Nenad Medic, who won Event #1 last week, called a 600 raise preflop while sitting on the button. The small blind called as well, as did the big blind and an early position player. On a flop of the original raiser checked, as did Medic. When the big blind fired 1,800 into the pot, everyone folded to Medic, who made it another 2,500 to go. The big blind moved all in for a total of 7,000 and Medic called. Medic showed for top pair while his opponent showed pocket sixes for a set. Medic failed to improve, but still has 5,000 in chips after the hand.
Jean-Robert Bellande's table had shrunk down to just seven players so they temporarily stopped play to wait and ask a tournament staff director to issue new players to the table. After the brief pause, Bellande was quite happy to look down and see pocket kings. He was able to get a player in the big blind to get all his money in preflop, who showed A-K. The board came and Bellande became quite upset over the suck-out.
"I don't f#cking believe this! Every f#cking time on the river! Why does it always happen to me?" he yelled. Fortunately for Bellande, no tournament staff was around to hear the language. Bellande's been doing quite while today and even after losing the 4,000 pot he still has 9,000 chips in front of him.
Erick Lindgren, from the small blind, called a preflop raise of 550. The big blind called behind him and the three players saw a flop of Erick led out for 1,050 and was all-in. The big blind folded while the button called and showed J-9. Erick held K-10 and failed to improve, eliminating him from today's event.
Justin Shronk, who managed to turn his shrinking stack from 2,200 into 3,800 was eliminated after getting all his money in with pocket kings against a single opponent. His opponent turned over pocket queens and Shronk was thrilled, until his opponent caught a queen on the river.
With few chips left, talkshow host Montel Williams led out preflop for 1,500 and was called by the big blind. The flop fell and Montel checked, only to be raised all in. Montel made the call and showed A-9 while his opponent held Q-J. An ace spiked on the turn for Montel and his hand held up to take it down.
A player under the gun made it 525 to go preflop and Phil Laak called from early position. A player from middle position moved all-in and the original raiser called. Laak then moved all in for 11,000, to which the original raiser conceded the hand.
Laak turned over pocket tens while his opponent showed A-K. His opponent flopped an ace, which was good enough to win the by the river, and Laak is down to 7,200 afterwards.
And while he was getting a massage, yet. Hellmuth raised to 450, there was a call, and Thomas Christianson raised to 1,550. Hellmuth moved in, the player caught in the middle called, and Christianson did as well.
It turned out we had a nice collection of pocket pairs--Phil turned over kings, the player in the middle had queens, and both found that they were way behind Christianson's aces. The bullets held up and Christianson now has around 18,000. Phil circled the table, shaking everyone's hand, before tipping the masseuse and heading out the door.
Humberto Brenes was over 20,000 in chips shortly after the break today and has since run into a bit of bad luck. After losing 7,000 in a previous hand, Humberto faced a 600 raise from an early position player. Humberto made it 1,700 to go and his opponent moved all in. Humberto called, showed A-K only to see his opponent turn over pocket aces. Humberto lost the hand and is down to 5,575.