Alexander Kuzmin was in the big blind, and action was on Tom Marchese when he asked Kuzmin how much he was playing.
"I don't know," Kuzmin said flatly. Marchese asked him to count, and he declined, so the floor was called over.
When the dealer explained that Marchese was requesting a count, floor person Nikki said, "Okay, then we'll count it down."
"But these are my chips," Kuzmin said, denying the count. "I don't know why he needs to know."
From across the table, Dani Stern had had just about enough of this exchange. "Because it's relevant information, that's why! He wants to know how many chips in a poker tournament, imagine that!"
"Fine, then I want a count on him," Kuzmin said, stubbornly pointing to Marchese.
"And he can tell you in twenty seconds," Stern said. "Because he has them stacked in a reasonable manner. You're just being difficult" Sure enough, Marchese already had himself counted at 827,000 by the time Stern was done talking. The floor counted Kuzmin down at 482,000, Marchese folded, Stern raised, and he took the blinds, including Kuzmin's.
Nikki explained to Kuzmin that if he kept his chips stacked in twenties, it would be easier for the other players to eyeball.
"Something happens when you put nine grown men in front of a piece of green felt," someone said within earshot. "They all revert back to kindergarten."
Marc Inizan opened for 45,000 and Tom Marchese called. Both players checked the flop. The turn was the and Marchese fired out 74,000. Inizan called and they went to the river, which fell the . Marchese bet 141,000 and Inizan called.
Marchese showed for the win and Inizan mucked. Marchese is up to 685,000 while Inizan still holds the chip lead with 1.1 million.
Allen Kessler moved all-in for 59,000 from the hijack seat and the action folded around to Konstantin Bucherl in the big blind. He screwed up his face as he looked down at his hole cards but nevertheless made the call.
Kessler
Bucherl
Bucherl hit a four on the flop, giving him the lead. Sixes fell on the turn and river and "Chainsaw" hit the rail in 14th place.
Sandra Naujoks raised to open the pot, and she got the rest of her chips in after a Clement Thumy reraise. She was in bad shape when the cards were turned up, her pocket fives running into Thumy's two nines.
Naujoks picked up a gutshot straight draw on the turn, but she could not find any of her out cards, and she's been offed in 15th place. We're now left with a field full of 14 men, still looking for our first female open bracelet winner of 2010.
Clement Thumy opened with a raise to 33,000 in early position, and Blair Rodman called on down the line. In the big blind, Peter Jetten announced a reraise to 130,000 straight, and the decision was back on Thumy. After a minute or two of consideration, he made it 233,000 total, enough to quickly fold Rodman out of the way. Thumy announced an all in, though, and Jetten called to put a pot of nearly a million chips up for grabs.
Showdown
Thumy:
Jetten:
Both players stood up and strolled around behind their chairs in anticipation of a game-changing board. "I'd love to win this filp," Jetten said flatly. "That would be really cool."
Board:
That's really cool for Jetten who doubles his way all the way up to 967,000. For Thumy, it's not quite as cool, and that big hit takes him back to 525,000, still doing okay for the time being.
Earlier on, Amit Makhija had his pocket kings cracked and saw his stack shrink up to only 86,000. He committed the rest of his chips with but Clement Thumy looked him up with . Makhija found no help on the board and he hit the rail in 17th place.
Steve Landfish got the rest of his chips in before the flop against Konstantin Bucherl. His pocket sixes did not improve against Bucherl's pocket queens on the board and he exited in 18th place.
![[user66118]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
flop. The turn was the 
and Marchese fired out 74,000. Inizan called and they went to the river, which fell the 
. Marchese bet 141,000 and Inizan called.
for the win and Inizan mucked. Marchese is up to 685,000 while Inizan still holds the chip lead with 1.1 million.
flop, giving him the lead. Sixes fell on the turn and river and "Chainsaw" hit the rail in 14th place.
and Filippi hit the rail. Inizan is the new chip leader with 1.38 million.
but Clement Thumy looked him up with 
board and he exited in 18th place.