Chau Giang is always thereabouts when it comes time to move into the money stage of the tournament, but unfortunately for Giang his run has finished just short of the cash on this occasion.
Giang was all in preflop for his last 65,000, as was David Ulliott for around 30,000 more as Matthew Wheat took at shot at eliminating them both.
Giang:
Ulliott:
Wheat:
Both short stacks nodded in approval at the flop. The on the turn didn't change much, but the river was the to give Devilfish trips and the pot to double up. Giang departs as Ulliott is up to 210,000 chips.
The players are back to play one more level. We need to lose five more players to reach the money but with the pace of play expected to slow, and hand-for-hand play likely at some point, it's hard to imagine us bursting the bubble this evening.
With the board reading action checked to Tom Dwan who fired 19,000 into the pot. Tony Cousineau made the call before Alessio Isaia check-raised to 82,000. Dwan was the lone caller as Cousineau got out of the way.
The river was the and both players checked it down. Isaia opened for a set of tens which was good as Dwan mucked.
Dwan is still well in front with 715,000 as Isaia moves up to 360,000.
James Akenhead has been eliminated after committing his last chips on a flop of against Jason Lester.
Akenhead opened for aces but Lester had the lead with for two pair. The turn and river didn't improve Akenhead and he was sent to the exit just short of the cash. Lester is now up to 148,000.
Catching the action on a flop of play checked to Phil Hellmuth who fired 24,000. Julio Marines was the lone caller as the turn hit the .
Hellmuth checked and Marines checked behind to see the complete the board. Hellmuth checked and gave a wry grin as Marines fired 44,000. Hellmuth let is his hand go.
Hellmuth is going some signs of fatigue, despite his chip stack looking healthy at around 400,000. He's got his head down on the table between hands and just told the tournament director to come and watch his dealer to make sure he "followed standard procedure" with the shuffle.
We were in the process of counting Tom Dwan's 653,000-chip fortress when another pot developed. There were three players including Dwan to a flop of , and action check-checked to Timothy Flanders. He slid out a half-pot bet of 15,000, and both opponents called.
On the turn, the drew a check to Dwan, but he was not checking this time. After asking the first player to move his hands out of the way, Dwan announced, "Pot," and stacked out 75,000 chips. Flanders folded with a shake of his head, and the other opponent did likewise to send yet another pot to Dwan. He's up over 700,000 now, and he's really pounding his table mates into the felt, there's just no other way to put it.
Shortly after the previous hand, David "Devilfish" Ulliott moved all in for his last 64,000 on a flop of . Nenad Medic folded but Matthew Wheat made the call.
Ulliott:
Wheat:
Ulliott held the lead with his nines but Wheat held flush, straight and big pair possibilities. The turn was the and river the to brick out and give Ulliott the double up.
button in Safari
flop. The 
on the turn didn't change much, but the river was the 
to give Devilfish trips and the pot to double up. Giang departs as Ulliott is up to 210,000 chips.
action checked to Tom Dwan who fired 19,000 into the pot. Tony Cousineau made the call before Alessio Isaia check-raised to 82,000. Dwan was the lone caller as Cousineau got out of the way.
and both players checked it down. Isaia opened 
against Jason Lester.
for aces but Lester had the lead with 
turn and 
river didn't improve Akenhead and he was sent to the exit just short of the cash. Lester is now up to 148,000.
play checked to Phil Hellmuth who fired 24,000. Julio Marines was the lone caller as the turn hit the 
.
, and action check-checked to Timothy Flanders. He slid out a half-pot bet of 15,000, and both opponents called.
