Balsiger Cripples Engel

In three hands, Ari Engel went from having a big stack to being knocked out of the tournament.

In the first hand, Jake Balsiger raised to 5,000 from the button, and Engel called from the small blind. The flop came . Engel checked, and Balsiger continued for 4,500. Engel called, bringing the on the turn. Engel checked again, and Balsiger bet out for 9,000. Engel again called, and the dealer completed the board with the . Engel checked a third time, and Balsiger bet out for 14,000. Engel called again. Balsiger turned over for a pure bluff. Engel had snapped it off with . After the hand, Balsiger was down to 118,000, while Engel had 123,000.

On the very next hand, Balsiger again opened the action with a raise to 5,000. Engel three-bet to 12,700 from the small blind. Balsiger then four-bet to 21,500. Engel thought for a few moments, and put in a re-raise to 35,000. Balsiger then six-bet shoved all-in, and Engel went into the tank. He looked like he wanted to call, but was hesitant, and at one point he even said, "I'm taking a minute to compose myself." He did eventually make the call, turning over . Balsiger showed , and he would need help. The board gave it to him, running out , giving him two pair.

The stacks were very close, and the dealer counted out Balsiger's remaining stack as 97,800. It turned out Engel had him outchipped by 7,000, but Engel was now severely crippled.

Engel had the button on the next hand, and everyone folded around to him. He min-raised to 4,800, leaving himself just a little behind. Sergey Tikhonov in the small blind was the only caller. Tikhonov mistakenly thought Engel was all in (the dealer was seated between them) and exposed his cards, showing . The floor ruled that the hand would continue, and the last of Engel's chips went in the middle on the queen high flop. Engel showed , and Tikhonov won the pot with his pair of queens.