Peter Ippolito moved all in from early position for his last 41,000 and action folded all the way back to Jonathan Poche in the small blind. He made the call and the cards were turned on their backs.
Ippolito:
Poche:
Ippolito had picked a bad spot, but he managed to take the lead with a pair of fives when the flop fell ; however, Poche was a favorite with two overs and a flush draw. Sure enough, the on the turn completed the said flush. The was put out on the river for good measure as Ippolito was eliminated in 15th place.
Before the elimination of Peter Ippolito, Allen Kessler had moved all in on the button for 47,500 and was called by Adam Hui, who only had 44,800.
Kessler:
Hui:
Kessler was in a dominating position and eager for the double; however, poker fate had other plans as the flop delivered Hui a set of fours. The turn and river changed nothing and Kessler was left with just 2,700.
Not long after, Kessler moved all in from early position and was called by both Sam Barnhart and Doug "Rico" Carli in the blinds. Both active players checked the flop, leading to the on the turn. Barnhart check-called a bet of 4,000 from Carli, and the hit the river, which both players checked.
"I have the nuts," Kessler said as he rolled over . Carli showed for a lower full house, but Barnhart revealed to take half the pot. "How do you have a nine there too?" Kessler asked in all seriousness.
Still short, Kessler was automatically all in from the big blind and Shiva Dudani raised to 8,000 from early position. Jonathan Poche then woke up with a reraise to 21,200 from the hijack. Barnhart, who was next to act in the cutoff, seemed baffled and asked, "What's going on?"
Kessler dead panned: "I hired him for protection." The table got a good laugh out of it as both Barnhart and Dudani folded.
Kessler:
Poche:
With Kessler's National Championship life on the line, the board ran out . Poche's full house sent Kessler home in 14th place.
After losing a big pot with his top pair being trumped by Matthew Lawrence's runner-runner straight, Stanley Quinn was left with a short stack. Soon after, action folded to Quinn on the button and he moved all in only to be snap-called by Huy Nguyen in the big blind.
Quinn:
Nguyen:
Not surprisingly, it was another race situation. The flop kept Quin in the lead but provided Nguyen with a gut-shot straight draw. Wouldn't you know it, that straight was filled when the spiked on the turn. Quinn needed a nine or king on the river to stay alive, but it was not meant to be as the appeared on the river. Nguyen chipped up to 75,000 while Quinn was eliminated in 13th place.
An interesting hand just developed that drew the attention of both the railbirds and camera crew. It began when Jonathan Pouche raised to 6,800 under the gun only to have Adam Hui reraise to 20,000 from the small blind. Poche responded by moving all in for around 350,000 and Hui called off for about 90,500.
Hui:
Poche:
Hui was ahead and looking to dodge big cards. He managed to do so on the flop, picking up a heart draw in the process. The turn changed nothing, but the river managed to give Hui a straight flush, much to the amusement of spectators.
Sam Barnhart raised to 9,000 from the button and received a call from Josh Evans in the big blind. When the was laid out on the flop, Evans checked and Barnhart continuation bet 12,000. Evans then check-raised to 31,000, Barnhart immediately moved all in for 83,500 more, and Evans laid down his hand.
Drazen Ilich raised on the button to 10,000 and received a call from La Sengphet in the small blind. The last remaining woman in the tournament then check-called a bet of 11,000 on the flop. The dealer burned and turned the , which both players checked, and followed that up with the on the river.
Once again Sengphet checked and opened the door for Ilich to bet 37,000. Sengphet gave it some thought before tossing her cards in the muck.
From under the gun, Shiva Dudani opened to 9,500 only to have Josh Evans three-bet his small blind to 28,000. With the action back on Dudani, he moved all in for an additional 52,000 and Evans made the call.
Dudani:
Evans:
With Dudani in the lead, the flop was an appealing one, but it would be the on the turn that would virtually put an end to his tournament.
Now needing one of the two remaining eights in the deck, the river would fall the to see Dudani fall in 12th place as Evans soars to 230,000 in chips.
; however, Poche was a favorite with two overs and a flush draw. Sure enough, the 
on the turn completed the said flush. The 
was put out on the river for good measure as Ippolito was eliminated in 15th place.
flop delivered Hui a set of fours. The 
turn and 
river changed nothing and Kessler was left with just 2,700.
flop, leading to the 
on the turn. Barnhart check-called a bet of 4,000 from Carli, and the 
hit the river, which both players checked.
. Carli showed 
for a lower full house, but Barnhart revealed 
to take half the pot. "How do you have a nine there too?" Kessler asked in all seriousness.
appeared on the river. Nguyen chipped up to 75,000 while Quinn was eliminated in 13th place.
flop, picking up a heart draw in the process. The 
flop. The dealer burned and turned the 
on the river.
on the turn that would virtually put an end to his tournament.