Vladimir Mefodichev opened to 80,000 from early position and was called by Randy Ashe in middle position, Hugh Henderson on the button and Ryan Hughes in the big blind.
The flop came and everyone checked to Henderson, who fired 160,000 into the middle. Hughes called and action was back on Mefodichev, who raised to 1,150,000. Everyone else folded after some deliberation and Mefodichev scooped the sizable pot.
In the last two hands Matthew Graham and Bryan Piccioli have moved all in and received no callers. There has been a small lull in the action but as long as the short stacks keep putting their entire stacks at risk we are certain to see some fireworks soon.
Matthew Graham opened to 100,000 only to have Hugh Henderson move all in for 855,000 over the top. Hai Chu got out of the way and Ryan Hughes four-bet his entire stack all in and a dejected Graham mucked his hand, allowing the cards to be turned up:
Henderson:
Hughes:
The board fell and Hughes was unable to improve, thus awarding Henderson a key double up while Hughes' stack fell to 750,000.
Ryan Hughes opened to 100,000 from the hijack seat and it was folded around to Vladimir Mefodichev on the button, who three-bet to 250,000. Both blinds folded and action was back on Hughes, who went all in for about 700,000. Mefodichev snap-called and Hughes was at risk.
Mefodichev:
Hughes:
The flop left Hughes with two pair and the lead, however, the turn gave Mefodichev broadway. The river bricked for Hughes and he was eliminated in 9th place.
Picking up the action on the flop of , Hai Chu check-called a bet from Neil Willerson from the small blind. The turn brought the and Chu checked for a second time. Willerson led out huge for 520,000 only to find Chu announce that he was all in. Willerson snap-called, tabling for sixes full of jacks and a heartbroken Chu showed for trip jacks.
The river was the and Chu was forced to ship over most of his stack to Willerson who is now sitting on about 4,500,000 in chips.
Randy Ashe opened to 130,000 from early position and action folded around to Hugh Henderson in the cutoff, who called. Everyone else folded and it was heads-up going to the flop.
Flop:
Ashe led out for 220,000 and Henderson moved all in. Ashe quickly called and hands were revealed.
Ashe: for a pair of aces.
Henderson: for a set of sevens.
Ashe's tournament life was in dire straits. The turn and river were no help to Ashe and he was sent to the rail.
Hai Chu moved all in from under the gun plus one for 330,000 and it folded to Zachary Humphrey who moved all in over the top from the small blind. Matthew Graham got out of the way from the big and the hands were shown:
Chu:
Humphrey:
The flop came and the rail went crazy seeing that Humphrey flopped top set but Chu had the seven of hearts for a flush draw.
"Hearts are good!" said Chu and just like that the rolled off on fourth street giving him the winning flush. Chu was able to dodge Humphrey's full house outs when the came on the river and he was able to double up.
In a hand that would cripple him, Bryan Piccioli open-pushed all in for just over 700,000 and action folded around to Matthew Graham in the hijack position, who went all in himself for just under 700,000. Everyone else got out of the way and hands were revealed.
Piccioli:
Graham:
Piccioli was dominated and needed help going to the flop. However, the board kept Graham's ace-king high in the lead and Piccioli was cut down to his last 50,000.
A couple of hands later, Piccioli went all in for his last 40,000 from under-the-gun and Neil Willerson raised to 175,000 from the hijack seat. Everyone else got out of the way and Piccioli would be at risk.
Piccioli:
Willerson:
The board left Willerson with kings-full of fours, which was more than enough to send Piccioli to the rail in 7th place.