We just reported that Frank Kassela had been crippled on a previous hand, and now he has been eliminated. We caught the action on fifth street, where Kassela bet and got raised by Anthony Mosholder. Kassela called, then put himself all in on sixth street. Kassela showed in the hole for two pair, but Mosholder had already made a straight, with underneath. Kassela has been eliminated, and Mosholder is up to 16,800.
We caught the action on fifth street with last year's POY Frank Kassela betting and his opponent Vasili Lazarou calling. Lazarou bet out on sixth, and Kassela raised him. Lazarou called, as he did on seventh street as well. Kassela said "one pair", and Lazarou flipped over the and the for two pair. Kassela mucked, and dropped down to around 4200 after the hand.
We caught up with the action on fourth street, where Shoten bet and Buss called. Buss called another bet on fifth street, but on sixth he check-snap-folded when Buss picked up a fourth club. Buss tabled for a jack-high flush, and is now up to 14,300 chips.
Eric Baldwin started today as one of our severe short stacks, but we just caught a hand that put Baldwin up over 10,000. Baldwin bet with the ace showing, then called when Sirous Baghchehsaraie raised. Baldwin check called fourth street, then bet out the rest of the way, getting called on each street. When showdown came, Baldwin revealed for a full house, and his opponent flashed for two pair. Baldwin is now up to 12,500, with Baghchehsaraie dropping to 9,500.
After Buss' deuces were unable to improve against the pair of three's of his opponent, he was left with just 1,100.
On the next hand Buss completed with the after the limped and he got two callers. The third player had an . Buss moved in on fourth street and both players called. On fifth, the bet out the third opponent and found his pair of queens to be well behind the kings of Buss. The dealer flipped the for Buss on sixth, giving him trips and left his opponent drawing dead.
Hanks started the hand by completing, Seiver raised, and Hanks called. Hanks check-called bets on both fourth and fifth street, but on sixth and seventh both players checked. Seiver opened up for just a pair of eights, and Hanks mucked his hand.
A handful of players have come scurrying in late including Tom Dwan, David Baker, Bryan Devonshire and Brett Jungblut. None of them knew where they were seating initially and some of them, Dwan especially, ended up jogging around the room until they found their abandoned stacks.
It looks like everyone has found their seats, and the battle for the final table is full-steam ahead.
Mercier and his opponent got all of the chips in on fifth street. Mercier started with wired sevens and made trips on fourth. However, his opponent started with split eights and tripped up on fifth. Mercier picked up a flush draw on sixth but when his opponent boated up on the last card, Mercier was drawing to the lone seven left in the deck.
He peeled the , wished everyone at the table good luck and left the room.
Jason Mercier entered today at dead last in chips with just 1,100, so we were expecting him to be all in early. As expected, Mercier tossed his last thousand in on third street, and got two callers in Thomas Servais and Brandon Sharckharris. The two players checked down every street, and Mercier flipped up the for a pair, saying he hadn't looked at this other two cards. Sharckharris mucked, and Servais just showed a for a pair of nines. Mercier more then tripled up to 4,000, and while he still has a tough hill to climb, he has taken the first big step.
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in the hole for two pair, but Mosholder had already made a straight, with 
underneath. Kassela has been eliminated, and Mosholder is up to 16,800.
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for two pair. Kassela mucked, and dropped down to around 4200 after the hand.
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for a full house, and his opponent flashed 
for two pair. Baldwin is now up to 12,500, with Baghchehsaraie dropping to 9,500.
after the 
. Buss moved in on fourth street and both players called. On fifth, the 
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, wished everyone at the table good luck and left the room.
for a pair of nines. Mercier more then tripled up to 4,000, and while he still has a tough hill to climb, he has taken the first big step.
