Ali Alawadhi opened to 2,200,000 in the cutoff and Will Butcher defended the big blind. Both players checked the J♣J♥6♠ flop. Butcher checked the K♦ on the turn, Alawadhi bet 2,000,000, and Butcher called.
The river was the 8♥ and Alawadhi bet 4,000,000 after a check. Butcher called but was shown the bad news as Alawadhi tabled J♦9♥ for trip jacks.
Action folded to Raffaello Locatelli in the small blind who limped. Ali Alawadhi answered raising to 2,400,000 from the big blind. Locatelli paused briefly before announcing all in and seeing a snap-call from Alawadhi, putting himself at risk and sending the pair to a runout.
Ali Alawadhi: A♦A♠
Raffaello Locatelli: A♥K♠
In what quickly became a massive blind versus blind confrontation with over 50,000,000 chips in the middle, the board ran out 8♦3♠5♣3♦A♣ to secure a huge double for Alawadhi and catapult him to the top of the chip counts.
Raffaello Locatelli made it 2,000,000 to go in early position. David Elisofon three-bet shoved 11,600,000 from the small blind, Kelly Gall reshoved from the big blind, and Locatelli got out of the way.
David Elisofon: 8♣8♥
Kelly Gall: A♣10♣
Elisofon's pair held up during the 9♠4♣3♠J♥5♠ rundown to keep nine players at the table.
In the previous hand, Will Butcher open-shoved a little over 10,000,000 from under the gun and received no callers. In the next hand, Ryan Stephens raised to 2,000,000 from under the gun and Butcher defended the big blind.
Butcher check-called 1,000,000 from Stephens on a K♣5♣5♦ flop before both players checked the 3♠ on the turn. On the 3♦ river, Butcher led for 4,500,000 and Stephens followed with a call.
Butcher tabled A♠A♣ for aces and fives and Stephens mucked his hand.
Level: 37
Blinds: 500,000/1,000,000
Ante: 1,000,000
Action folded to Dejuante Alexander on the button who jammed for 6,400,000. Ali Alawadhi called from the big blind to send the pair to a runout with Alexander at risk.
Dejuante Alexander: 7♦7♠
Ali Alawadhi: A♥9♦
The board ran out 8♠7♠4♠4♥2♦, securing a full double for Alexander.
William Butcher raised to 2,100,000 from middle position and Ryan Stephens called from late position to see a A♦2♥J♠ flop.
Butcher continued with a bet of 2,000,000, which Stephens called to bring out the K♥ on the turn.
Butcher counted out another bet, this time in the amount of 4,300,000. Stephens thought briefly before tossing in the call to take the duo to the Q♦ river.
Both players checked through to showdown and when Stephens turned up the A♥Q♣, Butcher slid his cards toward the muck as the dealer pushed the pot in Stephens' direction.
Supported by friends and family on the rail, Steven Genovese has been one of the early standouts at the final table. After a few raise-and-take-its, where he showed both ace-king and pocket queens, Genovese got involved in another hand.
This time, he raised to 1,900,000 in middle position and Ryan Stephens three-bet to 5,100,000 in late position. Genovese took a stack of T-500,000 chips worth 10 million, stuck a 1 million chip on top of it, and slid it forward next to his original raise for a bet totaling 12,900,000.
Stephens briefly considered it before folding.
Photos by Matthew Berglund - PokerNews/WSOP
Youssef Hicham raised from early position to 1,600,000 and got called by Ali Alawadhi in the big blind to bring out a 8♦7♥10♦ flop.
Alawadhi checked over to Hichamwho continued with a bet of 1,900,000. Alawadhi called and the pair headed to the A♦ turn card.
Alawadhi checked again and Hichamput another bet out, this time for 4,300,000. Alawadhi called once again to take both players to the 2♦ river.
Alawadhi paused briefly before jamming to put Hicham at risk. Hichamcounted his chips and checked his cards a few times during a minute or two long tank. Eventually, he opted to let it go and concede the pot to Alawadhi.
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