Jose Espinar wins the LAPT Punta Del Este Main Event

The final table began when Jose Espinar raised it up to twnety-six thousand under-the gun, only to get raised by Paulo Cesaro Rubeiro, of Brazil.  Jose Espinar called and and saw a flop of K-K-6.  Espinar  quickly moved in after the initial one hundred-thousand bet of Rubeiro and Rubeiro called only to reveal his Jacks badly trailing the K-Q off Espinar.  The queen on the turn sealed the victory, but the fourth King made quad kings for Espinar to eliminate Paulo Cesar Rubeiro in eight place for just over fifteen thousand dollars.  The next hand another was eliminated when Jaun Perez raised to thirty-five thousna d from early position, only to get re-raised by Espinar to ninety-six thousand.  Perez moved all-in and Espinar called, showing his A-J badly trailing the A-A of Perez.  But Espinar's coup came when the flop brought 10-2-Q, the turn A, and the river a gut-shot filling King to best his opponent's top set with a straight, Ace-high.  Jose Perez was eliminated in seventh place for just over twenty-five thousand dollars.  The very next hand, Sydney Chreem was eliminated when he moved all-in for fifty thousand with Q-9 diamonds and was called by Gallo's pocket sevens.  The board brought no help with 10-8-10-6-3 and Chreem brought just over thirty-four thousand dollars fo his final table appearance.  The next hand featured Lisandro Gallo raising it up preflop to thirty-thousand, to get called by Espinar.  On a flop of 4-K-2 Espinar bet thirty thousand and was called by Gallo.  On the turn of a 9, Gallo checked and called a seventy thousand bet from Espinar.  The river was checked, as Gallo turned over A-10 to win the hand.  The next hand Lisandro Gallo limped in and Alexander Gomes and Jose Espinar called from the blinds.  They saw flop of 10-3-Q, and Gomes bet out twenty-six thousand, Gallo raising to ninety-thousand, and Gomes called.  On the turn of a deuce, Gallo bet out eighty-five thousand with a prompt fold from Gomes, and Gallo collected a nice pot. 

Gylbert Drolet was next eliminated in fifth place for just over fifty thousand dollars when his J-J was out ran by the Ac Qh of Gallo, with the board bringing 9-10-2, all clubs, the turn a five of spades, but the river a flush completing, club King. World Series of Poker bracelet winner Alexander Gomes was then eliminated in fourth place when both Alexander Brenes and he moved all in on a flop of 4s 3c 6s, only to reveal a straight draw for Alexander Brenes with A 5 versus the flush draw of Qs 7s for Gomes.  The turn brought a seven tocomplete the straight, and the river an innocuous nine to eliminate Gomes in fourth for just over sixty-eight thousand dollars.  In three-way play, Gallo moved all-in with A-5 of hearts to suck out against the A 9 of Alexander Brenes on a board of K-J-5-7-4, doubling up Gallo through Brenes.  Lisandro Gallo was subsequently eliminated in third place when he moved all-in for his last forty-six thousand to turn over Q-9 off-suit to Alexander Brenes' A-A.  The board came  K-3-2-K-x and brought no help for Lisandro Gallo, who was eliminated in third for over $93.000.  In the ensuing two-way action, Alexander Brenes limped in and Jose Espinar checked.  On a flop of 5-4-8 both players checked.  On the turn of 8 Jose Espinar bet out sixty-thousand to get called by Brenes.  On the river of red four Espinar this time bets one-hundred eighty thousand, to get called by Brenes, who shows a preternatural read to call with his A-3 off and win the pot.  Brenes was subsequently crushed by an all-in when his A-9 was dominated cruelly by Espinar's A-10 off-suit, and the board came 9-K-6-1- 5 to bring a cruel suck-re-suck-out situation and leave Brenes with a mere forty thousand chips, and four or five big blinds.  The following hand Brenes pushed his remaining chip into the pot with A-10 off-suit only to get called by the K-3 suited of Espinar.  The flop came K-7-9, and turn 4 and another 9, to eliminate Brenes in second for over one-hundred twenty-seven thousand dollars and bring the champion title to Jose Espinar, collecting the first prize of over two-hundred forty-thousand dollars.  Thus, the Latin American Poker Tour Main Event concluded, with Espinar crowned champion and all participants walking away from a hard-fought battle.