A nice four-way triple draw pot has boosted Kirk Morrison up to near the top of the counts. Ralph Perry got things started by raising from under the gun. Mike Matusow called from the button before James Van Alstyne and Kirk Morrison both called from the blinds. Van Alstyne took two, Morrison took three, Perry drew one and Matusow drew two.
After the drew action checked to Perry, who bet. Everyone called again. On the second draw the players drew two, one, one and two respectively. After that draw, Morrison led into Perry. Perry's raise forced Matusow and Van Alstyne out of the hand. Morrison was the only caller, and he was pat on the last draw. Perry drew one, but paired 7s. Morrison's 8-6-4-3-2 was the winner after both players checked to a showdown.
Morrison now has about 360,000 while Perry is down to 120,000.
Robert Mizrachi called a raise from Joe "Floes" Serock on third street. Then Mizrachi bet and Floes called on fourth, fifth, and sixth. Mizrachi put the breaks on with a check on the river, and Serock checked behind. Joe's was just a pair of jacks, but Mizrachi couldn't beat it despite his four hearts. Serock's looking strong today and up to 320,000 after dinner. Mizrachi's not too shabby either with 280,000 after the pot.
Carlos Mortensen met his tournament end on a Razz hand against Brett Richey. Mortensen's draw did not come in and Brett Richey's T-8 ended up taking down the pot.
Also making his exit was Marco Johnson, who fell to Justin "Boosted J" Smith during the 2-7 triple draw round.
So you want to know what's going on in these players' heads? Well, we can't figure that one out either, but we can tell you what's happening on top of their heads. Justin Bonomo's new do has gotten a few comments. He's traded in his gelled spiky look for a longer style. This may be the first time Bonomo has ever had longer locks than his good friend, Isaac Haxton, who cut his once shoulder-length hair.
Nick Schulman clearly prepared for this event by going to the barber. He's got the shortest buzz cut we've ever seen him sport. And Huck Seed must have prepared by eschewing the barber's chair, as he's looking a little scruffy around the edges. Or maybe the beard is supposed to be a disguise.
Those wearing their usual unusual coiffures include Scotty Nguyen, David Bach, and owner of the world's greatest mustache, Steve Zolotow.
That cold black cloud is coming down on Jason Mercier. He lost a huge Omaha Hi/Lo hand to Mike Gorodinsky. Pre-flop, Gorodinsky raised from early position and was called by Mercier and by big blind Freddy Deeb. The three each made an aggressive action on a flop of . Deeb bet, Gorodinsky raised and Mercier re-raised. Only Gorodinsky called the re-raise.
Gorodinsky got in a check-raise when the turn came . Mercier called that raise and then called one last bet on the river. He couldn't beat the second nuts that Gorodinsky turned over, . That pot put a hurting on Mercier's stack as he fell all the way to about 25,000.
Justin Smith checked a board, and Kirk Morrison bet. Ralph Perry called, and Smith pulled out the check-raise. Morrison and Perry both called to see the complete the club draw on the turn. Smith bet out, Morrison raised, and Perry folded. Smith called only to discover he'd been scooped. Morrison had the nut high and nut low with . With that tidy pot, Morrison jumped to 510,000 and the head of the field.
Freddy Deeb was all-in on third street against Joe Cassidy showing to Cassidy's Deeb picked up an eight on sixth street and caught a six on the river to make 8-6-5-4-A, besting Cassidy's 9-7-6-4-2. Deeb doubled up to 38,000 and Cassidy is still very healthy with 270,000.
Meanwhile, across the room, Dario Minieri was eliminated by Steve Zolotow, who is now second in chips with 500,000.
At one of the back tables, Freddy Deeb offered his assessment of Steve Zolotow's tournament-leading chip stack.
"Steve, I don't know if your luck has changed lately or if you're playing better," said Deeb.
"Well I couldn't play any worse," replied Zolotow.
Towards the center of the room, Chau Giang watched a three-way Omaha pot get checked on all three streets. At showdown, Chris Ferguson's double-suited aces were beaten by a flopped set of jacks on an admittedly scary board.
"I'm sitting at the wrong table!" said new arrival Giang.
There's also a new arrival at Table 318, Mike Matusow's table. As Matusow watched the player walk over, he began to get excited.
"It might be... it could be... it can be..."
"IT IS!" said Matusow and the new arrival, Lyle Berman, in unison. Everyone at the table laughed.
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was just a pair of jacks, but Mizrachi couldn't beat it despite his four hearts. Serock's looking strong today and up to 320,000 after dinner. Mizrachi's not too shabby either with 280,000 after the pot.
. Deeb bet, Gorodinsky raised and Mercier re-raised. Only Gorodinsky called the re-raise.
. Mercier called that raise and then called one last bet on the 
river. He couldn't beat the second nuts that Gorodinsky turned over, 
. That pot put a hurting on Mercier's stack as he fell all the way to about 25,000.
board, and Kirk Morrison bet. Ralph Perry called, and Smith pulled out the check-raise. Morrison and Perry both called to see the 
complete the club draw on the turn. Smith bet out, Morrison raised, and Perry folded. Smith called only to discover he'd been scooped. Morrison had the nut high and nut low with 
. With that tidy pot, Morrison jumped to 510,000 and the head of the field.
to Cassidy's 
