Day Two of the World Poker Tour’s Emperors Palace Poker Classic in Johannesburg, South Africa, is in the books with the potential for history looming on the horizon.
When we left the Day Two action earlier today, Eugene du Plessis was holding a slim lead over Bartolome Gomila Romero, but that changed soon afterwards. On a J-7-3-K flop and turn, Gomila and Day 1A chip leader Nahum Lum both checked their option and headed for the river. When another seven fell there, Gomila fired out a huge 47K bet and Lum would call after a few moments of deliberation. He probably wished he hadn’t as Gomila showed pocket Kings for the turned set and rivered boat and Lum could only send his cards to the muck.
Prior to the dinner break, one of the pros still left in the action at the Emperors Palace was dropped from the event. 2013 World Series of Poker bracelet winner Barny Boatman, battling a short stack for most of the day, pushed all in from the cutoff and Matt Lawrence looked him up from the small blind. Lawrence was sitting on an A-Q and Boatman, on a steal with only a 10-3, couldn’t connect with the board to extend his break from the tournament to “permanent” status.
Dominik Nitsche, the defending champion of this event, was quiet through the pre-dinner segment of the day, but he would amp up his game in the evening hours. Although he doubled up Fernando Brito after dinner, Nitsche was in position to make a charge with an above average chip stack. He found his moment as the day’s action was coming close to an end.
After Benjamin Cole limped into the action from early position, Nitsche surprisingly fired off a raise from the big blind. An undaunted Cole decided to three bet the action and Nitsche, with the same determination, four-bet Cole up to 47K. Cole, in position on the hand, made the call and the twosome saw a K♠ Q♠ 4♠ monochrome flop. Nitsche fired out for 45K and, after Cole called, the turn fell with the 3♠. Nitsche checked the fourth spade, drawing a 50K bet from Cole and a call from Nitsche. A 9♦ completed the board and Nitsche checked once again and, this time, Cole checked his option. Nitsche had the nuts, his A♠ 10♥ coming home on the turn and, as Cole mucked, Nitsche moved into the lead with 480K in chips.
Lawrence, who earlier in the day had proposed to girlfriend Maria Mayrinck (she accepted), seemed to have drawn some strength from that momentous occasion. He would also surge through the evening hours, eliminating Faraz Jaka just short of the money, to push his stack up to 440K. After Greg Ronaldson was bumped off by Aston Soon Shiong in 28th place, the remaining 27 players were all assured of a $4661 payday and a seat for Day Three action on Sunday.
1. Dominik Nitsche, 485,000
2. Matt Lawrence, 449,000
3. Eugene du Plessis, 398,000
4. Aston Soon Shiong, 362,000
5. Rob Fenner, 334,500
6. Benjamin Cole, 330,000
7. Kevin Adriamahefa, 324,000
8. Thomas Koral, 285,500
9. Jason Strauss, 253,000
10. Warren Zackey, 238,000
Other notables still among the 27 players remaining in the tournament are Lum (223.5K), Gaelle Baumann (89K), Ryan Eber (222K), Harold Brooks (152.5K) and Ben Cade (162.5).
If Nitsche is able to maintain this chip lead, he would become the first player to ever repeat as champion of a WPT tournament. Last year, Nitsche dominated from start to finish in this event, taking his first WPT title in the same year he achieved his first WSOP bracelet.
Action is set to restart at 1PM in Johannesburg (7AM East Coast time) and the players will work their way down to the six handed WPT final table that will play out on Monday. The eventual champion will take a seat at the 2014 WPT Championship in April and a $132,128 payday.