Va Shon Watkins is on an absolute tear. After spending much of the early part of the day very short-stacked, the online stud has doubled up twice within the last level. We joined another big pot involving Watkins just moments ago.
Walking up on the turn, we see the board reads . There is about 25,000 in the pot, and action is on Harold Kruger. He checks, prompting "Julian Verse" to move all in for 17,025. Kruger thinks for just one moment before calling, having Watkins covered.
Showdown:
Kruger:
Watkins:
Looking for a king or any old club, Kruger leans in close to the table to await the river card. It is black; it is a blank. The does nothing to improve Kruger, and he sends Watkins yet another double-up.
After hanging around the 5,000-chip mark all afternoon, Va Shon Watkins is now quite healthy with just over 60,000.
Eric Stiglets has been lamenting his run of raggy cards today, and he has found himself being chipped down steadily as play has progressed. It's been evident from the look on his face that he has been looking for a spot to get the rest of his chips in for at least an hour now. He finally found that spot.
Working around the table, a player under the gun limped into the pot. Next to act was Jeffrey Bryan, and he put out a raise to 1,850. John McDonald was up next, and he put in the call. The small blind folded, and Stiglets wasted little time acting from the big. Grabbing his whole short stack, he moved all in for a total of 9,700. The limper and Jeffrey Bryan folded, and action was back on McDonald.
"I don't think I can get away from this one," he said, fingering his chips. After a moment, he made the call, putting Stiglets' tournament life in jeopardy.
Showdown:
McDonald:
Stiglets:
Stiglets' first reaction was a big sigh of disgust as he saw that he was racing for his tournament life. "That's okay, you guys folded aces, right?" he asked the table.
Everyone simply shook their heads. The race was on.
With the at-risk player standing to sweat his fate, the dealer ran out the community cards: . That safe board spelled a big win for Stiglets, and he clapped his hands together in celebration. After dragging down that pot, the Poker Battle Warrior has jumped back up the board, sitting now with just over 23,000.
Donnie Peters
The action of the hand was unknown, but Va Shon "Julian Verse" Watkins just recently doubled up through Jesse Hale. Watkins held big slick, , against Hale's .
Donnie Peters
Lee lost a huge chunk there
After the turn came down between Bernard Lee and Joaquin Sosa, the board read . Lee led out for 2,150 and Sosa raised to 6,000. Lee took some time, but then moved all in, having Sosa covered by about 10,000 chips. Sosa made the call and would be all in for his last 28,850 total.
Sosa was well ahead with the to Lee's top two pair with the . The river was the and didn't give Lee the boat he needed. Sosa was able to double up to just over 60,000, leaving Lee with around 10,000 chips.
There is a lot of good-natured banter going on at Table 22, most of it instigated by our multi-tasker, Jesse Hale. We picked up the action in the most recent hand over there on the far side of the room. In early position, Wilbur Futhey limped in, and the betting folded around to Hale, who was on the button. He raised it up, and action was back to Futhey. Without too much delay, he moved all in for just over 20,000.
"Oh man. If I can put you on ace-king, I can beat you," mumbled Hale.
"Well do it then, put me on ace-king," Futhey responded with a smirk.
"I know. I'm trying. I really am. I'm just thinking back to three months ago in New Orleans."
Apparently Futhey and Hale share a little bit of tournament history, and the little wordplay continued between them for another minute or so. Finally, Hale released his cards, and Futhey took down the pot without confrontation.
Donnie Peters
Va Shon "Julian Verse" Watkins
Va Shon "Julian Verse" Watkins moved all in over the top of a preflop raise from Wilbur Futhey. When action folded back around to Futhey, he made the call.
Showdown:
Watkins:
Futhey:
The first three cards were no help to Watkins when the came out, but things changed quickly on the turn with the . The river fell the and gave Watkins the suck-out to double up to 22,000.
As the say in the online world, "MBN [must be nice] to run like Julian."
Drazen Ilich
Drazen Ilich has chips, and he's not afraid to use them. Riding a big stack all day, Ilich has been active in a number of pots, and we find him at it again. From late position, he opened the pot with a raise to 1,850. Next to act was Tyler Meierotto, and he moved all in for 9,225. When action folded around to Ilich, he made the call, having his man well-covered.
Showdown:
Ilich:
Meierotto:
The board ran down , which was no good for the all-in player. Ilich sends another one packing, upping his chip count back over the 60,000 mark.
button in Safari
. There is about 25,000 in the pot, and action is on Harold Kruger. He checks, prompting "Julian Verse" to move all in for 17,025. Kruger thinks for just one moment before calling, having Watkins covered.
does nothing to improve Kruger, and he sends Watkins yet another double-up.
. That safe board spelled a big win for Stiglets, and he clapped his hands together in celebration. After dragging down that pot, the Poker Battle Warrior has jumped back up the board, sitting now with just over 23,000.
, against Hale's 
.
. Lee led out for 2,150 and Sosa raised to 6,000. Lee took some time, but then moved all in, having Sosa covered by about 10,000 chips. Sosa made the call and would be all in for his last 28,850 total.
. The river was the 
came out, but things changed quickly on the turn with the 
. The river fell the 
and gave Watkins the suck-out to double up to 22,000.
