The bubble has finally burst, and no surprise that it took a bad beat for it to happen.
It happened front and center up on the stage when Darrell Smith moved all in from early position holding . Luke Graham, who has chipped up nicely here on Day 2, made the call with while the rest of the field got out of the way.
Smith was a big favorite to double, and even more so after the flop came down . Unfortunately for Smith, the next card was a . Graham hit his card to take the lead, though Smith could still win with a nine on the river. The dealer burned and put out a . With that, the bubble was burst.
According to Daniel Weinman, Earl Merritt opened to 16,000 from early position. The action folded to Tripp Kirk, who jammed for effectively 110,000 or so, and Merritt folded two aces face up.
Two aces. Face up.
The players at the table instantly took to Twitter to tell the world what happened:
Webber Kang shoved for 51,000 from early position with only to run into the of Glen Goldsmith. The rest of the players folded and Kang asked if anyone had folded an ace. One player stated that he had.
Kang called for an ace but was left wanting on the flop. The turn meant he had two outs headed to the river, and wouldn't you know it, the spiked. The table reacted in disbelief as Kang let a big smile creep across his face. This is one bubble that doesn't want to burst.
The clock is running on Level 19, but since hand-for-hand play started in Level 18, the blinds remain 4,000/8,000/500. When the bubble bursts, the level will immediately be bumped and action will pick up at whatever the clock say in Level 19.
We've had a few all-in confrontations thus far, but each one has resulted in the at-risk player doubling.
In one hand, Jerry Barlow moved all in from middle position for roughly 45,000 holding the and was called by Mark Montero, who held the in the blinds. The board ran out a clean and Barlow doubled for a second time on the bubble.
Not long after, Kasra Khodayarkhani opened for 8,500 and then called when Jerry Johnson three-bet all in for 33,000. Khodayarkhani tabled the and failed to overcome Johnson's as the board ran out .
Daniel Lowery opened to 10,000 in late position, John Roberts called out of the blinds, and the dealer fanned . Roberts check-called an 8,000-chip bet from Lowery, and the turn brought a second five - the .
Roberts checked, Lowery fired out another 17,000, and Roberts called.
The completed the board, Roberts checked a third time, and Lowery tossed out 31,500. Roberts called.
Lowery ripped over for trip fives, prompting Roberts to muck his hand.
Level 18 has expired during hand-for-hand play, and that means the remaining 82 players are now on a 15-minute break. When they return we'll pick up right where we left off.
Brad Johnson opened to 11,000 in the cutoff, Jerry Barlow moved all in for 25,000 on the button, and the action folded back to Johnson, who called.
While the two were waiting for the action to finish on the other tables, they openly discussed the contents of their hands.
"You have a pair?" Barlow asked.
Johnson nodded.
"Ace-king," Barlow said. "I'm live."
True enough, when the action was completed on the other tables, Johnson showed and Barlow tabled .
The dealer rapped the table, burned a card, then fanned . The onlookers groaned at the sight of the ace. Barlow held when the turn and river bricked , respectively, doubling to around 57,000 chips.
We're down to 82 players and tournament officials are waiting for action to complete at each table before initiating hand-for-hand play. We need to lose just one more player before the rest of the field is guaranteed $2,846. We're headed out to the field to catch see if we can't catch the bubble hand.
. Unfortunately for Smith, the next card was a 
. With that, the bubble was burst.
only to run into the 
of Glen Goldsmith. The rest of the players folded and Kang asked if anyone had folded an ace. One player stated that he had.
flop. The 
turn meant he had two outs headed to the river, and wouldn't you know it, the 
spiked. The table reacted in disbelief as Kang let a big smile creep across his face. This is one bubble that doesn't want to burst.
in the blinds. The board ran out a clean 
and Barlow doubled for a second time on the bubble.
. Roberts check-called an 8,000-chip bet from Lowery, and the turn brought a second five - the 
completed the board, Roberts checked a third time, and Lowery tossed out 31,500. Roberts called.
and Barlow tabled 
. The onlookers groaned at the sight of the ace. Barlow held when the turn and river bricked 