It looked as though Martin Jacobson had raised under the gun and Allen Stern had called. Either way, when we arrived, Andrew Ferris had shoved for an additional 87,000. Jacobson dwelled up for a long time - and then reraised to 500,000. It was enough to push Stern off, and Jacobson and the all-in player turned their cards over.
Jacobson:
Ferris:
Board:
"That was your spot?" asked real-life neighbor and tablemate Chris Kastler as his buddy hit the rail.
Markus Lehmann made it 43,000 from the button and Jeff Cohen called out of the big blind to see a flop. Choen check-called 60,000 from Lehmann.
Cohen checked again on the turn and this time Lehmann announced all in. He sttod up, and announced, "I'm nervous."
Eventually Cohen folded.
"Now I'm not nervous any more," Lehmann said and sat back down. "Seriously I was nervous you were slowrolling me with some kind of two pair something."
Incidentally, we have discovered that two of our near-finalists go back a long way - all the way to their hometown of Harrisburg, North Carolina.
Chris Kastler and Andrew Ferris are neighbors back home, and they drove up here together. Now they're seated together at the feature table with 16 players left. Whatever happens, we'd hazard a guess that it's going to be a good drive home.
Almost at the same time David Sands were leaving the tournament, Steven Goosen ended up all in pre-flop against our current chip leader, Christopher Gonzales.
Gonzales tabled while Goosen held pocket queens. An ace on the flop and a king on the turn, sealed it for Goosen.
When we arrived at the table David Sands were already packing. The board read and Sands held , Jason Halle tabled pocket jacks and that's the end of the line for Sands.
Three players made it as far as the turn of the board. Jean Gaspard (small blind) checked, but Jeff Cohen bet 65,000. David Wilkinson folded but Gaspard made the call, leaving himself just 70,000.
The river was the and it looked as though both players checked. Gaspard tentatively turned over - and was rewarded with a muck from Cohen. Gaspard and his rail (consisting mostly of the Scott brothers) went nuts.
"Oh that's gangster, oh that's gangster, oh that's gangster," said Gaspard as his buddie srushed over to congratulate him upon his near double up to 330,000. "You know what it takes?" he asked us. We like to think we do.
The Scott brothers were enjoying it possibly even more than Gaspard. "Oh that's hot, PokerNews dot com, write it down. That's hot," cried Robert "E-Dolo" Scott.
Neil Channing wandered over from the next table and put his hand on Gaspard's shoulder. "You know we're playing for proper money here, stop f***ing about," he laughed.
Responded the grinning Gaspard: "Oh, we're playing for cash?"
With only 18 players left in the field it's time for a seat redraw:
Table 355
Seat 1: Andrew Ferris
Seat 2: Mike Ellis
Seat 3: Christopher Gonzales
Seat 4: Jason Hallee
Seat 5: Martin Jacobson
Seat 6: David Sands
Seat 7: Neil Channing
Seat 8: Steven Goosen
Seat 9: Allen Stern
Table 360
Seat 1: Jean Gaspard
Seat 2: Jeff Cohen
Seat 3: Kent Vaho
Seat 4: Alexander Queen
Seat 5: William Kakon
Seat 6: David Wilkinson
Seat 7: Billy Griner
Seat 8: Christopher Kastler
Seat 9: Markus Lehman
Martin Jacobson opened the pot from under the gun with a 33,000-chip raise, and Neil Channing moved all in in the cutoff seat. Jacobson called the additional 193,000 chips.
Showdown
Jacobson:
Channing:
The board spread out and Channing doubled up, is now up to 480,000.
![[user46392]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
flop. Choen check-called 60,000 from Lehmann.
turn and this time Lehmann announced all in. He sttod up, and announced, "I'm nervous."
while Goosen held pocket queens. An ace on the flop and a king on the turn, sealed it for Goosen.
and Sands held 
, Jason Halle tabled pocket jacks and that's the end of the line for Sands.
board. Jean Gaspard (small blind) checked, but Jeff Cohen bet 65,000. David Wilkinson folded but Gaspard made the call, leaving himself just 70,000.
- and was rewarded with a muck from Cohen. Gaspard and his rail (consisting mostly of the Scott brothers) went nuts.
and Channing doubled up, is now up to 480,000.