Stephensen, van Hoof, and Jacobson -- the final three
The 2014 World Series of Poker Main Event has been whittled down to its final three players, and the trio will return on Tuesday to play down to a champion that will walk away with the top prize of $10 million. The three players remaining are Dutchman Jorryt van Hoof, Swede Martin Jacobson, and Norwegian Felix Stephensen, and heading into Tuesday, van Hoof has the lead with 89.625 million in chips.
Jacobson sits second with 64.75 million, and Stephensen is the shortest stack with 46.1 million.
The first day of the November Nine had six players go bust, and the first to go was the same ninth-place finisher as a year ago in Mark Newhouse. After achieving the ridiculously incredible feat of reaching back-to-back WSOP Main Event final tables, Newhouse went from third in chips to start the day to the first player out.
From there, Bruno Politano fell in eighth place, Dan Sindelar hit the rail in seventh place, Andoni Larrabe was eliminated in sixth place, and Billy Pappas fell in fifth place to set up four-handed play. It was here that William Tonking's run came to an end when he fell in fourth place, and at that point everyone thought play would end for the night — but it didn't. Instead, it was decided to play to the end of the level, and the remaining three players trekked on.
The clock ticked down on Level 39, and when it struck zero play was halted for the night. Van Hoof had the chip lead, successfully navigating his way through the day to finish right where he started — at the top. He'll have a lead of about 25 million going forward, but this tournament is still very much anyone's game. All three players are skilled, they've got plenty of maneuverability in their stacks, and the structure is friendly for them. While Tuesday will no doubt be exciting, it's also going to be long in all likelihood, so get some rest and get ready.
There's three players left and $10 million to be won, and we'll see you right back here at PokerNews for complete live coverage with the cards in the air at 5:30 p.m. PT.
Hand #224: Jorryt van Hoof opened to 2.2 million from under the gun only to have Will Tonking move all in for 20 million. Martin Jacobson then moved all in from the small blind for 21.35 million and van Hoof quickly folded.
Tonking:
Jacobson:
With Tonking covered and at the big disadvantage, the flop of flop was spread to give Tonking more outs to a flush.
The turn of the now gave Tonking outs to a straight also as any club, three or two would see him scoop the pot.
Unfortunately for Tonking however, the river landed the to see him sent to the rail in 4th place for a $2,848,833 while Jacobson climbed to over 45 million in chips.
Martin Jacobson entered the pot from under the gun with a raise to 2.25 million and Felix Stephensen called on the button.
The flop fell and Jacobson bet out 2 million with Stephensen making the call as the landed on the turn.
Jacobson paused for a few moments and then eventually pushed out a bet totaling 5 million with Stephensen calling as the completed the board on the river.
Jacobson checked and Stephensen bet out 11.5 million to which Jacobson responded by going into the tank for close to three minutes without moving an inch. Eventually Jacobson turned around to peer at the TV screen that had the chip counts located on it before returning to focus on his stack which he broke down to reveal he had 26.350 million remaining.
After a further minute, Jacobson announced a call and Stephensen tabled his for runner-runner trips to send his stack upwards of 57 million while Jacobson slipped down to under 15 million.
Billy Pappas had the button and was all in for 50,000 after posting the ante.
Martin Jacobson raised to 2.25 million from the cutoff seat, and play moved over to Felix Stephensen in the small blind with Pappas already all in. Stephensen reraised and made it 5.5 million to go, and then Jorryt van Hoof went into the tank from the big blind. Eventually, van Hoof reraised to 12 million even, which knocked Jacobson out of the way. Stephensen also folded, and it was van Hoof versus the at-risk Pappas.
Van Hoof was first awarded the side pot, and he held the . Pappas had the and could win the main pot of 250,000.
The flop came down , leaving Pappas behind. The turn was the to pair the board, but that only meant that Pappas was looking for one of the remaining two sevens in the deck to stay alive.
The river completed the board with the , and Pappas was gone.
