A disappointed Doug "Rico" Carli stopped by our desk to inform us that he had just been eliminated. According to him, it was the first time all tournament he picked up a big pocket pair and got it in.
It happened after Blair Hinkle opened and another player three-bet to 31,000. Carli opted to ship his last 94,000 with , Hinkle folded, and the other player called with . We're not sure what came on the board, but Carli's kings did not hold.
While we're sure it wasn't much of a consolation, Carli's 32nd-place finish was his record 104th career WSOP-related cash, which is ahead of Phil Hellmuth who has 96 in-the-money cashes.
A middle-position player opened the pot, Jason Brown called on the button, and Hinkle reraised from the big blind. The original raiser folded, Brown called, and the two saw a flop of . Hinkle kept up the heat with bet of 40,000. Brown then raised to 90,000. Hinkle dropped some yellow T25,000 chips into the middle and softly said, "All in."
Brown went into the tank for a few minutes before finally calling with but he was way behind Hinkle's . He asked for a seven "one time" but the dealer only placed a and on the board, and Brown's tournament was over.
Cord Garcia opened for 12,000 under the gun and was met by an all-in three-bet to 44,000 by Shawn Meyer. The button called, and then "Cowboy" Ben Smith moved all in over the top for 92,000 total. Garcia got out of the way and the button made the call.
Smith:
Button:
Meyer:
Meyer got it in the worst, but he ended up the best after the board ran out . Meyer tripled while Smith essentially broke even by taking down the 96,000 side pot.
A middle-position player raised all in for 44,000 and Nathan Bjerno made the call from the small blind. An Ace hit the flop for Bjerno and his opponent failed to improve his hand through the river.
Action folded around to Jason Brown in the small blind and he raised to 14,000. Allen "Chainsaw" Kessler was in the big blind and quickly announced that he was all in for 66,000. Brown thought for well over a minute before making the call.
Kessler:
Brown:
"What are you calling with that for?" Kessler asked. "I'm definitely not winning this one." Despite his pessimism, Kessler was actually out in front and stayed there on the flop and turn. Kessler was one card away from a double, but then his prediction came true when the peeled off on the river. "That's ridiculous," Kessler said under his breath before taking his leave in 37th place.
Meanwhile, Day 1a chip leader Kelly Cortum was eliminated at the same time over at Table 34. He will take home $2,743 for his 36th-place finish. We're now down to the final four tables.
. We're not sure what came on the board, but Carli's kings did not hold.
. Hinkle kept up the heat with bet of 40,000. Brown then raised to 90,000. Hinkle dropped some yellow T25,000 chips into the middle and softly said, "All in."
but he was way behind Hinkle's 
. He asked for a seven "one time" but the dealer only placed a 
and 
on the board, and Brown's tournament was over.
. Meyer tripled while Smith essentially broke even by taking down the 96,000 side pot.
flop and 
peeled off on the river. "That's ridiculous," Kessler said under his breath before taking his leave in 37th place.