On the way back from dinner we thought we were seeing a figment of our imagination, but sure enough, upon further inspection, it was Phil Ivey darting in and out of the casino patrons like an NFL runningback.
Upon seeing this unbelievable spectacle, Sorel Mizzi also started running back from dinner as well. Thinking that if Phil Ivey was running, something must be very,very,very important.
Everyone made it back to the poker room with a couple of minutes left on the break clock.
Metcalfe: desperate for chips but ran into a monster
Jesse Metcalfe was been eliminated moments before the dinner break after moving all in preflop with pocket fives, only to run into Manuel Hansimikali who woke up with .
The board ran out and Metcalfe's tournament life came to an end.
We didn't catch the exact raise amount preflop, but Dan Shak, in the big blind called a raise from Aleks "Banana Thief" Brkovic on the button. The two saw a flop, and Shak checked to the raiser who bet 1,200.
Shak quickly made the call, and the hit the turn and he once again checked. Brkovic however was having none of it, and bet 2,050 into the swelling pot. Shak asked his opponent how much he had left and quickly was able to gauge the stack after Brkovic moved his arms. He looked for a moment like he was ready to raise, but just made the call.
The river was the and Shak, for a third time checked. However instead of just calling his Brkovic's bet of 2,150 Shak chose to stick in a nice raise making it 12,200. Brkovic folded and Barney Boatman said "I've never seen five-six played any better."
Boatman: doubles through Harman
The action folded around to to Damian Harman who raised to 750 before Barny Boatman reraised all in for 7,775 from the big blind.
"I have the hand of death," Harman announced to the table, showing . However Boatman had him beat, tabling and the board improved neither hand to see Boatman double up to 18,200.
"That's why I didn't look down and find aces," said Dan Shak.
"Good thing you didn't look down and find kings," Boatman replied.
Julian Cohen has doubled up in rather fortunate circumstances. As he recalled to us, he raised from under the gun to 750 and found four callers to a flop.
Cohen checked and an early position player bet 2,100. A player in the cutoff made the call before Cohen check-raised all in for 12,500. The EP-player also moved all in over the top as the third player got out of the way.
Cohen:
Opponent:
It was top two pair versus a set as Cohen was in deep trouble. The turn brought the but the river was the to fill up both players but the two-outer left Cohen's aces full of jacks as the best hand as he more than doubles to 31,000 chips.
Following a raise under the gun to 750, Earl Roberts, Luke McLean and Con Tsapkounis all made the call to see a flop of .
Play checked to the UTG-player who made a continuation bet of 2,450. Earl Roberts made the call as McLean and Tsapkounis stepped aside.
The turn was the and the UTG-player fired again for 6,200. Again Roberts made the call as a big pot was brewing. The river fell the and a third barrel of 15,475 was fired that left Roberts releasing his hand as he flashed the .
The UTG-player returned the favor and flashed the !
Akenhead (during Opening Event): closer to the top
James Akenhead and Warwick Mirzikinian were heads-up into a flop that read ; Akenhead fired out a bet of 5,850 and Mirzikinian called before the dealer revealed the turn of the .
Akenhead led out for 8,750, Mirzikinian called but then faced a bet of 14,500 from Akenhead on the river .
Mirzikinian went into the tank for three minutes before making the call, only to muck when Akenhead roled up for the nut flush!
Mirzikinian is down to 68,000, but Akenhead is now cruising with 97,800 in chips.