A Cavaliere Attitude

With the pressure of the money bubble affecting every player at the final table, Joseph Stiers opened the action for a 9,000 raise, hoping to scoop up another uncontested pot of blinds and antes.

Jim Boyd had other ideas though, and he flatted the bet from late position. With the action on him in the big blind, Day 1 chip leader Brian Cavaliere opted to put his opponents to the test with a three-bet to 20,000. Both Stiers and Boyd came along for the ride, bringing a flop of on board.

First to act, Cavaliere heaped a stack of 30,000 into the middle, continuing to represent the big hand his three-bet had alluded to. Stiers appeared to wince a bit at the bet, and commented about being in a "bad spot in the middle," with Boyd left to act. His cards were eventuallty slid toward the dealer, and Boyd did the same, sending a sizable pot to Cavaliere - a local boy who earned his Main Event seat through an earlier HPO Mega Satellite.

Cavaliere then flashed the to the table, confirming that he was not messing around by trying to play the bubble bully.