Shamus
Small pots, few showdowns over here on the non-feature tables thus far in Level 29.
It folded around to Marco Mattes in the small blind who completed, and Antoine Saout checked from the big blind. The flop came , and both players checked. Both also checked the turn.
The river was the . This time Mattes bet 150,000, and Saout called. Mattes showed , and Saout mucked.
Mattes is at 4.3 million, while Saout has 9.6 million.
donpeters
The flop was and Jeff Shulman checked. Jonathan Tamayo bet out 510,000 before Billy Kopp raised to two million. Shulman folded and Tamayo went into the tank. He looked pained by Kopp's raise, but after some thought, decided to move all in. Kopp quickly called.
Kopp tabled and Tamayo held .
The turn was the and no help for Kopp. He needed an ace, an eight, or a diamond on the river.
Kopp wouldn't get it when the fell. He sent the 3.2 million over that he owed to Tamayo.
[user75032]
Luis Nargentino - eliminated
We're one player away from finishing for the day after a recent hand on Blue #2. Ben Lamb opened for 265,000 from middle position and was called by Luis Nargentino and big blind Phil Ivey. Ivey checked to the raiser on a flop of . Lamb obliged with a bet of 480,000. Nargentino considered his options before moving in for 1.625 million total. Ivey quickly folded and Lamb quickly called.
Lamb:
Nargentino:
Nargentino had the nut flush draw and must have been dismayed to see Lamb turn up top pair, top kicker, killing Nargentino's outs to an ace. The turn and river were black cards but both were clubs -- and . Lamb had Nargentino covered and as a result Nargentino is out of the tournament.
donpeters
Eric Buchman decided not to make one of his more normal raises, but instead open-shoved slightly over three million into the middle. Jonathan Tamayo asked for a count and when he found out, made the call.
Tamayo tabled and then the dealer turned over Buchman's hand -- . The crowd sprung to their feet to watch the action as Tamayo's rail cheered.
The flop was gin for Buchman when it came . Buchman is rarely emotional, but again slapped his hands together and yelled, "Yes!"
The turn was the which officially ended things. The river completed the board with the and Tamayo sent the chips over.
[user66118]
Antonio Esfandiari
Under the gun, Joseph Cada came in with a raise to 250,000, and the betting folded most of the way around the table. From the button though, Antonio Esfandiari three-bet it up to 805,000. The small blind ducked out, but James Akenhead wasn't going anywhere from the big. After some deep thought, he came over the top of both players with a healthy raise to 2,150,000. Cada quickly folded, and Esfandiari reluctantly let his cards go as well, dropping more than one third of his chip stack with that failed three-bet. He is now the shortest stack in the field with just over 1.5 million in chips.
[user75032]
Phil Ivey watching Joe Ward re-check his cards.
It hasn't been often (or at all, really) that we've seen Phil Ivey take a long time to make a decision today, but he just tanked for several minutes in a multi-way hand. George Caragiorgas opened preflop with a raise to 300,000. Ivey had the button and called before small blind Jamie Robbins and big blind Joe Ward also called.
All that action created a four-way pot worth 1.2 million on a flop of . Action checked all the way to Ivey. He bet 600,000 and was called by Robbins before Ward moved all in for 3.195 million. Caragiorgas quickly folded, bringing the action back to Ivey. He went deep into the tank.
For several minutes, play stopped as Ivey studied Ward looking for clues as to what to do. His eyes darted back and forth and he could be seen talking to himself, although the words were inaudible. After a few minutes, Ward fiddled with his hand a little bet, double-checking his hand and fiddlng with the lavender chips that were in the middle.
Those actions brought a smile to Ivey's face. "What was that all about?" he asked Ward.
"I'm playing mind games with you," Ward replied. Ivey's smile widened a bit more. After another 30 seconds he folded his hand. Robbins quickly folded a few seconds later, allowing Ward to drag the pot.
Shamus
The almond (250,000) chip was introduced into play last level
After losing 14 players during the two hours of Level 28, we've lost just one thus far during the first hour of Level 29.
The current chip leaders with 28 players remaining:
1. Billy Kopp -- 15,500,000
2. Darvin Moon -- 15,000,000
3. Phil Ivey -- 14,000,000
4. Tommy Vedes -- 10,540,000
5. Jeff Shulman -- 10,500,000
Shamus
Ben Lamb
Ben Lamb opened with a raise to 265,000, and the table folded to Phil Ivey in the big blind who called.
The flop came . Ivey checked, Lamb bet 320,000, and Ivey called. Both checked the turn.
The river was the . Ivey checked, Lamb bet 640,000, and Ivey made the call. Lamb showed and Ivey mucked. "I had an eight, too," said Ivey as he tossed his cards to the dealer.
Lamb has 9 million now, while Ivey is at 13.3 million.
[user25067]
Tommy Vedes is left with 5.52 million
Tommy Vedes opened for 290,000 from the cutoff, Steven Begleiter reraised to 650,000, Vedes four-bet to 1,490,000, Begleiter shoved for 5,265,000 and Vedes called, creating a 10 million chip pot.
Begleiter
Vedes
The flop was safe for Vedes, coming down , but the hit the turn to give the lead to Begleiter. He made two pair when the hit the river and scored a massive double-up to 10.75 million. Vedes was left with 5.52 million.
and Margets led for 400,000. Lichtenberger called.
and Margets checked. Lichtenberger checked behind.
and Margets checked. Lichtenberger checked behind.
.
, and both players checked. Both also checked the 
turn.
. This time Mattes bet 150,000, and Saout called. Mattes showed 
, and Saout mucked.
and Jeff Shulman checked. Jonathan Tamayo bet out 510,000 before Billy Kopp raised to two million. Shulman folded and Tamayo went into the tank. He looked pained by Kopp's raise, but after some thought, decided to move all in. Kopp quickly called.
and Tamayo held 
.
and no help for Kopp. He needed an ace, an eight, or a diamond on the river.
fell. He sent the 3.2 million over that he owed to Tamayo.
![[user75032]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
. Lamb obliged with a bet of 480,000. Nargentino considered his options before moving in for 1.625 million total. Ivey quickly folded and Lamb quickly called.
. Lamb had Nargentino covered and as a result Nargentino is out of the tournament.
. The crowd sprung to their feet to watch the action as Tamayo's rail cheered.
which officially ended things. The river completed the board with the 
. Action checked all the way to Ivey. He bet 600,000 and was called by Robbins before Ward moved all in for 3.195 million. Caragiorgas quickly folded, bringing the action back to Ivey. He went deep into the tank.
. Ivey checked, Lamb bet 640,000, and Ivey made the call. Lamb showed 
and Ivey mucked. "I had an eight, too," said Ivey as he tossed his cards to the dealer.
hit the river and scored a massive double-up to 10.75 million. Vedes was left with 5.52 million.