Updates from the LAPT event in Punta del Este Level 17 (4,000/8,000/500) will be posted here and come courtesy of live bloggers Brad Willis and Change100.

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Last update 9:04pm

9:30pm–Level ends

Dinner must be digesting slowly. That level ended with no more significant action. A color up is pending, followed by the blinds going up.

9:07pm–A word with Oliver

Oliver Rowe has been near the top of the leaderboard. Here’s what he had to say to our video blog team.

Watch LAPT Punta del Este S2: Oliver Rowe Day 2 on PokerStars.tv

9:05–Ready to go

We’re back from dinner and ready to go with the final 17 players. There are 19 minutes left in the 4,000/8,000/500 level.

7:40–Dinner time

After a bit of a break for the redraw, it’s time for dinner. Back at 9:00pm.

7:34pm–Karl Hevroy, a long way from home

Norwegian Karl Hevroy came a long way from his home poker game to play here. Here’s how he feels about the event so far.

Watch LAPT Punta del Este S2: Karl Hevroy on PokerStars.tv

7:24pm– Hernan Reyes (19th), Simon Castro (18th) eliminated

Play went hand-for-hand with a pay jump imminent and once again, we managed to eliminate multiple players at multiple tables on the same hand.

Over on the TV featured table, Hernan Reyes moved all in for 42,000 and received a caller in Norway’s Karl Hevroy. It was a race situation, Reyes’ Kh-Ts against Hevroy’s 7h-7c, but the flop was a disaster for Reyes, Hevroy hitting a set of sevens when it came down Ad-Ks-7s. Reyes was drawing dead on the 4c turn and was already on his way to the payout desk before the meaningless Jh hit the river.

Meanwhile, on one of the two remaining outer tables, Simon Castro made his last stand with Q-J only to run into Ron Wasiel’s K-K. Castro couldn’t improve on the T-8-6-3-6 board and he, too was eliminated.

Splitting the difference between 19th and 18th place money, both players will take home $11,380 for their efforts.

7:13pm–Walter Arakaki eliminated in 20th place ($10,000)

In a huge battle of the blinds at the feature table, Walter Arakaki got his stack in with a pair of fives against Karl Hevroy’s Ac-Qd. The flop was a soul-crusher: Ah-Jd-Ad. The turn and river revealed no fives and Arakaki was gone. Meanwhile, Henvroy is stacking chips in relief. He is now among the top two or three remaining stacks.

Karl Hevroy sighs with relief

Nineteen players remain. We are now playing hand for hand.

7:05pm– Ricardo Goncalves Neto eliminated in 21st place ($10,000)

If we’ve learned anything today it’s not to try and cross Ron Waisel– he will flop two pair on you. This time Waisel’s victim was Ricardo Goncalves Neto, who moved all in with As-6s from the button. Waisel called from the big blind with Kd-6d and Neto looked practically giddy, having his opponent dominated. Not so fast there, amigo.

The flop came down Ks-9h-6c, Waisel making kings up. The turn and river blanked out with the 2h and the Jd and Neto was knocked out in 21st place.

6:57pm–Bad time to bluff–Tiago Boita eliminated in 22nd place ($10,000)

Tiago Boita may have missed a few of the earlier eliminations when Lisandro Gallo acted as a one-man wrecking crew. So, when Gallo came in for a raise, Boita probably didn’t think much about bluffing all in with K-4. Gallo called in a shot with Jd-Jc. Boita seemed confident, telling his friends to watch, because the king was coming.

And sure enough, there it was, right in the door. He cheered and then groaned when he saw the next card. The jack have Gallo his set and the virtual lock on the hand. Boita finished in 22nd place for $10,000.

6:51pm– Vialaret Ezequiel eliminated in 23rd place ($10,000)

Vialaret Ezequiel moved all in from under-the-gun for his case 29,500 and Waldemar Cogo called from the big blind. Ezequiel turned over his 9c-3d with a shrug that said “Hey, I have less than four big blinds, what could I do?” while Cogo revealed Qh-Tc. A ten hit the flop and another hit the river, sending Ezequiel over to the payout desk to collect his $10,000 in prize money.

