From early position, Allen Kessler raised to 1,150. A few seats over, Alexander Kravchenko three-bet it to 3,150, and Kessler called to see a flop.
It came , and Kessler knocked the table. When Kravchenko bet 3,500, Kessler moved all in for just less than 20,000, and Kravchenko called to put him at risk. Kessler, "The Chainsaw", as he's better known, was well ahead:
Kravchenko:
Kessler:
Kravchenko was was looking for one of his two-out aces to notch the knockout, and that's exactly what he found. A third ace peeled right off on the turn, and Kessler could not find the last ten in the deck.
Allen Kessler had the most cashes of anyone this year at the WSOP (with a very impressive nine), and he even managed to get heads up in the $10,000 Stud Hi/Lo event for a bracelet. He couldn't snag one there, though, and he won't be winning this Main Event bracelet either. He's out, essentially doubling up Kravchenko in the process.
With five bracelets in Vegas, Canada had an impressive showing, and it could get even better as Jonathan Duhamel heads into November's final with the chip lead. But before then, there's the small matter of a WSOPE bracelet to tie up, and as we come to the close of level five, Duhamel is still alive.
However, with 17,000, he's short and facing a tough table that includes Nick Schulman and Faraz Jaka, both of whom have chips to play with. But if anyone can mount a comeback, it's Duhamel, the 22-year old Quebecer having already proved his stamina by battling through a field 7,319 to become the favourite to capture the title of 2010 World Champion.
Despite having guaranteed himself $811,823, Duhamel will be keen to make an impact here in London, and prove he's no flash in the pan by echoing the achievements of James Akenhead and Antoine Saout last year who both made the final of Europe's WSOP counterpart. The journey will be long, but he's traveled longer before.
It's certainly a day for the French here at the WSOPE, Arnaud Mattern is the biggest stack at the upper level with 130,000 and his compatriot Nicolas Levi is close behind with 123,000. Rémy Biechel has 80,000 while Almira Skripchenko has 75,000 which also puts them all among the leading group.
[user46298]
Leo Margets: an enigma wrapped in a mystery
Leo Margets is a big stack, and a hand she was made to show-one-show-all at the end of reveals that some of those chips might have come her way without the benefit of the best hand... There was a raise to 1,100 in front of her, and a flat call. She upped it preflop to 3,600 and received just one caller. On the (one diamond) flop she bet 5,200 when it was checked to her and got a call. The turn brought the . Now her opponent bet out 12k out of a stack of 27k total - and Margets put him in. He passed quickly and she tried to sneak Filippo Candio a glance at her hand, but the whole table has to see if it's shown and they all did - .
Frenchman Arnaud Mattern has recently been confirmed as your current chip leader here on Day 1a. He's got more chips than the Walkers and Lay's factories combined with a monstrous 135,000.
From middle position, Allen Cunningham raised to 1,500. Tyron Krost called on the button, the small blind called and then Harry Kaczka called from the big blind.
The flop came down and the small blind checked. Kaczka fired out a bet of 3,825 and one by one, each of his opponents folded.
![[user66118]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
, and Kessler knocked the table. When Kravchenko bet 3,500, Kessler moved all in for just less than 20,000, and Kravchenko called to put him at risk. Kessler, "The Chainsaw", as he's better known, was well ahead:
. Now her opponent bet out 12k out of a stack of 27k total - and Margets put him in. He passed quickly and she tried to sneak Filippo Candio a glance at her hand, but the whole table has to see if it's shown and they all did - 
.
. Cody fired 1,525 and Seidel called.
, both players checked to see another seven, the 
, fall on the river. Both players checked again.
and Seidel the 
. Seidel's hand was best and he won the pot.
