Benjamin Spragg and Jakub Michalak were heads up on a flop of 10♣9♦8♦.
Spragg checked from under the gun and Michalak bet 2,500. Spragg then raised to 10,500 and Michalak called.
The 4♦ fell on the turn and Spragg kept his foot on the gas for a bet of 14,000. Michalak didn't want any part of it and laid his hand down — conceding the pot to Spragg.
Action folded to Iurii Saiapin on the button, who opened to 2,400. Jon Vallinas three-bet jammed from the small blind for 17,800, and after some thought, Saiapin made the call.
Jon Vallinas: A♦8♣ 
Iurii Saiapin: 3♥3♠
Vallinas was behind in a race, and looked to be heading for the exit after the Q♠6♠5♠ flop and J♦ turn. However, the A♣ rolled off on the river to give Vallinas the double-up, much to Saiapin's disgust.
Ivan Bryksin started the action with a raise to 2,400 from the hijack, getting calls from Bogdan Ionescu on the button and Razvan Sabau in the big blind.
After a check from Sabau on the 3♦A♦10♥ flop, Bryksin continued with a bet of 3,200, and only Ionescu made the call.
When the 2♦ hit the turn, Sabau took the initiative again with a 6,300 bet. But Ionescu responded by shoving all in for about 73,300, prompting Sabau to quickly fold his hand.
Sebestyen Csoti raised to 2,500 under the gun. Nicolae Paunescu then three-bet all in for 13,800 in the hijack. Brandon Leetz called in the small blind but big blind Alik Zazian had other plans and shoved.
Csoti got out of the way and Leetz folded as well, claiming to lay down ace-queen.
Nicolae Paunescu: A♦10♦
Alik Zazian: A♥K♦
The 8♦9♥3♦ flop provided Paunescu with a flush draw, but the 3♠ turn and 3♥ river bricked to give the checkmark to Zazian.
Simon Wiciak and Hugues Mazerolle were heads up in a raised pot on a flop of K♦K♠7♦. Wiciak was in the big blind and check-called a 1,200 bet from Mazerolle, who was in early position.
Both players checked on the A♣ turn, but Wiciak took the initiative with a bet of 6,500 after the 4♠ came on the river.
Mazerolle decided to look Wiciak up and Wiciak tabled A♦Q♠. Mazerolle sent his hand into the muck and Wiciak added to his stack.
Dmitry Zakharov was all in for 7,000 and at-risk versus Bernhard Binder.
Dmitry Zakharov: A♣8♠
Bernhard Binder: A♥Q♠
Zakharov's ace was dominated and his departure was confirmed by the 6♠5♠6♥A♦7♦ runout, Binder's better kicker sending him the pot.
Level: 9
Blinds: 600/1,200
Ante: 1,200
Life Outside Poker is a new podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level.
In the 18th episode, Connor speaks with author and psychologist Maria Konnikova about her family leaving Russia to come to the US, writing her first story in kindergarten, being mentored by Steven Pinker at Harvard, meeting Erik Seidel for the first time and her 2020 bestseller The Biggest Bluff that explored her poker journey.
Konnikova, a PokerStars ambassador, also talked about her research for an upcoming book into cheating in poker and other games, as well as game integrity rule changes implemented at EPT Barcelona that Konnikova said needed to go even further.
"I think what PokerStars has done is amazing. I think you need to go a step further and not have any electronics anywhere on the table," said Konnikova. "Like, I think phones need to be on the floor, in your bag."
"I would actually also ban sunglasses because ... there's so much technology that (that can enable cheating)."
The players have been sent on their final 20-minute break of the day, with play set to conclude at the end of Level 10.
button in Safari