6:35pm–New blinds and food in sight

Tournament Director Mike Ward has just announced the decision to move the dinner break up by one level. That means, we play one more hour before heading for grub. Twenty-three players remain.

Updates from the LAPT event in Punta del Este Level 16 (3,000/6,000/500) will be posted here and come courtesy of live bloggers Brad Willis and Change100.

Click refresh to see the latest updates.

Last update 6:20pm

6:20pm– Gabriel Loyo eliminated in 24th place ($10,000)

Ron Wasiel opened the action with a raise to 15,000 and Gabriel Loyo popped it to 45,000, leaving himself only 31,000 behind. Wasiel set him all in and Loyo snap-called. Though Wasiel’s Ah-Qs trailed Loyo’s pocket kings, the house painter from Illinois hit a blessed flop, clapping his hands together as the first three came down Ad-Qh-5s. Loyo got a bit of a sweat when the Td hit the turn, giving him more outs with the four remaining jacks in the deck but the river came the 8c and Loyo exited with handshakes around the table, in 24th place.

Garbiel Loyo watches as Wasiel flops two pair

6:05pm–Local boy does good, Cesar Sanguinetti eliminated in 25th place ($10,000)

It was ugly. There is simply no other way to put it. Oliver Rowe raised to 16,000 and Uruguay’s Cesar Sanguinetti moved all-in for 38,500 more. Rowe thought for just a moment before calling with his pocket sevens. Sanguinetti held pocket kings. The seven on the turn drew a wry smile from the Uruguayan. He didn’t catch his two outs on the river and is out in 25th place for $10,000.

5:38pm– Geoff Swan (28th), Helio Chreem (27th) and Alberto Font (26th) simultaneously eliminated

Just as we hit the first post-bubble money jump, three players on three different tables were all eliminated on what was essentially the same hand.

Oliver Rowe opened for 16,000 from UTG and with the action folded to Alberto Font in the cutoff, he moved all in for about 115,000. Rowe had about 165,000 behind and must have picked up on something from his opponent, as he made a massive call for the majority of his stack. Font sheepishly turned up 9s-7s, well behind Rowe’s As-Kc. The board ran out Ah-Jh-6c-7h-Tc and Rowe became our dominant chip leader, with somewhere in the neighborhood of 200,000 in chips.

Alberto Font

One table over, Tiago Boita moved all in from UTG and Geoff Swan called from the small blind. It was Kc-Qc for Boita, and Ah-Jc for Swan, the flop coming down 7c-7d-6c. Swan still held the lead and he made top two pair when the Jh hit the turn, but the Qh spiked on the river, giving the hand to Boita and sending him to the rail.

If that wasn’t enough action, on our third outer table, Helio Chreem moved all in from under-the-gun with A-5 only to get a quick call from the man on his immediate left, Ricardo Goncalves Neto. Neto showed pocket jacks and they held up.

The three men will split the difference in prize money three ways.

5:25pm–Ibuki Fukui and Mauricio Zeman bust in same hand ($7,220)

Ibuki Fukui moved all-in under the gun for around 35,000. Play folded around to Maurcio Zeman in the small blind. He called all-in for 10,000. Alberto Font was in the big blind and had both players covered. He thought for a couple of minutes before deciding, “There’s too much money in the pot.” He called the 35,000 and turned over pocket deuces. Fukui held A-Q. Zeman turned over A-9. The board ran out babies, including a deuce to lock up the pot for Font. Zeman finished in 30th position. Fukui placed 29th.

Zeman sees his end

Here’s an interview with Fukui from a bit earlier in the day.

Watch LAPT Punta del Este S2: Ibuki Fukui on PokerStars.tv

5:11pm–Players returning from break

Players are on their way back from their break. Play will resume shortly.

Updates from the LAPT event in Punta del Este Level 15 (2,000/4,000/400) will be posted here and come courtesy of live bloggers Brad Willis and Change100.

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Last update 5:01pm

5:01pm–Alex Fitzgerald and Edson Esquio eliminated back to back ($7,220)

Lisandro Gallo may get us to a final table before dinner. He knocked out both Alex Fitzgerald and Edson Esquio back to back in the lat hands before the break.

