Huy Nguyen was probably one of the betting favorites to win this thing despite his short stack — until just a moment ago when he met his demise.
Nguyen was down to 68,000 when he stuck it in with . In the next seat over, Stephen Ma made the call with his monster stack, and the rest of the table folded out of the way. Ma showed up , a small favorite to earn the knockout.
Nguyen flopped about as good as he could hope for as the dealer spread out . The turn was a blank, and he was one card from the double. But the river was a cruel . It took Nguyen and the rest of the table an extra beat to realize that he'd been beaten by trips, and he wished his table luck as he headed toward the cashier.
As he left, the table was giving him respect out of earshot. Everyone was in agreement about the high level of Nguyen's game, but his run for another ring has come up just a bit short this time around.
Allen Kessler has won two significant hands in short order. He began with a preflop shove holding and was up against pocket sevens. The board ran and his Broadway straight earned him a double up to 150,000.
Then he took down a three-way pot that earned him another 40,000 or so. Kessler went from shove-only stack to a little wiggle room to play some cards.
We were busy at the other tables when Jay Kincaid made a quiet exit from the Main Event in 21st place. Stephen Ma was his knocker-out, and he and the table were kind enough to give us a few details.
Kincaid flopped top pair of jacks with , but Ma turned a straight draw with . All the money got in there on fourth street, and Ma connected with the river to tally the knockout.
Will Souther was in the cutoff seat with 52,000 chips left when it folded to him. He looked down at pocket jacks and stuck it in there with some confidence, but trouble found him on down the line. In the big blind, Casey Cavanaugh woke up with two kings, and Souther could not get over the hump.
A board full of blanks spelled the end of his day in 22nd place.
Jeremy Jagoda opened for 14,000 and Mike Holm was the only caller from the small blind. The flop came , Holm bet 20,000 and Jagoda moved all in for 77,000 more.
Holm went deep into the tank before making a decision. The clock kept ticking and Holm was slow to a decision. He finally elected to fold and Jagoda showed the table - flopping the nuts.
Gary Philstrom raised to 18,000 to open the pot, and Mark Bonsack three-bet shoved for his last 42,000 total. A couple seats over in the blinds, James Smith re-shoved for 113,000 total, and Philstrom made a frustrated fold to let the other two go at it.
Showdown
Bonsack:
Smith:
There was an ace in the window for Bonsack, and the board ran out . Bonsack was already standing up with his backpack over his shoulder, and he was more than happy to slip it right back on his chair and take his seat once again.
Johnny Kincaid opened the pot to 15,000 in middle position, and he found calls from both Sean Moore and James Mordue. The latter was in the big blind and defending a short stack.
The flop came out , and Kincaid continued out with 25,000. Moore wanted to raise, but he only put out 43,000. That's a mini-raise to 50,000 by rule, and Mordue promptly check-called all in for his last 30,000. Kincaid thought it over for a good while before surrendering, and the cards were on their backs with Mordue at risk. And in trouble.
Showdown
Mordue:
Moore:
The turn opened up four chop outs for Mordue, but he could not find them. The river was the blank , and we're minus another player.
. In the next seat over, Stephen Ma made the call with his monster stack, and the rest of the table folded out of the way. Ma showed up 
, a small favorite to earn the knockout.
. The 
. It took Nguyen and the rest of the table an extra beat to realize that he'd been beaten by trips, and he wished his table luck as he headed toward the cashier.
and his Broadway straight earned him a double up to 150,000.
, but Ma turned a straight draw with 
. All the money got in there on fourth street, and Ma connected with the river to tally the knockout.
- flopping the nuts.
turn opened up four chop outs for Mordue, but he could not find them. The river was the blank 
, and we're minus another player.
