With just 129 entries remaining and 124 places paid, the money bubble is fast approaching. Play will go hand-for-hand on the direct bubble and will only stop once one player has been eliminated.
Anthony Cierco had opened from the button and Wing Po Liu three-bet from the small blind to 63,000. Cierco called.
On the 2♦3♣A♣ flop, Liu continued with a bet of 32,000, and Cierco made the call.
A 6♥ fell on the turn and Liu fired again, this time for 60,000. Cierco took his time but once again he made the call.
The board-pairing 2♥ landed on the river and Liu slowed down with a check, and Cierco quickly checked behind.
Liu flipped over K♥K♠ but was behind to the A♠10♣ of Cierco who had flopped an ace.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
750,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
330,000
120,000
|
120,000 |
|
||
Nate Silver opened from middle position to 16,000. Action folded to Adam Grovenstein who raised all-in for 53,000. Action folded back around to Silver who called.
Adam Grovenstein: 10♥10♦ 
Nate Silver: A♠Q♥
The board ran out 2♦A♣J♣6♣2♥ for Silver to crack Grovenstein's tens with a pair of aces and eliminate him from contention.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,150,000
305,000
|
305,000 |
|
Busted |
The full board of 4♥A♠K♦9♠J♥ was on board and Samy Dubonnet had fired a bet of 60,000 into the big-stacked David Gonzalez. It took a while before Gonzalez made a decision and he did so by throwing a single chip into the pot which signified a call.
Dubonnet quickly tabled A♥J♣ for two pair and Gonzalez mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,150,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
|
460,000
190,000
|
190,000 |
Level: 16
Blinds: 4,000/8,000
Ante: 8,000
Eddy Sabat raised to 15,000 on the button and Alex Foxen called from the big blind.
The flop of Q♣K♣5♥ was checked by both players and the 6♠ revealed itself on the turn. Foxen led out with a bet of 32,000, and Sabat called.
A board-pairing Q♥ completed the board and Foxen took his time before he made a bet of 27,000. Sabat thought for just a moment before he flicked in the call.
"King," announced Foxen.
"Me too. Chop?" said Sabat.
Sabat knew it was unlikely to be a chop as he sheepishly turned over K♦3♦ whilst Foxen flipped up K♠J♣ and took the pot with a better kicker.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
375,000
150,000
|
150,000 |
|
||
|
80,000
80,000
|
80,000 |
Action was picked up on a board of 5♦9♣K♥7♣ when Brandon Allen bet 27,000 from the button and Aaron Thomas called from under the gun.
The river J♦ saw both players check and Thomas showed 8♥10♥ for a straight and his opponent mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
500,000
80,000
|
80,000 |
|
235,000
15,000
|
15,000 |
John Juanda has hovered with a sub-20 big blind stack over the past few levels, but the Poker Hall of Famer found a good spot to double up in a battle of the blinds.
After Joshua Hopkins, one of the largest stacks remaining in the field, announced an all-in bet from the small blind, Juanda snap-called with his remaining 81,000 to put his tournament at risk.
John Juanda: 10♣10♠
Joshua Hopkins: J♥8♥
The dealer ran out 6♣9♣4♥Q♦3♥ to give Juanda a much-needed boost to his stack. The loss put a slight dent on Hopkins’ large chip stack.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,459,000
81,000
|
81,000 |
|
162,000
38,000
|
38,000 |
|
||
In what ended up being the largest pot of the tournament thus far, John Ripnick opened for 14,000. Joshua Hopkins then three-bet it 45,000 which Ripnick called.
The flop came 8♣3♦9♠. Hopkins fired 45,000 and Ripnick called it.
The turn was the 10♦. Hopkins bet 120,000 and this time Ripnick ripped it all in for about 570,000 which Hopkins quickly called.
John Ripnick: 8♦7♦
Joshua Hopkins: Q♥J♠
Hopkins had the top end of the straight but Ripnick had the diamond draw. The river came the J♣ to miss Ripnick. The stacks were counted to make sure Ripnick was slightly covered and just like that there was a new chip leader in the house.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,540,000
780,000
|
780,000 |
|
Busted |
