Ismail Ismail looked down at one card and moved all in for his final 230,000 chips from the cutoff. Michael Lo Giudice was in the small blind, and he decided to call. Ismail had a good shot at doubling up to his own surprise after turning over both cards.
Ismail Ismail
Michael Lo Giudice
The flop brought out , and this gave Lo Giudice a commanding lead. Ismail was looking for running cards, and the turn brought one of them when the hit. The river was the though, and Ismail was knocked out in 5th place. Just four players remain.
Ashley Warner just raised to 52,000 under the gun and Ismail Ismail called to his direct left. Paul Hockin was on the button and he proceeded to three-bet to 160,000.
The action was folded to Ismail who tanked for about a minute before making the call. He had just 230,000 chips left behind.
The flop brought out and Ismail checked. Hockin moved all in, and Ismail went into the tank once again. Two minutes later he decided to fold, leaving himself with very little chips.
Michael Guzzardi just won back-to-back hands and is up to around 2,000,000 chips. The first pot he won we caught on the river. Guzzardi explained afterwards that Paul Hockin had raised under the gun and he called in position.
The flop came down and Hockin check-called a bet. On the turn the hit, and Hockin check-called another bet. The river was the and Hockin checked again. Guzzardi bet 300,000 and Hockin called after going into the tank for quite some time. Guzzardi showed and took down this big pot.
On the next hand Michael Lo Giudice limped under the gun. Guzzardi raised to 60,000 and only the limper called. The flop brought out and Lo Giudice check-called 65,000. The turn was the , and both players checked.
On the river the hit and Lo Giudice bet 100,000. Guzzardi called and Lo Giudice showed . Guzzardi turned over and took down this pot.
The 23rd level of play is without a doubt the most exciting level we've seen all tournament. The biggest pot of the day so far was just played between three players, and Ashley Warner came out on top. He knocked out two players in the process, and has a huge chip lead heading into five-handed play.
Karan Punjabi was the short stack at the table and he moved all in under the gun for 275,000. Warner was to his direct left, and he made the call. The action was folded to Igal Augarten who snap-called this shove for a big portion of his stack. Three players went to the flop.
The flop brought , and Augarten moved all in right away.
"What the f***?" Warner said immediately as Augarten had moved in for 405,000 chips. Michael Guzzardi could not stop laughing at all this action, and the crowd closed in on the action when Warner decided to call.
Ashley Warner
Igal Augarten
Karan Punjabi
Warner was well ahead to knock two players out, and the on the turn made his chances even bigger. The river brought the , and two players were knocked out! Warner raked in another massive pot as we are down to five players.
Igal Augarten was sitting on his short stack for quite some time, but he just decided to move all in for 312,000 chips. Chip leader Ashley Warner made the call creating the third all-in showdown within five hands.
Igal Augarten
Ashley Warner
The board ran out , and Augarten's pair of tens held up. Warner took a little hit but is still the chip leader with seven remaining players.
Anthony Aston raised to 55,000 pre flop and the action was folded to Paul Hockin in the big blind. He three-bet to 160,000 and that triggered Aston to move all in. Hockin snap-called and another big showdown was upon us.
Paul Hockin
Anthony Aston
The board ran out , and Aston was knocked out. Hockin jumps into the group of million-plus stacks which consists of four players now.
In a drastic turn of events we've just lost Peter Matusik in 9th place. Matusik was chasing a second ANZPT title after winning the Gold Coast event in 2011, but he will not be the first double winner just yet.
Michael Guzzardi raised to 48,000 from middle position after which Matusik called in the hijack. The other players folded, and the flop brought out .
Guzzardi decided to check the flop after which Matusik decided to move all in. Guzzardi double-checked his cards and made the call risking a very large portion of his stack.
Michael Guzzardi
Peter Matusik
Matusik was looking for a spade to win the hand right away, but the turn brought him no help. It was the , followed by the on the river. Guzzardi gave his buddies on the rail a little first bump as he took the remaining 682,000 chips from his opponent. He's now up to 1.5 million and second in chips.
, and this gave Lo Giudice a commanding lead. Ismail was looking for running cards, and the turn brought one of them when the 
hit. The river was the 
though, and Ismail was knocked out in 5th place. Just four players remain.
and Ismail checked. Hockin moved all in, and Ismail went into the tank once again. Two minutes later he decided to fold, leaving himself with very little chips.
and Hockin check-called a bet. On the turn the 
hit, and Hockin check-called another bet. The river was the 
and Hockin checked again. Guzzardi bet 300,000 and Hockin called after going into the tank for quite some time. Guzzardi showed 
and took down this big pot.
and Lo Giudice check-called 65,000. The turn was the 
. Guzzardi turned over 
, and Augarten moved all in right away.
on the turn made his chances even bigger. The river brought the 
, and two players were knocked out! Warner raked in another massive pot as we are down to five players.
, and Augarten's pair of tens held up. Warner took a little hit but is still the chip leader with seven remaining players.
, followed by the