The action folded to Martin Jacobson on the button and he raised all in for 24.425 million. With the action on Billy Pappas in the small blind, he moved all in for 24.475 million and the cards were tabled.
Pappas:
Jacobson:
With Jacobson only 50,000 behind Pappas, and consequently at risk, the flop fell to see Jacobson spike his set to take a commanding lead. The turn and river landed the and and Jacobson doubled through to 50.6 million as Pappas was left with just 50,000 - not even enough to post a full ante.
Billy Pappas had the button to start this hand, and he raised to 2.25 million. Felix Stephensen reraised all in from the small blind for 20.8 million, and Jorryt van Hoof received a count and tanked from the big blind. Eventually, Van Hoof reraised all in, and Pappas folded.
Stephensen turned up the , and van Hoof had the .
The flop came down to give Stephensen the lead with a pair of aces. The turn brought the , and the river completed the board with the . Stephensen successfully doubled up, and van Hoof dropped back to just over 85 million.
Martin Jacobson made it 1.7 million to go from the cutoff only to have Felix Stephensen move all in from the small blind for 11.575 million.
The action folded back to Jacobson and he deliberated for close to a minute before making the call.
Jacobson:
Stephensen:
With Stephensen in the lead but flipping for his tournament life, the dealer spread a flop to give Stephensen a near-lock on the hand as Jacobson only had outs to a runner-runner straight.
The turn landed the to keep the door open for Jacobson, and when the dealer burned and turned the on the river, Stephensen doubled through to 24.45 million as Jacobson slipped to 21 million in chips.
Hand #140: Jorryt van Hoof had the button and entered the pot with a raise to 1.8 million only to have Andoni Larrabe move all in for 8.325 million from the small blind.
After a few moments of consideration, van Hoof made the call to put the Spaniard at risk.
Larrabe:
Van Hoof:
With Larrabe at a slight disadvantage, the dealer spread a flop to put Larrabe at a severe disadvantage now as he needed running cards to stay alive.
The turn landed the to end the hand as the meaningless completed the board on the river to send Larrabe to the rail in 6th place for a $1,622,080 payday as van Hoof's chip stack increased to over 85 million.
Play folded to Billy Pappas, and he raised to 1.4 million from the cutoff seat. Andoni Larrabe moved all in from the big blind, and Pappas called for 12.625 million total.
Pappas had the and was dominating the for Larrabe.
The flop came down , and Pappas had flopped a full house. The turn was the , and the river was the to secure another double up for Pappas.
From the small blind, Martin Jacobson announced he was all in for effectively 6.35 million. Billy Pappas looked down at his hole cards and then called all-in for his tournament life.
Jacobson:
Pappas:
The dealer spread a flop to give Jacobson the lead but leave Pappas a plethora of outs with any spade, king or ten.
The turn landed the to reduce some of Pappas' outs, and when the dealer completed the board with the , Pappas found a huge double to over 13 million as Jacobson slipped to 9.1 million in chips.
![[user80015]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
flop was spread to give Tonking more outs to a flush.
now gave Tonking outs to a straight also as any club, three or two would see him scoop the pot.
to see him sent to the rail in 4th place for a $2,848,833 while Jacobson climbed to over 45 million in chips.
and Jacobson bet out 2 million with Stephensen making the call as the 
landed on the turn.
completed the board on the river.
and could win the main pot of 250,000.
, and Pappas was gone.
to see Jacobson spike his set to take a commanding lead. The turn and river landed the 
and Jacobson doubled through to 50.6 million as Pappas was left with just 50,000 - not even enough to post a full ante.
, and van Hoof had the 
, and the river completed the board with the 
on the river, Stephensen doubled through to 24.45 million as Jacobson slipped to 21 million in chips.
flop to put Larrabe at a severe disadvantage now as he needed running cards to stay alive.
to end the hand as the meaningless 
and was dominating the 
, and the river was the 
