Shamus
Robert Mizrachi
Action has definitely slowed down considerably since we returned from the break. Most hands are not going past the first draw.
Robert Mizrachi and John Phan seem more willing than most to gamble, though. On a recent hand, Mizrachi raised from under the gun and Phan called from the big blind. Phan took two, and Mizrachi three, and both checked. Then Phan took two again, and Mizrachi took three again. This time Phan bet and Mizrachi called.
Phan stood pat on the third draw, while Mizrachi took two. Both checked. Phan showed J-8-6-5-3, and Mizrachi mucked. Phan 180,000 and Mizrachi 110,000.
[user75032]
James Copeland - 13th Place
Another player has exited the Brasilia Room. This time it was James Copeland. Copeland got involved in a three-way pot with Dario Alioto and Ben Ponzio. Each player put in three bets before the first draw. On that draw, Ponzio took one, Copeland took two, and Alioto took one. Alioto, as last to act, led the betting after the draw. The other two players both check-called.
On the second draw, Ponzio and Copeland took one each, while Alioto stood pat. Again betting action checked to Alioto, and again he bet. Ponzio popped him with a check-raise; Copeland called all in for less before Alioto also called.
On the final draw, Ponzio and Copeland were both pat. Alioto, seeing this, elected to break his hand and took one card. He folded to Ponzio's final bet. With the side pot safely pushed to Ponzio, he opened his hand.
"Number Two," he said, showing 7-6-4-3-2. Copeland flicked his cards and threw an 8-6-5-3-2 into the center of the table. He is eliminated in 13th place and collects $6,843.
Shamus
Greg Raymer raised, Mike Wattel three-bet from the big blind, and Raymer called. Both drew one card, then Wattel bet and Raymer called.
On the second draw, Wattel stood pat and Raymer drew one. Again, Wattel bet and Raymer called.
On the third draw, Wattel again stuck with his hand and Raymer again took one card. Both checked. Wattel showed 8-7-5-4-3, and Raymer mucked. Wattel is up to 110,000, while Raymer has now slipped all of the way down to 29,000.
Shamus
Greg Raymer just claimed a decent-sized three-way pot from Richard Chase and Mike Wattel, bumping him back up to 60,000. Shortly thereafter, he tangled with Wattel again. Wattel raised, Raymer reraised, and Wattel put in the third raise, all before the first draw. Each player drew one card. Wattel led out with a bet, and again Raymer raised, drawing a snap fold from Wattel.
Raymer now has about 80,000, Wattel has 85,000, and Chase is the one in danger of extinction with just 15,000 left.
Shamus
Greg Raymer raised, Richard Chase reraised, David Sklansky called, and Raymer also called. Raymer took one card, and Chase and Sklansky both took two. Raymer bet, Richard Chase raised with his last chips, and Sklansky and Raymer both called.
On the second draw, Raymer and Chase each drew one card, and Sklansky drew two. Raymer and Sklanksy checked. At that point, Chase accidentally exposed his hand, not realizing there was still one more draw. It was a nice hand. He'd made a "number one" -- 7-5-4-3-2.
Raymer took one and Sklansky two. Neither could catch up, and they both mucked rather than engage in any side pot action. Chase tripled up to 42,000.
[user75032]
Dario Alioto - 12th Place
John Phan is on a massive rush. He crippled Dario Alioto by making an eight-seven to beat Alioto's 10, then finished Alioto off two hands later when Alioto was all in for his last 4,500. Phan was the only caller. Alioto drew 3, then 3, then let out a disgusted laugh and drew 2. Phan drew two, then one, then stood pat with 9-8-5-3-2. Alioto held 9-3-2 in his own hand, but opened a king and a deuce as his last two cards.
[user75032]
Back-to-back hands have put Greg Raymer on the edge of elimination from today's tournament. In a three-way pot with Gioi Luong and Ben Ponzio, Raymer came up second best when Luong turned over a Number Two. The very next hand, Mike Wattel raised on the button, and Raymer called from the small blind.
Raymer took two on the first draw to Wattel's one, then check-called Wattel's bet. He took one on the second draw while Wattel stood pat, and again check-called Wattel's bet.
Things got interesting on the third draw, when Raymer stood pat. Wattel elected to break his hand, and drew one card. Again Raymer checked, and again Wattel bet. Raymer tanked briefly before making the call.
Wattel showed 8-7-5-3-2, which beat Raymer's nine. He has just 7,000 chips left.
Shamus
Greg Raymer
Greg Raymer raised all in before the first draw, and Richard Chase called him. Both took two cards on the first draw. Raymer took two more on the second, but Chase stood pat. Not a good sign for the Fossilman.
Raymer took two more cards on the third draw. Chase showed his 8-5-4-3-2. "I just need to make a seven," said Raymer. He had kept 6-5-2. He turned over the first card -- a seven! Still a chance. Alas, the second card was a deuce, pairing his hand, and Raymer went out in 11th.
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