PokerStars is currently hosting the 2023 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA), and today the second ever PokerStars Players No-Limit Hold’em Championship (PSPC) begins and runs through February 3. The buy-in for the PSPC will be $25,000, mirroring that of the first installment.
The PokerNews Live Reporting Team has been on-site to offer live updates from a slew of PCA tournaments. Here’s a look at five of the more interesting hands captured in our live updates from the Bahamas.
Click here to download the My Stack app for iPhone, or click here to download the My Stack app for Android.
Beresford's Aces Lead to a Double
On Day 2 of the $50,000 7-Handed High Roller, it was Level 22 (25,000/50,000/50,000) when Dan Smith opened on the button to 100,000 and quickly faced a three-bet from Conor Beresford in the small blind to 260,000. Ben Heath got out of the way and Smith called to see the 6♣️
Beresford led out for 65,000 and Smith called again to the a♠️
Beresford used a time bank card before sliding in a bet of 100,000. Smith then used a time bank of his own and announced all in, committing enough chips to put Beresford at risk.
Beresford's chips moved forward instantly as he tabled a♥️a♣️ for a turned full house. Smith flashed his cards to his opponents before mucking them to the dealer, giving Beresford the chip lead at the end of Level 22.
"There's No Folding Range!": Addamo Floats Beresford
On Day 1 of the $25,000 8-Handed High Roller, it was Level 9 (1,500/3,000/3,000) when in a three-way pot on a board of 7♦️2♣️10♠️, Dimitar Danchev checked in the big blind and Beresford checked from the hijack before Michael Addamo bet 5,500 on the button. Danchev folded and Beresford check-raised to 14,500. Addamo called.
Beresford bet 8,000 on the q♦️ turn and Addamo sat perfectly still before raising to 24,000. Beresford folded to hang onto his remaining 33,500.
"I don't know why I tried against this guy. There's no folding range!" lamented Beresford. "But I'll keep f***ing fighting."
Badziakouski Exits Holding Aces; Mikolaitis Soars into Chip Lead
On Day 2 of the same tournament in Level 20 (15,000/30,000/30,000), Mikita Badziakouski and Dominykas Mikolaitis got it all in preflop for piles, with Badziakouski at risk.
Mikita Badziakouski: a♣️♦️a
Dominykas Mikolaitis: k♣️k♠️
Badziakouski was on the right side of this cooler going into this hand, but the tables quickly turned on the flop of 7♣️3♠️k♦️ to give Mikolaitis top set of kings.
The board completed with 2♣️8♣️ to secure Mikolaitis' victory and sent Badziakouski to the rail. Mikolaitis now has a massive stack of 1,900,000 and is the tournament's clear chip leader.
Double Elimination at the Feature Table
On Day 4 of the 2023 PCA Main Event, just 23 players remained from an 889-player field when, in Level 22 (10,000/20,000/20,000), Michel Dattani raised to 40,000 from early position. Ramon Colillas was in middle position and three-bet to 185,000 leaving himself only 5,000 behind. Elias Gutierrez in the cutoff four-bet to 330,000. Action was back on Dattani who moved all in for 1,005,000. Colillas tossed in his last chip and Gutierrez snap-called.
Ramon Colillas: a♣️k♦️
Elias Gutierrez: q♠️q♥️
Michel Dattani: a♠️a♥️
Board: 9♦️7♠️5♠️7♣️6♥️
Dattani was in a great position to secure a double knockout and win a huge pot. The board ran out nine-high and eliminated both Colillas and Gutierrez as Dattani moved up to more than two million chips.
Raymond Folds Full House Correctly
On Day 5 of the PCA Main Event, it was Level 26 (25,000/50,000/50,000) when Pedro Neves raised to 100,000 from early position and was called by Alexandre Raymond from the big blind.
Raymond, with ♦️aq♣️, check-raised to 200,000 on the q♥️5♦️q♦️ flop after Neves continued for 70,000 with his k♠️k♦️. Neves called.
Raymond improved to a full house on the 5♥️ turn and action checked through.
The k♥️ river then improved Neves to a superior full house and Raymond led out for 325,000. Neves then raised, choosing a sizing of 1,800,000. Miraculously, Raymond found the correct fold and did it without using up a time bank card.
