Amit Makhija, Jacques Zaicik and Gavin Smith were all in preflop, with Makhija's pocket queens leading Zaicik's A-J and Smith's K-J. But it was Smith who hit the flop, putting him in the lead--but only for as long as it took the dealer to peel the on the turn. The on the turn didn't give Zaicik his straight and he was left with just 5,000 chips while Smith was eliminated. Makhijia chipped up to 135,000.
And on the very next hand Zaicik committed the last of his chips and he, too, was knocked out.
Greg Mueller was eliminated after a flop of fell and Mueller pushed all in for his remaining 20,000. Mueller turned over A-Q and was up against his opponent's K-J for top pair. Mueller failed to improve and was eliminated.
Alex Melinkow raised to 4,200 and Brian Rast called in the big blind. The flop came K-5-3 and Rast shoved for his last 12,000. Melinkow called and his led Rast's 5-4. Another trey fell on the turn and a deuce on the river and Rast was eliminated. Melinkow's stack is now at 258,000.
After doubling up against C.K. Hua just a few hands ago Jacobo Fernandez just finished the job and eliminated Hua. Fernandez raised to 4,300 in late position and from the small blind Hua moved all in for his last 19,000. Fernandez called and his were pitted against Hua's , and when the flop came 3-8-7 Fernandez and his set were well ahead. Hua picked up a straight draw when a Jack hit the turn but a four fell on the river and Hua was eliminated. Fernandez is up to 90,000.
After Farzad Bonyadi raised Humberto Brenes reraised enough from the big blind to set Bonyadi all in and he thought a good bit before making the call. He held to Brenes' , but the flop gave Brenes the lead and Bonyadi didn't catch the nine he needed. He's out, and Brenes is now up to 125,000.
David McCollum raised to 5,200 and Adam Geyer called. Nathan Mullen then moved all in and after McCollum folded Geyer made the call. His pocket threes were racing Mullen's , and when Mullen's hand didn't improve he was eliminated. Geyer is now up to 85,000.
For the second time already today, pocket aces have been cracked. Eric Lynch managed to run pocket aces into pocket kings, with all the chips getting in the middle on a flop of . With his opponent flopping a set, Eric was drawing for help which failed to come.
After an early-position player raised to 4,600 Layne Flack moved all in for his last 39,000. From the big blind Michael Mizrachi moved all in as well, and when the original raiser folded Flack saw that his A-Q was behind Mizrachi's pocket kings. Flack flopped a queen but didn't improve from there and his tournament came to an end, while Mizrachi increased his stack to 145,000.
flop, putting him in the lead--but only for as long as it took the dealer to peel the 
on the turn. The 
on the turn didn't give Zaicik his straight and he was left with just 5,000 chips while Smith was eliminated. Makhijia chipped up to 135,000.
fell and Mueller pushed all in for his remaining 20,000. Mueller turned over A-Q and was up against his opponent's K-J for top pair. Mueller failed to improve and was eliminated.
led Rast's 5-4. Another trey fell on the turn and a deuce on the river and Rast was eliminated. Melinkow's stack is now at 258,000.
were pitted against Hua's 
, and when the flop came 3-8-7 Fernandez and his set were well ahead. Hua picked up a straight draw when a Jack hit the turn but a four fell on the river and Hua was eliminated. Fernandez is up to 90,000.
to Brenes' 
, but the 
flop gave Brenes the lead and Bonyadi didn't catch the nine he needed. He's out, and Brenes is now up to 125,000.
, and when Mullen's hand didn't improve he was eliminated. Geyer is now up to 85,000.
. With his opponent flopping a set, Eric was drawing for help which failed to come.
