We picked up the action on the flop as the dealer spread out . Action was heads up, and Joe Hachem checked. William Thorson bet 3,100 only to see Hachem check-raise to 8,500, but the action wasn't dying there. Thorson reraised to 15,700, and Hachem popped it right back up to 29,500. Thorson flatted now, and the landed on fourth street. Perhaps sensing something foul, Hachem checked, and Thorson settled on a bet of 41,000.
It would be some five minutes or so before Hachem reluctantly slipped his cards into the muck, and that pot will push Thorson into a big chip lead. He's got about 160,000 now, while Hachem has taken a big hit back down to about 71,000.
Michael Zowie opened to 3,500, and Casey Kastle called in position. From the small blind, Sean Rafael three-bet to 15,600, and Zowie quickly folded. Kastle called, though, and it was heads-up to the flop.
It came , and Rafael bet all in for about 12,000. Kastle made the call with his covering stack, and Rafael was at risk as the cards were turned up. He was well in front:
Kastle:
Rafael:
Was well in front. The turn and river came and , however, and Kastle ran down his flush to take the pot. With it comes the elimination of Rafael, and we are down to 11 players.
Joe Hachem has just surrendered a pot to William Thorson, who is now on more than 175,000 in chips.
Hachem limped in from under the gun and the action folded around to Thorson who called from the button. Grant Trask called from the big blind to make it three-handed to the flop of .
Trask and Hachem checked ot Thorson who led out for 1,800; Trask folded and Hachem called, making it heads-up to the turn of the , which both players checked, as well as the river .
Hachem turned up for two pair, but mucked his hand after Thorson showed for the same hand with the better kicker.
We've been hard-pressed to find any action because the players have now fallen into the small-ball routine. However, we've just noticed that a private $1/$2 cash game table has been opened for Annette Obrestad, Scott Montgomery and one of their other friends.
They've now been joined by Jackie Glazier and Bruno Portaro. Unfortunately, we can't report on the hands that play out on cash game tables, but apart from the last few hands being dealt in the Main Event, that's about all that's going on down here in the Crown Poker Room.
It was a three-way pot when we walked up to a turn showing . Carlos Mortensen led out with a bet of 8,800, and Grant Trask folded. That put the decision on Casey Kastle, and he eventually splashed in the call.
The river filled out the board, and Mortensen fired another 9,500. Another splashy call from Kastle.
"Two pair," Mortensen, but Kastle was already tabling his for top two. Mortensen flashed his inferior , mucking his way down to about 50,000. Castle is up over the century mark now with about 107,000.
Jon Swick opened to 5,600 before Michael Zowie three-bet to 15,000. It was enough to cover Swick, and the short stack called all in for 13,200 when the action returned to him. Cards on their backs:
Swick:
Zowie:
The flop was a big miss for Swick, and the turn left him drawing dead to Broadway. He could not connect with the river, and he's been eliminated in 11th place.
![[user66118]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
. Action was heads up, and Joe Hachem checked. William Thorson bet 3,100 only to see Hachem check-raise to 8,500, but the action wasn't dying there. Thorson reraised to 15,700, and Hachem popped it right back up to 29,500. Thorson flatted now, and the 
landed on fourth street. Perhaps sensing something foul, Hachem checked, and Thorson settled on a bet of 41,000.
, and Rafael bet all in for about 12,000. Kastle made the call with his covering stack, and Rafael was at risk as the cards were turned up. He was well in front:
and 
, however, and Kastle ran down his flush to take the pot. With it comes the elimination of Rafael, and we are down to 11 players.
.
, which both players checked, as well as the river 
. Carlos Mortensen led out with a bet of 8,800, and Grant Trask folded. That put the decision on Casey Kastle, and he eventually splashed in the call.
for top two. Mortensen flashed his inferior 
, mucking his way down to about 50,000. Castle is up over the century mark now with about 107,000.
flop was a big miss for Swick, and the 
turn left him drawing dead to Broadway. He could not connect with the