Eighteen one-hour levels are in the books in the Latin American Poker Tour Grand Final Main Event in São Paulo. Since the bubble burst an hour-and-a-half ago, 20 more players have cashed the event to leave 43 to continue their pursuit of the last Main Event title of LAPT Season 8.

Not long after surviving the bubble bursting, Caio Pessagno saw his Grand Final run come to an end in a hand versus Maximiliano Gallardo.

Pessagno and Gallardo pushed back and forth through the flop, turn, and river as the board came 6♣ A♥ 3♥ Q♣ J♦ . That river jack prompted an all-in push from Pessagno, and Gallardo came up with a call holding A♦ 9♥ . Top pair of aces was more than enough against Pessagno’s bluff with a busted wheel draw — 5♦ 2♣ — and the member of Team PokerStars Pro Online hit the rail in 58th for a min-cash of R$15,980.

Caio PessagnoA little later Amos Ben took pocket queens up against the ace-king of Afonso Henrique. No ace or king came among the community cards, but the 5♦ 5♥ 2♠ 3♣ 4♦ board added up to a straight for Henrique, and Ben finished in 48th (R$17,300).

Amos BenThe collecting of Ben’s chips was but part of a larger rush for Henrique, who cruised passed everyone to be the first player to a half-million.

Players are returning from break, with the plan at present being to play two more one-hour levels.

Photography from LAPT8 Brazil by Carlos Monti. You can also follow the action in Spanish here and in Portuguese here.

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Martin Harris is Freelance Contributor to the PokerStars Blog.

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