Pot After Pot Gives Ponakovs the Lead
Level 21
: 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Aleksejs Ponakovs opened to 500,000 on the button with 
and Phil Ivey defended from the big blind with 
. The flop came 
and both players checked to the 
on the turn. Ponakovs threw out a bet of 600,000 on the turn and Ivey folded his bottom pair.
On the next hand, Ivey limped in from the small blind with 
and Ponakovs checked his option with 
. The flop fell 
and both players checked to the 
on the turn.
Ivey led out with a bet of 400,000 and Ponakovs raised it up to 1,300,000. Ivey called with a straight and flush draw but it was the 
that landed on the river. Ivey checked and Ponakovs reached back for a bet of 2,000,000. Ivey deliberated for a moment but decided to send his cards to the muck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
16,300,000 | 1,900,000 |
|
13,700,000 | -3,150,000 |
|
7,200,000 | 1,250,000 |