PartyPoker Premier League VII has just one heat left to play after Brian Rast took the honors in Heat 5, but it’s Dan Colman who leads the overall tournament with 37 points.
Whilst most of the world was enjoying their weekend, the world’s best poker players were grafting hard in the PartyPoker Premier League VII.
Sorel Mizzi took the third heat after defeating Heat 1 winner Jeff Gross in heads-up action, and Dan Colman did likewise to Phil Laak to win the fourth heat and take the overall lead as we headed into the fifth and penultimate preliminary heat.
Heat 5 Starting Line Up
Seat 1: Jeff Gross
Seat 2: Jason Koon
Seat 3: Antonio Esfandiari
Seat 4: Daniel Cates
Seat 5: Dan Shak
Seat 6: Phil Laak
Seat 7: Brian Rast
Seat 8: Dan Colman
What a woeful Premier League VII it has been for our reigning champion Dan Shak. The Wall Street mogul took the bagel in the second heat before regaining some self esteem with a fourth place finish in the third; but it was back to bagel basics as once again Shak would finish at the bottom of the pile for nil points. Shak moving all-in with [8c] [7c], and the short stack, only to be picked off by Brian Rast holding pocket kings.
The world’s top live tournament money earner finished in seventh place. Antonio Esfandiari taking the solitary point after losing a flip – once again against Rast – ace-king versus jacks, and although an ace appeared on the flop so did a third jack.
Dan Colman moved further ahead at the top of the league when he picked up three points for a sixth place finish. Phil Laak opened to 18k, Brian Rast moved all-in holding pocket deuces, Dan Colman called holding pocket jacks and Laak folded pocket nines. A deuce on the turn eliminating Colman and handing Rast 56% of the chips in play.
Phil Laak would be the next name to leave the table after exiting in fifth place for five points. The Unabomber moving all-in holding king-queen and was dominated and eliminated by the ace-king of Gross who flopped an ace for good measure.
Daniel ‘Jungleman’ Cates has an excellent Premier League pedigree and he moved into fifth place on the overall leader board after picking up seven points in this heat. Rast opening with pocket sevens, Jungleman jamming with pocket fours and Rast making the call. A seven on the flop giving Rast a set.
That left Jason Koon, Jeff Gross and Brian Rast to bash it out for the highest points totals, and it was Koon who would take nine of them after moving all-in with pocket treys and losing out to Rast and ace-king.
That gave us a pretty even-steven heads up encounter, which eventually went the way of Rast. Gross opening to 48k, Rast raising to 120k, Gross moving all-in and Rast calling. It was [Kd] [8s] for Gross, pocket aces for Rast and Gross is now favorite to top the leader board with just one heat remaining; meanwhile Rast is right back in the mix after a sub-standard previous two heats.
Points after Heat 5
1st. Dan Colman 37 points (Played 4)
2nd. Jeff Gross 36 points (Played 3)
3rd. Jason Koon 29 points (Played 4)
4th. Sorel Mizzi 26 points (Played 3)
5th. Daniel Cates 24 points (Played 4)
6th. Brian Rast 20 points (Played 3)
7th. Phil Laak 19 points (Played 4)
8th. Jonathan Duhamel 17 points (Played 3)
9th. Antonio Esfandiari 15 points (Played 3)
10th. Scott Seiver 11 points (Played 3)
11th. Vanessa Selbst 9 points (Played 3)
12th. Dan Shak 7 points (Played 3)
One more heat to play that will include Jeff Gross, Sorel Mizzi, Brian Rast, Jonathan Duhamel, Antonio Esfandiari, Scott Seiver, Vanessa Selbst and Dan Shak.
Photo courtesy of PartyPoker flickr
