Almost Time for Heat #5
Here's how the standings look going into today, with everyone in bold playing today.
1. Phil Laak – 48 points
2. David Benyamine - 35 points
3. Giovanni Safina - 21 points
4. JC Tran – 17 points
5. Yevgeniy Timoshenko – 16 points
6. Roland De Wolfe – 14 points
T-7. Luke Schwartz – 12 points
T-7. Vanessa Rousso – 12 points
9. Ian Frazer – 10 points
10. Phil Hellmuth - 6 points
11. Tony G - 5 points
12. Daniel Negreanu – 4 points
Phil Hellmuth, Tony G and Daniel Negreanu are all playing today and really need to finish towards the top in order to have a chance at making it to the final table. Luke Schwartz is coming off a solid day of play yesterday where he earned his best finish and will be looking to ride that momentum into another good performance today.
Last time JC Tran and Hellmuth played together, there was a lot of battling between the two. Hellmuth even declared war on Tran. Laak will be commentating and is looking forward to the continuation of the war today. Here's what Hellmuth had to say about it on Twitter:
"JC Tran outplayed me today, well done sir. But I am going to mess JC up big time next match!! JC wants war, I'll give him war..."
Combining those two with Negreanu, Tony G and Schwartz, the banter should be strong today.
Action is set to begin in a little bit. The production crew is getting some pre-game interviews done and fixing up the last bits of preparation and then things will be underway.
and was called by JC Tran with two black deuces.
and Timoshenko fired 8,000. Tran folded and Timoshenko scooped the pot.
and then JC Tran raised to 8,000 from the next seat with the 
. Yevgeniy Timoshenko called from the small blind with the 
and Giovanni Safina called from the big blind with the 
.
and action checked around. The turn was the 
and Timoshenko bet out 21,000. All three of his opponents in the hand folded and another early pot went to Timoshenko.
. Ian Frazer called in position with the 
. Daniel Negreanu was in the big blind and looked down at the 
. Giovanni Safina reraised to 18,000 with the 
and made the call in position.
and Safina picked up a pair of kings with the second best kicker. He fired a continuation bet of 12,000 and Negreanu mucked.
, JC Tran checked his 
to Phil Hellmuth who held the 
and both players checked. The river was the 
and Tran fired 5,000.
