Damir Zhugralin bet 35,000 from the button on a flop of 3♥Q♦3♦ and Dzmitry Urbanovich raised to 85,000 in the big blind.
Zhugralin called and the Q♦ fell on the turn. Urbanovich then checked and Zhugralin bet 85,000. Urbanovich stuck around to see the K♠ river.
Zhugralin then pushed all in as Urbanovich, with around 500,000 remaining, tanked for several minutes into the break before folding.
With the elimination of Giorgiy Skhulukhiya in 82nd place, play is going hand-for-hand until there is one more elimination.
In a preflop confrontation Giorgiy Skhulukhiya was all in from early position for 114,000 and up against Carmel Haloon in the cutoff who had a covering stack.
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya: 9♠9♥
Carmel Haloon: J♥J♣
Skhulukhiya took the lead flopping a set on the 10♦9♦Q♣ flop but in a dramatic turn of events Haloon made a straight on the 8♦ turn. Skhulukhiya could not catch up on the 2♦ river and was sent to the rail two spots shy of making the money while Haloon collected the last of his chips.
David Hu was in early position and put small blind Shuang Luo all in. Luo called for her last 465,000.
Shuang Luo: A♠A♥
David Hu: A♣5♣
Hu had run into aces and got no help on the 10♦10♣K♦4♠5♥ board as Luo doubled up. "This was a perfect hand to do it with," Hu said as he picked up his cards and tossed them back to the dealer.
Heads-up on a board of 5♦9♣10♦2♣, Damir Zhugralin bet 175,000 from under the gun and Michael Brown called in the big blind.
The river was the K♠ and Zhugralin moved all in for 865,000. Brown had him covered and sent into the tank for several minutes until he open-folded A♦Q♦.
Zhugralin expressed surprise that Brown thought about calling for so long with ace-high as the two players had a testy exchange. "Why are you so mad about it," Brown said.
"I'll never bluff you again," Zhugralin added.
Aykutalp Yilmaz opened to 30,000 from middle position and was called by Dmitry Gromov in the cutoff before Andrea Dato raised to 100,000 from the button. Yilmaz then moved all in for 339,000. Both Gromov and Dato made the fold. Gromov flashed 10x10x to the table as Yilmaz scooped the pot without having to risk his tournament life.
Ihar Soika raised to 30,000 under the gun as action folded to a short-stacked Yuefan Gu who began tanking in the cutoff. "I swear to you we're not chicken," Ara Melkisetian said to him.
Gu eventually folded while Melkisetian called on the button, as did big blind Carmel Haloon. The flop came 3♥8♥7♦ and Soika continued for 35,000.
Both opponents called and the K♦ fell on the turn. Soika then bet 155,000. Melkisetian spent around three minutes tanking before he folded.
Haloon, meanwhile, instantly folded a pair of deuces as Soika took the pot.
Heads-up on a flop of 10♣8♣2♦, Nichan Khorchidian bet 40,000 from under the gun before Gang Zhao raised to 110,000 in the small blind.
Khorchidian called and the 4♣ fell on the turn. Zhao then bet another 150,000. Khorchidian, an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth Sam Farha-style, took around two minutes before calling again.
The river was the 4♠ and Zhao bet 250,000. Khorchidian again went into the tank, taking several minutes to consider the decision.
"Ace-high good, my friend from China," he asked Zhao, who simply smiled and remained silent.
"I know if I make this call and I lose I'll regret it," Khorchidian eventually said as he gathered up his cards and sent them into the muck. Zhao showed him two kings as he took the pot.
Robert Heidorn and Stanislav Tishkevich were recently eliminated to bring the field two spots away from the money.
Dzmitry Urbanovich opened to 30,000 from middle position and Bartlomiej Swieboda three-bet to 75,000 from the button. Urbanovich four-bet to 140,000 and Swieboda made the call.
The flop came Q♠8♣J♦ and Urbanovich fired a 105,000 continuation bet that was called by Swieboda.
Urbanovich checked on the Q♦ turn and Swieboda moved all in, coverig Urbanovich who had 167,000 behind. Urbanovich snap-called and was at risk.
Dzmitry Urbanovich: Q♥J♣
Bartlomiej Swieboda: A♠A♥
Swieboda had trapped preflop with aces only for Urbanovich to flop top two pair and fill up on the turn. Swieboda couldn't find an ace on the 8♦ river and was left with just one big blind. Swieboda would bust shortly afterwards on the soft-bubble while Urbanovich secured a massive double up.
Stanislav Tishkevich raised to 35,000 in early position before Artem Arakelian three-bet to 135,000 in the small blind. Tishkevich then moved all in and Arakelian snap-called.
Artem Arakelian: A♠A♦
Stanislav Tishkevich: Q♠Q♥
"C'mon. So sick," Tishkevich said when Arakelian turned over his aces. The 7♥4♥A♣ flop put Arakelian even further in the lead with top set, while the board ran out K♠J♣.
The stacks were counted down and Arakelian had 610,000 remaining. Tishkevich barely had him covered and was forced to send over most of his stack.
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