Only 31 players began the day at the start of Day 3 in Event #57: $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em. Just five and a half hours later players were already down to final table. In the first two hours of play, 13 players dropped extremely quickly, one after another, bringing the tables down to the final two tables right away. The first player to drop out of the tournament today was Sam Trickett, who ended his day quickly by losing a race to Jeff Papola. Next to go was Giuseppe Pantaleo, who lost a bunch of Carter Swidler early, then got turned by Grant Levy to exit te tournament.
With that the final nine players were set to bag and tag, ready to return for the final table tomorrow at 12:45 p.m. local time. Play will begin in the middle of level 25 with the blinds at 1,2000/2,4000 with a 4,000 chip ante. PokerNews.com will be here all day tomorrow with all the coverage so make sure to come back and make sure you see who is crowned as the next World Series of Poker champion.
In the final hand of the day, Antonio Buonanno limped in from the small blind, as Matt Schulte checked his option from the big blind. The flop came down , as Buonanno placed out a bet of 35,000 which was called. The fell on the turn, and Buonanno put out another bet of 75,000, before Schulte moved all in over the top, for not much more. The bet was called, as both players tabled their cards.
Buonanno:
Schulte:
Schulte was at rick, committing the remainder of his stack in with a pair of tens, but running into Buonanno’s turned two-pair. He wouldn’t find a ten on the river that he needed, as the completed the board, sending him home in 10th place.
Matt Berkey limped in from the button, before Philipp Gruissem moved all in for his last 275,000 from the small blind. Matt Perrins was in the big blind, and quickly moved all in over the top, forcing Berkey out of the hand.
Perrins:
Gruissem:
The board ran out to see Perrins flop top pair to extend his lead, eliminating Gruissem one short of the unofficial final table.
The action folded around to Thomas Muehloecker in the small blind, who asked Olivier Busquet how much he had, before placing out a bet of 110,000, which had his opponent covered. Busquet snap called, and rolled over his only to be shocked, when Muehloecker tabled his .
The board ran out to see Busquet unable to improve his hand, as he exited the tournament area, shaking his head in disbelief.
Ravi Raghavan opened from early position with a raise to 48,000. From the big blind, Matt Berkey called. The flop came down and Berkey checked to Raghavan who put out a bet of 55,000. Berkey called.
The turn card was the and Berkey decided to lead out with a bet of 150,000. With action back on Raghavan he moved all in. Berkey called after thinking about it briefly and the two tabled their hands.
Berkey:
Raghavan:
Berkey was in the lead with two pair but Raghavan could still catch up if the board paired on the river, not pairing one of Berkey's cards, or if he caught a diamond for a flush. Unluckily for him, the river was the , giving Berkey the winning hand and eliminated Raghavan in 13th place.
After just busting Carter Swidler, Seth Berger has picked up a massive heater of cards that just allowed him to eliminate Jeff Papola and Dan Martin all in the same hand.
Action began with Dan Martin who opened to 40,000 from the button. From the small blind, Jeff Papola jammed all in over the top. Then, from the big blind, Seth Berger reshoved all in over the top of that. When action got back to Martin he made the call creating a huge pot and a three-way all in.
Berger:
Papola:
Martin:
The flop came down keeping Martin out front with his over pair. The turned for Berger though, changing the lead entirely. The river dropped the keeping Berger in the lead and allowing him to eliminate both players in the same hand.
We missed the initial part of the hand, but with the board reading | , Carter Swidler committed his entire stack, only to get snap called by Seth Berger, who tabled his for a flush. Swidler showed his for a straight, but was drawing dead, as the meaningless completed the board.
Action began with Pratyush Buddiga who opened to 35,000 from under the gun +1. Everyone folded over to Thomas Muehloecker who reraised to a total of 85,000 from the button. Both blinds folded leaving action back on Buddiga who moved all in for the remainder of his chips. Muehloecker nodded his head then threw in one chip signifying a call.
Buddiga:
Muehloecker:
Buddiga was in big trouble and needed some help from the flop to stay alive, as Muehloecker had a covering stack. The flop of didn't give Buddiga any improvement. The turn was the and it left Buddiga drawing to just a jack to survive. The river came the giving Muehloecker the best hand with his ace-king high, and that sent Buddiga to the rail in 17th place.
Matt Perrins opened to 32,000 from under the gun plus one, before Christian Rudolph moved all in for 283,000 in chips. The action folded around to Antonio Buonanno in the small blind, who looked down at his cards, before asking for an official count. Once he was told, he made the call, as Perrins got out of the way.
Rudolph:
Buonanno:
Board:
Buonanno flopped a set of tens, and guaranteed himself the pot, when the turn gave him a full house. A great run from Rudolph, who leaves with $30,399 for his efforts.
2012 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Greg Merson joins the PokerNews Podcast to talk about the controversial tweet he released on Tuesday regarding private public cash games at Aria, and respond to criticism regarding the language of the tweet. Merson also discusses Macau, the potential return of online poker to New Jersey, and his friend Tony "End Boss" Gregg's win in the $111,111 One Drop High Roller.
into Thomas Muehloecker's 
and never caught up. Carter Swidler was next to fall in 16th place when his straight ran into a flush.
, Seth Berger reshoved all in with 
Martin made the call with 
, as Buonanno placed out a bet of 35,000 which was called. The 
fell on the turn, and Buonanno put out another bet of 75,000, before Schulte moved all in over the top, for not much more. The bet was called, as both players tabled their cards.
completed the board, sending him home in 10th place.
to see Perrins flop top pair to extend his lead, eliminating Gruissem one short of the unofficial final table.
only to be shocked, when Muehloecker tabled his 
.
and Berkey checked to Raghavan who put out a bet of 55,000. Berkey called.
and Berkey decided to lead out with a bet of 150,000. With action back on Raghavan he moved all in. Berkey called after thinking about it briefly and the two tabled their hands.
keeping Berger in the lead and allowing him to eliminate both players in the same hand.
| 
for a straight, but was drawing dead, as the meaningless 
completed the board.
didn't give Buddiga any improvement. The turn was the 
