The 2024 PokerStars North American Poker Tour Las Vegas $5,300 Main Event will play down to a winner this weekend, but there has been plenty of side event action throughout the past week. PokerNews has live reported several of those tournaments, and during that time our live reporting team has captured some big and game-changing hands.
For example, we already published an article on Jeremy Becker getting his aces cracked by Jonathan Little early in the $25,000 Super High Roller. You can read all about that hand here.
Here are some other interesting hands from the past week of the PokerNews live updates from the 2024 NAPT.
Reid ’em and Weep
On Day 1c of the $550 NAPT Mystery Bounty, it was toward the end of the first level when reporter Connor Richards caught a big one. Terrance Reid played a three-way pot on a board of 4♦J♦10♦ and bet 2,000 as Tom Dean called from the small blind.
Dean checked on the 5♣ turn and Reid bet 6,800. Dean check-raised to 15,000 and Reid quickly moved all in as Dean called off even quicker with his stack of 26,700.
Tom Dean: A♦6♦
Terrance Reid: K♦3♦
Reid had flopped the second nuts but was drawing stone dead against the ace-high flush of Dean before the meaningless K♠ river as groans circled the table.
Morimatsu Gets a Miracle Double Off Ko
On Day 2 of the same tournament, it was Level 26 (25,000/50,000/50,000) when reporter David Salituro caught a miracle double-up. It began when David Dongwoo Ko raised to 100,000 in the hijack and Chanelle Morimatsu three-bet to 500,000 in the small blind. Ko then moved all in and Morimatsu called for 950,000.
Chanelle Morimatsu: K♠J♥
David Dongwoo Ko: Q♦Q♠
Morimatsu had run into Ko’s queens as the Q♥8♦A♣ flop gave him a set, but Morimatsu caught the 10♠ on the turn to make a straight. The river was the 3♥ and Morimatsu doubled up.
“This table is sick. I don’t want to play here anymore,” Chris Vickrey said after the hand.
Infamous 2006 WSOP Trash Talker Eric Molina Coolered to Soft Bubble NAPT Opener
Cooler Flop Gives Gutierrez a Massive Double Up
On Day 2 of the $25,000 Super High Roller, it was Level 11 (5,000/10,000/10,000) when reporter Tyler Boyer caught a cooler flop. Elias Gutierrez was first to act and raised to 20,000 before Scott Seiver three-bet to 66,000 from the hijack. It folded back to Gutierrez who lcalled.
The flop came J♠7♣7♠ and Gutierrez check-called a bet of 50,000 from Seiver.
After the 2♥ on the turn, Gutierrez again check-called a bet from Seiver, this time for 165,000.
The river brought the 9♣ and Seiver bet all in for Gutierrez’s stack of 451,000, which was snap-called. Seiver quickly turned over 8♦7♦ for trip sevens. But Gutierrez showed J♦J♣ for a flopped full house, jacks full of sevens to take the massive pot and double up, leaving Seiver short.
Aces Versus Kings for Winter
One level later in Level 12 (6,000/12,000/12,000), reporter Nick Becker witnessed a cooler. A preflop raising war resulted in Sean Winter and Elias Gutierrez getting it all in with Winter at risk.
Sean Winter: A♥A♠
Elias Gutierrez: K♠K♣
Winter found himself in the dream spot and the board ran out 3♥10♣Q♠J♣4♦ to secure him the big double up. It was a cooler, but Winter was on the better end of it, and it no doubt helped contribute to his deep run when he ultimately finished in second place for $288,100. Meanwhile, Gutierrez finished in fifth place for $122,500.
Click here to see who won the NAPT $25,000 Super High Roller
Song Finds the Dream Spot
In the same tournament, it was Level 15 (10,000/25,000/25,000) when Nick Becker caught another interesting hand. Clemen Deng moved all in from under the gun for 175,000, putting himself at risk. Stephen Song called in the cutoff and action folded around to Justin Saliba, who three-bet shoved for 1,715,000 from the big blind. Song snap-called.
Clemen Deng: A♣7♣
Justin Saliba: A♥K♦
Stephen Song: A♠A♦
The board ran out 3♣K♠4♣3♦7♠ and Song’s aces held to scoop a massive pot and help propel him to victory in the tournament.