Action was picked up preflop with two players all in. Melvin Wiener was all in and at risk from the big blind for roughly 35,000 and was up against Andres Korn on the button.
Daniel Auckland went all in and was at risk from early position for 17,500. Robert Alvarado then went all in himself from late position for roughly 33,000. The rest of the table folded, and the players were off to the races.
Daniel Auckland: A♠J♥
Robert Alvarado: 7♦7♣
The board ran out 6♠2♠J♦4♦10♥, giving Daniel Auckland a much-needed double-up. Daniel Auckland had just brought out his lucky bell to the table, a recent purchase from a yard sale, and the bell delivered a double-up on its first hand in action
Before any community cards were dealt, Tolga Ismen had shoved for 18,000, and was called by Lawrence Ross, with almost 10,000 in dead money in the middle.
Tolga Ismen: A♦8♦
Lawrence Ross: A♣Q♠
The flop A♠7♥3♠ didn't give Ismen any help, with the exception of some unlikely backdoor chops, however the 8♠ turn gave him life again, as his two pair was now favourite to hold and give him a big double. He was still celebrating as the 2♠ river peeled off, giving Ross the backdoor flush, and sending Ismen home brutally.
Peter Kiem opened on the button and got called by Dean Baranowski in the small blind. John Poulter in the big blind raised to 17,000. Kiem took a few seconds to stare Poulter down before making the call. Baranowski called after to see the flop.
The flop came 4♠A♥3♥. Baranowski checked and Poulter fired 10,000. Kiem called but Baranowski decided he's seen enough.
The turn 3♦ fell and both players knuckled. On the river Q♠, Poulter picked up chips worth 20,000 and started shuffling them. After a few seconds of shuffling, he checked. Kiem took the opportunity to take control and bet 18,000 into the pot.
Poulter leaned back, looked at the ceiling, thought for a moment then conceded his hand and the pot to Kiem.
Justin Hall raised to 3,500 under the gun, and action folded around to Joseph Shoemaker on the button, who put in a call. Small blind Jonathan Ingalls then ripped in his almost 100,000 stack, putting Hall in a tough spot.
Hall, with only 14 big blinds behind, thought about his decision before finding a fold. Incredibly, Shoemaker then snap-folded A♣K♠ face up to the table's shock, however Ingalls showed him that he was indeed behind, and made the correct fold against the Q♠Q♣ of Ingalls.