Jason Wheeler dropped into the red zone with just around 10 big blinds remaining,. The American expat, now calling Amsterdam his home when not traveling for poker, limped from the small blind and Niko Soininen checked in the big blind. On the flop both players checked.
Wheeler bet the turn for 140,000 and Soininen called before both checked again the river. Wheeler showed for a pair of fives but Soininen had that beat with .
The action folded around to Niko Soininen in the nine seat and he glanced over to the other side of the table where Vlado Banicevic was sitting in the big blind. Soininen jammed the small blind and Banicevic folded, leaving himself with just five big blinds.
Jean-Noel Thorel raised to 200,000 and Ilari Sahamies called out of the big blind. On the flop , Sahamies check-called a continuation bet worth 175,000 and checked again the on the turn. Thorel checked behind and then fired the river for 300,000 once Sahamies had checked to him.
The Finn called and Thorel showed for king-high, Sahamies took the pot with for a straight.
Ike Haxton opened to 200,000 from the cutoff and Niko Soininen called from the big blind. On the flop , Soininen check-called a continuation bet worth 225,000 and they checked through the turn. The filled up the board on the river and Soininen checked. Haxton made it 650,000 to go with around 790,000 behind and Soininen folded.
Jean-Noel Thorel raised to 250,000 from under the gun and the action folded around to Vlado Banicevic. He checked his first hole card and then moved all in. "You can still fold?!" Banicevic joked to his table neighbor and Thorel tossed in the extra chips.
Thorel:
Banicevic:
The flop left Banicevic in desperate shape and it was all over after the turn, making the river a formality.
At the start of the new level, the action folded around to Ike Haxton in the small blind and the PokerStars Team Online member moved all in. Ilari Sahamies peeked at his cards and then quickly called.
Sahamies:
Haxton:
The flop was no sweat yet, but the turn gave Haxton a gutshot and nut flush draw. It was the blank river that let Sahamies double for 1,795,000 and that left Haxton short on around five big blinds.