Ori Miller opened to 40,000 from early position, and Dmitry Gromov three-bet to 101,000 from the button. Both blinds folded, Miller made the call.
Miller check called another 100,000 on , and the fell on the turn. Both players checked that fourth community card, and the hit the river. Miller checked to Gromov, and the Russian bet out 235,000.
Miller thought about it for some time, if he would call and was wrong, he would be left with just 245,000.
It wouldn't go like that, he called and was right. Gromov showed his , Miller tabled and took it down.
Christian Christner opened the cutoff with a raise to 40,000, and next door neighbor Nicolas Chouity made the call from the button. Igor Devkin in the big blind squeezed to 130,000, and Christner was quick to lay down his hand. Chouity however made the call.
Devkin checked his option, and called the 129,000 bet Chouity made.
Both players checked the on the turn, and the was for free.
With now four to a straight out there, Devkin checked again. Chouity slid 315,000 forward, which send Devkin into the tank.
For awhile he was playing around with 315,000 in his hand, but eventually he folded.
"Nice hand!" said Devkin. "Nines?" asked Buonanno. Chouity did not reply, and just stacked his castle of chips even higher.
In what we believe was the first hand at the unofficial final table, Antonio Buonanno opened to 40,000 from under the gun plus one. Action quickly folded to Christian Christner in the big blind, and the German three-bet to 130,000 with about 375,000 behind.
Buonanno contemplated his options, and then four-bet to 260,000. Christner shoved all in for a little bit more, and Buonanno made the call.
Buonanno:
Christner:
The on the table made for no exciting board, and Christner doubled.
Igor Devkin opened to 40,000, from the cutoff, and Nicolas Chouity three-bet to 105,000 from the button. The small blind folded, but Oliver Price in the big blind wasn't so eager to throw his cards away without a fight. Price, who was caught bluffing not too long ago, four-bet to 240,000.
Devkin knew enough and gave up, but Chouity went into the tank. Eventually, the Lebanese asked for a count on Price's stack, but the Brit did not respond.
But Price did hear the request, because after Chouity announced all in, Price snap called.
Nicolas Chouity:
Oliver Price:
That's what they call a race, and this one was for the chip lead in the tournament with just two tables left. You could say this was the most important hand of the tournament for the both of them.
The dealer put the flop out there: . Both made sure if they had any diamond (they didn't), and Price realized he was well in the lead. Just a jack could spoil his day, or runner runner diamonds for a chop of course.
The dealer burned (slowly), and turned (again slowly) the ! Price couldn't believe it, and got up from the table with his hands in his hair.
Price still had outs for the chop, or for the win. Price needed a diamond or pair the board, but got neither: .
With that nothing card, Price hit the rail, as Chouity build a enormous stack and moved it to the last table of 10 of the tournament.
for Miller, and 
for Ballas.
.
, and the 
fell on the turn. Both players checked that fourth community card, and the 
hit the river. Miller checked to Gromov, and the Russian bet out 235,000.
, Miller tabled 
and took it down.
was for free.
on the table made for no exciting board, and Christner doubled.
.
