Fifteen minutes into the level we found our first flop. Jonathan Duhamel opened for 1.25 million pre-flop and was called in position by Brandon Steven. Both players checked an all-small flop, . Duhamel led out for 2.0 million on the turn and took down the pot after a fold by Steven.
"Cheering may or may not induce action," said MOC Robbie Thompson after the hand. "But it can't hurt." Word.
Despite the lateness (earliness?) of the hour, the crowd here around the feature table is still thick. Most are even managing to stay awake, unlike many of the members of the media, who have resorted to taking short naps anywhere they can find some room. That's what a 17-hour day in the Amazon Room will do to you. We can't imagine how the players are still playing with any level of aggression.
Jonathan Duhamel is still sitting pretty near the top of the leaderboard, seemingly content to wait this out. He opened his button a few moments ago to 1.25 million. Brandon Steven called out of the small blind, then checked a flop of . Duhamel moved all in, effectively making a bet the size of the shorter Steven's stack. Steven folded.
Soi Nguyen opened under the gun with a standard raise and was called by John Racener out of the small blind. Racener checked a paired board, . That check drew a bet of 2.5 million from Nguyen. Racener then tanked for a solid four minutes before surrendering his cards.
That's what a railbird shouted after a recent pot between Joseph Cheong and Matthew Jarvis. Cheong opened for 1.225 million from early position, then was faced with an all-in raise to 7.325 million from Jarvis. Cheong eventually folded.
At 5:40am, five hours and forty-five minutes after the elimination of 11th-place finisher Pascal LeFrancois, Jonathan Duhamel opened a pot for 1.225 million pre-flop. The next player to act was short-stacked Brandon Steven. He moved all in for a total of 4.475 million. Matthew Jarvis then called the all in, bringing the crowd to its feet again. Once Duhamel folded, it was on in the most classic of ways.
Steven:
Jarvis:
Shouting. Lots of shouting. People calling for this card or that card. You wouldn't think the sleepy crowd had this much energy left. The noise got louder after the flop came no help to Steven, . Some in the crowd asked for a jack on the turn to keep things interesting. Instead it was a board-pairing . Nine players were one card away from the November Nine. The dealer burned and turned...
A collective roar went up from the crowd, with people jumping and cheering. Steven was eliminated! The bubble was finally burst. With Steven's departure in 10th-place, we have nine very happy players on the stage.
. Duhamel led out for 2.0 million on the 
turn and took down the pot after a fold by Steven.
. Duhamel moved all in, effectively making a bet the size of the shorter Steven's stack. Steven folded.
. That check drew a bet of 2.5 million from Nguyen. Racener then tanked for a solid four minutes before surrendering his cards.
. Some in the crowd asked for a jack on the turn to keep things interesting. Instead it was a board-pairing 
. Nine players were one card away from the November Nine. The dealer burned and turned...