Alex Fitzgerald was short and in need of a double-up. Folded to him in the cut-off, he got it in with Jd-8d. Unfortunately for him, Lisandro Gallo woke up with big slick. The board blanked out and Fitzgeral exited in 32nd place.

Here’s what Fitzgerald had to say a little bit earlier.

Watch LAPT Punta del Este S2: Alexander Fitzgerlad Day 2 on PokerStars.tv

Just a minute later, Esquio bluffed all-in on a QQ3 board with K-J. Gallo called him with pocket sevens. Esquio missed and went out in 31st place.

Players are now on a 15-minute break.

4:50pm– Jose Rosenkrantz eliminated in 33rd place ($7,220)

Over on the TV featured table, Jose Rosenkrantz made his move with Qc-Jd and was called by an opponent with Ac-Jh. The flop gave Rosenkrantz a gutshot straight draw, coming down Ts-8d-2h and he picked up even more outs with the Ks on the turn, but the river blanked out, the 3c falling to eliminate the WPT champion in 33rd place.

4:48pm–Rodrigo Acerbi Lasmar eliminated in 34th place ($7,220)

Rodrigo Acerbi Lasmar made his last stand with Qh-9d and found himself dominated by Simon Castro’s Qd-Jd. Though Lasmar flopped a nine, Castro rivered a jack and sent him to the rail in 34th place.

4:45pm–Ron Wasiel still alive

We mentioned a few minutes ago that PokerStars qualifier Ron Wasiel managed to survive his all-in. The painter from south of Chicago spoke to our video blog team just a bit ago and had this to say.

Watch LAPT Punta del Este S2: Ronald Wasiel Day 2 on PokerStars.tv

4:39pm–Let’s go spend $7,220!

With the prize money not jumping for a bit, players are starting to drop off like canaries in gas-filled mine. We’ll update with recent eliminations in just a bit.

4:30pm–Clemenceau Merheb Calixto eliminated 36th place ($7,220)

Clemenceau Merheb Calixto was looking to triple up with pocket threes all-in against Ron Wasiel’s Ad-Qh and Lisandro Gallo’s Ac-Jc. He was doing fine on the Td-5d-Ts-2d board. And then the river paired the five to counterfeit him and send him out in 36th place.

4:20pm– Alberto Araujo Jr. bursts the bubble

Down to less than three big blinds and with the action folded to him, Alberto Araujo moved all in from the small blind. It was up to Oliver Rowe in the big blind.

“You have the odds, you have to call!” quipped Araujo, who was out of his seat in eager anticipation.

Rowe couldn’t have liked the 3d-6c he saw, but nevertheless was compelled to call. Araujo turned up Kd-Qs.

The flop, though, came down Jd-7c-3s, pairing up Rowe. The Ad came on the turn, giving Araujo outs with a king, a queen or a ten, but the river was another three, and Rowe took it down with trips, leaving Araujo as Punta del Este’s bubble boy.

The agony of the bubble

Our 36 remaining players are all in the money and guaranteed at least $7,220 for their efforts here in Uruguay.

4:15pm–Man down!

Short-stacked Gustav Schuldt Langner needed a double-up. He shoved with Qd-5h and got called by a pair of queens. Langner couldn’t catch up. With his exit and one on the outer table, we’re now on the bubble.

4:06pm– Spada! Spada! Spada!

Octavio Bernadini put his last hopes on the As-Qs, getting all in before the flop but found himself up against Lisandro Pablo Gallo’s Ac-Ah. With the tournament stuck at 39 players remaining for the last half a level, a crowd swarmed the table to watch Bernadini’s fate play out. The flop came down a sweat-tastic 7s-5d-2s.

“Spada! Spada! Spada!” cried Bernadini, while Gallo countered with “Roja! Roja! Roja!” praying for a red card. Bernadini, though would be the one to get his wish, the 4s falling on the turn.

A booming “YES!” pierced the clatter of chips as Bernadini survived the hand, and high-fived one of his tablemates as he made his flush. Gallo could only shake his head in frustration. And we remain… at 39 players.

