In the fourth part of this series in which Poker Hall of Fame member Barry Greenstein tells us his life story he talks about the explosion of poker's popularity in the early 2000s. Greenstein alludes to the fact that Rounders, Chris Moneymaker winning the 2003 WSOP Main Event and the birth of online poker all added up to poker being what it is today.
2015 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure
Hand #100: This hand was not shown on the broadcast.
Hand #101: Diego Ventura received a walk in the big blind.
Hand #102: Chance Kornuth limped in from the button with , Ventura completed the small blind with , and Kevin Schulz checked his option with .
They all checked the flop. Ventura led out for 200,000 on the turn and Kornuth called. The river was the and Ventura checked to Kornuth who bet 160,000 on the river with his pair of tens and would lose to Ventura's aces.
Hand #103: Ventura opened from the button and won the blinds and antes.
Hand #104: Kornuth moved all in from the small blind for 1,215,000 with . Ventura had and took several minutes before deciding to fold his hand.
Hand #105: Kornuth moved all in with and Ventura folded . Schulz made the call with . The flop came . The turn was the to give Schulz a straight draw.
The river was the and Schulz hit his straight to eliminate Kornuth in third place. Kornuth went out with a smile on his face, laughing with his rail as they congratulated him on his finish.
The two remaining players are now on a 15-minute break.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Kevin Schulz |
19,405,000
2,905,000
|
2,905,000 |
|
||
Diego Ventura |
5,025,000
-575,000
|
-575,000 |
|
||
Chance Kornuth | Busted | |
|
Hand #94 Diego Ventura opened on the button with and saw Kevin Schulz make it 675,000 in the small blind with . Ventura opted to flat-call, and it was Schulz nailing the flop. Schulz's continuation-bet took it down.
Hand #95: Chance Kornuth and Ventura saw the flop for the minimum in the blinds, and Kornuth bet the flop with , causing his opponent to muck .
Hand #96: Ventura completed and then called a raise to 420,000 from Schulz. The flopped, and both Ventura () and Schulz () missed. Ventura check-folded to Schulz's bet.
Hand #97: Schulz raised with in the small blind, and Kornuth mucked his big blind.
Hand #98: Kornuth had in the small and completed, while Ventura checked the . Both hit the , and Kornuth bet his combo draw for 180,000. Ventura called in position, seeing a fall. Two checks followed, and Kornuth bricked the . Ventura won a free river showdown.
Hand #99: Schulz got a walk.
Hand #88: Diego Ventura picked up and opened from the button to 260,000. Both blinds folded to give Ventura the blinds and antes.
Hand #89: Kevin Schulz opened from the button to 275,000 with and Chance Kornuth three-bet to 725,000 with from the small blind. Schulz made the call.
The flop came and bith players checked. The turn was the to give Schulz a straight. Kornuth checked and Schulz bet 680,000. Kornuth folded.
Hand #90: Kornuth opened with to 250,000 from the button and won the blinds and antes.
Hand #91: Kornuth received a walk in the big blind.
Hand #92: Schulz opened on the button with and was called by Ventura out of the big blind with . They would both check the flop and check again in the turn.
The river was the and they once again would check and Ventura would take it down with his jack kicker.
Hand #93: Kornuth opened to 250,000 from the button with and Schulz called out of the big blind with .
The flop came and both players checked. The turn was the and they again checked. The river was the and Schulz bet 350,000 and Kornuth called with his pair of fours. Schulz took down the pot with his pair of tens.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Kevin Schulz |
16,500,000
615,000
|
615,000 |
|
||
Diego Ventura |
5,600,000
675,000
|
675,000 |
|
||
Chance Kornuth |
2,350,000
-1,270,000
|
-1,270,000 |
|
Hand #83: Diego Ventura received a walk.
Hand #84: Chance Kornuth opened for a raise on the button and Kevin Schulz defended with . He checked the flop, and Kornuth bet 150,000 with . Luckily for Kornuth, the turn was the , and both checked. The turn led to a check from Schulz and a bet from Kornuth. Schulz quickly folded.
Hand #85: On a flop of , Kornuth checked from the big blind and saw Ventura bet and take it down with .
Hand #86: Schulz opened for 275,000 on the button with , and Ventura called with in the big blind. Schulz's continuation-bet of 300,000 was called on the , and an made trips on board. Both checked, and a river meant they both had eights full of fours. Ventura check-called a small bet for the chop.
Hand #87: No button raise this time, as Ventura completed with and Schulz checked . Both flopped pairs as hit. Ventura check-called 220,000. The was a blank, and action went check-check. Same for the , and Ventura took the pot.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Kevin Schulz |
15,885,000
-615,000
|
-615,000 |
|
||
Diego Ventura |
4,925,000
325,000
|
325,000 |
|
||
Chance Kornuth |
3,620,000
120,000
|
120,000 |
|
Hand #79: Chance Kornuth opened to 250,000 from the button with and picked up the blinds and antes.
Hand #80: Diego Ventura opened from the small blind to 335,000 with and was called by Schulz out of the big blind with . The flop came and Ventura bet 300,000 leading to a Schulz fold.
