It really is the Arnaud Mattern show so far today. Mattern opened in the small blind and Konstantin Bilyaver made the call in the big blind.
The flop came and Mattern fired out 65,000 but the Russian, the other biggest stack on the table, made a raise and slid out 146,000. Mattern tanked for a minute before now 3-betting to 365,000.
Bilyaver now thought for about two minutes and reluctantly folded, Mattern then turned over for nothing more than a gutshot.
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The very next hand saw short-stacked Johann Storakers move all-in from early position and Mattern make the call from the button.
Storakers:
Mattern:
The flop put Storakers on a freeroll coming and had the Swede saying, "Well, maybe I can get lucky..." The sealed Storaker's flush rendering the river obsolete.
Storakers doubles to over 400,000. Mattern has about 1,850,000 million
The most recent table draw has created an interesting dynamic. The top five big stacks (Mattern, Bilyaver, Bukara, Weekes, and Stani) are all at the same table while six of the bottom seven are at the other table. Being the first biggie to get moved to the short table could be the most important spot of luck a player has all day.
After a breakneck pace in the first level and a half of the day, things seem to be slowing down somewhat. Flops are becoming rare, turns and rivers rarer still - but this is not to say that nothing is happening.
Although 22 big blinds is not a short short stack per se, when you're at The Table With All The Chips you might be forgiven for feeling a little that way. Just now Johan Storakers shoved for 438,000 to a 50,000 raise from Jonathan Weekes. It folded back around to Weekes who looked interested, but in the end he decided that it was too much to call and folded instead.
Play continues with two full tables for the moment.
Steven van Zadelhoff opened preflop from late position and Konstantin Bilyaver made the call in the big blind. The saw the Russian check then call a bet of 60,000 from Van Zadelhoff before both then checked the turn.
On the river Bilyaver checked once more and Van Zadelhoff now bet 140,000. The former looked really pained but after several minutes he called again, only to be shown by Van Zadelhoff who is slowly chipping back up after losing the monster pot late last night.
Kevin Stani opened preflop to 48,000 and Jonathan Weekes called in the big blind but the was checked down where Stani's was still good for a small but helpful pot.
Jonathan Weekes is vying for the role of table bully despite being seated with all of his fellow big stacks. This time, it was Javed Abrahams he picked on. Weekes opened to 50,000 from the small blind, and in the big blind, Abrahams three-bet to 125,000. Weekes moved all in, and we're not sure we've ever seen anyone fold as quickly as Abrahams. After losing a chunk of his stack with that move, Abrahams is down to 440,000.
The next hand, it folded to Weekes on the button. He raised to 50,000 and took down the blinds and antes, worth 46,000 each round.
Steven van Zadelhoff picked of a Perica Bukara river bluff of 85,000 on a board board with after Bukara was forced to show .
The last hand of the level saw Arnaud Mattern open to 45,000 from the cutoff and both blinds, Jonathan Weekes and Javed Abrahams called. But both the Brits folded to an 80,000 bet on the flop.
Arnaud Mattern opened for 45,000 in early position only for Konstantin Bilyaver to min-reraise to 70,000 to his immediate left. It folded back around to Mattern who eyed him up and then made the call.
The flop came down and Mattern checked. After just the slightest of pauses Bilyaver checked behind.
They saw a turn and this time Mattern bet out 78,000. Bilyaver did not look up, but quietly counted out the call and then pushed it across the line. They headed to the river.
The river was the and Mattern reverted to checking. Bilyaver thought about his options for a few moments and then bet to the tune of 95,000. Mattern instantly announced call, but looked terribly surprised when Bilyaver turned over . Mattern showed him but mucked his other card as he dipped to 1.8 million. Bilyaver increased to 1.6 million.