It's that time of the day when the three-bets really start flying.
First, on the side table, Jonathan Schroer opened to 61,000 from the cutoff seat. In the big blind, Russell Carson re-raised to 170,000 straight. Schroer asked how much Carson was playing before releasing his cards into the muck.
We turned around to see a pot in progress at the featured table simultaneously. Johannes Strassmann raised to 56,000 from the cutoff seat -- everyone's favorite position to raise, it seems. On the button, Daniel Van Kalkeren came over the top with a three-bet to 140,000, leaving himself just about 400,000 behind. Strassmann took some camera time in the tank before he decided a fold was the way to go.
We're looking forward to the time when these three-bets start turning into four-bet shoves.
Luca Cainelli - 14th Place
With the table folding around to the blinds, Luca Cainelli open-shoved for his last 157,000 chips from the small. Big stack Allan Baekke was in the big, and he asked for the count as he chatted with Cainelli. "I might have to call," was the gist of the conversation. When he learned the amount of the shove, he did just that, putting Cainelli at risk.
Showdown
Cainelli:
Baekke:
The news was not good for Cainelli, and it wouldn't get any better once the community cards came. The board ran , and that's going to be the end of the day for Luca Cainelli.
Max Lykov - 13th Place
First into the pot from the cutoff seat, Max Lykov came in raising to 55,000. Russell Carson quickly called on the button, and it was heads up the rest of the way.
The flop came out , and Lykov continued out with a bet of 68,000. Carson wanted to play for more, though, and he stuck in a raise to 195,000 total. Lykov thought it over long and hard before quietly announcing, "All in," and the call from Carson couldn't have come any quicker. The look on his face made it apparent that Lykov knew he was in bad shape, all in and at risk.
Showdown
Lykov:
Carson:
Carson's set had Lykov drawing dead to runner-runner help cards, but the dealer would provide no salvation. The on the turn ended any chance of Lykov's survival, and the that filled out the board is the last card Max will see in this event.
It was another fine run for Lykov this week, but his bid to become the first-ever double EPT winner has fallen short in unlucky 13th place.
Jonathan Schroer opened for 61,000 and Johannes Holstege called behind. It folded around to Lukas Baumann in the big blind - and he pushed for 439,000. Schroer folded fairly swiftly but Holstege put his head in his hands and disappeared into the tank. When he emerged it was to push the call across the line.
Baumann:
Holstege:
Board:
Baumann's flush was good enough to win him the 1 million pot, while Holstege dropped to 690,000. We continue with 13 players...
Russell Carson
That last knockout for Russell Carson has moved him very near the top of the leader board. He's got 3.04 million to our eyeballs, while presumed leader Allan Baekke appears to be just over 3.1 million.
When you're dealing with a television crew, the schedule is sometimes not as smooth as the players would prefer.
We've just learned that we'll be taking a one-hour dinner break at 6:30pm local time, about 20 minutes from now. That'll leave right around 15 minutes on the clock in the current level.
We'll admit we're getting a tad peckish up here in the media room, so maybe dinner isn't the worst idea ever.
Koller - 12th place
Marcel Koller raised to 55,000 and Allan Baekke called in the big blind to see a flop. Baekke bet out 60,000 but Koller made it 155,000. Back to Baekke, who eyed up Koller's stack. "You got like 600 more?" he enquired and thought about it.
At this point there was a deafening crunching noise in the tournament area; certain press members tensed up in case it was a repeat of the shenanigans at EPT Berlin, but it was just the speaker system malfunctioning. Over at the next table Alain Medesan lamented, "I raise and automatically everything goes wrong. I no more raise."
So back to the feature table, and Baekke flat-called the raise. Onwards.
They saw a turn and Baekke now bet out 160,000. Koller moved all in, Baekke instacalled, and they were on their backs.
Baekke: for a turned gutshot straight
Koller: for flopped top pair and was already wandering off muttering, "F***ing...."
River:
Koller came back to shake hands, and he will not be making back-to-back final tables.
We joined the action on the TV table as the dealer was running out a flop of . In heads-up action, Alexander Debus knocked the table, and Allan Baekke put out a bet of 45,000. His opponent then stuck in a check-raise to 125,000 total, and Baekke didn't waste much time calling.
Fourth street came the , and Debus stacked together a leading bet of 220,000. He slid it across the line, and Baekke quickly asked him how much he had behind the bet. Debus had about 300,000 left, and after another minute or so, Baekke went ahead and moved all in to put his man to the test. Debus didn't seem to like it, but he was priced in and quickly made the call for his tournament life.
Showdown
Debus: (top pair)
Baekke: (pair and open-ended straight draw)
Baekke had thirteen outs for the knockout, but the dealer would save Debus from extinction. The safe filled out the board, and that spells a double up for Mr. Debus. We're still waiting for him to stack up, but it looks like he'll be right around 1.4 million once he does.
, and that's going to be the end of the day for Luca Cainelli.
, and Lykov continued out with a bet of 68,000. Carson wanted to play for more, though, and he stuck in a raise to 195,000 total. Lykov thought it over long and hard before quietly announcing, "All in," and the call from Carson couldn't have come any quicker. The look on his face made it apparent that Lykov knew he was in bad shape, all in and at risk.
flop. Baekke bet out 60,000 but Koller made it 155,000. Back to Baekke, who eyed up Koller's stack. "You got like 600 more?" he enquired and thought about it.
turn and Baekke now bet out 160,000. Koller moved all in, Baekke instacalled, and they were on their backs.
for a turned gutshot straight
, and Debus stacked together a leading bet of 220,000. He slid it across the line, and Baekke quickly asked him how much he had behind the bet. Debus had about 300,000 left, and after another minute or so, Baekke went ahead and moved all in to put his man to the test. Debus didn't seem to like it, but he was priced in and quickly made the call for his tournament life.
(top pair)
filled out the board, and that spells a double up for Mr. Debus. We're still waiting for him to stack up, but it looks like he'll be right around 1.4 million once he does.
