Ben Savage has just doubled through to 419,000 in chips in a hand against Kosta Varoxis.
Savage opened the pot with a raise to 22,000 from under-the-gun and when the action made its way around the table to Varoxis on the button, he moved all in for a total of 291,000, having Savage covered by about 65,000. Savage made the call and tabled a pocket pair of queens, in great shape against Varoxis' .
The board then ran out and Savage's queens survived to secure the double up.
Preflop, it came down to a battle of the blinds between Amir Minagar and Kosmas Dratsas.
They took a flop of . Minagar bet out and Dratsas raised. Minagar called and they moved to the turn .
This was the action card. Minagar played possum by checking, and Dratsas took the invite powering out 100,000. Minagar hit him back with a raise, but before he was able to put the chips out Dratsas had re-raised all in and Minagar had made the call.
Dratsas:
Minagar:
They would both have the flush but Dratsas' would be the best. The on the river shipped the 1,300,000 chip pot to him.
Steve 'The Big Show' Topakas has alligator blood. He's been short-stacked all day long and has managed to reach the final five tables without ever traveling above 125,000 in chips. Most recently, he was sitting with 45,000 before doubling up through big stack Dan Shak.
Shak opened the pot with a raise to 24,000 and Topakas tossed the rest of his chips into the middle from the blinds holding . Shak tabled and Topakas found himself racing for his tournament life.
The board then filled out and Topakas' fives held up, doubling him through to about 100,000 in chips.
After the hand, Shak had like a million or something. No, really.
Elliot Smith raised from the button to 18,000 and Pierre Aoukar called from the big blind.
The flop came with
Smith leading out 18,000 chips and Aoukar making the check-call.
They both checked the on the turn. The hit the river and again Aoukar checked to Smith. After some time in the tank he bet 55,000. Aoukar called and mucked when he saw Smith’s straight.
Elliot Smith jumped straight back into the action after chipping up through Pierre Aoukar.
This time he would be in action against Kosta Varoxis. Smith opened to 18,000 from the button and Varoxis moved all in from the big blind for 72,000. Smith made a quick called and they table their cards.
Smith:
Varoxis:
They both got a piece of the flop with Varoxis maintaining his lead. That lead grew stronger with the hitting the turn.
The river was the to Varoxis a full house and move 233,000. Smith slips to 233,000.
Stephen Shelley just won a big pot against Amir Minagar to move to 1.4 million in chips.
Minagar opened the pot with a raise to 18,000 from the cutoff and Shelley three-bet to 40,000 from the small blind. The big blind folded and action returned to Minagar who four-bet to 111,000. Shelley just called.
The flop came down and Shelley led out with a 40,000 bet. Minagar just called.
The turn brought the and Shelley fired another bullet -- this time for 100,000 -- which was enough to persuade Minagar to surrender his hand.
After the dust settled, Minagar was left with 350,000 in chips.
Pierre Aoukar has just improved to 813,000 in chips with the elimination of Ben Savage (27th place - $40,000 AUD).
Aoukar opened the pot with a raise to 20,000 and Savage thought for a minute before moving all in over the top for 135,000. Aoukar made the call and tabled , having Savage's in relatively bad shape.
The board then filled out giving Aoukar top two pair to send Savage to the rail.
The remaining 26 players are on their last 20-minute break of the day. When they return, we'll play another 120 minutes of poker (unless we reach 18 players first), before calling it a day.