Yılmaz Oguz, already having raised to 10,500, 15,000, and all-in today, changed up his pre-flop play with a limp from the cutoff. John Dolan raised to 8,500 in the small blind and when action was back on Oguz, he re-raised all in. Dolan snap-called all in for 58,700.
Dolan:
Oguz:
The board came down and Dolan dodged the overcards to double up to about 125,000. Oguz dropped to about 122,000.
Joe Cassidy reported to the rail after three-betting all in for about 35,000 with . He ran into and was unable to improve, ending his tournament in 40th place.
Elias Brussianos raised to 5,700 in the hijack and Rob Peltekci called from the cutoff. Yilmaz Oguz called from the big blind as well and the flop came down .
Oguz checked to Brussianos and he bet 8,000. Peltekci folded and Oguz called, leading to the hitting the turn. Both checked and the fell on the river. Oguz checked again and Brussianos bet 21,000, getting Ugoz to give it up.
There are a few players still remaining in the field who cashed in thie event last year, the first year the event was held. It was officially titled the WPT Merit Cyprus Classic Championship as it was a World Poker Tour event. Although it isn't a WPT event this year, Full Tilt Poker is on as the title sponsor and the final table will be televised.
Joseph El Khoury came in 16th place last year for $17,300, Rob Peltekci came in 15th place for a slightly better $19,030 and Kelly Kim came in 11th for $20,760. Rony Jazzar finished even better than those three, taking home $73,535 for his final table finish in sixth place.
Also of note is that Antoine Abou Khalil is still in. He was the bubble boy last year and will be looking to make it to the money this year and avoid that same fate.
All of these players will surely be looking to better their performance from last year as the duke it out for the title!
Just before the break, action folded around Elias Brussianos on the button and he raised to 6,800 on the button. Rob Peltekci re-raised to 23,000 from the small blind and after the big blind folded, Peltekci got his chips ready for a call if Brussianos were to re-raise.
Sure enough, Brussianos re-raised all in and Peltekci went into the tank briefly before calling 90,800 for his tournament life.
Peltekci:
Brussianos:
The flop was and left Peltekci in dire straits. However, the hit the turn as Peltekci let out a big "YEAH!!", having locked up the pot. The river card was merely a formality as Peltekci doubled to nearly 190,000.
On an board, we caught the action in a pot between David Benyamine and Chris Karagulleyan.
Benyamine checked the flop and Karagulleyan bet 30,500. Beyamine raised all in for about 103,500 and forced Karagulleyan to lay it down. Benyamine showed the as he collected the pot.
Benyamine: Up to 195,000
Karagulleyan: Down to 205,000