Joe Elpayaa has taken another hit, and although it hasn't proved fatal exactly, consider him on life support.
All the chips went in preflop, Elpayaa holding pocket queens but trailing his opponent's pocket aces. The board ran out relatively raggy, and Elpayaa was left with just 10,000.
He still ain't afraid, and now he's the chip leader.
Robert "E-Dolo" Scott and two other players saw a flop of and the action checked to an early-position player who bet 14,000. The other player in the small blind shoved all-in and Scott called. The early-position player then re-shoved and Scott again called.
Small Blind:
Scott:
Early Position:
The turn changed little, but when the spiked on the river Scott shipped a huge pot. This one went without celebration, which surprised us.
Maybe 370,000 chips and the chip lead will quiet Dolo for a bit.
Level 17 was hell for Joe Elpayaa. He was two-outed then coolered, and now he is eliminated from the tournament.
Elpayaa stuck his last 10,000 in the middle when the action folded to him on the button and a player in the small blind called. The player in the big blind isolated the shove, the small blind folded and the hands were tabled:
Big Blind:
Elpayaa:
Elpayaa found no help from the board and hit the rail.
Tom Lutz found himself all in with against a mid-position player's pocket .
Not so bad. That's a coinflip, right?
Flop:
Uh oh. It's not a coinflip any more.
Turn:
Interesting...
River: ... !
Lutz duly doubled up. As our man on the floor asked Lutz for his name, tablemate Eric Aude piped up, "Call him the suckout king, 'cause there's no-one else at this table in the running." He turned to Lutz. "Have you ever gotten it in in this tournament ahead?"
Action folded to Jonathan Aguiar in the small blind who shoved for around 90,000 chips. The big blind tanked for a good minute or two before finally calling and showing .
Aguiar turned over announcing, "I have a good feeling about this one."
The dealer wrapped the tabled and flopped .
"Jack please," Aguiar asked the dealer.
No jack on the turn, rather it was the . The river did fill the gut-shot though with the , eliminating Aguiar's opponent from the tournament.
Aguiar's hunch was correct, and now he's sitting with 180,000 chips.
William "Bart" Davis just doubled through Marc Goldman on Table 322.
Davis opened to 25,000 from middle position and Goldman re-raised all-in behind him. Action folded back to Davis who instantly called. Goldman tabled but Davis had him dominated with .
The flop fell , and the gave Goldman extra outs. The was no help though, and Davis doubled to 241,000 chips. Goldman slipped a bit, falling to 202,000 chips.
It folded around to Irving Rice on the button, who shoved for 123,000. The gentleman in the small blind promptly re-shoved for just a little more. The player in the big blind did that thing where you quickly move your finger up and down over your lips while you're humming and it makes a funny sound (open appeal - is there a word for that?) but ultimately folded. Rice and the small blind flipped their cards.
Rice:
Small Blind:
Board:
"Oh man, goddammit!" lamented Mr. Small Blind. Neither player had a diamond to make a flush, but Rice had rivered a three. Left with just a few thousand, the unlucky player exited a hand or two later. Rice meanwhile doubled to over 250,000.