Medhi Senhaji opened preflop to 5,200 and Wesley Pantling made the call next to him, while JP Kelly came along too in the big blind.
The flop was and Kelly checked to Senhaji, who bet 6,000. Pantling then raised to 22,000 and Kelly folded, Senhaji thought for a moment before moving all-in and Pantling immediately requested a count.
It was 67,700 more to Pantling who declared, "Call," and Senhaji meekly turned over for little more than a gutshot against Pantling's .
But the turn was the , Pantling sighed and Senhaji jumped out of his chair with more force than a rabid chipmunk. The river helped neither player and Senhaji secured a huge and lucky double up to leave Pantling a short stack and put himself up to about 200,000.
Xiang Tan and Mehdi Senhaji saw the flop of come out in another blind-versus-blind confrontation. Tan checked and Senhaji fired 4,000. Tan made the call and he turn brought the . Tan checked and Senhaji fired 10,000. Tan check-raised the minimum to 20,000 and Senhaji quickly called.
The river completed the board with the and Tan checked. Senhaji fired 45,000 verbally and then stacked out the chips in front of his cards. Tan tanked and then folded, dropping back to 100,000. Senhaji showed the for a full house and now looks to be at about 230,000 in chips.
Leonard Truche just doubled up to 40,000 through Jack Lyman after pushing for 20,000 with over the top of Lyman's initial raise. Lyman priced in to call, quickly did so with and couldn't spike on the board.
Lyman then pushed the very next hand with and got called by Kaveh Payman's avoiding king and ace to double up back to 23,000.
Action folded to Mehdi Senhaji and he moved all in to put the pressure on all the short stacks behind him from the cutoff seat. Defending champion JP Kelly called from the small blind. James Tomlin folded pocket eights from the big blind and it was Senhaji's sevens against Kelly's nines.
The board ran out clean for Kelly and he was able to double up to 110,000, making him that much stronger in hopes to successfully defend his title.
Nicky Katz opened the pot with an early-position raise, but we were too late to see the amount. What we did see was Anton Wigg three-bet with an addition 12,400 on top. It came right back to Katz, and he asked Wigg if he had a pair. And then asked again. Wigg sat as still as a statue. Finally, Katz moved all in for 24,300 (plus his initial raise), and Wigg quickly called to put him at risk.
Showdown
Katz:
Wigg:
Wigg could not connect with the board as it came , and he's obliged Katz with a double up. Wigg stood behind his chair chuckling to himself as most of his chips were pulled away from him. He's down around 20,000 now, smirking and shaking his head as we walked away.