Shane Douglas brought-in for 2,000 and Joe Cassidy completed to 8,000. With the action back on Douglas he popped it up to 16,000 and Cassidy made the call.
Douglas fired out 8,000 on fourth only to have Cassidy put him all in for an additional 3,000. Douglas made the call for his tournament life with both player's boards running out as follows.
Douglas: / /
Cassidy: / /
Cassidy improved to a flush, but Douglas' club-flush would be higher and consequently see him double through to 70,000 as Cassidy slipped to around 85,000 in chips.
All of the hopes of Team PokerStars are now riding on the shoulders of Canadian Pat Pezzin. Pezzin, who achieved Team Pro status just prior to the start of the NAPT Mohegan Sun event a few months ago, has been grinding a short stack all day. With just three places to go to the money, Pezzin is in serious danger of bubbling the tournament. He doesn't have the easiest draw, either. Even though Doyle Brunson was eliminated from the table, Brunson's seat was soon occupied by Vladimir Schmelev.
The line-up is tough, but Pezzin didn't make it this far just by chance. He's played some great poker while wearing the PokerStars patch. Now all that's left to do is bring it home.
With the recent elimination of Aurangzeb Sheikh in 20th place, we're just three spots away from the money. While we don't expect the players in this event to "turtle" as much as you might see in a $1,000 no-limit hold'em event, we also don't expect players to get their chips in light. Look for the big stacks to really start to abuse their tables now with the money bubble now coming into sight.
And as long as we're making random observations, we note that defending champion Freddie Ellis, $50,000 Player's Championship champion Michael Mizrachi and the $50,000 Player's Championship runner-up, Vladimir Schmelev, are all on the same table. Mizrachi is leading the charge with Schmelev in third place in the counts.
Brandon Adams completed and Alexander Kostritsyn two-bet to 12,000 only to have Michael Mizrachi three-bet to 18,000. Adams passed and Kostritsyn made the call.
Mizrachi bet fourth street and Kostritsyn two-bet with Mizrachi making the call before check-calling fifth. Kostritsyn fired out 12,000 on sixth and Mizrachi made it 24,000 with Kostritsyn calling before leading for 12,000 on seventh only to have Mizrachi fire 24,000 with Kostritsyn taking his time before calling.
Andy Black managed to double one time, beating Alex Kostritsyn by making a pair of tens on the river after Kostritsyn completely bricked out. A few hands later, Black was in again. He and Freddie Ellis were heads-up to fourth street. With an open pair, Ellis made a double-bet. Black raised all in and Ellis, with two pair already, called. Black had a split pair of eights and two overcards, but Ellis filled up to deuces full of treys on fifth street. Black was drawing dead by sixth street.
"Well done," he said to Ellis before heading for the exit to the Amazon Room.
Doyle Brunson mentioned something about a "first step" a few hours ago as he attempted to come back from a short stack. That attempt just fell short. Brunson was all in and called by Yuval Bronstein. Bronstein started the hand rolled up. On fourth street, he checked to the Godfather and called a bet. The rest of the money (three bets for each player) went in on fifth street. Brunson made a straight by showdown, but Bronstein filled up to eights full of treys.
Vladimir Schmelev completed and Freddie Ellis made the call before calling bets on all streets before folding on seventh with the boards reading as follows.
Schmelev: (X)(X) / / (X)
Ellis: (X)(X) / / (X)
With Schmelev's 12,000-chip bet prompting a fold from the reigning champion on seventh street, the Russian climbed to 350,000 as Ellis slips to 98,500 in chips .
Following checks from both players on fifth street, Edouard Mignot Bonnefous fired out 12,000 on sixth street only to have Alessio Isaia move all in for 20,000. Bonnefous made the call and with both player's boards reading as follows.
Isaia: /
Bonnefous: /
Isaia was in the lead with two pair, but couldn't find any improvement when the fell on seventh.
However Bonnefous managed to squeeze out the to make a higher two pair and send the Italian to the rail.
![[user80015]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
/ 
/ 
/ 
/ 
/ (X)
/ 
/ 
/ 
/ 
/ 
/ 
fell on seventh.