Hand #81:Niklas Hambitzer opened to 240,000 with and Schulz called out of the small blind with .
The flop came and both players checked. The turn was the and Schulz bet 225,000 and Hambitzer folded.
Hand #82: Ventura opened to 250,000 with and Schulz three-bet to 625,000 with . Hambitzer moved all in for 1,285,000 with . Ventura folded and Schulz made the call.
The flop came to move Schulz into the lead. The turn was the and Hambitzer was drawing dead. The river was the and Hambitzer was eliminated in fourth place with Schulz holding a massive chip lead heading into three-handed play.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Kevin Schulz |
16,500,000
2,035,000
|
2,035,000 |
|
||
Niklas Hambitzer | Busted |
Kornuth's PCA has been full of surprises. As the PokerStars Blog reports, he's pretty fond of one of them.
Hand #72: Kevin Schulz got a walk.
Hand #73: Diego Ventura raised the button with and took down the pot.
Hand #74: This hand wasn't broadcast.
Hand #75: Schulz opened for 275,000 with , and Niklas Hambitzer made it 725,000 with . Schulz cut out a four-bet and got a snap-fold because he could even place the bet out.
Hand #76: Schulz got a walk.
Hand #77: Schulz jammed , and Kornuth folded in the big blind.
Hand #78: Kornuth jammed 1.7 million in the small blind with and was called by Hambitzer's . The flop left Kornuth wanting, and he got out of his seat. The turn was a brick, and Kornuth needed an ace or seven. He got one on the river.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Kevin Schulz |
14,465,000
1,005,000
|
1,005,000 |
|
||
Diego Ventura |
4,600,000
-120,000
|
-120,000 |
|
||
Chance Kornuth |
3,500,000
1,610,000
|
1,610,000 |
|
||
Niklas Hambitzer |
1,585,000
-2,775,000
|
-2,775,000 |
Hand #67: Chance Kornuth opened for 300,000 from the button with . Diego Ventura called out of the small blind with . Kevin Schulz also called out of the big blind with .
The flop came and it was checked around. The turn was the and Ventura checked. Schulz bet 380,000 and Kornuth called with his nut flush draw. Ventura folded.
The river was the and Schulz fired a second bullet, this time for 420,000. Kornuth thought for a moment and let his hand go. Schulz moved above the ten million chip mark with that pot.
Hand #68: This hand was not shown on the broadcast.
Hand #69: Diego Ventura opened to 265,000 from the button with and Schulz three-bet to 675,000 from the small blind with . Chance Kornuth picked up in the big blind and four-bet to 1,200,000. Ventura folded and Schulz five-bet shoved all in and Kornuth quickly folded.
Hand #70: Ventura opened with to 265,000 and was called by Niklas Hambitzer out of the big blind with . The flop came giving Hambitzer bottom pair and Ventura middle pair with the flush draw.
Both players checked and the turn was the and they again checked. The river was the and it went check-check again and Ventura dragged the pot.
Hand #71: Schulz opened with to 275,000. Kornuth called from the button with . The blinds folded and the flop was and Schulz fired a bet of 360,000 and Kornuth called.
The turn was the and Schulz slowed down, checking and Kornuth checked as well. The river was the and Schulz bet 620,000 and Kornuth hero called with queen high to leave him with just 1,890,000.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Kevin Schulz |
13,460,000
4,040,000
|
4,040,000 |
|
||
Diego Ventura |
4,720,000
-360,000
|
-360,000 |
|
||
Niklas Hambitzer |
4,360,000
-405,000
|
-405,000 |
Chance Kornuth |
1,890,000
-3,275,000
|
-3,275,000 |
|
Hand #62: Kevin Schulz took it down with a raise with under the gun.
Hand #63: Chance Kornuth opened for 275,000 under the gun, and Niklas Hambitzer repopped to 650,000 on the button. Everyone folded.
Hand #64: Hambitzer raised to 275,000 with , and Chance Kornuth called from the big blind with . The flop was a dream for Hambitzer, but Kornuth check-folded.
Hand #65: Diego Ventura raised to 275,000 under the gun and took it down with .
Hand #66: Another under-the-gun raise, this time Schulz with . Kornuth called on the button with , and Ventura came along with from the big blind. A flop brought top pair for Schulz and the nut flush draw for Kornuth. Schulz continued for 675,000, about two-thirds of the pot, and Kornuth certainly wasn't going away, but Ventura mucked. A bricked off the turn, Schulz slowed down with a check, and Kornuth fired 800,000. Schulz called the wager, and he made queens up with the river and checked. Kornuth waved the white flag, and Schulz took down the hefty pot.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Kevin Schulz |
9,420,000
2,185,000
|
2,185,000 |
|
||
Chance Kornuth |
5,165,000
-2,460,000
|
-2,460,000 |
|
||
Diego Ventura |
5,080,000
-295,000
|
-295,000 |
|
||
Niklas Hambitzer |
4,765,000
605,000
|
605,000 |