On the next hand after being crushed by Chino Rheem, Justin Bonomo raised all in for 46,500. Rheem called from the small blind holding the 
. Bonomo had him pipped with the 
. The flop, turn and river ran out 
and Bonomo doubled back.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
320,000
45,000
|
45,000 |
|
||
|
95,000
48,000
|
48,000 |
|
||
Justin Bonomo and Chino Rheem got all the money in preflop with Rheem's tournament life on the line. He held the 
and was crushed by the 
for Bonomo.
Luckily for Rheem, he found a queen on the turn as the board ran out 
to give him the double. Bonomo was left short.
"Ladies love me," said Rheem after the hand as he broke his stack down. "In case you didn't know, ladies love me."
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
365,000
223,000
|
223,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
47,000
293,000
|
293,000 |
|
|
||
Nam Le had been battling a short stack since he got back from dinner break but couldn't manage to hang on until the money. He got his last chips in with 
up against the 
of Erik Seidel.
The board ran out 
and we are now one away from the money. Huck Seed is currently in the most danger with only 50,000 chips. Just before Le was eliminated he moved all in from the button but wasn't called. He quietly turned over Pocket Aces and raked in this blinds and antes with a sigh.
The tournament is now down to 19 players as Nam Le has been eliminated in 20th place. Details coming shortly. Stay tuned!
Huck Seed started things off with a raise before Gavin Smith reraised to 25,000. Seed then made it 55,000 and Smith flatted to see the 
flop. Both players checked and the landed on the turn. Seed bet 40,000 and Smith called.
The river was the and Seed bet 85,000. Smith called all in for 71,000 holding the 
for rivered trip queens. Seed held 
and was knocked way back to 58,000 in chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
340,000
170,000
|
170,000 |
|
58,000
132,000
|
132,000 |
|
||
Tom Marchese was all in preflop for under 50,000 and up against Adam Levy and Dan Fleyshman. Both Levy and Fleyshman checked down the board as it ran out 
. At the showdown, Levy revealed the 
and Fleyshman mucked. Marchese held the and was eliminated.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
490,000
90,000
|
90,000 |
|
||
|
170,000
185,000
|
185,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Jason Mercier just won the hand of the tournament, up until this point that is. On the hand, Mercier scooped a pot worth 600,000 chips to double his stack and bust Brian Rast from the tournament. Here's how the epicness went down.
From under the gun, Rast opened the action with a raise to 9,500. Mercier was next in line on the other side of the dealer in the one hole. He opted for a three-bet and made it 23,500 to go. One by one, every player folded around the table and play moved back to Rast. He tanked for a little bit before deciding a four-bet was in order. Rast made it 53,000 to go. After his own 45 seconds or so in the tank, Mercier just called in position.
The flop came down 
and Rast checked over to Mercier. Mercier fired a bet worth 32,000, which was less than a third of the pot. Rast made the call and the dealer added the to the board on fourth street. With the board now paired, Rast checked again. Mercier took his time on deciding on a bet size before cutting out 72,000. Rast began to think things over, working through his thought process. He cut down his own stack a couple times and then verified with the dealer that the bet was for 72,000. Then he said, "All right, I'll go all in."
"I call," was the snap response from Mercier.
Mercier tabled the for a flopped set of fours that turned into a full house. Rast held the and was staring at a flush draw that was no longer alive.
"How much do you have?" asked Rast as the dealer dealt the 
on the river to give Mercier unnecessary quads.
Mercier broke down his stack to show that he had exactly 215,000. Rast counted his stack and said that he was covered. The dealer broke it down as well and confirmed that Rast only had 210,500. Having Rast covered, Mercier scooped the massive have and moved to over 600,000 in chips. As he stacked up his chips to move into second place behind Sam Trickett, Rast packed up his things and exited to the rail.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
604,500
364,500
|
364,500 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
From under the gun, Isaac Baron raised to 9,500. It folded to Hasan Habib who re-raised to 27,000 from the small blind and Baron called.
The flop was and Baron check-called a bet of 28,000. The turn was the 
and again, Baron check-called a 50,000-chip bet. The river was the and Habib slowed down with a check. Baron took the opportunity to bet 77,500 and Habib laid down his hand.
Baron is now up to 467,000 while Habib falls to 420,000.
Ben Lamb got the rest of his chips in with 
preflop but needed help against the 
of Eugene Katchalov.
Lamb hit the flop but so did Katchalov. It came down . The 
turn sealed Lamb's fate and his red hot summer couldn't carry him to the money in this inaugural Epic Poker League Event.
Katchalov now has 310,000 chips.
Although the action is unknown, Frank Kassela held on a 
board. However, Sam Trickett flopped broadway with and was able to take the rest of Kassela's chips on the hand.
Just 5 away from the money, Trickett is easily our chip leader now with 830,000.
