$5,500 Aruba Poker Classic Championship Day 4 | 2009 Aruba Poker Classic

10-09-2009 19:00 UTC-3

Top Dawgs

Here's a look at the current top three stacks:

Eric 'basebaldy' Baldwin - 880,000
John Clancy - 875,000
Robert Mizrachi - 810,000

10-09-2009 18:50 UTC-3

The last hand before break:

James Mordue opened with an under-the-gun raise to 16,000, and Jose Santos announced a re-raise to 80,000. Action came to Chase Steely in the big blind, and he moved all in for 228,000 total. Mordue quickly ducked out, but Santos instantly called with the covering stack.

Showdown
Santos: {A-Diamonds}

Steely:

Steely stood from his chair, clearly nervous for his survival as he mumbled something about how good Santos has been running. Not to worry for Steely though as he would survive on a board reading {7-Clubs}

. With everyone already out of the room on break, Steely let out a quiet celebration as he pulled in those double up chips to move up close to a half-million in chips.

Tags: Chase Steely Jose Santos

10-09-2009 18:49 UTC-3

Here We Go Again

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Donnie Peters

Fourteen players remain and there will be a redraw at 12 for the final two tables. The cards are back in the air.

Level: 18

Blinds: 4,000/8,000

Ante: 1,000

10-09-2009 18:34 UTC-3

Break

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Donnie Peters

Another level has been completed and the players are on a 15-minute break.

10-09-2009 18:18 UTC-3

Tournament Tidbits

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* With 14 players remaining in the tournament, the average chip stack is 508,928

* Chip leader Brandon Hall has 14% of the total chips in play with 980,000

* All of the former Aruba Poker Classic champions have been eliminated (the last to depart was Travis Rice in 16th place)

10-09-2009 18:10 UTC-3

Brent Roberts Eliminated in 15th Place ($18,430)

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Donnie Peters

John Clancy called Brent Roberts' all-in bet holding {A-Clubs}

. Roberts held {K-Diamonds}

. The board ran out {J-Spades}

to give Clancy a straight and bust Roberts. Clancy now has 650,000 chips.

Tags: Brent Roberts John Clancy

10-09-2009 18:08 UTC-3

Travis Rice Eliminated in 16th Place ($18,430)

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Under the gun, Charlie Hook made it 15,000 to play, and Brandon Hall three-bet it up to 46,000. Next to speak was Travis "TravestyFund" Rice, and he announced an all in for right around 200,000. That was enough to fold Hook, but Hall quickly made the call with his big stack to put the 2007 Aruba Poker Classic champion in danger of elimination.

Showdown
Hall: {Q-Hearts}

Rice:

The board was of no help to Rice as the dealer ran it out {9-Spades}

. Hall's queens hold up to take down that pot, sending Rice to the exit in 15th place.

For Hall, those additional chips have moved him into the overall lead, sitting now just shy of the million-chip mark.

Tags: Brandon Hall Travis Rice

10-09-2009 17:52 UTC-3

Mordue Doubles Up

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Donnie Peters

James Mordue moved all in for his last 85,000 on a flop of {J-Hearts}

. Max Greenwood was next in position and he made the call. Jose Roberto Santos folded, leaving Greenwood in charge of trying to eliminate Mordue.

Mordue tabled {J-Clubs}

against Greenwood's {10-Diamonds}

.

The turn was the {9-Clubs}

and the river the {2-Hearts}

. Mordue's two pair was the best hand and he was able to double to nearly 200,000 chips.

"It's never easy." commented Mordue, "I'm surprised it didn't come nine, nine."

Tags: James Mordue Jose Roberto Santos Max Greenwood

10-09-2009 17:50 UTC-3

Updated Chip Counts

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Here's the way the remaining 16 players stack up right now:

Robert Mizrachi - 920,000
Eric Baldwin - 920,000
Brandon Hall - 770,000
Max Greenwood - 563,000
Jose Santos - 550,000
David Perkins - 420,000
Charlie Hook - 410,000
John Clancy - 345,000
Brock Parker - 345,000
Brent Roberts - 345,000
Ryan Schmidt - 310,000
Matthew Ross - 290,000
Chase Steely - 252,000
Travis Rice - 225,000
James Jewett - 220,000
James Mordue - 120,000