A total of 484 entries and reentries were recorded in this $400 Big Stack NLHE tournament, generating a prize pool of $164,318 with $41,977 up top for the eventual winner. Take a look at the full payout table, with just 35 eliminations separating the remaining runners from the money:
A player opened to 15,000 from early position, Kevin McGee moved all in from late position, and the players behind him folded. The original raiser committed the remainder of his stack, putting himself at risk, and showed .
McGee had him dominated with , and held as the board ran out .
At an adjacent table, Katya Grishakova was eliminated with unknown action.
Paul Zagreda got the last of his stack in before the flop, risking 27,000 or so with the .
His two opponents held and to put Zagreda at risk, and when the flop fell he missed the big cards he was looking for. Any ace or jack would still do though, but the on the turn was another brick.
River:
With the board now double-paired, Zagreda's ace-high hand had counterfeited the pocket pairs which nearly sent him home early. He now holds just over the average with a few minutes to play before the dinner break.