A big pot just took place over at Table 39 that saw chip leader Nathan Bjerno take a hit.
It began when action folded around to Cord Garcia on the button and he opened for 6,000. Bjerno was seated to Cord's direct left and three-bet to 11,500 from the small blind, prompting the big to get out of the way. Garcia made the call and then moved all in for 85,400 more after Bjerno had bet 18,000 on the flop. Bjerno asked for an exact count and then made the call.
Bjerno:
Garcia:
Bjerno was ahead with his pair of eights, but Garcia held two overs, a flush draw, and a gutshot straight draw. The turn was a safe card for Bjerno, but the river was not. Garcia spiked a club to stay alive while a disappointed looking Bjerno simply said, "Nice hand."
On the other side of the room, Mike Holm was eliminated from the tournament.
We picked up the action in a heads-up pot between Kelly Cortum, on the button, and Nathan Bjerno, in middle position. Bjerno had check-raised Cortum's bet of 12,000 to 27,000. Cortum, deep in thought, seemed to be counting out a reraise when Bjerno decided to save him the time and the trouble and just tossed his cards to the dealer.
Cortum has cracked the 200,000 chip barrier. Bjerno, who has more than $200,000 in live tournament winnings, has taken a few recent hits to his once-room-leading stack.
It's not hard to imagine how Ben Smith got the nickname "Cowboy". The man from Wisconsin can often be found on the Circuit wearing his trademark cowboy hat.
Smith tends to play a patient game, and that seems to be the case here in Council Bluffs as the money bubble nears. In a recent hand, Smith opened for 9,000 from middle position and received a call from the player in the cutoff. Both players checked the flop as well as the turn, and then Smith casually led out for 24,000 on the river. The cutoff didn't want any of it and tossed his cards to the muck.
The small win pushed Smith up to the century mark in chips.
Andy Krakowski had moved all in on the turn for 70,400 with the board reading . "Call," his opponent said after some thought. Krakowski let out a loud whoop of excitement and couldn't turn over his fast enough. His jubilation turned out to be justified, as his opponent showed and was drawing dead. A meaningless hit the river, and Krakowski took nearly all of his opponent's chips. He now has around 265,000.
Action folded to WSOP bracelet winner Robert Cheung in the small blind and he moved all in to put pressure on Jonathan Hilton, who was sitting with around 60,000 in the big. The latter quickly called off and it was a flip.
Cheong:
Hilton:
The flop didn't hit Hilton directly, but it did open some counterfeit options. The turn did the same, though it also took away some out as Cheung picked up flush blockers. The river actually gave Cheong the said flush and ended up being the last card Hilton would see in the Horseshoe Council Bluffs Main Event.
Meanwhile, local player Brandon Fish followed Hilton out the door.
We found Grant Hinkle involved in a big-blind-versus-button battle against the player in Seat 7. Hinkle, in the big blind, had fired 32,000 on a board. His opponent silently pointed to the bet to get a count, then slid in a call. The river was the and Hinkle bet 50,000. The player on the button immediately whispered, "Call." Hinkle showed for a turned straight, and his opponent rolled over to reveal his misfortune.
Hinkle, who started the day with 78,000 chips, has nearly quintupled his stack.
Scott Sharpe and Mark Fink began the day as the two big stacks, and now both are seated together at Table 34. Both are still on healthy stacks, but they're not afraid to do battle.
In a recent hand, Sharpe opened from middle position, for how much we're not sure, and Fink three-bet to 20,000 from the button. The blinds folded, Sharpe pushed back with a four-bet to 56,000, and Fink opted for a five-bet to 110,000. It proved enough to get the job done as Sharpe sent his hand to the muck.
Just won another huge one. 7 handed at 4k cutoff makes it 9500 me 22500 with 77 him rip 125k we hold against the AK. 400k #cantcountdathighApril 21 2013
flop. Bjerno asked for an exact count and then made the call.
turn was a safe card for Bjerno, but the 
river was not. Garcia spiked a club to stay alive while a disappointed looking Bjerno simply said, "Nice hand."
turn, and then Smith casually led out for 24,000 on the 
river. The cutoff didn't want any of it and tossed his cards to the muck.
. "Call," his opponent said after some thought. Krakowski let out a loud whoop of excitement and couldn't turn over his 
fast enough. His jubilation turned out to be justified, as his opponent showed 
and was drawing dead. A meaningless 
hit the river, and Krakowski took nearly all of his opponent's chips. He now has around 265,000.
river actually gave Cheong the said flush and ended up being the last card Hilton would see in the Horseshoe Council Bluffs Main Event.
