Poker tournaments are notorious breeding grounds for diseases -- the air conditioning, the filthy chips, the various germs carried in by thousand of people from all over the world, the general poor levels of hygiene of the occasional antisocial player...
One gent, however, is determined to avoid the risk of germy nasties -- he's turned up to play today with a surgical mask covering his face. Given that it also hides his expression quite effectively, it's probably not a bad strategy at that. We applaud his forward thinking, and pray that he doesn't actually have swine flu or similar.
Preflop action added up to 3,100 in the middle and three players still in, including Jeffrey Carris in the small blind. The flop came , Carris pushed all in, and one of his two opponents called with the last of his chips.
Carris showed and his opponent . The turn was the and the river the , and we have another elimination. Carris is now up to 53,000.
With a flop reading , one player fired out 2,000 with Joe Sebok making the call, a third player folding.
Both players checked the turn before Sebok was faced with a 4,000 bet on the river. Sebok called with but found he had to split the pot against the of his opponent.
On the plus side for Sebok, he's back up to 25,000.
After a flop of , Matt Woodward checked, his opponent bet 750, Woodward check-raised to 2,000, his opponent pushed all in, and Woodward called with his remaining 6,500 or so.
Woodward's opponent showed for two pair, while Woodward turned over for the Broadway straight. The turn was the and the river the , and Woodward doubles to about 20,000.
Donnie Peters
Action folded around to one of the many women seated in the green section, Catherine Hearn, and she raised to 800 from the button. The small blind called and then the big blind called as well. The player in the big blind was this fellow named Mike Caro. You might know him.
The flop brought the and action checked to Hearn. She fired out 2,000 and the small blind mucked. Caro stuck around.
The turn brought the and both Caro and Hearn checked. The river produced the and Caro checked again. Hearn fired out 2,500 and Caro made the call.
Hearn tabled for top pair with a queen kicker. Caro mucked his hand. Hearn has built her stack up to 62,000.
Juha Helppi and Todd Brunson have been exchanging blows all day with Todd Brunson recently getting the better of a couple of significant pots.
The first one went to Helppi, but he didn't get a lot of action with his on the board.
A few moments later, Brunson fired 6,000 on the river on a board of with Helppi making the call. Brunson revealed for a full house to rake in the chips and move up to 47,500. Helppi is back to 22,000.
The cutoff raised to 500, Rob Perelman raised to 1,500 from the button, the blinds folded, and the player in the cutoff called.
The flop came . The cutoff checked, Perelman bet 2,325, his opponent check-raised to 5,000, Perelman reraised all in, and his opponent called with the rest of his stack.
Perelman's opponent turned over for a set of sevens, but was in sad shape as Perelman had for the better set. The turn was the and the river the , and another one hits the rail. Perelman is now at 48,000.
Alex Kravchenko and one other player made it to the river of a -rag--rag- board, at which point Mr. Opponent bet out 1,000 into a 2,300 pot. Kravchenko made it 3,000 and after some squirming Mr. Opponent called -- only to muck when Kravchenko turned over pocket fours for a rivered set.
"That's a sneaky Russian," said Greg Raymer. "I wasn't sneaky!" protested Kravchenko. The accusation was downgraded to "Lucky Russian," which everyone, even Kravchenko, could agree on.
, Carris pushed all in, and one of his two opponents called with the last of his chips.
and his opponent 
. The turn was the 
and the river the 
, and we have another elimination. Carris is now up to 53,000.
, one player fired out 2,000 with Joe Sebok making the call, a third player folding.
turn before Sebok was faced with a 4,000 bet on the 
river. Sebok called with 
of his opponent.
with Rios' 
.
for the Broadway straight. The turn was the 
, and Woodward doubles to about 20,000.
board with Khouiss holding 
and action checked to Hearn. She fired out 2,000 and the small blind mucked. Caro stuck around.
and both Caro and Hearn checked. The river produced the 
and Caro checked again. Hearn fired out 2,500 and Caro made the call.
for top pair with a queen kicker. Caro mucked his hand. Hearn has built her stack up to 62,000.
board.
for a full house to rake in the chips and move up to 47,500. Helppi is back to 22,000.
. The cutoff checked, Perelman bet 2,325, his opponent check-raised to 5,000, Perelman reraised all in, and his opponent called with the rest of his stack.
for a set of sevens, but was in sad shape as Perelman had 
-rag-
board, at which point Mr. Opponent bet out 1,000 into a 2,300 pot. Kravchenko made it 3,000 and after some squirming Mr. Opponent called -- only to muck when Kravchenko turned over pocket fours for a rivered set.
