It folded to William Tonking on the button and he min-raised to 32,000, then watched Edward Pham reraise to 81,000 from the big blind. Tonking looked across the table, then announced he was reraising all in, and Pham folded.
Not long after that hand, Pham was raising to 35,000 from the cutoff, and Coury Mascagni called from the small blind. Tonking then reraised to 120,000 from the big blind, getting both Pham and Mascagni to fold.
The pace has definitely slowed here during the latter part of Level 22, although there was some action just now in a hand pitting William Tonking against Chris Klodnicki.
In that one Tonking opened to 32,000 from the cutoff and Klodnicki called from the button. The dealer spread the flop , and when Tonking continued for 40,000, Klodnicki stuck around. The turn was the , and this time both players checked.
The river brought the and another check from Tonking. Klodnicki took the opening to bet 75,000, and Tonking thought a short while before folding.
On the very first hand of Level 23, Richard Allen opened for 50,000 from the button, then Coury Mascagni folded his small blind. William Tonking then checked his cards, and without much hesitation declared he was all in for his last 450,000 or so, and Allen didn't wait long to make the call.
Tonking:
Allen:
The flop came , and Tonking was looking for one of the two remaining sixes to save him. But the turn was the and river the , and suddenly they are down to four.
With the board showing a highly coordinated and a medium-sized pot already developed, Chris Klodnicki pushed out a bet of 50,000 and his lone opponent, Coury Mascagni, made the call. The river then brought the to put a straight on the board, and Klodnicki again bet, this time 125,000. Once more Mascagni called.
Klodnicki showed for an eight-high straight, and Mascagni mucked.
Coury Mascagni raised to 40,000 from the button, then Edward Pham three-bet to 105,000 from the big blind. Mascagni responded by shoving all in for approximately 830,000, and Pham was quick with the call.
Mascagni:
Pham:
Mascagni needed help, but the flop came to improve Pham further to a set, and the turn made the river no matter.
"How many times have you had aces?" asked Chris Klodnicki afterwards. "And won with them?" he added.
Indeed, we've seen Pham knock out another opponent with pocket aces already (Joseph Tracy in sixth), and double through Micah Raskin earlier with aces, too.
With those two quick eliminations here at the start of Level 23 of the Sands Bethlehem DeepStack Extravaganza $500,000 Guaranteed Main Event, the remaining three players are all especially deep-stacked.
At the start of three-handed play, third-place Richard Allen has a stack worth about 60 big blinds, Chris Klodnicki has just under 80 big blinds, and leader Edward Pham has about 145 big blinds.
Edward Pham raised to 42,000 from the button and Chris Klodnicki three-bet to 110,000 from the big blind. Pham called the reraise, and the pair saw the flop come .
Klodnicki led for 85,000, and after considering a few moments Pham folded.
, and when Tonking continued for 40,000, Klodnicki stuck around. The turn was the 
, and this time both players checked.
and another check from Tonking. Klodnicki took the opening to bet 75,000, and Tonking thought a short while before folding.
, and Tonking was looking for one of the two remaining sixes to save him. But the turn was the 
and river the 
, and suddenly they are down to four.
and a medium-sized pot already developed, Chris Klodnicki pushed out a bet of 50,000 and his lone opponent, Coury Mascagni, made the call. The river then brought the 
to put a straight on the board, and Klodnicki again bet, this time 125,000. Once more Mascagni called.
for an eight-high straight, and Mascagni mucked.
turn made the 
river no matter.
.