The $1,100 buy-in WPT Prime Voyage Championship attracted 968 runners over three starting flights before surviving players returned for Day 2 to compete for a share of a $968,000 prize pool. When the dust settled, Brazil’s Gregory De Faria finished as the last player standing to claim the title and $155,400 first-place prize.
Throughout the event, which took place on the Virgin Voyages’ Valiant Lady, the World Poker Tour (WPT) live reporting team of Liam Gannon, Mike Patrick, BJ Nemeth and Mickey Doft were on-hand to capture all the action.
During that time, they caught some either interesting or game-changing hands. Check out five of them below.
“This is a Disaster”
On Day 1a in Level 14 (2,500/5,000/5,000), a player opened for 12,000 and Trent Boudreau called from the hijack. The small blind called and then Jeff Platt moved all in for 98,000 from the big blind. The original raiser jammed over the top, Boudreau called to put both players at risk, and the small blind got out of the way.
Jeff Platt: K♥J♥
Original Raiser: J♦J♠
Trent Boudreau: A♠K♠
“This is a disaster,” Platt said upon discovering between his two opponents he was drawing thin. Indeed, the poker commentator watched helplessly as the board ran out 4♠10♠8♣7♠7♣ to give Boudreau the double elimination.
Fortunately for Platt, he reentered a different flight and went on to finish the tournament in 108th place for $2,000.
Holloway’s Rollercoaster Ride
On Day 1b in Level 12 (1,500/3,000/3,000), PokerNews Podcast host Chad Holloway got his stack of 103,000 all in preflop and was racing against Michael Wang.
Chad Holloway: A♦K♠
Michael Wang: Q♦Q♥
It was a classic flip, and Holloway took a big lead when the A♠J♣2♠ flop delivered him a pair of aces. Neither the J♠ turn nor 4♣ river changed a thing and Holloway shipped a big double.
In the very next hand, a middle-position player raised to 10,000 and Holloway just called from the big blind with the 9♠9♦. He then checked top set on the 9♥7♣2♠ flop and smooth called when his opponent bet 14,000.
On the A♥ turn, Holloway checked for a second time and then snap-called when the middle-position player moved all in for 43,000. The middle-position player was drawing dead with the K♣10♣ and Holloway pulled in another nice pot when the 8♣ completed the board on the river.
Unfortunately, Holloway’s stack dwindled and in Level 17 (5,000/10,000/10,000) he shoved his last 90,000 from the button with the K♥4♠ and was called by the K♣Q♥ of Jeff Farnes in the big blind.
Holloway was dominated and left drawing thin when the Q♠Q♦6♠ flop gave Farnes trip queens. The 3♦ turn left Holloway drawing dead and he was eliminated short of the money after the meaningless 7♦ was put out on the river.
5 Big Hands from the WPT Voyage – Cracked Aces Leads to Andrew Neeme’s Demise
Robin Poker’s Boat on a Boat
On Day 1c in Level 2 (200/300/300), PokerNews Ambassador Lukas “Robin Poker” Robinson and two other players were on the turn with around 8,000 in the pot and a board reading K♥K♦Q♦6♦. Two checks saw Robinson bet 3,000 from the hijack and only Bartley Dowling called from the small blind.
When the 10♥ appeared on the river, Dowling checked and Robinson bet 10,000. Dowling called only to muck when Robinson rolled over the K♣Q♥ for a full house.
Robinson went deep but in Level 16 (4,000/8,000/8,000) he moved all in for 65,000 holding the K♣10♠ on the button and Darrell Floyd called from the small blind with the A♥Q♠. The board ran out Q♦Q♣2♠3♦10♦ and that was all she wrote for the Game of Gold star.
Game of Gold’s Olga Ousted
Speaking of Game of Gold stars, Olga Iermolcheva was on the WPT Voyage and made Day 2 of the Prime tournament. In Level 18 (6,000/12,000/12,000), she found herself all in for approximately 200,000 and up against WPT Prime World Championship winner Calvin Anderson.
Olga Iermolcheva: A♥5♥
Calvin Anderson: A♠7♠
Both players held an ace but Iermolcheva had a kicker problem. Unfortunately for her, it didn’t get resolved as the board ran out 8♣6♥2♠6♣3♣ to send her out in 19th place for $2,000.
Big One for the Eventual Champ
With 44 players remaining on Day 2 in Level 22 (15,000/30,000/30,000), Zoltan Lanszki raised to 60,000 from middle position and then called off for 640,000 after Gregory De Faria moved all in for 690,000 from the button.
Zoltan Lanszki: A♥K♣
Gregory De Faria: A♠Q♠
Lanszki got it in as a heavy favorite and maintained the lead on the J♦4♠3♥ flop. Unfortunately for him, the running 7♠ turn and 9♠ river gave De Faria a runner-runner flush. Lanszki finished in 44th place for $4,500 while that hand helped De Faria on his way to winning the whole thing!
*Images courtesy of WPT.
PR & Media Manager
PR & Media Manager for PokerNews, Podcast host & 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.