3:48pm–Head up, move’em out, blinds up

The 39 remaining players have moved up to 2,000/4,000/400 blinds.

Updates from the LAPT event in Punta del Este Level 14 (1,500/3,000/300) will be posted here and come courtesy of live bloggers Brad Willis and Change100.

Click refresh to see the latest updates.

Last update 3:42pm

3:42pm–”I don’t not want to risk losing with a pair of aces.”

Bolivar Palacios was facing a raise to 10,000 from Andre Ventura. Palacios was still stack checks from a previous hand and casually re-raised to 25,000. Venture started counting in his head, with his fingers, and in a whisper. Eventually, he pushed out 75,000 chips. Palacios was facing a 60,000 raise on his re-raise.

That’s when Ventura said it.

“I don’t not want to risk losing with a pair of aces.”

Do you ever believe a guy when he says that? Palacios simply couldn’t figure it out. After nearly five minutes of thought, he mucked. Ventura flashed one ace and folded.

3:40pm–As you might expect…

Play has slowed down a little bit as we approach. Players are craning their necks to check out the action on the other tables. The bubble will come, but it may not be for a while.

3:35pm–Song for the departed

You can’t win’em all. Paulo Santiago started the day with us, but is no more. Here’s what he had to say a little bit earlier.

Watch LAPT Punta del Este S2: Paulo Santiago on PokerStars.tv

3:18pm–Leonardo Emperador eliminated in the battle of Venezuela

With twelve big blinds remaining in his stack and the action folded to him on the button, Leonardo Emperador moved all in for his remaining 36,000 and got a caller in fellow Venezuelan Hernan Reyes. Emperador’s Js-Jh was in great shape against Reyes’ Ad-2d, but the Ah-6s-4s flop swung the lead around to Reyes. The turn was the Ts, Emperador picking up a flush draw, but the 7d on the river sealed his elimination, only three spots off the money.

3:15pm–Chip monkey at work

Our resident chip monkey Alex Villegas has been hard at work and compiled a full chip count from the beginning of this level. You can find it on the LAPT Punta del Este Chip Counts page.

3:06pm– Cruel timing for Kruel

Christian Kruel just got his money in with Ah-Qh versus pocket kings. You might expect that when the flop looked like Th-8h-Js. The turn and river blanked on him and he’s gone. Thirty-nine players remain.

2:52pm– Two more down

They’re dropping like… you know, as we rapidly approach the bubble. In the opening minutes of this level, we lost Ernesto Eduardo Panno when his 3c-6c couldn’t outrun Angel Guillen’s Kd-Qc and only a few minutes later witnessed Eduardo Canto’s shove from the small blind with Kd-4s, only to run into Oliver Rowe’s Ah-Th. Though Canto flopped a four, Rowe turned an ace and he hit the rail only a precious few spots from the money.

39 players remain, 36 get paid.

2:45pm–Back in action

After a short break to collect their thoughts and hit the head, the players are back at their tables and ready to play.

The qualifiers for PokerStars All Star Week are in the midst of determining who will face off against the Team PokerStars Pros. Here’s your daily update of the action from PokerStars’ very own Host Bob.

by Host Bob

We’re almost half way through the All Star Week selection matches, and the schedule is really starting to take shape.

After the relatively quick selection tournament of Tuesday night, Wednesday’s match was a real battle. It took over two hours to play from a full compliment of twenty down to the required five.

It was American ‘bluffblocker’ that finally burst the All Star bubble by eliminating ‘Bookie1978′. The elimination gave him the chiplead and therefore the first choice of opponent for the third day of All Star Week.

After a short deliberation he selected Match 5, the 20:00 ET clash with Chris Moneymaker. It was a brave choice, as Chris has won five of his eight heads-up matches against the Weekly TLB winners. This will be ‘bluffblocker’s second match of All Star Week after he secured a meeting with Dennis Phillips on Day 1.

The second choice went to another repeat winner when ‘Canuck’ chose to take on William Thorson in the PLO match. Yesterday, he negotiated a trade that will see him playing Noah Boeken at PLO8 on Day 2.

