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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.
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."
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.
Mike Ellis raised to 63,000 in the hijack only for Martin Jacobson in the small blind to reraise all of his green T25,000 chips - around 700,000 and easily enough to cover both Neil Channing in the big blind and Ellis.
Channing thought about it for a long time, and asked Ellis how many chips he'd started the hand with (answer - 400,000). Eventually he folded.
The action was back on Ellis, who tanked up for some time under the watchful gaze of some of his buddies and backers at the rail. Eventually he folded too, leaving himself on 340,000.
Chris Kastler opened the pot in middle position with a 50,000-chip raise and Jason Hallee moved all in from the big blind. Kastler tanked and eventually called the additional 287,000 chips.
Showdown
Kastler: 
Hallee: 
The board ran out 
and gave Hallee a full double up, is now up to 683,000 chips. Kastler slipped to 1,580,000.
Kent Vanho raised to 75,000 in middle position, and Billy Griner moved all in from the button for about 254,000 chips. Vanho called the additional 179,000 chips.
Showdown
Griner: 
Vanho: 
The board 
gave Griner 470,000 chips. Vanho slipped to 350,000.
...Although in fairness, he was very much ahead.
We arrived just in time to see Kent Vanho and Alexander Queen turn their cards over, Queen all in for his tournament life.
Queen: 
Vanho: 
Board: 
Queen doubled to around 350,000.
Next hand it folded to Vanho in the small blind, who shoved into Queen's big blind. Queen folded, though, and we remain 15.
We're now n a 20-minute break.
Level: 23
Blinds: 12,000/24,000
Ante: 3,000
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,280,000
580,000
|
580,000 |
|
|
1,600,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
1,400,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
||
|
825,000
142,000
|
142,000 |
|
618,000
118,000
|
118,000 |
|
565,000
-285,000
|
-285,000 |
|
500,000
-290,000
|
-290,000 |
|
485,000
255,000
|
255,000 |
|
485,000
280,000
|
280,000 |
|
430,000
220,000
|
220,000 |
|
|
||
|
410,000
70,000
|
70,000 |
|
405,000
-105,000
|
-105,000 |
|
|
||
|
340,000
-90,000
|
-90,000 |
|
250,000
-220,000
|
-220,000 |
|
|
55,000
-130,000
|
-130,000 |
