The PCA is crammed full of action, both on and off the tables. Book in these highlights over the next 10 days, including Open face Chinese poker, Zoom Challenge and EPT Live. Find out more at the PokerStars Blog.
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Daniel Alaei and Scott Seiver saw a flop of 
. Seiver led out from the small blind, betting 26,000, and Alaei called on the button.
The turn was the suicide king (
), and Seiver led again - this time for 63,000. Alaei tanked for 30 seconds or so, then folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
305,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
||
|
294,000
9,000
|
9,000 |
|
||
Erik Seidel opened to 5,500 from early position, Andrew "luckychewy" Lichtenberger three-bet to 13,200 from middle position, and the action folded back to Seidel, who four-bet to 35,000.
Lichtenberger tanked for a bit, then five-bet to 75,000. Seidel folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
280,000
34,000
|
34,000 |
|
||
|
180,000
-28,000
|
-28,000 |
|
||
On the feature table, Steve O'Dwyer and Philipp Gruissem were involved in a series of raises that led to O'Dwyer being all in for 282,700 with 
. Gruissem was well behind with 
.
The flop came down 
to give O'Dwyer top set, leaving Gruissem with just running outs to a straight. The 
turn locked up the pot for O'Dwyer, leaving Gruissem with about ten big blinds.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
584,000
280,000
|
280,000 |
|
||
|
20,000
-277,000
|
-277,000 |
|
|
||
Vladimir Troyanovsky has entered the field here in Level 5 and has taken his seat to the immediate left of Team PokerStars Pro Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
250,000 |
Nick Schulman opened to 5,200 on the button, Igor Kurganov - who recently re-entered - three-bet to 15,600 from the small blind, and Schulman four-bet to 38,500.
Kurganov mulled the decision for a bit, then folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
280,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
||
|
233,000
-17,000
|
-17,000 |
|
|
||
We happened by Jason Mercier's table just in time to overhear him tell David "Doc" Sands that he had just received a text message from Phil Hellmuth, who is poised to make a patented late entrance to this event. "Dinner, 6:30?" Mercier said as he read the text aloud.
"You should tell him you don't know because you're already out," Sands said with a smile. The table got a good laugh and then debated whether Hellmuth was asking Mercier out to dinner or what time the dinner break is.
"Are you asking me to dinner or do you want to know what time it's at?" Mercier texted back, though he added, "I should have said, 'Yes, where are you taking me?'"
After being crippled by Steve O'Dwyer, Philipp Gruissem open-shoved his last 14,600 from late position. Isaac Haxton called on the button, and Antonio Esfandiari called out of the small blind. The flop came 
, Esfandiari led out for 22,000, and Haxton folded.
Gruissem: 
Esfandiari: 
The turn and river came 
, 
respectively, and Gruissem was eliminated.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
290,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
|
||
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
Tobias Reinkemeier opened to 5,200 from the hijack and Sam Stein called from the small blind. Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier three-bet to 17,500 from the big blind, Reinkemeier called, and Stein folded.
The flop came down 
and Grospellier checked. Reinkemeier bet 17,000, Grospellier tagged along, and the 
hit the turn. Grospellier check-called 37,000 this street, leading to both checking the 
river.
Grospellier tabled 
, besting Reinkemeier's hand to win the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
340,000
70,000
|
70,000 |
|
||
|
59,000
-81,000
|
-81,000 |
Anthony Gregg opened to 5,500 under the gun and Bill Perkins made the call from the cutoff using all black T100 chips. Action then reached Mike "Timex" McDonald in the small blind and he three-bet to 16,600. Much to McDonald's surprise, Gregg made the call, as did Perkins.
McDonald proceeded to lead out for 15,500 on the 
flop, Gregg called, and Perkins got out of the way. When the 
appeared on the turn, McDonald checked and quickly folded when Gregg bet 35,500.
McDonald then explained he didn't realize Gregg had originally opened and was under the impression Perkins had opened the pot. "I'd have played that hand quite differently," McDonald explained much to the amusement of his opponents.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
280,000
25,000
|
25,000 |
|
|
||
|
212,500
-57,500
|
-57,500 |
|
|
||
