Nikolai Prokhorskii got his stack in the middle from the button against Pavel Plesuv, who was in the big blind and had the larger of the two stacks.
Prokhorskii:
Plesuv:
Plesuv had the best of it preflop and Prokhorskii needed to improve to survive. After the board ran out Plesuv was still best, so he took the pot to chip up substantially and send Prokhorskii to the rail.
Bartosz Stasiewicz raised to 250,000 from the hijack, Michael Watson three-bet to 750,000 from the cutoff, and Stasiewicz called.
The flop came and both players checked.
The turn brought the and Stasiewicz bet 525,000. Watson called.
The fell on the river and Stasiewicz checked. Watson bet 1,425,000 and Stasiewicz check-raised all-in for 3,175,000. Watson went into the tank and eventually called. Stasiewicz showed and his flush was best against Watson's , so he took the pot to double up.
There were about 850,000 chips already in the pot and the board read when we got to the table. Roberto Romanello was in the big blind and facing a decision for 650,000 from the player in the small blind. Romanello went into the tank for several minutes and the clock was eventually called. Shortly after tournament staff arrived at the table and the 60-second countdown began, Romanello called. The small blind tabled , Romanello mucked, and his opponent took the chips.
Adrian Mateos raised to 225,000 from under the gun, the player in the small blind three-bet to 650,000, Mateos four-bet jammed to put the small blind to a decision for his stack, and he called.
Mateos:
Small blind:
Mateos had the preflop advantage and the small blind needed to improve to survive. After the board ran out Mateos's kings were still best, so he took the pot to send his opponent to the rail.
Pavel Plesuv raised to 225,000 from under the gun, the player in the hijack jammed for 1,255,000, Adrian Mateos called from the cutoff, Plesuv shoved for 3,055,000, and Mateos called to put Plesuv at risk.
Plesuv:
Mateos:
Hijack:
Mateos had the best of it by far and both of his opponents needed help from the deck to survive. When the flop came Plesuv made Broadway and took the lead to leave both other players drawing thin. The turn and river changed nothing, so Plesuv took the pot to double through Mateos and eliminate the player in the hijack.
Plesuv was still best, so he took the pot to chip up substantially and send Prokhorskii to the rail.
and Stasiewicz bet 525,000. Watson called.
fell on the river and Stasiewicz checked. Watson bet 1,425,000 and Stasiewicz check-raised all-in for 3,175,000. Watson went into the tank and eventually called. Stasiewicz showed 
and his flush was best against Watson's 
, so he took the pot to double up.
, Romanello mucked, and his opponent took the chips.
and both players checked. 
, Chidwick bet 200,000, and Linde called.
fell on the river, Chidwick bet 300,000, Linde folded, and Chidwick took the pot.
Plesuv made Broadway and took the lead to leave both other players drawing thin. The