PokerStars.net LAPT Florianopolis Day 4: Habernig Rides Chip Lead to Victory
After an intense four days of tournament poker, the PokerStars.net Latin American Poker Tour Florianopolis Main Event has come to a conclusion with Matthias Habernig being crowned champion!
During three days, 364 players took to the felt to test their skills against a mix of seasoned veterans, online qualifiers and part-time grinders, but following plenty of rivered sets, flopped straights and turned flushes, only eight remained on a beautiful Sunday in Brazil.
With the majority of people located at the Costao de Santinho resort abandoning the fantastic weather in preference for a seat at the expected action-packed final table, it would Habernig who had the most eyes on him as he came to the final table with just under half the chips in play.
Already guaranteed a $18,476 payday, with a $247,441 first-place hand out for first, there was a lot of at stake for the combatants, but it didn��t stop the players from getting involved early and often as we saw three eliminations within the first hour.
Rudy Blondeau would be the first to exit after being crippled when his A?A? was cracked by Alexandre Richard Martins�� J?9? as the board ran out Q?6?9?10?K?. Left with a little over three big blinds, Blondeau committed the remainder of his chips holding Q?5? and was called by Martins holding the A?8?. The board blanked out for Blondeau to see the Canadian, and Day 2 chip leader, exit first $18,476 richer.
It appeared to all in attendance that cracked aces may have been the theme to this final table as Rodrigo Scartezani saw his aces go down against Dayan Vardanega��s 9?9?. Vardanega turned a straight draw before finding a third nine on the river to end the fellow Brazilian��s tournament in 7th place after arriving at the final table the shortest stack. Just a few hands later, after the action folded round to him in the small blind, Andre Luiz Scaff moved all in with Habernig making the call from the big blind. Scaff��s 10?9? was unable to spike against Habernig��s Q?J? to make it three victims in barely a full orbit of play.
Another suckout would see Robson Vinicious Kozan��s tournament end when his J?J? was turned by Martins�� 5?5? as a third five found its way onto the board. And in similar fashion to the first few exits, one would near instantly follow as Miguel Velasco three-bet all in holding A?J? and was called by Habernig and his 6?6?. The board ran out ten-high and just like that we were three handed with Habernig holding the majority of chips in play.
After a slow and dull few hands, Martins took a stand on the button with K?9?, but would unfortunately run into Habernig��s A?J?, which would hold up as the board blanked out sending Martins home in 3rd place. This left a Brazilian and an Austrian for heads-up play.
Matthias Habernig �C 5,730,000
Dayan Vardanega �C 1,400,000
Holding a four-to-one chip advantage, Habernig began the heads-up match moving all in on two separate occasions to clip his opponent��s stack before Dayan Vardanega found a huge cooler-of-a-double when his K?4? bested Habernig��s 7?4? on a A?K?4?4?9? board. All the money went in on the river as Vardanega closed the gap to a near even one.
After a double flop-and-turn check-raise, Vardanega snatched the lead as the young Austrian looked visibly upset; eventually turning to Team PokerStars Pro Victor Ramdin for what can only be assumed as some encouraging words on a following break. Roughly twenty minutes following the discussion with Ramdin, Habernig closed the gap and then soared back into the lead when he found three streets of value with top pair against Vardanega��s middle pair.
Nearly another half an hour would pass before, on a A?7?10?Q? board, Vardanega found himself all in holding A?7? against Habernig��s A?10?. No sete would spike on the river for Vardanega as he exited in 2nd place with Habernig becoming the first Austrian LAPT Champion.
Final Table Payouts
1st �C Matthias Habernig ($247,441)
2nd �C Dayan Vardanega ($143,174)
3rd �C Alexandre Richard Martins ($87,600)
4th �C Miguel velasco ($64,676)
5th �C Robson Vinicious Kozan ($46,246)
6th �C Andre Luiz Scaff ($36,974)
7th �C Rodrigo Scartezini ($27,702)
8th �C Rudy Blondeau ($18,476)
It��s not often that you see a Day 1 chip leader carry his strong, early showing through the entire tournament, but the PokerStars.net Online Qualifier Habernig displayed a great deal of patience and poise, mixed with timely aggression to become the inaugural PokerStars.net LAPT Florianopolis Champion and $247,441 richer!
From all the PokerNews crew here in Florianopolis, Brazil, we thank you for following along, and hope that you get a chance to check out our coverage from the next stop in Tallin, Estonia for the beginning of Season 7 of the PokerStars.net European Poker Tour!
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