No-one can doubt his ability in either version of Omaha. ‘Canuck’ was the winner of the very first WCOOP Omaha tournament back in 2002. It was only the second ever WCOOP tournament and the win was worth $14,231.25. He gained his invitation to All Star Challengers qualification by final-tabling the $300 rebuy PLO WCOOP tournament in 2008. In the intervening years he has cashed a number of times in Omaha disciplines. The Pros have their hands full with this one.

The third choice went to ‘Aryamehr’, a former Sunday Million champion, who will be making his first appearance in an All Star match. ‘Aryamehr’ chose to take on the captain of the Pros, Victor Ramdin.

Victor earned the captaincy by winning the Team PS Pro 2008 Championship Game back in December. The tournament used the prestigious 8-Game format pioneered by the WSOP and featured all of the members of Team PS Pro. Victor battled for a long time in a heads-up clash with Daniel Negreanu before taking the title. He also had a good run in the WCOOP $25,000 Heads-Up High-Roller event in 2008 - cashing for $100,000.

Another $100,000 winner in that heads-up tournament was Vanessa Rousso; the opponent for ‘PKerBL’ in Match 4. Vanessa is coming off the back of a phenomenal run at the NBC Natonal Heads Up Championship, so she’s the form player for the Pros. ‘PKerBL’ will be hoping to be the lady-killer of the Challengers team, as he is also lined up to play Isabelle Mercier on Day 1.

The last player to be chosen as an opponent, perhaps unsurprisingly, was Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier - a PokerStars legend. The first ever Supernova Elite, a former PCA champion, a WPT winner and the star of WCOOP 2008. His magical year included $320,000 for winning the aformentioned WCOOP $25,000 Heads-Up High-Roller tournament.

His opponent for the first of his two All Star Week matches will be ‘VOLCANO360′, another previous All Star Week winner. ‘VOLCANO360′ won the Sunday Million on February 3 last year, so he’ll be no pushover, but you’d have be a brave man to bet against ElkY.

At the time of writing the fans tournaments show 771 players backing the Pros to win the All Star Week, with just 536 putting their FPPs behind the Challengers. So there’s no question mark over which team will be the underdogs come next Monday.

If you think the masses have got it wrong, you only have another week to register your support.

Updates from the LAPT event in Punta del Este Level 13 (1,200/2,400/300) will be posted here and come courtesy of live bloggers Brad Willis and Change100.

Click refresh to see the latest updates.

Last update 2:25pm

2:25pm–Break time

The remaining 45 players are headed to a 15-minute break. While you’re waiting, check out this Day 2 preview from the PokerStars Video Blog team.

Watch LAPT Punta del Este S2: Day 2 Intro on PokerStars.tv

2:22pm– A monster pot to send us to break

Tournament Director Mike Ward’s announcement that “Maximilian is all in for 49,500″ sent us scurrying to the feature table to catch the action in what would be a monster pot. With the board reading Jd-9h-2h-7s, Maximilian Heinzelmann made a significant all in overbet with the 4h-5h and got a call from Alejandro De Arruaballena, who held Kh-Js. The 5c couldn’t do it for the young German and he hit the rail just as the final seconds of the level ticked down. De Arruaballena lost the first five minutes of the break stacking up his massive lake of chips but something tells us he wasn’t too upset about it.

2:20pm–The turn giveth…

And the river taketh right the heck away. Just ask Marcelo Costa. He got all in with K-T against Vialaret Ezequiel’s K-Q. Bad news, to be sure, especially after the A-6-9 flop. But there it was, glorious and spectacular–a ten on the turn. But what? Yep, that’s a queen on the river. It cost Costa the rest of his chips and leaves him short of the money by about ten spots. We’ll let you figure out which player is which by looking at the two photos below.

 
2:08pm– Cowboys save Neto

Marcelo Costa opened from the hijack seat and a short-stacked Ricardo Goncalves Neto moved all in from the cutoff. Costa called the small balance and saw the bad news– his Ad-Qh was up against Neto’s Kc-Kd. The board ran out 9h-9s-2c-9c-7s and nines full did it for Neto, doubling his stack to 33,000.

