During the last break, David Steicke told Andrew Scott that he thought the tournament might end this level. He was definitely right about one thing -- his tournament would end this level.
Steicke opened the pot to 48,000 preflop. Action passed to Inwook Choi. He put in a re-raise to 148,000. Steicke announced that he was all-in and Choi snap-called.
Steicke:
Choi:
For the second time at this final table, nines took on kings in an all-in battle. This time Choi's kings held up, , sending Steicke to the rail in 4th place. Only three players remain.
We had our first three-way pot since three-handed action began, with Adrien Allain, Inwook Choi and J.C. Tran each playing for the minimum preflop. Action checked to Tran on the button after the flop came down . His bet of 25,000 was called by both opponents.
The turn was the . Again the action checked to Tran. He fired another 50,000 into the pot and was called only by Allain. On the river , Allain bet 100,000. Tran deliberated for 30 seconds before calling. Allain showed for a straight, the winning hand.
Adrien Allain can do no wrong so far today. He has eliminated four players and seems to keep hitting hands. He limped in preflop before Inwook Choi raised to 56,000. Allain called. Both players checked a flop of . Allain again checked the turn, drawing a bet of 52,000 from Choi that he called. The action then checked down on the river, with Allain making a pair of queens, . It was once again the winner.
There has been a noticeable shift to small-ball poker during the last hour. Inwook Choi opened a recent pot with a raise to 34,000 that was called by big blind Adrien Allain. Both players checked a flop that read . Allain check-folded to a bet of 46,000 from Choi after the turn fell a king.
After so much recent limping it was refreshing to see Adrien Allain open with a raise to 40,000 from the button. Inwook Choi folded his small blind but J.C. Tran defended his big blind.
However play slowed once the community cards landed as they checked to the river on a board of . Tran checked the river over to Allain who fired 50,000 to take it down.
It was another three-way limped pot contested among Adrien Allain, Inwook Choi and J.C. Tran. All three checked the ten-high flop, . When the hit the turn, Allain checked again. Choi took the opportunity to bet 25,000 and was called by both Tran and Allain.
The river was another small card, the . Adrien led out for 90,000 and was called only by Choi. Each player showed ten-six offsuit -- it was a chopped pot.
Inwook Choi put in the first raise preflop, but it was chip leader Adrien Allain who put in the last raise that won the hand after the flop. Preflop action started with J.C. Tran limping his button and Allain limping the small blind before Choi popped it to 62,000 from the big blind. That was enough to fold the short-stacked Tran, but Allain called.
On a flop of , Allain checked to Choi. Choi put another 65,000 in the pot but folded quite quickly when Allain check-raiesd to 195,000.