Sam Stein and Matt Glantz have arrived and taken their respective seats in the early stages of Level 3, while Jonathan Duhamel has re-entered the tournament. He drew his original seat and is eager to have a better run of it this time around.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
250,000 | |
|
250,000 | |
|
250,000 | 250,000 |
![[user101598]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
Galen Hall opened to 4,000 from late position, Bill Perkins called on the button, and Chance Kornuth called from the small blind. While the dealer fanned the flop 
, Perkins received a call, and picked up.
"What's up?" he said as Kornuth checked.
Hall continued for 10,000, and Perkins instantaneously threw out six blue T5,000 chips, raising to 30,000. Kornuth mucked, and Hall tank-folded.
Perkins is still on the phone, and climbing back to the starting stack.
Level: 3
Blinds: 800/1,600
Ante: 200
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
535,000 | 5,000 |
|
373,000 | 123,000 |
|
360,000 | -10,000 |
|
321,500 | 26,500 |
|
310,500 | 58,500 |
|
283,000 | 33,000 |
|
277,000 | 27,000 |
|
277,000 | 38,000 |
|
274,200 | -5,800 |
|
268,000 | 28,000 |
|
263,700 | 28,700 |
|
254,600 | -20,400 |
|
252,000 | 2,000 |
|
244,000 | -36,000 |
|
243,800 | -6,200 |
|
240,700 | -12,300 |
|
235,000 | -55,000 |
|
227,200 | 32,200 |
|
223,300 | -46,700 |
|
211,000 | 39,000 |
|
205,400 | 10,400 |
|
205,000 | -45,000 |
|
190,000 | -50,000 |
|
174,000 | -6,000 |
|
170,900 | -19,100 |
We've put the first two levels in the books, and the players have been sent off for their first break of the day.
We picked up the action on the turn in a heads-up pot between David Benefield and Yevgeniy Timoshenko. There wasn't much in the pot when we walked up to the 
board, and Timoshenko had checked. Benefield bet 10,000, Timo check-raised to 22,500, and Benefield raised it right back to 46,000 total. Timoshenko called, and the river brought the 
. When Timoshenko checked again, Benefield took his cue to bet 86,000, sending his opponent deep into the tank. It's hard to tell when Timoshenko is in the tank, actually, because he takes a long time on each decision. And this time was no different. With only 150,000 chips left, Timo took ages debating before releasing his cards and saving his remainder for a better spot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
275,000 | 25,000 |
|
150,000 | -100,000 |
Team PokerStars Pro and 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Jonathan Duhamel may have had better things in mind when thinking about starting off the 2012 poker season. Surely, being the first player eliminated in a $100,000 buy-in event was not at the top of his list for yearly goals. Sadly though, his bankroll just took a six-figure hit thanks to Isaac Haxton.
After Viktor Blom raised to 2,600 from the hijack seat, Haxton three-bet to 10,500 from the small blind. In the big blind was Duhamel and he four-bet to 24,200. Blom got out of the way, but Haxton had other things in mind. He took about two minutes and then five-bet to 42,200. Duhamel took about a minute himself and fired all in for around 205,000. Haxton called.
Haxton: 
Duhamel: 
The flop, turn and river ran out 
and the two queens helped Haxton alleviate all of Duhamel's money in this $100,000 Super High Roller. Haxton is over half a million now and the clear chip leader.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
530,000 | 235,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Team PokerStars Pro Jason Mercier took a short break away from his table while a hand was being played that he wasn't involved in and came to chat with one of our reporters on the floor. The topic of Mercier's current quest of earning one million dollars for four years straight leading into 2012 came up. If Mercier earns another million in 2012, he'll tie Erick Lindgren for the longest streak in years of earning a million dollars in tournaments. To this Mercier said, "I'm going to earn a million dollars in four months," with a smile. "In fact, I'm gonna win a million in this tournament," he added.
Daniel Negreanu and Jonathan Duhamel — friends and fellow Canadian Team PokerStars Pros — are seated at adjacent tables. While they were in between hands, Negreanu peeked through the bodies and caught Duhamel's eye.
"What's up, Champ?" he asked. "It looks like you pick women like I do."
Negreanu was referencing the recent home invasion of Duhamel in which his ex-girlfriend was involved. "The Champ" chuckled lightly in response to the remark, but it might be a bit too soon for him to really have much of a laugh. The bracelet is still missing, you know. If you're out of the loop, catch up on the Duhamel story here, here, and here.
To say that Bill Perkins has been active here in the early goings would be quite the understatement. He's involved in nearly every pot at his table and his stack has been dwindling for the most part. There's some bright light shining on Perkins now as he just doubled up to get back to the starting stack.
Action folded to Perkins in the hijack seat and he raised to 3,000. In the next seat — the cutoff position — Chance Kornuth three-bet to 7,500. Play folded back over to Perkins and he quickly called to take a flop out of position.
After the 
flop fell, Perkins quickly led for 15,000. Kornuth made the call.
The turn was the and paired the board. Perkins bet 25,000 and Kornuth called again.
With 75,000 behind, Perkins checked in the dark before the dealer dealt the river. The 
fell and Kornuth opted to bet small with 12,000. Immediately after Kornuth's chips hit the felt in front of the betting line, Perkins announced that he was all in. Kornuth tanked for a minute or two and then called.
"Full house," announced Perkins straight away. He tabled the 
for a rivered full house and Kornuth mucked his hand.
"I guess that's why you checked dark," said Kornuth as he sent over the chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
250,000 | 130,000 |
|
|
172,000 | -108,000 |
