This lesson was just learned by 2009 WSOP champ Joe Cada. When Naujoks came in for a raise from the button, Cada shoved for his entire stack (somewhere in the neighborhood of 270,000). Naujoks waited one, two, three, four seconds before sliding her chips in.

“Wow,” said Cada as he spied Naujok’s [ah][9h]. The champ turned over his [as][8d]. There was no chop. There was no suckout. All that remained was for Cada to say, “Nice hand” and walk to the cash out desk. There he will receive $51,540 for his 11th place finish.

Joe Cada

Vaeza tries something different
“I am going to do something I have done before. I am going to call blind.” This is Adolfo Vaeza in the big blind who face a 21,000 bet from Dmitry Stelmark which has been called by William Reynolds.

And so to the flop, which came [jd][4h][ah]. Reynolds checked and then Vaeza announced: “OK, I have to check now.” He looked at his hole cards for the first time and apparently liked what he saw, firing out a bet of 30,000. Stelmark made the call, Reynolds folded.

Both players checked the [2h] turn, but on the [5c] river Vaeza bet 40,000. Stelmark thought about it for a minute and then made the call. As he did so, Vaeza insta mucked, and Stelmark was then obliged to show [ac][3c] for the straight.

6:34pm: Blind battle
It’s folded around to Tobias Reinkemeier in the small blind, and he makes it 24,000. Alex Brenes defends his big blind and bumps it up by another 50,000. Reinkemeier looks at his own stack, then at Brenes’ stack (which is smaller than his), and announces: “All in.”
That sends Brenes into the tank, but emerges soon after to fold.

6:22pm: Phillips flipped, out in 12th place
Carter Phillips never recovered from the three-way all-in he lost against Sandra Naujoks earlier. Just now, Joe Cada came in for a raise from the button and Phillips shoved all-in for 113,000 more. Cada labored over his decision. Finally, he decided Phillips’ range was wide enough that [ac][6d] was good for the call. Phillips turned over [3c][3s]. The flip quickly went Cada’s way. The flop brought an ace and Phillips never caught up. He earns $51,540

Carter Phillips

6.05pm: All in, call, chop
Will Molson raised to 20,000 from the small blind into Dmitry Stelmak’s big. The Russian called and they saw a flop of [kc][6d][6s]. Check, check. The turn was [ad] and Molson bet 24,000, which was called. The river was [qs] and Molson now moved all in, for 184,000. Stelmak called and was shown [as][js]. Slowly he exposed [ac][7s] for the chop. Still 12 of them.

5:57pm: Back from break
After a short break, the players are back in their seats and trying to survive the next four eliminations and make it to tomorrow’s final table.

5.30pm: Greg Raymer out in 13th ($46,305)
It didn’t take long for Raymer to get the rest of his chips in, re-raising Dmitry Stelmak’s 16,000 opener. Raymer’s all in was for 110,000 and Stelmak called.

Stelmak: [kh][qd]
Raymer: [ad][7c]

Raymer was ahead, but only narrowly. And the flop of [kc][4h][jh] only helped Stelmak. The turn and river were blank and Fossilman was yesterday’s news.

Raymer sends Stelmak an autographed fossil

Raymer is one of the most popular members of the poker community. Our video crew got some nice opinions about the Fossilman from around the tournament floor…

Watch PCA 2010: Pokerpinions: Greg Raymer on PokerStars.tv

5.30pm: Raymer drops a chunk
On a [7s][qs][ks][8s] board, William Reynolds made it 28,000 and Greg Raymer made the call. The river was [qc], Raymer checked and Reynolds, almost in slow motion, reached down for 82,000 more. Now Raymer was in the tank, eventually taking his glasses off - and then calling.

Reynolds tables [as][4h] for the ace-high flush and Raymer could only nod in approval. He’s down to 110,000 now.

5.27pm: Hamilton saved by the river
Lisa Hamilton got all in against Joe Cada, and she was the one at risk.

Cada: [ah][qd]
Hamilton: [9h][9s]

The flop sent her behind, coming [3s][qs][7h]. The turn was [kh] and now Hamilton needed one of the two remaining nines. The [9c] duly fell on the river. She’s up to 270,000, Cada pegged back to 300,000.

5.25pm: Phillips gets it all in
Carter Phillips made up Michiel Brummelhuis’ big blind and they went to a [9d][jh][6s] flop. Phillips bet 7,000 and Brummelhuis called. The turn was [kd] and Phillips now bet 17,000, which Brummelhuis also called. The river was [ad] and Phillips now moved all in for his last 84,000. After a good few minutes, Brummelhuis decided that that was too rich and folded.

