The first major event of 2013 wrapped up yesterday and just like the “warm-up” $100,000 Super High Roller Event, a player came from way behind, overcoming a sizeable chip deficit to win the 2013 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) Main Event. That man was Bulgarian Dimitar Danchev, who became the first player from his country to win the PCA.
This was Danchev’s first major title, though he did come very close once before. In 2011, he finished as the runner-up at the European Poker Tour’s (EPT) San Remo Main Event, banking €600,000 ($827,232). He took him a million more dollars this go-around, bringing his lifetime live poker tournament winnings to about $2.9 million. His two big cashes are the only two of his career better than five-digits.
Danchev was the seventh of eight stacks at the start of the final table, holding 1.995 million chips. That was a far cry from the two chip leaders, Jerry Wong and Joel Micka, who held 7.4 million and 6.475 million chips, respectively. Here is how the final table shaped up at the beginning of Sunday’s play:
1. Jerry Wong – 7.4 million
2. Joel Micka – 6.475 million
3. Andrey Shatilov – 3.22 million
4. Owen Crowe – 2.9 million
5. Joao Nogueira – 2.89 million
6. Yann Dion – 2.535 million
7. Dimitar Danchev – 1.995 million
8. Jonathan Roy – 1.525 million
Danchev got to work immediately, moving up the leaderboard in a hurry. Just a few hands in, he flopped the nut flush with A♣-Q♣ and was thrilled to see the chip leader, Jerry Wong, put him all-in. Wong had K♣-K♥ and Danchev doubled-up after Wong’s runner-runner boat never materialized. Right after that, Danchev took another nice pot to make his way up to 4.6 million within a few hands.
It took some time for the first elimination to occur, but it finally happened about an hour and a half after Danchev’s advance. Joel Micka, who had taken a 5 million chip lead over anyone else, raised to 200,000 pre-flop and Joao Nogueira moved all-in for 1.375 million. Noguiera had A♦-6♣ and was never able to hit an Ace to overcome Micka’s Q♥-Q♦, bowing out in 8th place. That hand also took Micka’s stack up to 11.195 million, 6.5 million more than Andrey Shatilov, sitting in 2nd.
It didn’t take long for the next few eliminations to occur. Yann Dion went all-in for 1.56 million pre-flop with A♥-9♣ and was re-raised by Jonathan Roy, who had A♣-K♣. Nobody else wanted to put any more chips into the pot, so the two saw the community cards run out T♠-7♠-6♣-Q♣-J♣, resulting in Dion’s ouster.
A short time later, Shatilov moved all-in from the button for his last 750,000 with J♣-8♣. Owen Crowe then went all-in for 1.675 million with A♥-9♣, but Wong had A♦-K♣, so he called, putting both of his opponents’ tournament lives at risk. The flop was Q♦-4♦-2♥, allowing Wong to maintain the best hand. The 4♣ on the turn and 7♣ on the river did the same, adding 2 million chips to Wong’s stack and knocking out Crowe and Shatilov in 5th and 6th place.
Just a few minutes later, Roy and Wong got into a pre-flop raising war, eventually getting all their chips into the pot. It was a race, as Roy held 7♥-7♦ and Wong had A♥-J♠. Wong nailed a Jack on the flop to eliminated Roy in 4th place.
At this point, Wong had 13.12 million chips, Micka had 11.36 million, and Danchev was trailing way behind with just 4.615 million.
Both Danchev and Micka started taking Wong’s chips, though, putting him in danger. On his final hand, Wong three-bet to 650,000 after Micka raised to 240,000. Wong bet another 725,000 after the A♥-K♣-5♥ flop, Micka re-raised Wong all-in, and Wong made the call. With his A♦-Q♦, Wong had top pair, top kicker against Micka’s 8♥-6♥, good for a flush draw. The 8♠ was dealt on the turn, giving Micka even more of a chance to win and the 6♦ gave him the improbable runner-runner two pair and Wong third place prize money.
Going into heads-up play, Micka had more than a 2-to-1 chip lead on Danchev, 20.195 million to 8.875 million.Danchev soon took a big pot with a set over Micka’s two pair, allowing him to almost double and pull to within 2.5 million. He fell back again, but once again rose back up, doubling through Micka to take a one million chip lead.
Danchev never lost the lead after that. On the final hand, he raised to 400,000 pre-flop and Micka moved all-in for 6.675 million. It was a race: Micka’s 4♥-4♦ against Danchev’s A♦-Q♥. The flop came down A♠-6♠-2♣, giving Danchev top pair and reducing Micka’s chances to the two remaining fours or runner-runner straight. The T♣ on the turn took away the straight draw and the 7♣ clinched the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure championship and $1,859,000 for Danchev.
2013 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Main Event – Final Table Results
1. Dimitar Danchev – $1,859,000
2. Joel Micka – $1,190,000
3. Jerry Wong – $725,000
4. Jonathan Roy – $560,000
5. Owen Crowe – $435,000
6. Andrey Shatilov – $325,000
7. Yann Dion – $230,000
8. Joao Nogueira – $165,900