Shortly before the start of Level 13, partypoker Chairman Mike Sexton wanted to say a few words to the players:
"On behalf of myself and partypoker President John Duthie, we'd like to thank you for your involvement in this, the largest event in Russian poker history!
"We certainly want to take a moment to thank everyone at the Sochi Casino & Resort, as well as all you players for participating in this fantastic tournament. Whether you qualified online on partypoker, bought in live, played a satellite, or however you got into this tournament - we appreciate your participation!
"We are proud of the way the Russian poker market is growing, and obviously this event shows you what a force Russia is in the poker world. I wish you all the best of luck on your quest to make the final table and win this tournament.
"And let me just add one more thing! To show you the integrity of partypoker and this tournament, and to show you that we didn't add anyone extra into the tournament - the final number of entrants is 999! You get an overlay in this tournament!
"Good luck and congratulations to all remaining players!"
The screens show 343 players out of a 989-entry strong field remaining and they have been sent on a 75-minute dinner break. Only two tournament rooms remain and the registration will close when the cards are back in the air at approximately 10:56 p.m. local time.
Roberto Romanello walked out of the tournament area and into the dinner break before stopping by and recounting a big clash. Romanello went on a heater on his re-entry for Day 2 before a big pot against table neighbor Denis Krasavin sent him back to below the starting stack.
According to Romanello, the Welshman raised to 100,000 first to act and Krasavin called from the big blind. On the flop, Krasavin check-called a bet of 175,000 before check-raising the turn from 375,000 to 950,000. Romanello called and the river brought a bet by Krasavin and the shove of Romanello.
Krasavin snap-called with for the nut flush and Romanello's for the second nuts ended up second best. When coming back from dinner, the Romanello has plenty of work ahead with 12 big blinds only.
Ekaterina Kolobekova raised to 845,000 and Sergey Bezmirtny three-bet to 250,000. Kolobekova shoved for 870,000 with and was called by Bezmirtny with for a big flip.
The board came and the jacks held up.
Meanwhile, Benjamin Winsor, who started the day with just 361,000, was spotted on the river of a heads-up pot of and his sole opponent bet 160,000 from the small blind. Winsor moved in for 790,000 and that forced a fold.
On a flop of , Dzmitry Urbanovich was all in for 730,000 from under the gun with the and Lika Gerasimova called with for top pair and the same gutshot. Urbanovich's hopes were of hearts, and he indeed got there after the turn and river.
Hand 2
Down to 360,000, Gerasimova moved all in the next hand and Pierre Neuville reshoved for one million on the button. Moritz Dietrich moved in over the top from the small blind and the following showdown emerged:
Lika Gerasimova:
Pierre Neuville:
Moritz Dietrich:
The flop gave Gerasimova top two pair, but the turn counterfit those. A blank river changed nothing and Dietrich knocked out Gerasimova and Neuville.
After a raise to 90,000 and a three-bet to 250,000 by the player on the button, Yair Bitoun shoved for 265,000 from the small blind. The initial raiser moved in over the top to isolate and turned over . Bitoun had and turned a straight and flush draw on the board before running dry.
He sighed and said "no chance" in French to fellow countryman Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier.
Raul Martinez opened to 80,000 from the cutoff and Aleksei Kozlov called on the button. The flop fell and Martinez continued for 80,000, which Kozlov called. After the turn, the Spaniard slowed down and checked. Kozlov bet 135,000 and that took down the pot.
Kozlov and Banks are among the biggest stacks in the main tournament area with seven million in chips, but haven't played any big pots against each other so far according to Banks.
Pierre Neuville pictured with tablemate Jan-Peter Jachtmann
Pierre Neuville raised preflop from the cutoff and Moritz Dietrich called on the button. Dzmitry Urbanovich called in the small blind as did the player in the big blind.
The flop came and it checked to Dietrich who bet 150,000. The three other players all called.
The turn was the . It checked to Neuville who moved all in for 630,000. Dietrich called and the other two players folded.
Richard Dubini raised to 90,000 and Anatoly Filatov called before Stanislav Kozlovskyi moved all in for 930,000. Dubini folded and Filatov called, then got his mini camera ready to film the showdown.
Stanislav Kozlovskyi:
Anatoly Filatov:
The board came and the stack of Filatov was cut in half. He then tried to win a pot against fellow partypoker Sponsored Pro Richard Dubini and folded to a check-shove on the turn to see his stack melt to around 670,000.
Last but not least, Ivan Shulga raised to 100,000 from under the gun and Yevgeny Kafelnikov called on the button. Filatov defended the big blind. On a flop of , Filatov moved all in and Shulga did so as well to force out Kafelnikov.
Anatoly Filatov:
Ivan Shulga:
The turn and river bricked off and Filatov was eliminated. However, he can still re-enter once until the start of Level 13.
flop, Krasavin check-called a bet of 175,000 before check-raising the 
turn from 375,000 to 950,000. Romanello called and the 
river brought a bet by Krasavin and the shove of Romanello.
for the nut flush and Romanello's 
for the second nuts ended up second best. When coming back from dinner, the Romanello has plenty of work ahead with 12 big blinds only.
and was called by Bezmirtny with 
and the jacks held up.
and his sole opponent bet 160,000 from the small blind. Winsor moved in for 790,000 and that forced a fold.
, Dzmitry Urbanovich was all in for 730,000 from under the gun with the 
river.
flop gave Gerasimova top two pair, but the 
turn counterfit those. A blank 
river changed nothing and Dietrich knocked out Gerasimova and Neuville.
and turned a straight and flush draw on the board 
before running dry.
turn and 
