Bob Bright three-bet to $12,000 from the cutoff and got three callers, with everyone seeing a flop. Action checked to him, and he bet $28,000. Two folds later, Matthew Kirk jammed for $90,000, and Bright quickly called.
Bright:
Kirk:
The players ran it once, and a brutal turn left Kirk drawing even slimmer. The was no help on the river. Kirk fired up a reload of $250,000, and Bright collected the pot.
The players have put the straddle on for the first time, starting with Jean-Robert Bellande, who placed $1,600 out. Expect more action if the straddling continues.
This hand was unstreamed as the commentary team took a short break.
Catching up with the action on the turn, Johnny Chan had defended his big blind and check-called $11,000 from Antonio Esfandiari (button) on a board of . Chan checked the and Esfandiari eyed him before firing $27,000. Chan quickly called, and Esfandiari turned up his cards. Evidently, they couldn't beat top pair as Chan showed an ace and a face card, taking down the pot.
"Why did I try to bluff Johnny Chan?" Esfandiari wondered aloud moments later.
Phil Ivey opened for a raise in the cutoff, and Jennifer Tilly defended her big blind. She check-called $4,000 on the , and then another $11,000 on the turn. On the river, Tilly fired out $20,000, and Ivey thought things over for awhile before mucking.
If anyone expected Tilly to nit it up in the face of a table full of experienced high-stakes grinders, that hasn't been the case at all. Tilly has not been afraid to mix it up thus far, playing both in and out of position and appearing to take down her share of pots so far.
Doyle Brunson opened to $2,500 and got calls from Matthew Kirk on the button, and both Johnny Chan and Bob Bright in the blinds. Brunson's $10,000 on the was called by only Bright. Bright checked the turn, and Brunson bet $16,000. Bright raised to $43,000, and Brunson called. The double-paired the board and action went check-check. Bright showed a with a paint card, and Brunson mucked. Bright dragged a pot of about $120,000.
Antonio Esfandiari opened to $2,200. Jennifer Tilly called, but Matthew Kirk wanted to play for more and made it $10,000. Esfandiari made it $28,000, and Tilly folded. Kirk called and they went to a flop, with Kirk having started the hand around $230,000. The dealer spread a flop, and both checked. Esfandiari checked the , and Kirk bet $25,000. Esfandiari called and checked the . Kirk cut out $75,000 and slid it in. Esfandiari immediately called, and Kirk showed for the low straight. We couldn't see Esfandiari's cards, but he presumably had either a better straight or a flush because the dealer pushed the pot his way.
Play has resumed, though Jennifer Tilly is still absent. A fresh stack has also appeared at the table, and Matthew Kirk has taken a seat by it. He's seated between Tilly and Chan.