Action folded to Donald Auger in the cutoff, and he raised it up. Al "Sugar Bear" Barbieri defended his big blind, and the flop came down . Both players checked, and the hit the turn. Barbieri fired out a bet, and Auger made the call, The river was the , and this time, Barbieri check called a bet from Auger. Barbieri showed for trip aces, and Auger mucked his hand.
Barbieri is now up to 560,000, while Auger drops down to 310,000.
Donald Auger raised from middle position and cleared the field all the way around to the short stack, Lori Kirgan, in the big blind. She put in a three-bet and then bet the flop after Auger called. The latter called that bet, but then he folded when Kirgan bet her last 22,000 on the turn.
Action folded all the way around to David Arsht in the small blind, and he raised it up. Glenn Engelbert defended his big blind, and the flop came down . Arsht led out, and Engelbert called. The turn brought the , and Arsht bet out again, but this time, Engelbert raised. Arsht didn't slow down, putting out a third bet, and Engelbert called. The river was the , and Arsht bet out one more time. Engelbert called, and could only shake his head when Arsht showed for a flopped set.
That pot gives Arsht the chip lead with 670,000, and an interesting note is that while Arsht is the oldest player at the final table, he has been the most aggressive of anyone at the table. Arsht has been putting constant pressure on his opponent all day, and it's paying dividends for him now.
Ben Landowski raised from the cutoff and was met with a three-bet by Alex Queen in the big blind. Landowski made the call and then called a bet from Queen on the flop. The turn saw Queen bet, Landowski raise and Queen make the call.
Queen then check-called a bet on the river, but mucked when Landowski revealed for a pair of queens.
Lori Kirgan was hanging by a thread on the short stack for most of the past couple levels, and her luck has finally run out, as she is the first victim of the final table. Al Barbieri raised it up to 40,000, and it folded to Kirgan, who tossed in her last 38,000. Everyone else folded, and the cards were tabled.
Kirgan:
Barbieri:
The board ran out , and Barbieri's straight was good enough to take the pot, and knock Kirgan out in 9th.
After the elimination of Lori Kirgan, play has slowed down immensely. There is no extreme short stack, and there is no dominant chip leader, so for many of the pots, the chips are simply being moved around the table.
Glenn Engelbert raised from middle position and was met with a three-bet by Al "Sugar Bear" Barbieri on the button. Stephen Hung then made the call from the big blind, Engelbert called the the extra bet, and it was three-way action to the flop.
After they had both checked, Hung and Engelbert called a bet from Barbieri before all three checked the turn. The river saw it go check-check to Barbieri and he bet once again. This time both his opponents folded and he took down the pot without a showdown.
Al Barbieri started the action by raising in the cutoff, and Alex Queen three bet on the button. It folded back to Barbieri, and he made the call. The flop came down , and Barbieri check called a bet from Queen. The turn was the , and Barbieri led out for 40,000. Queen had just a few thousand more, and he committed them to the pot. Barbieri called, and the cards were tabled.
Barbieri:
Queen:
The turn was a cooler card, as it gave Barbieri the straight, and Queen a set. Queen would need the board to pair to survive, but the river was the . Queen will take home over $20,000 for his efforts, while Barbieri is now over 850,000.
. Both players checked, and the 
hit the turn. Barbieri fired out a bet, and Auger made the call, The river was the 
, and this time, Barbieri check called a bet from Auger. Barbieri showed 
for trip aces, and Auger mucked his hand.
flop after Auger called. The latter called that bet, but then he folded when Kirgan bet her last 22,000 on the 
turn.
. Arsht led out, and Engelbert called. The turn brought the 
, and Arsht bet out again, but this time, Engelbert raised. Arsht didn't slow down, putting out a third bet, and Engelbert called. The river was the 
, and Arsht bet out one more time. Engelbert called, and could only shake his head when Arsht showed 
for a flopped set.
flop. The 
turn saw Queen bet, Landowski raise and Queen make the call.
for a pair of queens.
, and Barbieri's straight was good enough to take the pot, and knock Kirgan out in 9th.
turn. The 
, and Barbieri led out for 40,000. Queen had just a few thousand more, and he committed them to the pot. Barbieri called, and the cards were tabled.