Hand #135: It seemed like it was just a matter of time before one of Roland De Wolfe's short stack shoves reached a showdown, and the clock finally chimed as De Wolfe moved in from the small blind and neighbour Fabrizio Baldassari made the call.
De Wolfe:
Baldassari:
An uneventful board (I willed a onto the turn, but to no avail) meant that De Wolfe was out in fourth.
De Wolfe is often regarded as a great chip-getter, but this week he proved his short stack abilities too by showcasing a never-say-die attitude that even Rocky would be proud off.
He's one of few triple crown winners in poker; the quadruple will have to wait.
Hand #136: Ronald Lee wins with a preflop button raise, while Baldassari is still stacking Roland de Wolfe's final chips.
Hand #137: Walk for Lee (still 35k).
Hand #138: Lee raised to 140k in the small blind when button James Bord passed preflop. Baldassari sat still, furiously blinking for a few moments, but opted for a fold.
Hand #139: Back on the button (oh how fast it goes), Lee made it 105k to play. Still no one wanted to take him on, and a fourth preflop pot is added to Lee's towers.
Hand #140: Fabrizio broke with tradition and raised on the button himself, taking a set of blinds from the voracious Lee.
Hand #141: Lee made it 140k preflop and after the one-hand hiatus it's back to Ron-based domination.
Hand #142: Lee on the button raised to 105k, this time prompting a reraise from Fabrizio Baldassari to 300k in the small blind. Lee thought about it for about as long as anyone has thought about any decision on this fast-paced final, and then fourbet it to 610k total. Few have challenged Baldassari's reraises so far, and he dealt with it by looking straight down at his chips (or the rail of the table) before finally glancing at Lee and gently swivelling on his chair. He let his hand go and Lee continues to ascend.
Hand #143: James Bord made it 145,000 from the small blind and Roland Lee folded from the big blind. This mammoth pot sent the rail into an explicable frenzy of celebration.
Hand #144: Bord raised his button to 125,000 and Fabrizio Baldassari called. Both players checked the flop, before Baldassari led for 100,000 on the turn. Bord called. Check, check on the river, the Italian taking it down with for top pair.
Hand #145: Lee made it 145,000 from the button. Both opponents gave it up.
Hand #146: A trio of button raises, Baldassari this time picking up the blinds and antes with a raise to 155,000.
Hand #147: Bord raised slightly less, 120,000. No folds on this occasion - Lee reraised to 350,000. Bord folded.
Hand #148: Ronald Lee on the button, as is usual, raised to 105k. Just like last time in this configuration, small blind Fabrizio Baldassari reached for chips, and threw out a raise - to 275k. Back to Lee who, just like last time, repopped him - to 580k! Back in the decision-saddle and Baldassari turned to his rail with a wry smile, sighed, and gave it up.
Hand #152: Ronald Lee was the recipient of the first post-dinner walk, as Bord got his breath back after his initial aggression flurry.
Hand #153: Lee on the small blind gave big blind Fabrizio Baldassari no such benefit, as he raised to 140k, prompting a fold.
Hand #154: Lee again, raising to 105k on the button. With that he won one hand in each posible table position.
Hand #155: Fabrizio Baldassari made it 125k to go, and James Bord moved all in for the second time in about five minutes. Again the initial raiser immediately threw his cards away and the short stack became slightly less so.
Hand #156: Lee raised to 140k, repopped to 450k by Baldassari in the big blind. First one to him post break.
![[user4144]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
board (I willed a 
onto the turn, but to no avail) meant that De Wolfe was out in fourth.
flop, before Baldassari led for 100,000 on the 
turn. Bord called. Check, check on the 
river, the Italian taking it down with 
for top pair.
