In what is a rare site this late in a tournament, we had three players limp in for 6,000 before it got around to Marco Traniello in the small blind. He also called, and the big blind check his option. Five players saw the dealer fan out a flop of , and Traniello wasted little time in sliding in the rest of his stack, about 25,000 in total. No one had a hand good enough to call with, and Traniello collected the chips, upping his stack to 56,000.
It's been a good level so far for Traniello, as he came back from dinner with just three big blinds. He's still a short stack, but with one more double up, he will be back above water.
We caught up just as the hand was ending, however, we were told that Donald Vogel opened from the cutoff and that a short-stacked Shankar Pillai moved all in from the small blind. Action folded back around to Vogel, who made the call to put Pillai at risk.
Pillai:
Vogel:
The board ran out and Vogel sent Pillai to the rail with trip aces.
We took a quick glance around the tables and notice that of the 61 remaining players, only one of them was a woman. That woman is Kelly Jensen, and she will be looking to continue the trend of women making deep runs in open events this year. Jensen is in good shape, as she is just a bit above average at 175,000.
One of our current chip leaders - Van Manlambus, has not returned to his seat since dinner. His stack is slowly being blinded and ante'd off and is currently at 390,000.
Donald Vogel, who entered the day as the chip leader, has been hovering right around the 160,000 stack that he started the day with for most of today's action. However, we just caught him in a hand that has him over the 200k mark.
We caught the action on a . There was about 50,000, and both players were in early position, but Vogel was first to act. He check called a bet of 20,000, and the hit the turn. Both players checked, and the dealer peeled off a scary looking on the river. Vogel wasted little time in reaching for his chips, and put out a bet of 30,000. His opponent instantly released his hand, and Vogel picked up the pot.
The player on the button open-pushed all in for his last 70,000 and directly behind him in the small blind, Allan Le also announced he was all in for about 140,000. The opponent behind *him* then announced he was also all in for less - about 97,000. All three hands were then revealed.
Button:
Le:
Big Blind:
The board meant that both of Le's opponent's would get a portion of Le's stack, with the player on the button getting the main pot.
By the time Le's opponents were done stacking what were once his own chips, he was left with just 40,000 behind.
Marco Traniello had almost folded himself to the felt before the dinner break, as he was down to just 13,000 in chips. On the second hand back, he has found the first of what he hopes to be several double ups. Traniello got it in preflop holding , and was in great shape against his opponent's . The board rand out a scary looking but safe , and Traniello collected the chips, upping his stack to 30,000.
, and Traniello wasted little time in sliding in the rest of his stack, about 25,000 in total. No one had a hand good enough to call with, and Traniello collected the chips, upping his stack to 56,000.
. There was about 50,000, and both players were in early position, but Vogel was first to act. He check called a bet of 20,000, and the 
hit the turn. Both players checked, and the dealer peeled off a scary looking 
on the river. Vogel wasted little time in reaching for his chips, and put out a bet of 30,000. His opponent instantly released his hand, and Vogel picked up the pot.
, and was in great shape against his opponent's 
. The board rand out a scary looking but safe 
