40 Remain
Level 19
: 4,000/8,000, 1,000 ante
We're down to 40 players in Event 44. The average stack is now just over 221,000.
2012 World Series of Poker
Event 44: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 2
Heger Doubles Through Hinkle
We caught up just as Adam Heger had pushed all in for 86,000, got several folds, and action was on Blair Hinkle, who called to put Heger at risk.
Heger: 
Hinkle: 
Heger was a solid favorite going to the flop, and the 
board left him with a set of eight for the double up and then some.
Heger is over 200,000 while Blair has slipped back down to 350,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
350,000 | -75,000 |
|
210,000 | 169,500 |
Level: 19
Blinds: 4,000/8,000
Ante: 1,000
Berner Still Here
With the recent elimination of Kathy Saraf in 42nd place, a brief cheer arose from the rail, acknowledging that Anke Berner of Cologne, Germany is the last woman with chips in Event 44.
"It means nothing," she said to her table, referring to the "last woman standing" business. "There's never any love for the last man standing in the ladies event," cracked Mazin Khoury.
Berner went on to tell them how she came today to a stack of just 7,600 and little expectation she'd last as long as she has.
"I came here to play just one hand… and now I'm still here," she said. "Even if I go out right now, that's okay. I had a lot of fun."
Her table mates joked that she was saying that now, but they remained leery that she was ready to take their chips and make it an even deeper run. She currently has a below average stack, though plenty with which to continue her already longer-than-expected day.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
120,000 | 24,500 |
|
Busted |
Reed Doubles Up
We caught up with the action on a 
flop, where Michael Reed had bet, been raised by his lone opponent, and went all in for his last 130,000. His opponent tank-called and hands were revealed.
Reed: 
Opponent: 
The 
turn and 
river kept Reed in the lead and he doubled through to 275,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
275,000 | 193,000 |
Robinson Ruling at the Moment
Just before dinner break, Nelson Robinson had pushed to the top of the leaderboard as the first player to half a million chips. Since we've returned, he's continue to pick up multiple small pots with preflop raises and three-bets, with his opponents not looking thus far to tangle with the big stack.
Just now Michael Bena — who is sporting a big stack of his own at the moment — opened from middle position, then let his hand go after a three-bet from the button by Robinson.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
525,000 | 20,000 |
|
340,000 | -20,000 |
Hinkle Over 400K
We didn't catch the exact action, but it appeared that Blair Hinkle had got into a preflop raising war with his opponent in a blind versus blind confrontation. Blair was all in for 207,000 and would be at risk.
Blair: 
Opponent: 
Blair was a slight favorite going into the flop and the 
board kept him in the lead for the double up .
Blair is up to 425,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
425,000 | 260,000 |
Boost for Bena as Hein Hits Rail
Level 18
: 3,000/6,000, 500 ante
Hans Hein pushed all in from middle position for 72,000, and Michael Bena called from the cutoff. It folded around, Hein showed 
, and Bena turned over 
.
The board rolled out 
, and Hein hit the rail in 47th place. That one bumps Bena up over the 360,000-chip mark.
Saraf Doubles Through Hinkle
Action folded around to Kathy Saraf in the cutoff, who went all in for her last 34,000. When it got around to Blair Hinkle in the small blind, he announced he was also all in and the big blind got out of the way.
Saraf:
Hinkle: 
The 
board left Saraf with treys full of nines and she doubled through to 80,000.
Hinkle is at 165,000 following the hit.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
165,000 | -40,000 |
|
|
80,000 | 38,600 |
Shuffle Up and Deal!
Level 17
: 2,000/4,000, 500 ante
The 49 remaining players have returned from dinner and taken their seats. Cards are back in the air!