Dimitar Dancev opened for 1,100 from middle position and cleared the field all the way to three-time bracelet winner Antonio Esfandiari, who defended from the big blind. The saw Esfandiari check, Dancev bet 1,500, and "The Magician" check-raise to 3,575.
Dancev made the call and then called a bet of 5,425 on the turn. Both players proceeded to check the river and Esfandiari rolled over for top pair. Dancev mucked.
Phil Hellmuth opened to 1,550 from under the gun. It folded around to the blinds and they both called.
"White magic!" shouted Daniel Negreanu from across the room. Hellmuth flashed back a smile.
The flop fell and there were two checks to Hellmuth. He continued for 4,000 and the small blind folded. The big blind moved all in for roughly 10,000 more and Hellmuth called.
Hellmuth:
Opponent:
Hellmuth was ahead but needed to dodge diamonds on the subsequent streets. The on the turn brought him one step closer to victory and the on the river sealed the deal.
Hellmuth has been slowly trending upward since he first took his seat today and is currently sitting around 80,000.
Phil Hellmuth check-called a bet of 1,600 from World Series of Poker Octo-Niner Steven Gee on the flop. The turn was the , and Hellmuth checked. Gee fired 3,500, and Hellmuth called.
The river was the , and Hellmuth fired 10,000. Gee only had 6,500 behind and tank-folded to give Hellmuth the pot.
We didn't catch the betting, but we do know that Michael Swimelar got his stack all in preflop and was at risk against Ognjen Sekularac.
Showdown
Sekularac:
Swimelar:
It was a race, but Swimelar needed to improve in order to keep his bracelet hopes alive. The wasn't overly encouraging, while the turn left Swimelar in need of either an ace or king on the river. The dealer burned one last time and put out the , the last card Swimelar would see in the 2012 WSOP Europe Main Event.
Mathew Frankland raised to 1,050 before Alex Bilokur reraised to 2,600 from the next seat. Play folded back to Frankland, and he put in another raise to 6,625. Bilokur called.
The flop came down , and both players checked to see the land on the turn. Frankland bet 5,300, and Bilokur folded.
We happened upon the table on an flop with quite a bit in the middle from preflop action. It appeared Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier had checked from the cutoff and Steven Gee, who won a bracelet in 2010 and is a member of this year's coveted October Nine, put out a bet of 5,000, leaving himself just 7,700 behind.
Grospellier then put in a check-raise to 11,125, essentially enough to put Gee's tournament life on the line if he were to make the call. The October Niner thought about it for about 30 seconds before folding. Grospellier allowed Gee to pick one and Gee grabbed what turned out to be the . "I can't call," Gee said as Grospellier was pushed the pot and increased his already massive stack.
We came upon four players staring at a board of . The small blind led out 2,700 and Sam Trickett called from the big blind.
Jason Mercier had moved all in for 10,950 total and action was on a late position player. He called Mercier's all in bet and the small blind and Tricket got rid of their hands.
"The five hit you?" Trickett asked to the late position player.
Mercier showed for a turned set of fives.
"Oh the five hit YOU!" said Trickett.
Mercier's opponent showed for bottom pair and a flush draw. Fortunately for Mercier the rolled off on the river and he was secured a double up.
Chino Rheem raised to 1,100 and the player to his left, in the small blind, three-bet to 2,700. After the big blind folded Rheem four-bet to 7,100 and his opponent moved all in for right around 20,000 chips. Rheem tanked for a bit and called.
Showdown:
Chino Rheem:
Opponent:
The board ran out , and Rheem added some more chips to his stack.
After the hijack opened for 1,150 and Maxime Conte called from the cutoff, Matthew Frankland three-bet to 3,725 from the small blind. The original raiser folded, Conte called, and the flop came down .
Frankland wasted little time in betting 3,150, Conte called, and the dealer burned and turned the . Again Frankland bet, this time 7,700, but Conte had decided he'd had enough and gave up on the hand.
saw Esfandiari check, Dancev bet 1,500, and "The Magician" check-raise to 3,575.
turn. Both players proceeded to check the 
river and Esfandiari rolled over 
for top pair. Dancev mucked.
and there were two checks to Hellmuth. He continued for 4,000 and the small blind folded. The big blind moved all in for roughly 10,000 more and Hellmuth called.
on the river sealed the deal.
, and Hellmuth checked. Gee fired 3,500, and Hellmuth called.
, and Hellmuth fired 10,000. Gee only had 6,500 behind and tank-folded to give Hellmuth the pot.
turn left Swimelar in need of either an ace or king on the river. The dealer burned one last time and put out the 
, the last card Swimelar would see in the 2012 WSOP Europe Main Event.
, and both players checked to see the 
land on the turn. Frankland bet 5,300, and Bilokur folded.
flop with quite a bit in the middle from preflop action. It appeared Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier had checked from the cutoff and Steven Gee, who won a bracelet in 2010 and is a member of this year's coveted October Nine, put out a bet of 5,000, leaving himself just 7,700 behind.
. "I can't call," Gee said as Grospellier was pushed the pot and increased his already massive stack.
. The small blind led out 2,700 and Sam Trickett called from the big blind.
rolled off on the river and he was secured a double up.
