Mark Herm opened to 52,000 from the cutoff and watched as a short-stacked Xiao Peng three-bet-jammed for 117,000 more.
After asking for a count and assessing the size of his own stack, which appeared to contain 700,000 or so. Herm called to put Peng at risk.
Herm:
Peng:
Herm held the slight lead with his king-high hand, while Peng was drawing live and looking for help. The drama ended in a flash when the flop fell to give Herm a flush, leaving Peng drawing all but dead. The turn () and river () meant nothing, and with that the final four players were reseated for their heads-up matches.
Jared Jaffee leads the way entering the final four and heads-up play
With only four competitors remaining in the field, this Mixed-Max event has moved to heads-up matches to decide who will square off in the finals. The seeding for the final four was determined by chip counts, so take a look at the matchups and counts below:
On the first hand of the heads-up match between Jared Jaffee and Joseph Alban, Jaffee folded his button. On the second hand, Alban shoved for about 300,000 and Jaffee called.
Alban:
Jaffee:
The flop fell , keeping Jaffee ahead. The turn, however, gave Alban flush and straight outs in addition to a queen, but the river was no help, ending his tournament in fourth place.
Jaffee, meanwhile, will hold the chip lead in the the championship match against either Mike Watson or Mark Herm.
Mark Herm got the better of Mike Watson in the last of their clashes, but the heads-up match continues on
The first few hands between Mike Watson and Mark Herm have seen each player draw blood.
First, the two played a limped pot and saw the flop come , with Watson check-calling a 24,000 bet to see the fall on the turn. Watson then check-called a bet of 42,000 and both tapped the table on the river. Watson rolled over for the second nut flush draw and a rivered pair, but Watson had him pipped with the for the nut flush draw and a better pair.
Watson rebounded by four-betting to 275,000 on the next hand of note, coming over the top of Herm's 125,000 three-bet to force a fold.
Soon afterward, Watson struck again with a three-bet to 135,000 after Herm raised his button to 50,000. Once again, the pressure play worked to perfection.
Finally, Herm evened things up when the two saw a flop of and Watson fired out for a 100,000 wager. Herm flatted and the turn fell , prompting both players to check. The river card was the to pair the board, and Watson tapped the table once more to prompt a big bet of 310,000 by Herm. Watson couldn't stand the heat and soon his hand hit the muck, sending a sizable pot across the table to Herm.
Mark Herm opened to 65,000 and Mike Watson flatted to see the flop.
Watson tapped the table and then called a 60,000 bet by Herm, with the turn card coming . Both players checked on fourth street and the river produced the .
Watson led out for 150,000 on the river and after a brief tank Herm surrendered the pot.
Mark Herm has chopped one of Mike Watson's legs out from under him, and now he is leaning on his man, hoping to make him fall.
On one hand Watson raised before the flop and Herm popped it up to 150,000. Watson flatted and the flop came , with Herm quickly leading out for 150,000. Watson relented and the pot was pushed to Herm.
A few hands passed with Herm open shoving to claim the blinds and antes, before Watson tried limping into the pot. Herm obliged by checking his option, and the flop rolled out . Herm then check-called a 40,000 wager, and both players tapped the table on the turn. When the completed the board on the river Herm led out for 55,000, and once more Watson's hand was slid toward the dealer in defeat.
Mark Herm was on the ropes after losing a few big pots in short order, and he open-shoved for his last 400,000 holding the button.
Mike Watson called with and found himself in great shape against Herm's , but the latter was drawing to two live cards.
The flop came to gift Herm a gutshot straight draw to the nine. But the turn () and river () missed his hand entirely. Herm pocketed $126,882 for his efforts, while Watson secured his seat in the final heads-up match against Jared Jaffee.
The two will square off with a bracelet on the line at 8 p.m. local time, so check back then to find out who takes down their first taste of 2014 WSOP gold and glory.
Hand #7: Mike Watson opened to 60,000 holding the button and Jared Jaffee flatted to see the flop come . Jaffee then check-called a bet of 65,000, and both players tapped the table on the turn. When the arrived on the river Watson checked to Jaffee, who bet 130,000 to take the pot down.
Hand #8: Watson went for a walk in the big blind.
Hand #9: Watson opened to 60,000 and Jaffee called to see the flop. Both players checked through and the turn came , upon which Watson fired out 77,000 to force the fold.
Hand #10: Jaffee tossed out enough chips for a 40,000 raise — but the minimum raise for this level is 48,000. After the dealer corrected his action Jaffee was forced to commit an additional 8,000, with Watson flatting to see the flop. Watson then check-folded to Jaffee's 59,000 c-bet.
Hand #37: Jared Jaffee received a walk in the big blind.
Hand #38: Jaffee opened to 90,000 holding the button and Mike Watson called to take the flop. Watson then check-folded to Jaffee's 120,000 c-bet.
Hand #39: Watson opened to 80,000 but quickly relinquished when Jaffee three-bet to 220,000.
Hand #40: Jaffee opened to 90,000 and took down the pot without a contest.
Hand #41: Watson opened to 80,000 and Jaffee flatted, with the flop falling . Both players checked and the turn came , prompting a feeler bet of 125,000 from Jaffee. That forced Watson off the hand, and the fifth consecutive pot was pushed to Jaffee.
![[user253757]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
to give Herm a flush, leaving Peng drawing all but dead. The turn (
) and river (
) meant nothing, and with that the final four players were reseated for their heads-up matches.
, keeping Jaffee ahead. The 
turn, however, gave Alban flush and straight outs in addition to a queen, but the 
river was no help, ending his tournament in fourth place.
, with Watson check-calling a 24,000 bet to see the 
for the second nut flush draw and a rivered pair, but Watson had him pipped with the 
for the nut flush draw and a better pair.
and Watson fired out for a 100,000 wager. Herm flatted and the turn fell 
, prompting both players to check. The river card was the 
to pair the board, and Watson tapped the table once more to prompt a big bet of 310,000 by Herm. Watson couldn't stand the heat and soon his hand hit the muck, sending a sizable pot across the table to Herm.
flop.
.
to gift Herm a gutshot straight draw to the nine. But the turn (
) and river (
. Jaffee then check-called a bet of 65,000, and both players tapped the table on the 
arrived on the river Watson checked to Jaffee, who bet 130,000 to take the pot down.
, upon which Watson fired out 77,000 to force the fold.
and Watson checked to Jaffee who bet 175,000. Watson check-raised all in for 780,000 and after a few moments Jaffee called.