It's not quite the final, but it sure feels like it - all 10 players have squashed around the main feature table and cards are in the air. The railers now get seats. There is some serious tension in the air.
William Kakon either limped in or raised in early position - either way Alexander Queen, reduced to just 180,000, got his last in, Kakon called, and they were on their backs.
Kakon:
Queen:
Board:
Queen didn't spike any kings or aces, but he had made a flush by the river and doubled to 470,000.
Billy Griner opened for 110,000 in the cutoff and William Kakon called in the big blind. They saw a flop, and Kakon promptly moved all in. Griner folded, and Kakon took the pot.
A couple hands later, and Griner opened for 130,000 in early position, only for Chris Kastler to make it 350,000 to go. Griner folded, and was down to 500,000 or so.
Chip daddy Christopher Gonzales opened for 135,000 and snap-called the push from Alexander Queen. On their backs, gentlemen.
Queen:
Gonzales: kc]
Board:
Short-stacked for much of the day, thus ends the run of Alexander Queen. We, meanwhile, have reached our official final in good time, and it looks as though we'll be playing through to a winner tonight.
Our nine official finalists have been introduced, their various railers have cheered at various volumes (winners - Mike Ellis' rail) and cards are once more in the air.
A few hands have been played, but all of them were taken down by a simple preflop raise. William Kakon has taken two of them, Christopher Gonzales one.
Jeff Cohen open-shoved in early position but everyone folded. He took the pot and was up to 405,000.
The next hand, now under the gun, Cohen shoved again. This time David Wilkinson on his immediate left re-shoved for 1.4 million. William Kakon (1.2 million) considered a call for a long, long time, which can't have made Cohen feel any better. Eventually he folded, though, and Cohen and Wilkinson went to showdown.
Cohen:
Wilkinson:
Board:
Wilkinson flopped a set, to a roar from his section of the rail. Cohen picked up an inside straight draw on the turn ("Oooh!" said the rail), but it was not to be. The river bricked for him, and we are down to just eight already.