Season 3 - Latest Post

Irony. That's what you could call the fact that only one player hailing from Latin America has won an event (out of the first seven) on the Latin American Poker Tour. The previous events at Punta del Este were dominated by Europeans. In Season 1, a Spaniard named Jose...more

A little over one year ago, we were in Vina del Mar, Chile, sitting in a ballroom not unlike this one, as Fabian Ortiz became the first-ever Latin American champion on the LAPT. We had seen a Spaniard, a Hungarian, a Dutchman and two Americans claim victory, but until Ortiz...more

Two miniature versions of the Uruguayan flag are printed on the felt of every poker table at the Mantra Casino. If you don't know, the Uruguayan flag is one of the oldest flags in the world consisting of nine stripes alternating between light blue and white. The top corner...more

When Amer Sulaiman boarded an airplane from Toronto to Costa Rica, he never expected to return home with an extra $172,095 in his pocket, let alone an LAPT title. The 45-year old Iraqi-born Canadian resident came to Playa Conchal for a vacation with his girlfriend, but at the last...more

Envy isn't a productive emotion and we try to avoid it as often as we can. That said, after talking with Sol Bergren, we're finding it hard to cage the green monster. Bergren is young, relaxed, leading the life of many people's dreams, and holds the chip lead going into...more

Rob Woodcock probably went to bed last night dreaming of a repeat final table appearance here in Costa Rica, and going into Day 2 with 147,600 in chips, it wasn't too remote a fantasy. Woodcock pulled off the rare feat of ending Day 1 as the chip leader here in...more

In the Latin American Poker Tour's three-season history, no person had ever won two titles. In the land mine-covered fields of the LAPT, it seemed impossible. Until today. After four days of play, Team PokerStars Pro Jose "Nacho" Barbero became the first person with two LAPT championships to his...more

7:08pm: Back-to-back LAPT titles for Nacho ($250,000)! Barrows takes second ($144,000) It didn't take long. After folding the first couple of hands of heads-up play, Ben Barrows open-shoved with his last one million-plus with A♦2♦, and Jose "Nacho" Barbero called quickly with A♠7♣. The flop came an intriguing 7♦K♠Q♦, pairing...more

by Martin Harris One of the more famous phrases appearing in 19th-century historian's William Prescott highly regarded History of the Conquest of Peru goes as follows: "If no man could become rich in Peru, no man could become poor." Prescott was referring to civilization building, but he could have been...more

Amid the crowds, the noise and the television cameras packed into the auditorium at the Costa do Santinho resort, Matthias Habernig, a 19-year-old from Klagenfurt, Austria, travelling through South American on vacation, has won the newest Latin American Poker Tour title in Florianopolis and a cheque for R$435,000. The...more

4.45pm: Matthias Habernig wins LAPT Florianopolis. Dayan Vardanega re-raised Matthias Habernig's preflop bet to 395,000 in what was to be the last hand of the day. Habernig called, and a A♠7♦T♥ flop hit the felt. Vardanega bet 480,000 and Habernig called, bringing the Q♦ on the turn. Action was...more

3.50pm: Break time That's the end of the level. Players are taking a five minute break. 3.45pm: the big Mo Dayan Vardanega seems to have seized the momentum Habernig opened for 130,000 which Vardanega called for a flop of Q♦7♦7♣. Vardanega checked and Habernig bet 155,000. Vardanega then raised...more

by Brad Willis and Change100 The road to Argentina is the road to the end of the world. Drive far enough down its coasts and through its mountains, and you might just fall off the planet. Oh, sure, there is a greater chance you'll just get frostbite on the...more

6:50pm: Martin Sansour wins the LAPT Rosario, Bolivar Palacios eliminated in second place On the second hand of heads-up play, Bolivar Palacios open-raised, Martin Sansour moved all-in and Palacios made the call. Palacios: A♦Q♣ Sansour: A♣K♣ Dominated and the LAPT title at risk, Palacios needed some serious help on...more

Out of the 254 players who started the LAPT Grand Final in Rosario, Argentina, only eight remain. The final table players come from around South America, the USA, and Sweden. They have many final tables among them, but only one, Matthias Habernig, has an LAPT championship. For a better look...more