Two of the biggest stacks in the room went at it when Jonathan Kotula raised to 6,200 and Kent Washington made the call from the small blind.
The flop came and Kotula bet 9,800. Washington raised 19,000 more only to have Kotula move all in over the top, a raise of 72,600. Washington counted out the chips but ultimately decided to fold.
Shaun Harris claimed another victim; this time it was Kevin Brantner. Brantner opened to 8,000 from middle position and Harris flatted right behind him. The action behind folded and the two took a flop of . Brantner immediately moved all-in and Harris almost beat him into the pot.
Harris:
Brantner:
The on the turn brought chop outs for Branter, but the on the river sent him packing in 35th place. Harris is cruising, now up above 110,000.
By the time action got to the river, a heads-up hand between Eric Zuerndorfer and Chris Reider hadn't been built up too much. The board read when Reider led out with a modest bet. Zuerndorfer responded by shoving his last 27,000 chips into the middle and Reider called. Reider's were no match for Zuerndorfer's .
Justin Paris was once one of our chip leaders, but now he is eliminated from the field.
Paris had a chance to triple-up when he stuck his last 24,000 in the middle and was called by both Shaun Harris and Arthur Vea. The two checked the entire hand down and the board looked like this: .
Vea rolled over for a pair of queens and Paris angrily slammed on the table thinking he had a winner. Unfortunately for him it wasn't and he is sent home in 30th place.
Sam Sperrazza got all of his chips in preflop with against Edward Martin's .
The flop kept Sperrazza far ahead but the on the turn gave him a straight draw.
The table gasped in disbelief when the hit the river, giving Martin the huge pot. With Sperrazza's elimination, the remaining players redrew seats and combined to the final three tables.