Ricardo Goncalves Neto breathes a sigh of relief as his kings hold up

2:00pm–Salvagno gives some more back

Chip leader Mario Salvagno just lost a race for a 60,000 chip pot. He got it all-in pre-flop with a pair of sixes against Tiago Boita’s Ad-Qd. The board ran out to an ace on the river. Salvagno is still in good shape, but the 30,000 hit obviously didn’t feel very good.

1:50pm–Andre Ventura eliminates Juan Jose Perez

Rodrigo Acerbi Lasmar came in for a raise and got a call from Andre Ventura. Juan Jose Perez squeezed all-in from the small blind. Lasmar mucked fairly quickly, but Ventura made the call with Ah-Qh. Perez turned over A-J. The board was irrelevant, except for Lasmar who grumbled. He’d folded a pair of threes which would’ve flopped a set. Ventura was left to spend the next five minutes stacking chips.

1:46pm– Rowe KO’s Neto

With the action folded to him in the small blind, Francisco Neto moved in for his remaining 18,600 and Day 1 chip leader Oliver Rowe made the call from the big blind. Neto needed some help, his Ah-Th dominated by Rowe’s Ac-Jd, but couldn’t improve on the Kc-6d-6s-4h 9h board, sending him to the rail.

1:37pm– Try not to hit the boom…

Growing short-stacked, Walter Arakaki moved all in from the button and Juan Jose Perez quickly called from the big blind. Perez’s Ac-Kc dominated Arakaki’s As-Td, but fortunes were reversed when the flop came down Th-6d-2h. Arakaki went wild, leaping from his seat and unleashing a torrent of Spanish as ESPN’s crack sound operators moved their boom mikes up and away to avoid smacking him in the head as he celebrated. The turn was the 7s, the river was the 4c and Arakaki doubled up, leaving Perez with 36,000 in chips.

As Arakaki celebrated, one table over Samo Muhia committed his last 9,400 chips with 3c-5s and couoldn’t outrun Clemenceau Merheb Calixto’s Ac-Ts and made a quiet exit.

1:30pm–New level, new blinds

We lost ten players in Level 11. We now have 54 players in the field playing at 1,200/2,400/300 blinds.

Updates from the LAPT event in Punta del Este Level 11 (1,000/2,000/300) will be posted here and come courtesy of live bloggers Brad Willis and Change100.

Click refresh to see the latest updates.

Last update 1:22pm

1:22pm– Alberto Font takes out Pablo Zarnicki

We caught up with this hand on the flop, the board reading Js-7c-2s. Pablo Zarnicki put out a nearly pot-sized bet and Alberto Font made the call. Zarnicki couldn’t move all in fast enough when the Ah hit the turn and Font snap-called, revealing a set of deuces. Zarnicki, bluffing with Ks-Qc, was drawing only to the four remaining tens in the deck and couldn’t get there on the river, his lake of tumbled chip stacks pushed across the table to Font.

1:15pm–It was always a race…

When you have a pocket pair against overcards, it’s easy to accept you’re in a race pre-flop. However, once the cards come down and you see the flop and turn, it’s a little harder to accept you’re still racing. Poor Alexandre Reichardt De Souza started this day with just a little more than 20,000 chips and needed a good race to double up. He found it with pocket sevens versis Juan Jose Perez’s K-Q. When the flop and turn brought 4d-5d-Th-5h, the man with the sevens started to look pretty happy. If not for that pesky Ks on the river, everything would’ve been fine. Instead, De Souza is gone.

1:11 pm– Alberto Araujo doubles through Mario Salvagno

Mario Salvagno opened from UTG for 6,000, Alberto Araujo moved all in for 14,700 and Salvagno called the 8,700 balance. Araujo’s Ac-Kc dominated Salvagno’s Ah-3h and with the board running out Jc-6d-4s-7c-Ad, he doubled through our current chip leader. Salvagno, though still likely has that title– his stack is still well over the 170,000 mark.

