Jeremy Ausmus Wins Latest PGT Venetian Las Vegas Classic High Roller

Stephen Song led the field to the final table in Event #2 of the PGT Venetian Las Vegas series, but despite a massive lead, the American lost heads-up to his compatriot Jeremy Ausmus. With other modern legends of the felt such as Aram Zobian and Brock Wilson also at the nine-handed final table, the climax of the event was watched by thousands of poker fans via the online streaming channel PokerGO.

Simao the Bubble Boy

With a total of 62 entries, only the final nine made the money places, meaning someone would reach 10^th place yet miss out on any profit. That person turned out to the Portuguese professional Joao Simao, who was short stacked when he moved all-in with nine-seven of clubs and was called by Shannon Shorr, who had king-ten in diamonds. A flop of T-8-5 had something for both players, with Shorr hitting top pair and Simao flopping an open-ended straight draw. But nothing else came for the at-risk Portuguese and he departed without winning any money.

Inside the final nine, Jonathan Little was the first player to leave with some return on his entry fee. Cashing for $9,300, Little’s shove with ace-seven was called by Jeremy Becker with pocket eights. ‘JBex’ held through the board of K-K-Q-7-T and took out the talented Little, whose exit reduced the field to eight players.

Soon, eight became seven. After a swingy few hands where many players doubled up, Becker was one of the victims and soon needed to battle his way back into contention himself. On a board showing K-T-6-9, Stephen Song shoved with king-six and Becker called with king-three, losing to the two-paired hand after the ineffective river of a seven fell.

Nothing Like a Shorr Thing

Aram Zobian was the next player to leave, crashing out in seventh place for $12,400 just like Becker. All-in with pocket tens pre-flop, the talented Zobian was unlucky, as Jim Collopy’s king-nine of diamonds prevailed, a nine on the flop meaning nothing but a king on the turn changing everything.

Zobian’s exit was followed by that of Brock Wilson in sixth place for $17,050. Wilson, a long-time regular in high rollers on the PokerGO Tour, especially in Las Vegas, moved all-in pre-flop with king-queen and was called by Song with ace-ten. A board of T-7-5-5-A gave Song the winning hand and sent Wilson to the rail outside the top five.

One high roller American legend had gone, and another was about to follow him. Shannon Shorr shoved with ace-four, but he had picked the worst time to make a move. Jeremy Ausmus called with pocket aces and survived the board with ease, sending Shorr home with $23,250.

Running Out of Luck

Rick Mechammil had lasted until the top four but could go no further. All-in with king-four for just 330,000 chips, Mechammil was ahead of Song’s queen-jack of diamonds, but it didn’t stay that way. A flop of A-4-2 kept Mechammil safe but a jack on the turn changed all that and no help came to save the at-risk player on the seven river, sending him home with $31,000 in fourth place.

Jim Collopy had been short at numerous points during the final table but had always doubled up. Somehow, he made it to second in chips just behind Stephen Song, but that was the time at which his luck ran out. All-in with pocket jacks, he ran into Song’s pocket queens, losing all of his chips and cashing in third place for $43,400.

Song, the leader at the start of the final table, had a 4:1 chip lead, but it didn’t last. Ausmus doubled up when his king-three spiked a king on the river against Song’s pocket fives. Song patiently rebuilt his lead, but once again, Ausmus doubled, this time with ace-five hitting against Song’s eights. Both men held the chip lead in a swingy session of poker before Ausmus held the lead and shoved with pocket fours. Song called with queen-eight and once again, he couldn’t win a flip. Ausmus held to win the $99,200 top prize, as Song was forced to be content with the $62,000 runner-up prize.