2017 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open: Nipun Java Finishes 34th in Main Event; Aaron Mermelstein Leads 30 Survivors

2017 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open
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  • PG News August 14, 2017
  • 3 Minutes Read

Day 2 of the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open Main Event saw 266 survivors returning and after another ten levels of play, the field has now been trimmed down to the final 30.

The event will pay the top 111 players a piece of the $4.3 Million prize pool. At the money bubble, three players fell simultaneously (including 2015 SHRPO Champion Omar Zazay), and split the min-cash of $7,528.

At the end of day’s play, Aaron Mermelstein bagged the overnight chip lead with 2,706,000 in chips and will be coming back tomorrow as the frontrunner for the $750,000 top prize.

Team India’s Aditya Agarwal and Nipun Java were in thick of action on Day 2 but unfortunately neither could survive through. While Agarwal busted 20 places shy of getting paid, India’s only 2-time WSOP bracelet winner went deep and eventually fell in 34th place banking $19,531 for his efforts.

Big names still in the race for the title include David Diaz, Odie Dardon, Scott Clements, Shannon Shorr, Nicholas Palma and Joel Harwood.

 

Day 2 Recap

Several notables made it in the money including Christian Harder, Keven Stammen, Harrison Gimbel, Taylor Paur, Neil Blumenfield, Kane Kalas, John Gordon, John Hennigan, Kevin Saul, Jean Gaspard, Allen Bari, Asher Conniff, Paul Volpe, Jonathan Jaffe, Jason Brin, Kurt Jewell, Shaun Deeb, Ari Engel, Matt Waxman, Event 1 winner Nipun Java, and SHRP team member Chance Kornuth.

Java was going strong in the event and got involved in two major hands against Jean Gaspard. In the first-hand, Java opened to 9,000 and Gaspard called. Another player joined the action to see the flop . Java bet 10,000, Gaspard 3-bet it to 32,000, and the third player folded. Java tanked before calling, and the turn fell which got checked around. The river delivered the on which Gaspard bet 55,000 and Java check-called after tanking for a bit. Gaspard showed and Java tabled to take down the pot.

Java went on to take a huge chunk of Gaspard’s stack in the second major hand. He opened to 12,000 and Gaspard 3-bet to 27,000. Java 4-bet it to 68,000 and Gaspard tank called. On the flop Java moved all in. Gaspard went into the tank again eventually deciding to fold. Java stacked up over 450,000 after collecting the pot.

Just when it was looking like Java would be coming back tomorrow for another deep run this summer, we saw him hit the rails at 34th place. Java collected $19,531 in prize money.

Java’s final hand saw him moving all-in holding and Daniel Blum shoved over the top wth , and the remaining players folded. The board opened and Java was eliminated from the event.

Nipun Java
Nipun Java

He tweeted about his tournament journey –

India’s sole Team PokerStars pro Aditya Agarwal started the day being one of the shorter stacks and unfortunately couldn’t make it in the money.

Chip leader Mermelstein emerged strong late in the day when he eliminated Ashton Griffin in 45th place. He never looked back then and is the only player to bag over 2 million.

Joe Kuether was another notable in the list of survivors but things may get tricky for him if he makes the final table as he has already made it to the final table in the $1,100 event that will play out on August 15. He bagged 615,000 at the end of day.

Glenn Becker is the last player still alive in the SHRPO Championship who can catch Nathan Papp for the SHRP Player of the Year award. He too bagged among the top 10 stacks with 1,029,000.

Aaron Mermelstein
Aaron Mermelstein

Top 10 Chip Counts at the End of Day 2

1. Aaron Mermelstein – 2,706,000
2. Adam Levy – 1,960,000
3. Yi Chi Li – 1,816,000
4. Matt Berkey – 1,795,000
5. Samuel Bernabeu – 1,285,000
6. Odie Dardon – 1,154,000
7. David Sands – 1,044,000
8. Glenn Becker – 1,029,00
9. Michael Aron – 1,000,000
10. Diana Shirey – 923,000

Keep following the latest updates from Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open on PokerGuru!

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