With 3,800 chips in the pot preflop, three players checked a flop. On the turn Stewart Scott fired out 2,200 and both Michael Song and Emad Tahtouh made the call.
The river was the and Song and Scott checked to Tahtouh who bet 5,500. Scott folded, but Song made the call tabling . Tahtouh rolled over for air.
Scott is down to 17,000. Tahtouh has 35,000, Song moves up to about 50,000.
We wandered past the table of Steve "Big Show" Topakas and saw that his stack had all but disappeared as he was left with only a few hundred in small change.
When we inquired as to what happened, Topakas recalled to us that he was holding on a X- board when the chips went into the middle on the turn. Unfortunately for Topakas his opponent held for the bigger straight and "Big Show" was crippled.
"I might have to jump off the SKYCITY Tower...just without the cable!" laughed Topakas in jest.
However he's not out just yet, as we hung around to observe his recent double up to stay alive. Topakas was all in from the big blind with against and caught good on the board to double back up to around 1,000 in chips.
Grant Levy has been battling the short stack for most of today, but he just doubled up to stay alive. We're not sure when the chips went into the middle as we only saw the end result as Levy's collected the chips against his opponent's on the board.
"That's one double up, now one more to go!" chuckled Levy as he chips up to 10,000.
The short stacks are hanging in there as this time it was Daniel Francis' turn to find a much needed double up.
Francis opened to 750, before the player next to speak made it 1,850 to play. The table folded back around to Francis who decided to commit all of his last 5,625 with his opponent quickly calling.
Francis:
Opponent:
The board was kind to Francis as it fell to pair his queen and provide the double up to around 12,000 chips.
Grant Levy is freerolling after surviving a sick cooler situation.
Preflop Levy with opened from under the gun and two players called. The flop came and the opponent in the blinds checked to Levy who fired out a bet.
Both of his opponents decided to stay on for the turn, which all three players checked.
The river was a and the player in the blinds bet 2,000. Levy flat called looking to induce a bluff from the last player to act. The late position opponent also flat called, which turned about to be a pleasant twist of fate for Levy.
The player in the blinds tabled for quad sixes, which would have certainly sent Levy to the rail had he been able to check-raise all in.
A blown play by Michael Shinzaki has paid dividends after hitting the river to haul the pot.
Shinzaki went heads up to the flop and Shinzaki's opponent led 2,700. Shinzaki asked for a count on his opponent before shoving all in with . The opponent made the call for his final 20,000 in chips with and was looking good to the double up.
The turn was the , however the river spiked the gutshot straight for Shinzaki.
Joel "StrongPlay" Dodds has been sent to the rail, after four-betting all in preflop with pocket jacks, but he ran into an opponent's pocket queens. Dodds couldn't find a jack to save his tournament and was sent to the rail.
Grant Levy is laughing all the way to the bank after making a titanic come back from just 3,500 chips.
Levy now sits over 28,000 after a recent hand.
On a flop of Levy bet out 1,275 and Bill Potts tossed out 2,075 in multiple chips. The dealer asked Potts what his decision was and he responded that he wanted to call.
At this stage Levy asked the floor for a ruling, as Potts bet was over half the amount required to raise. The floor agreed with Levy and the Potts had to raise to 2,550. Levy then moved all in over the top with the opponent calling.
Levy tabled for a Broadway straight, and the Potts over for top and bottom pairs. The board completed turn and river to put Levy back in a favorable position in this tournament.