5:10pm: The dead Baron
Isaac Baron is out, getting it all in pre-flop with [8c][9h] against Michiel Brummelhuis’ [ad][qc]. Baron needed help, but the [2d][2c][4s][5s][qd] board sent him on his way in 14th place. Remember you can keep up to date with the payouts on the payouts page. Where else?

4.55pm: Buchanan busts in 15th
Alex Brenes raised to 15,000 and Shawn Buchanan, on the micro-stack, moved all in for 31,000 more. Will Molson seemed interested, but folded, leaving Brenes to call.

“Oh, I don’t like this hand,” said Brenes, when Buchanan showed his [as][10s]. Brenes had [ks][4s], so his suit was covered. But the board changed everything. It came [kh][5s][kd][4c][jd[ and that ended the day for Buchanan. He takes $41,160.

4.40pm: Back for level 16
There was no break, just a level up. Here’s a pic of Will Molson. Today.

Will Molson

Live updates from Day 2, levels 12 & 13 of the $25,000 High Roller brought to you by Howard Swains, Brad Willis, and Simon Young.
Click refresh to see the latest updates below. Click through to the chip count page for the chip counts, updated regularly throughout the day.

Blinds:
Level 14: 2,000-4,000 (400 ante)
Level 15: 2,500-5,000 (500 ante)

4.40pm: Molson doubles
Tobias Reinkemeier raised to 12,500 under-the-gun and he was called by William Reynolds on the button and Adolfo Vaeza in the small blind. Will Molson, in the big blind, moved all in for what the dealer counted to be 98,000 more. Vaeza thumped the table with his fist, but the action was on Reinkemeier, who decided to call. That made Reynolds’ and Vaeza’s decision easy: they both folded.

On their backs:
Reinkemeier [ac][js]
Molson: [kd][qh]

The flop swung it in favour of Molson, though: [4c][kh][qd] and he faded the ten. The turn was [6c] and the river [ad].

4.35pm: That’s how he rolls
Adolfo Vaeza min raises to 10,000 from early position and gets a call from Dmitry Stelmark two to his left, Greg Raymer on the button and Shawn Buchanan in the big blind. On the [5h][3h][8c] flop Vaeza made it 20,000 and only Stelmark called. The pattern was repeated on the [9d] turn, with Stelmark calling 30,000 this time. Finally, on the [jd] river, Vaeza bet 50,000 and was again called.

“Two pair,” Vaeza announced, turning over [8s][9s], and that was good.

4.30pm: Shove goes awry for Raymer
Greg Raymer raised to 12,000 under-the-gun and Tobias Reinkemeier was the only caller, in the big blind. The flop came [9c][3s][js] and Reinkemeier checked, prompting a bet of 18,000 from Raymer. Reinkemeier called. The turn was [kh] and Reinkemeier check-called Raymer’s 35,000 bet. On the river [qs] Reinkemeier checked, Raymer moved all in, and Reinkemeier called.

Tobias Reinkemeier and Greg Raymer during the hand

“You got me,” said Raymer. “Small pair.” He opened [7d][7h]. Reinkemeier showed [ks][8s] for a flopped flush draw that became top pair and then completed. Raymer had Reinkemeier covered, but was still forced to match Reinkemeier’s 191,000 stack on the end. Reinkemeier is now nudging 530,000, while Raymer is down to 165,000.

4:26pm: Three way all-in results in man down, woman way up
Carter Phillips came in for a raise to 10,500 and James Calderaro re-raised to 25,500. That’s when Sandra Naujoks moved all-in for 151,000. Neither Phillips nor Calderaro wasted any time in calling. Here were the hands on their backs.

Carter Phillips: [As][Ks]
James Calderaro: [kd][kc]
Sandra Naujoks: [9s][9h]

Phillips had both players covered, so his tournament wasn’t at risk. More than half his stack, however was, and when the flop came down [jh][jc][9c], the balance shifted way over the to female side of the table. Phillips needed runners and Calderaro was left with the case king or two remaining jacks to get out of jail. Neither came and Naujoks tripled up to more than 450,000.

Sandra Naujoks back from the brink again

Phillips fell back to 130,000. Calderaro was eliminated in 16th place for $41,160.

James Calderaro, 16th place, $41,160

4.15pm: Stop raising my blinds!
For a few hours now Alex Brenes has been getting annoyed at the constant aggression of William Reynolds, who took advantage of the long bubble period to slowly build a nice stack of around 300,000. Once, Brenes told him: “The next time you do that, I am going to move all if I have any two picture cards. I am telling you, I don’t need the money. I don’t care. I will push.”

