Laurence Houghton is currently pushing at every opportunity and is down to just a couple of thousand. He did find one spot though, but Gino Alacqua pushed behind with . Houghton, moving after seeing a bullet, peeled back to see what the accompanying card was... .
The gave the youngster four more outs, and although none of those arrived, the turn and river gave both players two pair, ace high to chop it up.
No, please don't adjust your monitors, that is TD Steve Frezer underneath that fisherman's hat, and he is indeed still plugging away. In fact, he has above his starting stack with 15,000, but is bemoaning the reaction he's receiving. "'Wow, Steve's still in,'" he joked. "That's all anyone says when they come over to my table."
When I asked if he ever gets competitive with fellow tournament directors like the since departed Charlie Ciresi, Frezer replied, "I get more competitive with Thomas [Kremser]. He's always saying, 'Steve, you need to be more aggressive,' but you know what, I don't get to play these every week, and I just enjoy being at the table."
Arnaud Mattern raised to 850 preflop, a fellow countryman called in middle position, and Raul Mestre made it 4,000 to play. Arnaud pushed, the caller passed, and Mestre called.
Mestre =
Mattern =
Board =
... and the EPT Prague champion survives. Mestre, meanwhile, drops to 18,000.
Luca Pagano opened for a 1,000 raise from the button and the big blind called. The flop was and both players checked. The turn was the . The big blind bet 1,000 and Pagano called. The river was the . The big blind bet another 1,450 and Pagano called.
Pagano showed for the rivered straight, but the big blind had turned a full house with and raked in the pot.
On a flop of , Theo Tran checked, the button bet 1,250 and Tran made the call. The turn was the . Tran checked again, the button fired out 3,375 and Tran called. The river fell the and Tran checked a third time, the button setting him all in.
"You flop a set?" wondered Tran aloud before electing to fold. He's down to 8,700.
Partouche Poker Tour champion Alain Roy raised from late position with , Frank Gu pushed all in , and Roy made the call. Gu rose from his seat in anticipation, but the board was good enough for a double-up. Whilst Gu rises to 15,275, Roy drops to 15,275.
Julian Thew's yo-yo seems to be broken today, as his stack has gone but one way. Evidently flustered by both a lack of cards and opportunities, I managed to pry out a few words during the break: "I just can't get going today. It's been a dreadful session, and I'm down to 4,200. When I did decide to make a move, the other short stack came over the top and I had to fold."
Perhaps Julian's fortunes will change in the upcoming blind level.
The action folded around to Surinder Sunar in late position and he raised to 900. When it got to the small blind, he reraised to 3,050. Sunar made the call and it was heads up.
The flop came . The small blind led out for 4,450 and Sunar went into the tank. Eventually he counted out a raise and pushed a total of 11,375 across the betting line. The small blind was deliberate as well, but didn't take as much time to slide his remaining stack towards the center. Sunar asked for a count, but he was covered. If he were to make the call, it would be for roughly his remaining 8,800 chips and his tournament life.
After a few moments of what looked like regret, he eventually threw his hand away. The small blind mucked instantly behind him and was quick and happy to stack over 60 percent of Sunar's chips.