Kenneth Smaron is OUT. A player raised to 10,800 UTG and Smaron reraised to 37,500 on his immediate left. Kevin Song went over the top for 90,000 from the cutoff, enough to cover Smaron, who called all in.
Scotty Nguyen doubled up off Jason Mercier with against Mercier's on a board, leaving them both with exactly 160,000.
--------
Then the next hand, Scotty Nguyen raised to 11,000 from the button only for Jason Mercier to go all in for his 160,000 from the small blind. Nguyen, also of course in possession of a total 160,000 at the start of the hand, called.
Mercier:
Nguyen:
Board:
"I can't be pushed around, baby," said Nguyen as Mercier took his leave and Nguyen raked in the 320,000.
After momentarily losing his post as leader of the pack, Alon Shahar has regained his spot at the top after winning a monster pot against Kyle Hoffman.
They say you have to win your fair share of conflips in this game, and they're not wrong, Shahar delighted to see his hold up against Hoffman's on an ensuing board.
Shahar is now on 580,000, around 100,000 ahead of his nearest rival.
Great Irish hope in this tournament John O'Shea is up to 177,000. He made it 15,000 from mid position and Cory Albertson called. Bruno Fitoussi made it 47,000 from the button, but O'Shea went all in for 101,000, forcing both Albertson and Fitoussi to fold.
Kyle Burnside is no more, busting out conveniently just before the dinner break. Kevin Song raised to 11,000 from the cutoff, and then called when Burnside reraised all in from the small blind.