$3,500 Championship No Limit Hold’em

End of Level 26: Blinds 20k/40k/4k ante
2 players remaining, 5.19 mill avg (130 bb)

As the final two players push chips around the felt, lets take a look at what they’re playing with.

There are 10.38 million chips in play and currently there are four denominations of chips on the table:

Orange – 1k
Gray – 5k
Blue – 25k
White – 100k

This is TK Miles’ stack a short while ago.  Most of the stacks are 40 chips tall.

Orange – 1k:    3 stacks of 40, plus 25 on top = 145 chips x 1k = 145k
Gray – 5k:          5 stacks of 40, plus 1 stack of 36, plus one stack of 29 = 265 chips x 5k = 1.325 million
Blue – 25k:        3 stacks of 40, plus 1 stack of 32 = 152 chips x 25k = 3.8 million
White – 100k:  12 chips x 100k = 1.2 million

For a total chip stack of 6.47 million.  That’s a lotta cheddah, yo!

Level 26: Blinds 20k/40k/4k ante
2 players remaining, 5.19 mill avg (130 bb)

Stephen Diamantas got his last chips in pre-flop from the button holding , but ran into TK Miles’ .  The board changed nothing as it fell .

Stephen Diamantas busted out in 3rd place, earning $102,010.

The local pro won the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Winter Open Championship here for $122k.  His lifetime earnings before today were $193k.

The heads-up match began with TK Miles holding 6.26 million to Andrew Batkin’s 4.12 million.

$3,500 Championship No Limit Hold’em

Level 26: Blinds 20k/40k/4k ante
3 players remaining, 3.46 mill avg (87 bb)

Stephen Diamantas and Andrew Batkin get to the river again and all the chips go in.

The board showed and Stephen had for the Queen-high flush.  Andrew held for the nut flush to take the pot.

Andrew doubled up to ~ 4 million while Stephen dropped to about 650k.

$3,500 Championship No Limit Hold’em

Level 26: Blinds 20k/40k/4k ante
3 players remaining, 3.46 mill avg (87 bb)

Stephen Diamantas and Andrew Batkin get to the river with the board showing .  Andrew jammed for 688k and after some thought, Stephen called.

Andrew showed for the flush.  Stephen has for Aces-up.

Andrew doubled up about 2.1 million.  Stephen dropped to about 2.8 million.

$3,500 Championship No Limit Hold’em

Level 26: Blinds 20k/40k/4k ante
3 players remaining, 3.46 mill avg (87 bb)

In a battle of the blinds, Robert Bennett (bb) got all his chips in the middle against TK Miles (sb).

Robert: 
TK: 

Board:

TK took the pot with King-high.

Robert Bennett busted out in 4th place, earning $82,001.

On his way out, Robert said “I feel good about 4th and don’t let bad thoughts get to me.  These guys are way better than me, I’m just happy to be here.”

3,500 Championship No Limit Hold’em

Level 26: Blinds 20k/40k/4k ante
4 players remaining, 2.6 mill avg (65 bb)

Stephen Diamantas, Andrew Batkin and TK Miles each put in 250k to see a flop of
.

Diamantas checks, Batkin bets 400k, Miles folds, Diamantas moves all in for ~2 million and Batkin goes in the tank.

“Give me a second guys,” says Batkin, who has 1.3 million behind and is slightly covered.

Batkin eventually folds and Diamantas wins the pot, taking his stack to 3 million. Batkin drops to 1.3 million.

$3,500 Championship No Limit Hold’em

Level 26: Blinds 20k/40k/4k ante
4 players remaining, 2.6 mill avg (65 bb)

Andrew Batkin (sb) and Robert Bennett (button) get to the turn with a board of .  All the chips go in and Andrew is ahead with for top pair with nut flush draw.  Robert held for a useless flush draw and a gutshot straight draw/straight-flush draw.  He needed a 9 on the river to bust Andrew.

River was the and changed nothing.  Andrew doubled up to nearly 2 million chips.  Robert was left with about 650k.

$3,500 Championship No Limit Hold’em

Level 26: Blinds 20k/40k/4k ante
4 players remaining, 2.6 mill avg (65 bb)

Chip Counts

TK Miles 5.655 million (141 bb)
Stephen Diamantas 2.174 million (54 bb)
Robert Bennett 1.6 million (40 bb)
Andrew Batkin 953k (24 bb)

Remaining Prize Pool

1st $295,203
2nd $164,003
3rd $102,010
4th $82,001

$3,500 Championship No Limit Hold’em

Level 25: Blinds 15k/30k/3k ante
4 players remaining, 2.6 mill avg (87 bb)

The final four have been pushing chips around the felt for a while, with no significant movement.

On a recent hand, Stephen Diamantas and TK Miles get to the river with a board of .  Stephen bet 200k and TK took a couple of minutes, then let it go.