The action started with Minh Nguyen raising to 25,000 from the button. Sam Williams made the call from the small blind before Ben Rendall bumped it up to 80,000 from the big blind.
With the decision back on Nguyen, he paused for a minute before sliding out a raise to 136,000 in chips. Williams quickly got out of the way before Rendall moved all in with 376,000 chips still behind. Nguyen snap called and the cards were tabled.
Nguyen:
Rendall:
Rendall was in bad shape against the over pair and would find no help as the dealer spread out the board.
With that pot Nguyen moves up to 2,500,000 in chips – giving him more than half the chips in play with seven players remaining.
Not too surprisingly, Minh Nguyen has been opening up a lot of hands at this final table. That has been especially true since he sent Ben Rendall to the rail and moved his stack into the “more than half of all chips in play” territory.
Nguyen recently opened four hands in a row. He only got action on one occasion – when he opened to 20,000 from under the gun and Michael Guzzardi called from the hijack. Nguyen, however, then took down the pot when he put in a continuation bet of 31,000 on the .
The hand immediately after raising four hands in a row saw Nguyen in the big blind and he decided to fold to a single raise from Thomas Ward, which got a few laughs from the table as they questioned him on how bad his hand must have been!
Michael Guzzardi opened to 20,000 from the hijack before Dean Blatt moved all in 127,000 from the cut off. The action folded back around to Guzzardi who made the call.
Guzzardi:
Blatt:
“All red flop,” asked Blatt. The dealer spread out the which gave Blatt a back-door flush draw.
The brought some interest on the turn with Blatt free rolling with the chance to win the whole pot. Guzzardi could bare to look as his head sunk into his arms.
The dropped on the river resulting in both players chopping the pot, much to the delight of Guzzardi.
Minh Nguyen continues to stay active and win chips. However, Thomas Ward recently played back at him.
Nguyen started the action by opening it up to 25,000 from middle position. Ward called out of the big blind and the dealer flipped over a flop. Ward checked here and Nguyen led for 31,000. Then Ward check-raised to 91,000. Nguyen opted to let it go and the pot went to Ward.
The action folded around to Dean Blatt in the small blind who looked down at his cards and contemplated his next move.
“Don’t do it,” joked Thomas Ward in the big blind, referring to Blatt potentially moving all in.
Blatt did end up committing his remaining 123,000. Ward looked down at his cards and instantly snap called.
Ward:
Blatt:
“Ace – Duece – Duece,” asked Ward before both players watched the flop come down .
It was all over for Blatt as he was drawing dead after the flop. The meaningless and completed the board leaving him to collect NZ$21,500 for his efforts.
This one started with Michael Guzzardi opening to 20,000 from under the gun. Jesse McKenzie was the lone caller out of the cut off and with that, the dealer spread out a flop. Guzzardi led for 20,000 here and McKenzie made the call.
On the turn, Guzzardi led for 40,000 and McKenzie called.
The board completed with a and this time Guzzardi moved all in for a little over 150,000. McKenzie instantly called and tabled for a flopped full house just as quick.
Guzzardi sort of smirked, hesitated, showed a and then a for just trip nines.
That bit of a cooler sees Guzzardi sent home in sixth place, collecting NZ$26,500.
Minh Nguyen raised to 25,000 from the cut off. Sam Williams then bumped it up to 60,000 from the button as the blinds got out of the way. Nguyen made the call and both players watched the flop come down .
Both players opted to check before the dealer revealed the on the turn. Nguyen reached for his chips and slid out 71,000. Williams thought about his decision for over a minute before making the call.
The completed the board and Nguyen sat motionless for a moment before committing another 181,000 in chips. Williams went into the tank for more than three minutes before finally making the call.
Nguyen then confidently tabled his for trip tens which was enough to take down the monster pot after Williams mucked his hand.
Here are the five chip stacks as the players head on a break.
board.
.
which gave Blatt a back-door flush draw.
brought some interest on the turn with Blatt free rolling with the chance to win the whole pot. Guzzardi could bare to look as his head sunk into his arms.
dropped on the river resulting in both players chopping the pot, much to the delight of Guzzardi.
.
completed the board leaving him to collect NZ$21,500 for his efforts.
flop. Guzzardi led for 20,000 here and McKenzie made the call.
turn, Guzzardi led for 40,000 and McKenzie called.
and this time Guzzardi moved all in for a little over 150,000. McKenzie instantly called and tabled 
for a flopped full house just as quick.
and then a 
for just trip nines.
.
for trip tens which was enough to take down the monster pot after Williams mucked his hand.