12:59 pm– Alex Brenes eliminated

Over on the TV featured table, a short-stacked Alex Brenes moved all in for 22,600 from under-the-gun and Magno Aragao made the call from the button. It was a race situation with Th-Ts for Brenes and the Ad-Jd for Aragao. The flop was Kh-Qs-7d, Brenes still leading, but the Td on the turn made Aragao an ace-high straight. It also gave Brenes a set of tens and some hope if the board paired on the river, but it was the 2h and Brenes exited stage left.

57 players remain in the field.

12:56pm– There’s no Judice here

With the action folded to him on the button, Bjorn Ivan Johansen open-raised, Renato Judice moved all in from the big blind for just over 20,000 and Johansen made the call, turning up Kc-9c to Judice’s Jd-Th. The flop came down Ks-7h-2s, pairing up Johansen. The turn gave Judice some hope when the Qs fell, giving him and open-ended straight draw, but the river blanked out withthe 4d and Judice hit the rail.

12:44pm– Mario Salvagno= your new chip leader

On a flop of Qh-Th-3h, Sebastian Stratta got the rest of his chips in the middle and got a call from Mario Salvagno. Salvagno held Ah-Ts for middle pair and an ace-high flush draw while Stratta revealed As-Qs. The turn was the Jc, but the 6h made Salvagno’s flush, eliminating Stratta and vaulting him into the chip lead.

12:40pm– Rosamelia Ferreira, our last woman standing, is eliminated

Rosamelia Ferreira came into Day 2 with only 15,500 in chips and when Ernesto Panno moved in ahead of her, the Kc-Js looked like a decent enough hand to make her last stand with. Unfortunately, Panno turned up the worst hand possible for her– Kd-Kh. The board ran out Jh-8c-4s-7c-6d and Ferreira hit the rail after graciously shaking her executioner’s hand.

12:35pm–Down to seven tables

With the loss of our 64th place finisher, Table 8 has broken and we’re down to seven tables in play.

12:29pm–Like Helvetica?

Alberto Font started the day second in chips. Yesterday, we described him as a hard-to-read Font. Today, Brazil’s Tiago Boita seems to think he’s got a read on his man. Boita came in for a raise to 3,600 from the cutoff. The button folded and Font re-raised to 15,000 from the small blind. Boita barely though before pushing in 40,000 more. Font raised an eyebrow,

“You’re happy?” Font said.

“I’m happy with this,” Boita said, waving his hand over the chips already in the pot.

Font pondered his move for a minute or so before folding.

Boita flashed Ad-Qh. Font shook his head. Though Font didn’t say a word, his face was as clear as Helvetica. It said, “You’re pushing on me with that?”

Boita shrugged and raked his chips.

12:23pm–Let’s find us a final table

After a short delay for players to sign their TV release forms and such, TD Mike Ward just announced, “Shuffle up and deal.”

12:00pm — Play about to begin

The final 64 players are taking their seats and unbagging their chips. We expect play to begin shortly.

Updates from the LAPT event in Punta del Este Level 11 (1,000/2,000/300) will be posted here and come courtesy of live bloggers Brad Willis and Change100.

Click refresh to see the latest updates.

Last update 1:22pm

1:22pm– Alberto Font takes out Pablo Zarnicki

We caught up with this hand on the flop, the board reading Js-7c-2s. Pablo Zarnicki put out a nearly pot-sized bet and Alberto Font made the call. Zarnicki couldn’t move all in fast enough when the Ah hit the turn and Font snap-called, revealing a set of deuces. Zarnicki, bluffing with Ks-Qc, was drawing only to the four remaining tens in the deck and couldn’t get there on the river, his lake of tumbled chip stacks pushed across the table to Font.

1:15pm–It was always a race…

When you have a pocket pair against overcards, it’s easy to accept you’re in a race pre-flop. However, once the cards come down and you see the flop and turn, it’s a little harder to accept you’re still racing. Poor Alexandre Reichardt De Souza started this day with just a little more than 20,000 chips and needed a good race to double up. He found it with pocket sevens versis Juan Jose Perez’s K-Q. When the flop and turn brought 4d-5d-Th-5h, the man with the sevens started to look pretty happy. If not for that pesky Ks on the river, everything would’ve been fine. Instead, De Souza is gone.

