Level 26 has now begun with blinds reaching 10,000/20,000 and an ante of 2,500. "IGOTCRABZ_33" still holds the chip lead by a wide margin with five remaining, but the other four players now find themselves all within five big blinds of one another after Steven "FadeOrHoldz" Madara has chipped up even further since his recent doubles. Here's an updated look at the counts.
In Level 25 with blinds of 8,000/16,000 and an ante of 2,000, Jake "MoZZyNJ" Dynes opened to 38,400 on the button and Steven "FadeOrHoldz" Madara re-jammed for 181,431 in the big blind. Dynes called.
Steven "FadeOrHoldz" Madara: 
Jake "MoZZyNJ" Dynes: 
After just doubling, Madara was in jeopardy of falling in fifth nonetheless. However, the flop 
gave him the three outer he needed to pull ahead, and he stayed there through the turn 
and river 
depsite Dynes picking up four additional backdoor outs to Broadway after the turn.
In Level 25 with blinds of 8,000/16,000 and an ante of 2,000, ""ACE"10276" pumped it up to 32,000 in the cutoff and was called by "JohnnyMania" in the small blind before Steven "FadeOrHoldz" Madara three-bet shoved for 119,438 in the big blind. ""ACE"10276" folded and "JohnnyMania" called.
Steven "FadeOrHoldz" Madara: 
"JohnnyMania": 
Madara won the coin flip as a result of the runout 
leaving his two pair better than his opponent's and he finds himself still alive and with a stack of 280,000 as a result.
In Level 24 with blinds of 7,000/14,000 and an ante of 1,750, ""ACE"10276" opened to 28,000 in the hijack and Angel "Chr0meKing" Lopez re-jammed for 148,530 in the big blind. ""ACE"10276" called.
Angel "Chr0meKing" Lopez: 
""ACE"10276": 
Lopez had run into the goods and failed to catch a six on a runout of 
to end his evening with a sixth-place finish good for $1,437.
In Level 24 with blinds of 7,000/14,000 and an ante of 1,750, "NEIRB2021" open-jammed for 143,740 in the hijack and "IGOTCRABZ_33" called on the button. Both remaining players folded behind.
"NEIRB2021": 
"IGOTCRABZ_33": 
"NEIRB2021" picked up a backdoor wheel draw but failed to connect any further on the runout 
and they were knocked out in seventh place as a result, earning the first four-figure score of the tournament.
In Level 24 with blinds of 7,000/14,000 and an ante of 1,750, action folded around to Angel "Chr0meKing" Lopez in the cutoff and he open-shoved for his last 53,010. "Bliatz" was next to act on the button and re-jammed for 145,199, with "IGOTCRABZ_33" calling both shoves from the small blind for a shot at a double knockout.
Angel "Chr0meKing" Lopez:
"Bliatz":
"IGOTCRABZ_33": 
Lopez had the best hand and flopped top pair to pull even further ahead. He then made a wheel on the turn 
and faded the three wheel chop outs on the river 
for the easy triple. Meanwhile, "Bliatz" had the worst hand of the three and saw the side pot shipped to "IGOTCRABZ_33", bringing about their elimination from the tournament in eighth place as a result.
In Level 24 with blinds of 7,000/14,000 and an ante of 1,750, "NEIRB2021"open-shoved for 77,120 under the gun and action folded around to Steven "FadeOrHoldz" Madara in the big blind, who called.
"NEIRB2021":
Steven "FadeOrHoldz" Madara: 
Madara was unable to catch anything on a runout of 
and doubled his second opponent in an orbit.
In Level 23 with blinds of 6,000/12,000 and an ante of 1,500, "JohnnyMania" raised to 24,000 and Steven "FadeOrHoldz" Madara three-bet to 72,000 in middle position. Action folded back to "JohnnyMania" and they called.
The flop came and "JohnnyMania" check-called Madara's continuation-bet of 108,000, bringing the turn . "JohnnyMania" checked again and Madara fired a second barrel of 276,000, enough to put "JohnnyMania" all in. A call was made.
"JohnnyMania": 
Steven "FadeOrHoldz" Madara: 
"JohnnyMania" had flopped the nuts but was still not locked in for the double after the paired board gave Madara four outs at a full house. However, the river fell to leave "JohnnyMania" with the best hand and they earned the double for a pot of more than 900,000 as a result.
The tournament reached a five-minute break just a hand into the final table. Updated counts from the break have been provided below.
In Level 23 with blinds of 6,000/12,000 and an ante of 1,500, "vig@135" open-limped in the hijack at a five-handed table and Jake "MoZZyNJ" Dynes raised to 36,000 in the cutoff. "jordanofpkr" three-bet shoved for 93,684 on the button and action folded back to "vig@135", who limp-jammed for 127,319. Dynes called both shoves.
"jordanofpkr":
"vigman@135":
Jake "MoZZyNJ" Dynes: 
The board ran out , giving "vigman@135" a backdoor flush draw on the turn that would only bring a third-best tens up by the river. The double knockout takes the field directly from 10 to eight, with "jordanofpkr" finishing in 10th place for $559 and "vigman@135" taking ninth for $636.
Updated counts from the remaining eight will be provided shortly.
button in Safari
