Back at the Table Of Death, and we joined the action as Michel Abecassis was checking on the turn, the board reading . Jude Ainsworth bet 35,000, and Abecassis called.
Abecassis checked the river too, and then called 42,000 from Ainsworth. Abecassis flipped (again, where are all these aces coming from?) and Ainsworth mucked.
Table 2 has played four hands today. Pocket aces have been shown down in three of them, resulting in two eliminations. Perhaps it's time for one new deck.
One hand after losing 80% of his stack, Matt Johns moved all in for just about 70,000 first into the pot. Action came to Ricardo Sousa in the big blind, and he apologized. He showed and said, "I'm sorry, I have to call. This is sick."
If he thought it was sick, you can imagine how Johns felt. He shook his head and tabled , once again behind -- only this time, it was for the rest of his chips. Johns would turn a gutshot draw, but the board of ultimately sealed his fate.
Johns couldn't get out of the room fast enough. After running into pocket aces two hands in a row, he has been knocked off in 23rd place.
Under the gun, Ricardo Sousa raised to 14,000, and Antoino Matias re-raised to 25,000 in middle position. On the button, Matt Johns four-bet to 78,000 enough to quickly fold Sousa. Matias, though, announced an all in for 293,500. Johns instantly called, turning over . Matias took another 10 or 15 seconds to push his stacks over the line one-by-one, then he slapped his down on the felt. Johns had Matias covered by about 70,000, so it was the Portuguese native who was all in and at risk.
The dealer would run out a safe board for him: . With his aces holding, Matias has picked up a huge double over 600,000. Johns is left with just those 70,000 chips and a big frown.
An ugly cooler of an exit for Mohamed Razab as he raised from the button, only to be met with a reraise from Jan Skampa in the small blind. Razab moved all in, Skampa called, and they were on their backs.
Razab: a pretty premium
Skampa: the ultimate goods with
Board:
Huffing and puffing in disbelief at the early-morning meanness of the poker gods, Razab hits the rail.
Hugo Felix open-shoved in mid position on the very first hand of the day, but there were no takers. 23 runners plus Claudio Coelho's empty seat continue.
Everyone seems to have made it out of bed on time today - except Mr. Claudio Coelho and his big diamond earring. If anyone has Mr. Coelho's number, please let him know that play is underway and his stack is being blinded off.