Action folded to a short-stacked Sergio Aido Espina on the button and he moved all in for 301,000. The small blind got out of the way, and an even shorter-stacked Jeff Sarwer asked from the big blind, "Do you play online?" He received an affirmative answer and then added, "Ok, I call."
The table got a good laugh as Sarwer put in his stack of 140,000 and the cards were turned on their backs:
Showdown
Espina:
Sarwer:
It was a flip with Espina holding a slight lead. The flop was no help to Sarwer, and neither was the river. Just when it looked like the former chess prodigy was going to exit in 18th place, the slammed down on the river to give him the win.
Sarwer let a big smile cross his face as Espina's already short stack was cut in hald.
It might be a while before we see Jeff Sarwer on the EPT again. Getting so deep so many times only for the deck to turn against him seems to, understandably, take its toll on the Canadian.
His exit hand came after he four-bet all in for a little less than 500,000 from the big blind after an open to 50,000 from Mark Herm and a 100,000 three-bet from Aleh Plauski. Herm folded but Plauski called.
Sergio Aido Espina has been nursing a short stack for quite awhile, but that recently came to an end when he was eliminated in 17th place.
It happened when action folded around to Mark Herm in the small blind and he limped. Espina took the opportunity to move all in from the big for right around 300,000, and that's exactly what Herm wanted as he snap-called.
Showdown
Espina:
Herm:
Espina had a huge mountain to climb, and it soon became insurmountable when the flop fell . Herm his a set and left Espina drawing to runner-runner; however, that hope was extinguished when the turn left him drawing dead. The meaningless completed the board on the river, and Herm collected the pot while sending Espina home in 17th place.
It’s an oft seen phenomenon, that the closer to get to the final table, the better dressed the players become, as two players in particular demonstrate…
While Sergio Aido Espina was being eliminated on one of the outer tables, Jose Manuel Nadal Sordo was axed at the other.
We're not sure of the betting, but we do know it was blind-versus-blind and Sordo was all in for his last 200,000 or so from the big with and at risk against Mikhail Petrov, who held in the small blind.
It was a hand reminiscent of Espina's elimination, and like that hand the queens would hit a set as the flop came down . The turn meant Sordo could still win with a king on the river, but it wasn't in the cards as the blanked.
With that, Sordo exited in 16th place and the final 15 players will now combine to the final two tables.
Since the redraw for the final two tables was made, the action seems to have dried up, especially on the feature table. Most pots are being settled preflop, and hands that do make it to the flop are being won with a standard continuation bet.
Team PokerStars Pro Johnny Lodden is by far the most active player at the table though; he is splashing around and trying to make something happen. Fifteen players remain.
Mark Herm is a very aggressive player. Maybe his opponents have picked up on this as some of his many opens have been three-bet forcing him to fold. He did just win a pot though without showdown.
He defended his big blind after a raise from Aleh Plauski. The flop fell and Herm led out for 52,000. Call. Both players checked the turn before the American led out again, for 52,000, on the river. Plauski let him have it and folded.
flop was no help to Sarwer, and neither was the 
river. Just when it looked like the former chess prodigy was going to exit in 18th place, the 
slammed down on the river to give him the win.
handing the Belarussian a straight.
. Herm his a set and left Espina drawing to runner-runner; however, that hope was extinguished when the 
turn left him drawing dead. The meaningless 
completed the board on the river, and Herm collected the pot while sending Espina home in 17th place.
and at risk against Mikhail Petrov, who held 
in the small blind.
turn meant Sordo could still win with a king on the river, but it wasn't in the cards as the 
and Herm led out for 52,000. Call. Both players checked the 
