Level: 10
Blinds: 10,000/20,000
Ante: 0
2010 World Series of Poker
Event #35: $10,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2010 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$10,000
Prize Pool
$2,406,400
Entries
256
Level
7
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
0
Top Pair For Mahmood
![[user80015]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
Jason Somerville opened to 32,000 from the button and Ayaz Mahmood made the call from the big blind to see a 
flop fall.
Both players checked as the 
landed on the turn and Mahmood fired out 39,000 with Somerville making the call to see the 
land on the river.
Mahmood checked and Somerville cut down a bet of 80,000 with Mahmood making the call.
"Five!" announced Somerville.
Mahmood flipped over his 
to rake in the pot and move to 1,770,000 in chips.
Alexander Kostritsyn Eliminated in 3rd place (tie, $214,289); Ernst Schmejkal Advances to Finals
Well, that was a stark contrast to Ernst Schmejkal's last match with Vanessa Rousso which took nearly four hours, as his semifinal contest with Alexander Kostritsyn has ended within just 30 minutes.
In the final hand, Kostritsyn opened with a raise to 40,000, Schmejkal reraised to 116,000 total, and Kostritsyn called. The flop came 
. Schmejkal bet 80,000, and Kostritsyn made the call.
The turn was the 
. This time Schmejkal checked, and Kostritsyn pushed out a bet of 210,000. Schmejkal then check-raised to 450,000 total, sending Kostritsyn into the tank. After a couple of minutes the Russian made a decision -- he was reraising to 750,000 total, leaving himself just 450,000 behind.
Schmejkal didn't waste much time reraising all in, and Kostritsyn called. Kostritsyn shook his head with a look of disappointment as he saw the cards being tabled.
Kostritsyn 
Schmejkal 
The river was the 
, making Schmejkal's hand a full house, and Kostritsyn is out. Schmejkal moves onto the finals!
Semifinal Photos
Early Edge to Ernst
Ernst Schmejkal jumped out to a slight lead in the early going in his match versus Alexander Kostritsyn, pushing over 2 million to Kostritsyn's 1.8 million. Then came the first significant hand of the match.
The hand began with Kostritsyn raising to 40,000 from the small blind/button, and Schmejkal making the call. The flop came 
. Schmejkal checked, Kostritsyn bet 46,000, and Schmejkal called.
The turn brought the 
. Schmejkal checked, Kostritsyn bet 112,000, and this time Schmejkal promptly check-raised to 280,000 total. Kostritsyn asked how much more it was to call, then did so.
The river was the . Schmejkal, sitting silently with one hand over his mouth, reached with the other to set out a big bet of 550,000. Kostritsyn looked as though he was going for chips to call, but then pushed his cards dealerward.
Kostritsyn slips to about 1.3 million, with Schmejkal up over 2.5 million.
River Bet Win For Somerville
Ayaz Mahmood entered the pot with a raise on the button to 35,000 with Jason Somerville making the call.
Somerville check-called a 60,000-chip continuation bet on the 
flop before both players checked the 
on the turn.
When the river landed the 
Somerville fired out a 125,000-chip to prompt a fold from Mahmood.
As Mahmood slips to 1,750,000, Somerville climbs to 2,090,000 in chips.
Somerville Takes Down First Major Pot
Jason Somerville opened to 32,000 from the button and Ayaz Mahmood made the call to see a 
flop fall.
Mahmood led out for 30,000 and Somerville made the call before the landed on the turn and Mahmood check-folded to Somerville's 60,000-chip bet.
The Final Four Has Begun
Cards are in the air! Both semifinal matches are being played at the main feature table (one on each end). For the semifinals, players will start with 1,920,000 chips. Levels will last 40 minutes for this round and for the final.
Here in the semis, blinds will increase as follows: 8,000-16,000, 10,000-20,000, 12,000-24,000, 15,000-30,000, 20,000-40,000, 25,000-50,000, 30,000-60,000, 40,000-80,000, 50,000-100,000, 60,000-120,000, 80,000-160,000, 100,000-200,000.
Losers here will each earn $214,289. Winning a semifinal match guarantees a player a $386,636 payday, and if that player wins the final, too, he'll get $625,682.
Level: 9
Blinds: 8,000/16,000
Ante: 0
Semifinal Matchups
Following that last elimination we are down to the semi finals.
Just two matches remain with play kicking off at 7:30 pm PST, with PokerNews providing continuous live updates as we play down to a firstly a final two and then a champion.
Here are your matchups for the next round:
Jason Somerville vs. Ayaz Mahmood
Ernst Schmejkal vs. Alexander Kostritsyn
Back in a little while with all the action.