Since the players returned from break, Hans Winzeler has come out swinging, taking down two sizeable pots to move into the chip lead with more than 2.7 million.
Earlier, Winzeler raised to 100,000 from the button and Steven Merrifield folded from the small blind pre-flop before Jason Mercier called to go heads-up to the flop of 
. Mercier check-called Winzeler's bet of 150,000, but then check-folded after Winzeler fired a second shell on the turn of the 
.
Then in the very next hand, Merrifield raised from the button and Mercier folded the small blind before Winzeler called from the big blind to see a flop heads-up of 
. From there, Winzeler check-raised to 585,000 after Merrifield opened for 190,000. Merrifield wasn't interested and sent his hand into the muck.
With the average chip stack around 2.38 million, the players aren't as quick to put bets out there now. Gear yourselves up for a long night, people!
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,740,000
440,000
|
440,000 |
|
2,530,000
245,000
|
245,000 |
|
2,280,000
260,000
|
260,000 |
|
||
and Merrifield check-called a bet of 225,000. The same exact action occurred on the 
turn, bringing about the 
on the river.
for trips; however, Winzeler rolled over 
for tens full and the win.
.
; Merrifield showed 
. Merrifield then checked the turn of the 
. Both players had hit two pair, but Mercier's was better. Add to the equation that Mercier held the nut-flush draw, and Chiu was in a pretty bad spot.
blanked on the turn. Chiu's life came down to the river, though by that point he'd already begun to collect his things. The dealer burned once again and put out the 
