Donnie Peters
Matthew Casterella bet out 6,500 on a flop of . His opponent, on the button, made the call. The turn brought the and Casterella fired again for 11,000. His opponent took his time and then made the call.
On the river, the two players saw the fall. With three fives now on board, Casterella checked over to his opponent. The button player checked behind.
Casterella flipped over two fours, . His full house was good enough to put him over the 345,000-chip mark.
Peter Eastgate
Peter Eastgate made it 4,100 to play from under-the-gun and got one caller. Both players checked the flop of and Eastgate check-called for 7,000 when the turn brought the .
The river brought the and Eastgate check-raised all in after his opponent bet 12,000. He got the call and showed for eights full to dwarf his opponent's for the under-house. Eastgate now has 200,000.
Bertrand "Elky" Grospelier
When two of the biggest names in the game play a pot together, you expect fireworks. You don't always get them, but you expect them nonetheless.
Such was the case when Phil Ivey raised to 4,500 from the button and Bertrand "Elky" Grospelier made the call from the big blind. Grospelier then check-called for 6,000 after Ivey bet the flop of . Both players checked the on the turn and Grospelier led for 16,500 when the board paired with the on the river. That was enough for Ivey, who folded his hand.
Grospelier now has 405,000 while Ivey just has him covered with 415,000. Fireworks, here we come.
Troy Weber has added another 50,000 or so to his stack after getting a short stack all in on a flop with . Weber showed the draw-tastic and although he missed the turn, the river was enough to push him towards the half million mark.
Greg Raymer's table is the next table to break. As they prepare to move to the Amazon Room, Raymer has been taking one last look around the Brasilia Room for this 2009 WSOP -- specifically, at all of the international flags that hang from the rafters here.
"Down the end of this row," Raymer said, pointing towards the front of the Brasilia Room, "has got to be the most messed-up looking flag I've ever seen. It's three disembodied legs that have been joined together at the hip. How messed up is that?"
Raymer was referring to the flag of a nation well-known to many in the poker industry -- the Isle of Man.
Phil Hellmuth
On a board of a player in the small blind checked over to Phil Hellmuth who fired 14,000 into the pot. His opponent made a quick call.
"Kings with a ten," said Hellmuth, but his opponent tabled for two pair to take it down.
While we watched on in eager anticipation of a Hellmuth implosion as he started muttering away to his opponent, Hellmuth was involved in another interesting hand soon after.
Hellmuth three-bet preflop from the big blind to 12,000 and John Hammer made the call in position in the cutoff.
The flop landed and Hellmuth led for 14,000. Hammer made the call.
The turn was the and Hellmuth checked to Hammer who bet 23,000. Hellmuth then went into the tank with a series of theatrics that involved him removing his iPod and then his jacket.
After cutting out chips on several occasions he finally gave it the "raise it up" and added 63,000 to Hammer's bet.
"Must have more than one pair..." sighed Hammer and quickly released as Hellmuth raked in the chips. He's now up to nearly 350,000 chips.
Ludovic Lacay opened the action by raising to 4,000 and he got three calls, including the button and the big blind.
Action checked to the button on a flop of and he bet 13,000. The big blind folded, Lacay check-raised to 26,000 and the fourth player folded. The button made the call, leaving himself just 800 behind.
Both players checked the on the turn and Lacay bet 1,000 when the landed on the river. His opponent mucked and Lacay scooped up the pot.
. His opponent, on the button, made the call. The turn brought the 
and Casterella fired again for 11,000. His opponent took his time and then made the call.
fall. With three fives now on board, Casterella checked over to his opponent. The button player checked behind.
. His full house was good enough to put him over the 345,000-chip mark.
to an opponent's 
.
to see Thuritz double through to 185,000 in chips.
and Eastgate check-called for 7,000 when the turn brought the 
.
and Eastgate check-raised all in after his opponent bet 12,000. He got the call and showed 
for eights full to dwarf his opponent's 
on the river. That was enough for Ivey, who folded his hand.
. Weber showed the draw-tastic 
and although he missed the 
turn, the 
to be in a race against an opponent's 
a player in the small blind checked over to Phil Hellmuth who fired 14,000 into the pot. His opponent made a quick call.
and Hellmuth checked to Hammer who bet 23,000. Hellmuth then went into the tank with a series of theatrics that involved him removing his iPod and then his jacket.
and had run into an opponent holding 
.
, and Brenes is out.
