The defending champion Scotty Nguyen has been eliminated from the tournament.
His last 28,000 went into the middle preflop against Frank Kassela.
Nguyen:
Kassela:
The board ran out and the queens of Kassela hold up to end the run of Nguyen. It was a courageous title defence, as Nguyen battled a short stack for long periods of the day, but he eventually succumbed in 22nd place.
Ever the crowd-pleaser, Nguyen stopped and signed several autographs and posed for photos before he exited the Amazon Room.
[user67765]
It's come to that point of the tournament and evening where many players are starting to focus on reaching the money. After playing for a full three days, these guys do not want their efforts to go to waste.
The late-night dance of the poker player has commenced with many players regularly exiting their chair to go on a little walk around the other tables to check on the status of the short stacks. The players weave in and out and around each table before elegantly finding their way back to their seat.
The dance affects most players, even the greats, as Erik Seidel was just spotted loitering around the short-stacked tables.
With a bubble worth $72,914, this is not a time to bust!
David Bach raised preflop and Freddy Deeb made the call to see a heads-up flop of . Bach led out with a bet before Deeb put in a raise. Bach made the call.
On the turn, Bach checked, Deeb fired a second bullet and again Bach stuck around by making the call.
The then hit the river and Bach checked again with Deeb releasing a third barrel. Bach made the call.
Deeb showed for a missed draw as Bach took it down with just . A great call by Bach.
Bill Chen raised from the button and Vitaly Lunkin called from the big blind. The flop was and Lunkin check-called a bet from Chen. Lunkin led out on the turn, which fell the and Chen called. The river was the and Lunkin fired again. Chen decided to save his last 16,000 in chips and made the fold.
A couple of hands later, Brett Richey raised from UTG, Chen went all in for 16,000, Huck Seed called from the big blind and Richey called.
The flop was . Seed checked, Richey bet and Seed folded.
Chen
Richey
Both players had the nut low, but not a lot going on for the high half of the pot. The turn was the , the river was the and Chen's A-T took the high half while they split the low. Chen is now on 42,000 in chips.
Ray Dehkharghani (X)(X) (X)
Brett Richey (X)(X) (X)
Ray Dehkharghani completed, Brett Richey raised and Dehkharghani called. Richey led out on fourth street and Dehkharghani called. Dehkharghani took the lead and bet out on fifth street when Richey paired fives. Richey made the call. Both players checked on sixth and seventh streets.
"I've got a queen," said Richey a bit sheepishly. Dehkharghani mucked and Richey won the pot with Q-8-5-4-A, taking his stack up to 450,000.
Tony G raised and found two callers in John Hanson and John Kabbaj.
They saw a flop of and play checked to Hanson who fired a bet. Kabbaj folded but Guoga made the call. The turn was the and Guoga checked to Hanson who fired again. Guoga made the call. The river brought the and again Guoga check-called the bet from Hanson.
Brett Richey completed on third street, Todd Brunson raised, Vitaly Lunkin three-bet, Richey got out of the way and Brunson called. Both players checked fourth and fifth streets. Lunkin led out on sixth and Brunson called. Lunkin then checked dark on the river and Brunson checked behind.
Lunkin turned over for a 8-6-4-3-2 low and raked in the pot. He's the current chip leader with 1,480,000 while Brunson was crippled to 76,000.
Freddy Deeb fired on the flop of and David Bach made the call before things got big on the turn. Bach checked, Deeb bet, Bach raised and Deeb reraised. Bach called and the hit the river. Bach bet again and Deeb raised once more. Bach made the call.
Deeb tabled for aces with the nut low, but found himself quartered as Bach had caught two pair on the river with the same low holding .
Steve Billirakis completed on third street, Thor Hansen raised and Billirakis called. Billirakis led out on fourth street with a bet, Hansen raised and Billirakis called. Billirakis bet again on fifth street, Hansen raised all in and Billirakis called.
Billirakis hit trip tens on fifth street, cracking Hansen's buried aces. Hansen couldn't improve and he hit the rail in 20th place.
![[user67765]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
and the queens of Kassela hold up to end the run of Nguyen. It was a courageous title defence, as Nguyen battled a short stack for long periods of the day, but he eventually succumbed in 22nd place.
. Bach led out with a bet before Deeb put in a raise. Bach made the call.
turn, Bach checked, Deeb fired a second bullet and again Bach stuck around by making the call.
then hit the river and Bach checked again with Deeb releasing a third barrel. Bach made the call.
and Lunkin fired again. Chen decided to save his last 16,000 in chips and made the fold. 
, the river was the 
and Chen's A-T took the high half while they split the low. Chen is now on 42,000 in chips.
) 
(
)
(X)
and again Guoga check-called the bet from Hanson.
(X)
)
