PokerNews caught the action as Kenny Hallaert, in middle position, and Yoann Cook, on the button, were both all in and at risk against Igor Zolotukhin, in the cutoff.
Kenny Hallaert: 6♣6♠
Yoann Cook: A♠K♦
Igor Zolotukhin: 8♥8♠
The board ran out 4♥K♥2♣4♦3♠; Cook paired his king on the flop to eliminate Hallaert and stay alive, winning a big pot in the process.
In a three-bet pot to the 5♣4♦2♦ flop, Fabrice Fort and Georgios Karakousis got the stacks into the middle with near identical stack sizes.
Fabrice Fort: Q♥Q♦
Georgios Karakousis: 3♠3♥
The 9♦ turn and 5♥ river brought no change and the stacks were counted. Fort doubled for 29,100 to leave former EPT London Main Event runner-up Karakousis short. His last few blinds vanished shortly after, before the table broke.
The entire room was already empty for several minutes, yet two players were involved in a heads-up duel. With the completed board reading 10♠10♥8♦K♥10♣, Lavollee was all-in for 27,700 out of the big blind with around 44,000 in the middle.
Moncef Karoui was the one deep in the tank while Lavollee sat there in silence, not giving away any information. It was by then more than 20 minutes into the break already when Karoui continued his table talk as he remarked "it's more than ten minutes I think about it" in French.
Floor staff then gave Karoui thirty seconds to act with more than 25 minutes into the dinner break already.
Ultimately, Karoui called and Lavollee then turned over his K♠K♦ for kings full of tens. Karoui flashed his K♣9♠ and was eliminated as he was covered by a small margin. He continued to talk with the floor for several more minutes, exclaiming several times "I had a real decision to make" as he spent more than half of a regular level to come to a conclusion.
Lavollee had already disappeared into his now far shorter dinner break without even stacking the chips.
The action folded to Ruslan Bokshyts in the small blind, who opted to move all-in for the last 11,700. Uri Netanel called and both players tabled an ace with medium kicker.
Ruslan Bokshyts: A♠7♣
Uri Netanel: A♦8♠
The marginal kicker advantage played a pivotal role on the 9♠6♥5♦J♠Q♠ board as Netanel scored the knockout.
Ismail Akguc moved all in from under the gun with a short stack. Action folded around to Guiseppe Zarbo, who called blind from the big blind with a much bigger stack.
Ismail Akguc: K♦Q♣
Guiseppe Zarbo: Q♦10♣
The board ran out 9♥9♦K♣A♠J♠. Zarbo made a straight on the river to crack Akguc's hand and send him to the rail.
Petre Ionescu opened 2,200 in the cutoff before Gerard Carbo shoved his stack of about 18,000 across the line on the button. The blinds quickly folded, and Ionescu quickly called.
Gerard Carbo: A♣Q♠
Petre Ionescu: K♠K♣
Carbo ran into a monster and was unable to find an ace as the board ran out J♦6♥5♦8♣10♥.
Darwich Zaarour raised to 2,100 off a short stack and then reluctantly called all-in when Reiji Kono three-bet to 15,000.
Darwich Zaarour: 10♥7♥
Reiji Kono: A♠Q♠
The K♥Q♥4♣ flop gave Zaarour some hope with a flush draw but he bricked the 3♣ turn and 7♣ river runout.
With roughly 18,000 already in the middle, the flop read 8♣6♥2♦. Sorin Stamate tossed a bet of 5,000 across the line. Jimmy Saft was the only opponent in the hand and he made the call.
When the 6♣ fell on the turn, Stamate continued for 12,000 and Saft wasted little time matching the bet.
The 4♦ completed the board. This time Stamate took about 30 seconds before announcing a bet of 15,000, leaving just 6,800 behind. Saft paused for a moment before announcing all in. Stamate pushed his remaining chips across the line, only to see the 10♦6♦ giving Saft trips. Stamate's J♥J♦ was turned face-up as he exited the table.
With a three-bet to 3,700 already called, Christiaan Coppoolse jammed for around 36,000 in late position. Sabare Atmani called on the button and Jamel Said called it off with fewer chips.
Jamel Said: 9♦8♦
Christiaan Coppoolse: K♥8♥
Sabare Atmani: Q♦J♦
The board ran out Q♥5♥4♠4♣10♣ for the bigger stack Atmani to send two players to the rail.
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