No surprise -- things are running behind schedule. That seems to be the theme for the day. Play was scheduled to start at 12 noon; it got started at 1:30. In between 1:30pm and 5pm at least three different breaks were taken. At 5pm the tournament was put on a "45-minute dinner break". It's now just afer 6pm and play has just resumed.
Bear in mind that we're only on the first leg of this double shootout. After each of the five tables plays down to two players, we'll have to consolidate to a final table and play the second leg of the shootout. We put in the order for a case of Red Bull about an hour ago.
Anyway, cards are back in the air. The players are still in the Pot-Limit Omaha round, which is Round 5 of the tournament. Blinds are 150 and 300.
Maybe we made a mistake last night when we suggested a night-time establishment that some members of the Team Australia contingent might enjoy visiting. We hope that they didn't stay out all night and that they really are just running terribly today.
Gary Benson, playing as Team Australia's last hope, got his stack in against Team Greece. Benson had made top set, but Team Greece turned a queen-high flush. Benson and Team Australia needed a board pair to eliminate Team Greece from Outer Table 2, but it didn't come. Team Greece made a nice double-up.
That cold, dark cloud is coming down on Team Australia.
There's been a flurry of activity since the players came back from dinner. Vietnam was crippled by Team Israel on Outer Table 4, survived two double-ups but then was finally eliminated by Team Israel.
Then on the other side of the set, Tony G subbed in for Gary Benson and got Team Australia's last chips in on a board with a club draw. Team Israel, represented by Michael Mizrachi and a team which had even fewer chips than Team Australia, had flipped trip kings and called.
"Of course Tony G got his chips in on a draw!" said host Robert Williamson III. The problem for Tony G was that Mizrachi had two blockers to the club draw. The board blanked out, forcing Team Australia to pay off another double-up.
If I were more historically aware, I'd be able to write a lot of witty jokes about some of the team battles here. Instead you're stuck with me telling you how Team England and Team China got the chips in on Outer Table 3. Kind of boring, I suppose, but dammit Jim I'm a blogger not a history professor.
Anyway David Chiu and David Ulliot were the players involved in the PLO round. On a board of , both players were on the draw. Ulliot showed , a pair of nines and the nut flush draw. Chiu showed , a partial wrap straight draw. The turn secured a double-up for the Devilfish, who promptly started singing. Robert Williamson III snatched the microphone away from Ulliot, to the relief of the gallery.
Again, if I were more geo-politically aware, I'd glow on and on right now about how Israel and the USA are the closest of world allies, perhaps providing some relevant examples. But that's not really relevant to World Team Poker, where it's every country for itself.
Chris Ferguson, representing Team USA on Outer Table 3, moved all in with . Team Israel called with the better hand, . There was no help on board for Team USA. It was elimanated from Outer Table 3.
Team USA is down to just two table remaining, but that's still twice as many as Team Australia, the team that's been grinding it out at Outer Table 2. David Saab is doing his best as the Aussie representative there. His pocket 5s just took out Team Greece, which had been all in with .
![[user75032]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
board with a club draw. Team Israel, represented by Michael Mizrachi and a team which had even fewer chips than Team Australia, had flipped trip kings and called.
, both players were on the draw. Ulliot showed 
, a pair of nines and the nut flush draw. Chiu showed 
secured a double-up for the Devilfish, who promptly started singing. Robert Williamson III snatched the microphone away from Ulliot, to the relief of the gallery.
. Team Israel called with the better hand, 
. There was no help on board for Team USA. It was elimanated from Outer Table 3.