Then it seemed to die down a bit until this hand. Reynolds made it 12,500 and Brenes made the call. The flop was [qd][2s][3d] and Reynolds fired out an 18,500 continuation bet. Brenes went into the tank, and then re-raised to 60,000. That may have confused Reynolds, but whatever, he folded. Brenes turned over triumphantly…

[9d][10h]

Reynolds gave him a “so what” expression, and again Brenes reminded him: “You are raise, raise, raise. It’s too much.”

This personal battle is bound to end in tears for one of them very soon.

4.10pm: Raymer pushes out Brenes and Stelmak
Alex Brenes raised to 14,000 in early position and Dmity Stelmak called on the button, as did Greg Raymer in the big blind. The flop was [qd][3d][qc] and it got interesting very quickly. Raymer checked, Brenes checked and Stelmak bet 16,500. Raymer called, and then Brenes raised to 50,000 - or 33,500 more. Stelmak dwell-called. Raymer called quickly.

The turn was [4c]. If anyone was trapping anyone else, they elected not to spring it on the [4c] turn. Everyone checked. But on the [8d] river, Raymer announced that he was all in. Brenes seemed very upset to be forced to fold. Stelmak took even longer, but he also laid it down. That might have been even bigger, but Raymer takes it down without showing.

4:03pm: Marafioti, quieter
Matt Marafioti is not a quiet guy. A few minutes ago, he raised pre-flop and everybody folded. He showed big slick. “It’s okay! You guys can fold to me.”

James Calderaro smirked and said, “It was the first time you shut up.”

While Isaac Baron was polling his rail to see who had headphones, Marafioti was put all in by Lisa Hamilton. He tanked for a good long while before calling to see Hamilton’s pocket queens. Marafioti turned over [ah][qd]. The board didn’t offer the young cash game hero any help, and he’s back down to around his starting stack.

3:48pm: New table draw
Here’s how the new table draw looks.

Table 1
Seat 1: Matt Marafioti
Seat 2: Carter Phillips
Seat 3: Michiel Brummelhuis
Seat 4: Isaac Baron
Seat 5: James Calderaro
Seat 6: Sandra Naujoks
Seat 7: Lisa Hamilton
Seat 8: Joe Cada

Table 2
Seat 1: Alex Brenes
Seat 2: Shawn Buchanan
Seat 3: William Reynolds
Seat 4: Adolfo Vaeza
Seat 5: Will Molson
Seat 6: Dmitry Stelmak
Seat 7: Tobias Reinkemeier
Seat 8: Greg Raymer

3.45pm: Redraw
There’s a quick break while we lose a table and redraw for the last 18 players.

3.44pm: Minieri the bubble boy
He was the overnight chip leader, but now he’s out. Dario Minieri, the Team PokerStars Pro, is the bubble boy of the $25,000 High Roller and is the last player in the field to leave with absolutely nothing. All remaining players are now guaranteed $41,160.

Minieri pushed all in for 109,000 and it’s folded to Alex Brenes, who clearly has a decision to make. Minieri assumes he will fold.

“You always fold,” the Italian said. “Here, let me see what I have,” and he fumbled around in his pocket for some change. “I bet bet you $5 you will fold. Wait, make that $10,” and he slaps the two notes on the table.

But Brenes is having none of it.

“This is very close,” he said. After a few minutes of pacing and working out the possibilities, he announced: “I call.”

Alex Brenes ponders the call

Minieri: [ac][qc]
Brenes: [9h][9s]

Minieri fancied his chances, but the flop was an emphatic one for the Costa Rican, coming [6s][qh][9h]. “Oh,” Minieri said. The turn was [3h] and the river [jd] and the young Italian star is outta here.

Dario Minieri eliminated from High Roller event

3.41: Bubbles bursts on Minieri
Dario Minieri is our bubble boy. Full details to follow.

3.40pm: Bubble up for Marafioti
With a stack of only about 60,000 Matt Marafioti was under extreme bubble pressure. Nevertheless, he raised to 12,000 under-the-gun and Carter Phillips went into the tank of confusion on the button. Eventually, Phillips raised to 25,000 and Marafioti moved all in. Phillips couldn’t fold. Marafioti showed [ac][ad] and Phillips opened [as][qd]. The flop was not great for Marafioti [7h][9h][qh] but he faded the other two queens in the deck - or the runner, runner heart flush to chop - and doubled up.

Phillips quizzed him about the play and Marafioti said: “I’m the most obscure player you’ve ever seen.”

3:32pm: The three short-stacks</b
Here are the three guys sweating hardest on the bubble.