The Big 50s Updates

02:35- Santo Biddix raises the button to 850,000 and Steven Blay calls. The flop shows Qd 10h 5c and Blay checks, Biddix immediately goes all-in and Blay considers, then calls. Biddix tables Jc 9h and Blay shows Kh 10c. The 4c turn is no help to Biddix, who needs one of 10 outs to win the tournament. The Jd is the river card sending Blay home in 2nd place after an hour-long heads-up battle. Blay earned $11,046 for his 15.5 hour marathon in the Big 50s. Blay’s success wasn’t a fluke as he’s a seasoned tournament player with a history of consistent cashes in live events. Over the years he has recorded multiple live tournament cashes and gone deep in a variety of regional and national tournaments, accumulating more than $50,000 in recorded live earnings across more than a dozen finishes. In addition to his experience as a competitor, Blay is an analyst, coach, and founder of AdvancedPokerTraining.com, a site focused on improving player decision-making through simulation and study. He has worked with elite players, served as an advisor during a World Series of Poker Main Event final table, and published poker strategy content used by players around the world.

02:15- Start of Level 28 150,000/300,000/300,000

01:56- Another flip-flop of chips when both players get all-in on a 2c 9d 6d board. Biddix shows 7d 5d, and Blay shows 9h 7s. Blay’s pair holds up fading all straight and flush outs for Biddix. (Blay 9.5 million, Biddix 4 million)

01:53- Santo Biddix raises to 700,000 from the button and Steven Blay raises all-in. Biddix snap-calls, and shows 10s 3s to Blay’s 4c 4d. The flop brings a 10c 7h 5s, placing Biddix massively ahead. The turn and river offers Blay no help, reversing the chip count in Biddix’ favor.

01:45- After some back and forth Level 27 has begun with blinds at 100,000/200,000/200,000. Steven Blay has a stack of 9,000,000 while Biddix has 4,250,000.

01:33- Roy Lee, who was down to just a few bigs in Level 11, mounts a huge comeback which ends in 3rd place, and a $7,890 payday when his pocket 5s falls to Santo Biddix’s Qh 2s.

01:30- Santo Biddix raises 400,000 from the button and Roy Lee reluctantly called from the big blind with 7s 5d. Biddix shows As 8s and the board gives Lee a pair, doubling him up to 900,000. (Santo Biddix 2.7 million)

01:24- Thomas Grey goes all-in from the button, and Steven Blay calls from the big blind. Blay tables As Jd, and Grey tables Kh 4h. 4c in the window, but the Ah peaks out next. The remainder of the board 6c 5d 6s silences Grey’s sing-song night. Grey takes home $6,312 for his 4th place finish. (Steven Blay 9.5 million)

01:15- Steven Blay shoves from the button and Roy Lee calls from the small blind. Thomas Grey folds, and Lee shows Qs Qh, while Blay shows Kd Qd. The Qc on the flop pretty much locks the hand for Lee who doubles up to 1.5 million. (Steven Blay 8.5 million)

01:10- A massive hand takes place between Steven Blay and Thomas Gray that gets both players in on a flop of Ks Jd 2s. Blay, all-in for his remaining 3.6 million shows Ad Kh, and Gray who has 300,000 behind shows Kd 8d. the turn is a 7d giving Gray four to a flush, but the 10s river doubles up, and makes Blay the new chip leader at just under 8 million of the 13 million chips in play.

01:05- Anderson Premdas hits the rail in 5th place and earns $4,537 for his day’s efforts.

00:55- Nathan Lee is all-in in the big blind. Action folds to Anderson Premdas on the button who calls, Roy Lee calls. The flop 3d 6h 8d goes check, check. The turn Qc goes check, check. The river, 2d, gets a check from Roy Lee and a bet of 100,000 from Premdas. Roy Lee folds, and Premdas tables Ac Qc, and Nathan Lee hits the rail in 6th place with Ks 7s for $3,748.

00:50- Nathan Lee raises all in UTG for 1.075 million, it folds to Steven Blay who calls all-in for 1.0 million. Anderson Premdas goes into the tank and calls, Roy Lee folds. Nathan Lee shows Ad 2c, Steven Blay shows 6d 6s, and Anderson Premdas shows Kd Qd. The board runs out 3c 3d 5c 7s 10d. Blay ends the hand with 3.2 million, Premdas 1.0 million, and Nathan Lee on life support with 150,000.

