Welcome to the final table of the LAPT7 Brazil. We’re only moments away from getting the cards in the air and already a sizable crowd has gathered to sweat the acton (including at least one guy armed with an air horn…wait, make that two). Last night, we whittled down from 71 players to our final eight contenders and the talk of the room surrounded hometown favorite Victor Sbrissa, who won this very event last year and is seeking a repeat title. He’ll have to outlast some serious competition to do so including one of our own Red Spades, Team PokerStars Pro Angel Guillen, playing his third career LAPT final table.
Seat 1 – Caio Hey (Brazil) 2,715,000
Seat 2 – Angel Guillen (Mexico) 3,790,000
Seat 3 – Gustavo Lopes Vascao (Brazil) 1,700,000
Seat 4 – Juan Pablo Franco (Argentina) 1,840,000
Seat 5 – Andre Cuco (Portugal) 2,490,000
Seat 6 – Alex Sako (Brazil) 1,480,000
Seat 7 – Victor Sbrissa (Brazil) 9,325,000
Seat 8 – Joaquin Matias Ruiz (Argentina) 5,425,000
In Seat 1 we have 24-year old Caio Hey. Hailing from Porto Velho, Brazil, he made a BSOP final table back in 2011 and won the 2013 Tower Cruise tournament for $50,000 USD. He arrives today fourth in chips with 2,715,000.
On Hey’s left sits Mr. Soul Read himself, Mexico’s Angel Guillen. The 31 year-old Team Pro won his first WSOP bracelet in 2009 and has both a second and third place finish in LAPT Main Events. With nearly $1.6 million in live tournament earnings, he’s undoubtedly the most experienced player at the final table and currently sits third in chips with 3,790,000.
Gustavo Vascao occupies the three seat and arrives today with the second-shortest stack. In the summer of 2011 the 40-year old Brazilian traveled to Las Vegas and won both a Caesar’s Mega Stack event and the Bellagio’s Fourth of July tournament. He starts the day with 1,700,000 in chips.
Today marks 22-year old Juan Pablo Franco’s first LAPT final table. The chip leader to begin Day 3, Franco has a second and fourth place finish to his credit in local tournaments in his native Argentina and brings 1,840,000 into play.
Hailing from Portimao, Portugal, Andre Cuco is also a first-time LAPT final tablist. The 26-year old recently finished in fourth place at the Estoril Poker Open in Lisbon and is presently sitting on 2,490,000 in chips.
Our short stack Alex Sako is celebrating his first-ever final table. The 45-year old Sao Paulo native was nearly out in ninth place last night, but picked up pocket jacks and doubled through Victor Sbrissa to survive. He begins with 1,480,000 in chips, just short of 15 big blinds.
VIctor Sbrissa has a massive stack to work with today and he knows how to use it. With 10 players remaining last night, he pulled off a fantastic bluff, putting his opponent to a decision for all his chips on the turn with four to a straight on the board. Sbrissa got a fold and showed only king high. Should he win today, Sbrissa would join Team Pro Nacho Barbero as the LAPT’s only two-time champions. In addition to his win last season, Sbrissa has 7 BSOP cashes and finished eighth in the €25,000 high roller event at the 2013 EPT Grand Final. Sbrissa has quite the enthusiastic rail today, including his father and at least one of the air horn-weilding gentlemen.
Joaquin Matias Ruiz seized the chip lead midway through Day 3 and presently sits second in chips. The 24-year old from Buenos Aires is primarily an online cash game player and is at his first live final table. He brings 5,425,000 into play today.
Stay tuned to our coverage of the LAPT Brazil –we’ll be here all day and night as we play down to a new champion. You can also click on any of the links below to access the live stream with commentary in Spanish and Portuguese. That is, if you don’t mind the frequent pierce of an air horn.
Photography from LAPT7 Brazil by Carlos Monti. Live streaming of the final table in both Spanish and Portuguese is available via PokerStars.tv. You can also follow the Spanish feed at PokerStars or via Facebook, and the Portugeuse feed at PokerStars or via Facebook.
Kristin Bihr is a freelance contributor to the PokerStars Blog.
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