One of several Dutch players in the field, Michiel Brummelhuis raised from under the gun to 2,500. Action folded all the way around to Daniel Negreanu in the big blind. Negreanu took about a minute and then reraised to 12,500. Brummelhuis checked how much Negreanu has left (about 25,000) and then moved all in. Negreanu was right there to make the call.
Negreanu tabled the worst of it, holding two black tens. Brummelhuis had one-upped him with two red jacks. The flop came down and closed the door further on Negreanu. The turn card was the and then the river completed the board with the .
Negreanu wished his table luck and exited to the rail. Brummelhuis jumped up to 145,000 chips.
The 84 players that put up $25,000 to payer in the event created a prizepool of $2,058,000. That's roughly double the size of the prize pool last year; a great increase for the PCA. Of those 84, 17 of them were members of Team PokerStars Pro.
First place went from last year's $433,500 to this year's $576,240. Also, an extra eight slots will be paid out this year with 16 people finishing in the money. With defending champion Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier eliminated, someone new will take home the title.
Lex Veldhuis and Dario Minieri tangled on a flop of with about 20,000 in the pot.
Veldhuis checked to Minieri, taking his time before betting 13,700. Veldhuis raised to 29,000 and Minieri made the call. The hit fourth street and Veldhuis fired 47,000 into the pot. Minieri thought for a few moments before throwing his hand away.
Lex Veldhuis is up to 230,000 while Minieri drops a bit down to 170,000.
After some action preflop, Ton Kleijnen and Nick Schulman got all of the money in on a flop of . Schulman bet out 4,300 and Kleijnen raised to 15,000. Schulman then put out a giant stack of blue T5,000 chips to put Kleijnen all in. Kleijnen quickly put the rest of his chips into the middle.
Kleijnen held for top pair, but Schulman had the better kicker with the . The turn was the and the river the to send the Dutchman to the rail. Schulman moved to over 100,000.
From under the gun, Justin "BoostedJ" Smith raised to 3,300. Govert Metaal called from the cutoff seat and Kevin Saul called the from the big blind. The flop came down and action checked around between the three players.
The turn card was the , pairing the board. Saul checked and then Smith checked behind. Metaal bet 4,000. Saul made the call before Smith raised to 15,500. Metaal didn't offer much resistance and folded, but Saul stuck around by making the call.
The river card was the and Saul checked. After a minute or two, Smith moved all in for 34,200. Saul tanked for some time with between 105,000 and 110,000 left in his stack and after a few minutes, made the call. Smith rolled over and Saul mucked.
Smith is up to about 115,000 and Saul dropped to about 76,000.
Just moments after busting Ton Kleijnen, Nick Schulman was involved again. After he raised to 3,000 from under the gun, Bryn Kenney called from the next seat. Action folded over to Peter Eastgate and he moved all in for about 26,000. Schulman reraised enough to put Kenney all in as well, but he folded.
Eastgate held and Schulman held . For the second hand in a row, Schulman had a player dominated and on the ropes.
Fortunately for Eastgate, the dealer was able to put five spades on board with the and the two players chopped up the action.
Bryn Kenney made it 3,000 to play on the button. Brett Richey called from the small blind and the player in the big blind called as well.
The flop fell and it was checked to Kenney who bet 5,200. Richey was the lone caller, delivering the on the turn. Richey checked and Kenney fired 11,800 into the pot. Richey called again, bringing out the on the river. Richey checked and Kenney moved all in.
Richey winced, but still made the quick call and tabled . Kenney mucked and headed to the rail, boosting Richey's stack to 170,000.