00:45- Start of Level 25 50,000/100,000/100,000

00:37- Action folds to Roy Lee on the button who raises all in for 730,000. Nathan Lee calls and Thomas Gray folds. Roy Lee shows AsJs and Nathan Lee shows Ad 10d. Board: 9c Ks 7s 8d 5d. (Roy Lee 1.6 million, Nathan Lee 725,000)

00:32- Roy Lee folds, Nathan Lee folds, Thomas Gray raises to 325,000. Santo Biddix raises all-in from the button and Blay and Premdas fold. Gray tanks and calls the all-in. Gray tables Ks Qd, and Biddix Qs Qd. Board: 7c Ac 2c Jd Kh. (Biddix 4 million, Gray 3.4 million)

00:23- Santo Biddix raises all-in UTG for 640,000. It folds to Thomas Gray who starts hemming and hawing. Gray calls with Qc 2c and Biddix shows Ah 10c. The board runs out 6s 3c 7h 5d Ks and Biddix doubles up to 1.3 million. (Thomas Gray 5.3 million)

00:19- Nathan Lee raises to 200,000 from UTG and is called by Thomas Gray. The flop is 2c 5c 3c and Nathan checks to Gray. Gray says, “I’ll bet 300,000 with my straight flush,” and Nathan calls. The turn is the Jd and Nathan checks to Gray who bets 500,000. Nathan goes into the tank long enough for the clock to be called, but it is not more than a couple of seconds after Byron Rodriguez starts the countdown that Nathan Lee sends his cards to the muck. (Nathan Lee 1.9 million, Thomas Gray 6 million)

00:06- Start of Level 24 40,000/80,000/80,000

23:55- Stuart Phillips gets it all-in on the flop with Ac Ah on a board of 3c 7c Qd and is called by Thomas Gray’s 10s 7h. The turn 8c gives no help to Gray, but the river 7d gives Gray the win and send Phillips home with $2,959. (Gray 5.6 million)

23:50- Eric Dillon is eliminated in 8th place for $2,170 when he called off his remaining chips to Thomas Gray’s river all-in on a 9h 3d 5s 3c Ac board with AsQc. Gray shows the 3h 4h. (Gray 4.4 million)

23:45- Thomas Gray opens to 160,000 from lojack and it folds to Steven Blay in the big blind who goes all in for 780,000. Gray goes into the tank, and ultimately calls with the 6s 3s. Blay shows 7d 7h, and the board runs Kd Jc 5h 2c Ks. (Blay 2.2 million, Gray 3 million)

23:37- Start of Level 23 30,000/60,000/60,000

23:36- Action folds to Anderson Premdas who raises all in for 250,000, it is folded to Gray Thomas who raises all-in, and Michael Hayes is all-in from the big blind with 670,000. Premdas shows 8d 7h, Thomas shows Jc 10c, and Hayes shows 5d 5c. The board runs out 9d 4s 10d Jh Qs giving Premdas a straight and Thomas two-pair and sending Hayes to the rail for $1,775.

23:22- Nathan Lee doubles up through Thomas Lee when his KK holds up to Thomas’ tens. (Nathan Lee 3 million, Thomas Gray 3.8 million)

23:17- Action folds to Steven Blay who raises to 150,000, Nathan Lee calls on the button, Thomas Gray calls, Eric Dillon folds in the big blind. Thomas Gray checks in the dark and the flop comes out 2c Qh 9c. Action folds to Blay who bets 150,000 and Nathan Lee folds. Gray raises to 400,000 and Blay tanks. Blay eventually folds and Gray shows 5h 4d. (Gray 4.2 million, Blay 750,000)

23:05- A big hand involving Thomas Gray and Stuart Phillips puts Phillips to the test. With a board of Qd 5c 10d Ac and a 1.0 million pot, Gray shoves all-in on the turn giving Phillips a decision for his tournament life. With 1.1 million behind, Phillips ultimately lays it down and Gray shows AdJd. (Gray 4 million, Phillips 1.1 million)

22:35- Final Table has been reached. With the double elimination of Luanne Uligian and Joseph Young on one table and the elimination of Joshua Mordenti on another, we have reached the final table.

22:13- Mack McLaughlin shoves over 300,000 preflop with KK and iscalled by the opponent on his right who tables 6s 4s. The flop contains two spades, the river is a blank, but Mack hits the rail in 14th place when the river completes his opponents flush.

21:38- Joshua Mordenti takes over chip lead with 2.1 million.

21:00- With 20 minutes remaining in Level 18, Thomas Dawson was eliminated in 28th place, officially bursting the money bubble in the Big 50’s. Play continues with blinds at 10,000/20,000/20,000, and all remaining players are now guaranteed at least the $789 minimum payout as the tournament moves into the money.

20:20- Stuart Phillips picks up another 250,000 in chips when he called an all-in of 160,000 and an all in of 90,000 from the button with Kd Jd. Phillips hand held up against A10 and A8 when the board ran out 5h Ks 2h 2d 5c. (Stuart Phillips 1.45 million)

20:15- Play is currently on break heading into Level 17, with blinds set to increase to 10,000/15,000/15,000. The field has been narrowed to 42 players remaining, with an average stack of approximately 315,000 chips, or 21 big blinds, as the tournament continues to progress toward the later stages. Orange City Super 40’s winner Stuart Phillips sits atop the leaderboard with 1.2 million in chips, putting himself in a strong position as play resumes and the remaining players look to advance closer to the final tables.

17:55- We are currently on break heading into Level 13, where blinds will be 2,000/4,000/4,000. The field is down to 90 players remaining, with an average stack of approximately 150,000 chips, or 37.5 big blinds. The minimum cash will be $789, while first place is set at $20,119.00 as the Big 50’s continues to move closer to the money.