We just watched an interesting hand take place between three of poker's current heavyweights: Phil Galfond, J.C. Tran, and Justin Bonomo.
Things got started when Galfond open-raised from middle position to 18,000. Tran, sitting to Galfond's immediate left, called, as did Bonomo sitting two seats to Tran's left. Total pot 74,000.
The flop came . All three checked. The turn was the . Galfond bet 48,000, Tran called fairly quickly, and after pausing a beat Bonomo called as well. Pot now 218,000.
The river was the , completing a possible flush. Galfond took about ten seconds, then checked. Tran also took about ten seconds before checking. Bonomo then tossed out five green chips -- 125,000.
Galfond waited a bit, then folded. And Tran folded as well. With that pot, Bonomo (our current chip leader) moves up to 1.285 million, Galfond moves down to 800,000, and Tran now sits with 320,000.
Scott Seiver
Chris Moore opened for 21,000 from the cutoff and Scott Seiver shoved all in from the big blind for the 95,000 he had behind. Moore called, his in great shape against Seiver's . The board ran out , Moore rivering a set to eliminate Seiver. He's now up to 400,000 in chips.
Mark Seif
Chad Batista opened for 22,000 from middle position and Mark Seif moved all in for his remaining 210,000. With the action folded to Isaac Haxton in the big blind, he shoved over the top, having Seif covered. Batista got out of the way and the cards went on their backs.
Seif
Haxton
The flop missed Seif completely, and though the on the turn gave him a gutshot straight draw, it made Haxton a set. The river fell the and Seif hit the rail while Haxton stacked up 530,000 in chips.
The table folded around to Antonio Esfandiari in the small blind who raised to 27,000. Chris Moneymaker then reraised to 85,000 from the big blind, Esfandiari pushed his remaining 140,000 or so all in, and Moneymaker called.
Esfandiari
Moneymaker
The flop came , and Esfandiari stood up, recognizing his dim chances. The turn was the , giving him a straight possibility, but the meant Esfandiari's day was done. "Nice hand," he told Moneymaker. "Good luck boys."
We had a couple more eliminations during the final hands before the break.
Chance Walker eliminated David Singer when Walker took his up against Singer's . The board came , and Singer was eliminated. Walker now has 231,000.
Also, Brian Rast added another notch to his belt, knocking out Josh Arieh. Rast had versus Arieh's in that one, but the board of spelled doom for Arieh. Rast is up to 1,015,000.
The Fossilman
Ville Wahlbeck was looking good to double up when he got it all in preflop with pocket kings against the of Greg Raymer. That is, until the board came giving Raymer trip aces.
. All three checked. The turn was the 
. Galfond bet 48,000, Tran called fairly quickly, and after pausing a beat Bonomo called as well. Pot now 218,000.
, completing a possible flush. Galfond took about ten seconds, then checked. Tran also took about ten seconds before checking. Bonomo then tossed out five green chips -- 125,000.
in great shape against Seiver's 
. The board ran out 
, Moore rivering a set to eliminate Seiver. He's now up to 400,000 in chips.
flop missed Seif completely, and though the 
and Seif hit the rail while Haxton stacked up 530,000 in chips.
, giving him a straight possibility, but the 
up against Singer's 
, and Singer was eliminated. Walker now has 231,000.
.
, and Brenes doubled to 295,000. Esfandiari is down to 185,000.
of Greg Raymer. That is, until the board came 
