Just before the break, on a flop of a player raised 2,500, Jamie Gold reraised 7,500 more, his opponent pushed all-in for 13,000 total and Gold called. Gold turned over for a set and his opponent showed for a pair. The came on the turn, the on the river and Gold's set was golden. After the hand, Gold was up to 54,000.
After Noah Boeken made it 1,600 to go under the gun Phil Gordon re-raised for the last of his 5,600 chips. Boeken called with and led Gordon's . But Gordon made a pair on the flop and hit the on the turn to double his stack up to 12,500. Boeken fell to 16,500.
After the hand, Gordon (already standing and visibly fired-up) commented that Noah had been picking on his blind all day and he had to make a stand. Neither player looked particularly pleased with the other's play as the pot was pushed to Gordon.
We had Shane "Shaniac" Schleger listed among the chip leaders but we've just learned that he busted in a huge hand. We're trying to get details and we'll update once we know more.
Jason Strasser pushed all-in from the small blind after a flop of and the player under-the-gun called. Strasser showed for a pair of queens, but his opponent turned over pocket kings. The came on the turn, on the river and Strasser was out the door.
A player in middle position raised and Steve Dannenmann re-raised out of the big blind to 3,100. The original better got a bit stubborn and moved all-in and Dannenmann quickly called. Dannenmann had the Aces, his opponent had pocket Sixes, and the Aces held up. Dannenmann now has 28,700.
Phil Gordon pushed all-in pre-flop and one opponent called. Gordon smiled as he showed his pocket fours and his opponent was thrilled to turn over pocket aces. A four came on the flop and gave Gordon a set. The turn and river were not as kind to his opponent, and you could hear the groans when aces are cracked.
Gordon smiled and kissed each one of the fours, then he said, "I'm such a donkey." Sounds like something Hellmuth would say "to" his opponent when his aces get cracked by such a play. Instead, Gordon laughs and pokes fun at himself when the "Poker Gods" smile down on him.
Down to his last 1,750, Marcel Luske moved all-in with pocket sixes and ran into a player with pocket Queens. The didn't help Luske--he had the , but his opponent held the .
But the that fell on the turn DID help Luske, and when the fell on the river it gave Luske the hand and doubled his stack to 3,600.
Holding pocket Jacks, Isabelle Mercier called the all-in bets of two short-stacked players. Her opponents held Q-Q and 5-5, and the flop gave the player with Queens a set . The on the turn gave the OTHER player a set as well. But Isabelle had flopped an open-ended straight draw, and when the spiked on the river she eliminated both players and boosted her stack up to 13,500.