After an explosive first level of the day with ten eliminations in a space of an hour, the play has become more sedate. Loren Cloninger bet 700,000 from the cutoff and was met with a raise from David Stearns on the button for 1,500,000.
Stearns moved all in for 6,000,000 on the A♠10♦8♦ flop to the annoyance of Cloniger who tutted when he folded.
Al Riccobono open-jammed a stack of around 2,500,000 from the small blind and Billy Baxter counted out his chips before calling to put Riccobono at risk.
Al Riccobono: Q♣Q♦
Billy Baxter: A♠4♠
Riccobono had woken up with queens and they held up for a double as the board ran out 6♣J♣K♥9♦6♠.
Level: 33
Blinds: 150,000/300,000
Ante: 300,000
Action folded to Jerry Garver in the small blind who went all in. Shannon Fahey was in the big blind and took only a moment and called.
Jerry Garver: Q♥4♦
Shannon Fahey: Q♣J♦
The board ran out 2♣A♥J♥Q♠6♦ and Garver hit the rail in 20th place.
Action folded to Thomas Howes in late position who went all in for 1,475,000. Action made it to David Stearns in the small blind, who called, and David Michaud in the big blind also called.
The 10♥K♣6♥ flop hit the felt and action checked to Michaud, who put out a 500,000 bet, and Stearns folded. The players were heads up with Howes all in and at risk.
Thomas Howes: A♠6♦
David Michaud: J♥J♠
The turn was the Q♦ and the river a K♦ sending Howes to the rail in 21st place.
Brett Reichard moved all in from under the gun for 2,275,000 and was called by Lonnie Hallett on the button.
Brett Reichard: K♣J♥
Lonnie Hallett: J♣J♦
Reichard was drawing thin and the board of A♣9♥2♠9♣2♦ cemented his fate as Hallett's jacks and nines took the pot. Reichard headed to the cashier desk to collect $30,067.
Kevin Kelly open-jammed a stack of around 2,600,000 from the button and Dan Heimiller quickly called in the big blind to put Kelly at risk.
Kevin Kelly: 6♠6♥
Dan Heimiller: A♣K♣
Kelly was still ahead with sixes on the flop of Q♣J♦9♠, but the 10♠ turn had him drawing dead as Heimiller made Broadway to mark Kelly's elimination in 23rd place.
Chip leader Lonnie Hallett was flexing his muscles by moving all-in to steal the blinds. This time he shoved from the button and the small blind, Rodney Hurlbut, called for 3,500,000.
Rodney Hurlbut: J♦J♠
Lonnie Hallett: A♦9♥
Hallett was behind, but the flop of 8♥7♥5♣ gave additional gutshot outs. The K♠ on the turn changed nothing, but the 6♣ landed on the river, to the delight of Hallett and the absolute dismay of Hurlbut, as the Canadian made the Dolly Parton straight.
Hurlbut was consoled by the floor staff as he was given his pay ticket for 24th place.
Patrick Viret was in the hijack in a heads-up pot against David Thompson on a board of 8♠8♦3♦. Viret moved all in for around 2,000,000 and Thompson quickly called with a bigger stack.
Patrick Viret: A♦Q♦
David Thompson: 8♥7♥
It was a fair fight as Thompson had trips against the flush draw of Viret, who couldn't get there as the runout of J♣7♣ improved Thompson to a full house to mark Viret's elimination.
Over at the feature table, Ron Fetsch came in with a raise to 600,000 on the button. With a quick flick of his wrist, Jamie Baker splashed four T-500,000 chips on top of his big blind to make it 2,250,000 to go.
Fetcsh slouched back in his chair and pondered for around 30 seconds before shoving all in. A quick call from Baker followed.
Jamie Baker: K♣K♥
Ron Fetsch: A♣A♦
It was the mother of all coolers between two of the largest stacks in the room, resulting in audible gasps from around the table. The flop came down J♦10♣3♠, bringing no help to Baker, but the Q♥ on the turn added some additional straight outs.
The river K♠, a card he originally needed, wasn't among those outs anymore as it improved Fetsch to Broadway. Baker, however, was so focused on the king coming that he jumped out of his chair and loudly celebrated.
Moments later, after his table mates pointed it out, the situation dawned on him and he solemnly left the stage to collect his payout.
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