Michael Piper, UK circuit player and possessor of an awesome moustache, called us over to tell us how he doubled up in curious, possibly hilarious circumstances.
Harrison Kaczka raised to 5,200 in early position and Piper shoved for 48,000. After a little while Kaczka called. Piper, in his words, "snap-turned-over" while Kaczka was holding an also lacklustre but ahead . The flop came with one diamond on it, putting Kaczka firmly in the lead - but following a turn and a river, Piper's backdoor flush was good enough to double him up to 90,000.
We caught up with an extremely aggravated Peter Hedlund on the turn of a board; Hedlund (under the gun) bet out and his opponent Govert Metaal (cutoff) raised. Hedlund called for wine. Then he called the raise.
The river was the and Metaal announced all in for around 50,000. Hedlund stood up and shouted at a floorman: "Hey I ordered a bottle of wine an hour ago, I paid for it. I get super-tilted by the f***ing bar. I hate when it f***ing sucks. Hey, where's my wine? Hey!"
A clearly amused Marcel Luske at the rail said soothingly, "Okay, let's wait 'til the end of the hand. Let's focus now."
Hedlund was unable to focus, though, even though two waiters swiftly appeared with a bottle of wine, five glasses where honestly one would probably have done, and a conciliatory plate of sandwiches. One of the waiters tried to offer Hedlund a glass of wine but the "super-tilted" Swede was not interested; he was calling the all in.
Metaal turned over and Hedlund mucked. "I would have folded that hand otherwise," he said, finally taking possession of his precious wine.
Sam Chartier just came walking toward us smiling, and it looked like he had something to tell us.
"Hey, Sam. What's up buddy?"
"I just busted," he said, still grinning but continuing on to complete a little bust-out paperwork. Oops. On the way back, he filled us in on the hand that ended his day.
Chartier's been battling with a short stack for most of the event, and he finally shipped about 35,000 in preflop with ace-ten. He ran into two calls, one player with pocket kings and the other with two jacks. It was actually a great spot for Chartier to take a shot for a triple up, but he was unable to connect with the board, and unable to keep his tournament going.
Paul Valkenburg shoved under the gun for a rather sad-looking 40,000 and was met with a reshove from Patrick Carron in the cutoff. The button thought about it long enough to have the clock called but eventually folded. "Ace king?" enquired Valkenburg, but it wasn't. On their backs.
Michel "The Abacus" Abecassis raised to 7,000 and big blind ElkY, who seems to have lost most of his chips to Allan Bække somewhere along the line, glumly called.
ElkY check-called 10,200 on the flop and then another 16,000 on the turn. He checked again on the river and this time Abecassis checked behind, turning over . ElkY flipped which was good enough to take it, and looked rather more cheerful as he raked in the pot.
Current standings - ElkY 110,000, Abecassis 39,500.
Harrison Kaczka just doubled through Giuseppe Pantaleo after a 40/60 went his way. Kaczka's was behind to but not after a board. Kaczka is up to about 90,000.