1:11 pm– Alberto Araujo doubles through Mario Salvagno

Mario Salvagno opened from UTG for 6,000, Alberto Araujo moved all in for 14,700 and Salvagno called the 8,700 balance. Araujo’s Ac-Kc dominated Salvagno’s Ah-3h and with the board running out Jc-6d-4s-7c-Ad, he doubled through our current chip leader. Salvagno, though still likely has that title– his stack is still well over the 170,000 mark.

12:59 pm– Alex Brenes eliminated

Over on the TV featured table, a short-stacked Alex Brenes moved all in for 22,600 from under-the-gun and Magno Aragao made the call from the button. It was a race situation with Th-Ts for Brenes and the Ad-Jd for Aragao. The flop was Kh-Qs-7d, Brenes still leading, but the Td on the turn made Aragao an ace-high straight. It also gave Brenes a set of tens and some hope if the board paired on the river, but it was the 2h and Brenes exited stage left.

57 players remain in the field.

12:56pm– There’s no Judice here

With the action folded to him on the button, Bjorn Ivan Johansen open-raised, Renato Judice moved all in from the big blind for just over 20,000 and Johansen made the call, turning up Kc-9c to Judice’s Jd-Th. The flop came down Ks-7h-2s, pairing up Johansen. The turn gave Judice some hope when the Qs fell, giving him and open-ended straight draw, but the river blanked out withthe 4d and Judice hit the rail.

12:44pm– Mario Salvagno= your new chip leader

On a flop of Qh-Th-3h, Sebastian Stratta got the rest of his chips in the middle and got a call from Mario Salvagno. Salvagno held Ah-Ts for middle pair and an ace-high flush draw while Stratta revealed As-Qs. The turn was the Jc, but the 6h made Salvagno’s flush, eliminating Stratta and vaulting him into the chip lead.

12:40pm– Rosamelia Ferreira, our last woman standing, is eliminated

Rosamelia Ferreira came into Day 2 with only 15,500 in chips and when Ernesto Panno moved in ahead of her, the Kc-Js looked like a decent enough hand to make her last stand with. Unfortunately, Panno turned up the worst hand possible for her– Kd-Kh. The board ran out Jh-8c-4s-7c-6d and Ferreira hit the rail after graciously shaking her executioner’s hand.

12:35pm–Down to seven tables

With the loss of our 64th place finisher, Table 8 has broken and we’re down to seven tables in play.

12:29pm–Like Helvetica?

Alberto Font started the day second in chips. Yesterday, we described him as a hard-to-read Font. Today, Brazil’s Tiago Boita seems to think he’s got a read on his man. Boita came in for a raise to 3,600 from the cutoff. The button folded and Font re-raised to 15,000 from the small blind. Boita barely though before pushing in 40,000 more. Font raised an eyebrow,

“You’re happy?” Font said.

“I’m happy with this,” Boita said, waving his hand over the chips already in the pot.

Font pondered his move for a minute or so before folding.

Boita flashed Ad-Qh. Font shook his head. Though Font didn’t say a word, his face was as clear as Helvetica. It said, “You’re pushing on me with that?”

Boita shrugged and raked his chips.

12:23pm–Let’s find us a final table

After a short delay for players to sign their TV release forms and such, TD Mike Ward just announced, “Shuffle up and deal.”

12:00pm — Play about to begin

The final 64 players are taking their seats and unbagging their chips. We expect play to begin shortly.

When we began the Latin American Poker Tour event in Punte del Este yesterday, the 327 starting players were scattered over three rooms. Today, with 64 players remaining, we’ve moved to one room. By the time the day ends, we’ll only need one table.

When we last left our fearless poker players, those 64 left the room behind chip leader Oliver Rowe. Just one step and 1,000 chips behind him was second place Alberto Font.

When we begin the day here in a few minutes, players will be coming back to 1,200/2,400/300 blinds. To replace the flowing prose from yesterday, we’re going to give you run-and-gun coverage as we head toward the money bubble. The top 36 will get paid. The final nine will get one more day in the tournament.

Today also begins feature table coverage by the ESPN crew in the room. The TV lights are on and the featured table is ready for its players.

Play begins in just a few minutes.