donpeters
David Benyamine raised to 11,000 with the and then Phil Hellmuth reraised to 45,000 with the . Benyamine gave him credit for a hand and folded.
On the next hand, Benyamine raised from under the gun to 11,000 with the and then Hellmuth had a real hand with the . He reraised again to 45,000. Daniel Negreanu had a brief moment with his hand -- -- in the big blind, but folded and then Benyamine followed suit.
donpeters
Benyamine seated next to Hellmuth
David Benyamine raised to 11,000 with the and Roland De Wolfe called from the big blind with the .
The flop came down and De Wolfe checked, hoping to play another small pot. Benyamine checked behind.
The turn was the best card in the deck for Benyamine when the rolled off, giving his a king-high straight. De Wolfe checked, now drawing dead, and Benyamine fired 14,000. De Wolfe called.
The river was the and De Wolfe checked. Benyamine bet 39,000 which was about 40% of De Wolfe's remaining stack. There was a four-card straight on the board if Benyamine held an eight and that might've helped De Wolfe get away, but he tank-called the bet. Benyamine showed him the nuts and De Wolfe folded, left with about 60,000 chips.
donpeters
Laak the first to go today
Phil Laak was all in for his last 11,000 with the against Tony G with pocket sixes and Phil Hellmuth in the big blind with . After a flop of , Tony G bet Hellmuth out of the pot to get heads up with Laak. Hellmuth folded.
The turn was the and the river the to send Laak to the rail in eighth place. He didn't earn any points, but barring a win from David Benyamine, will still be the chip leader at the final table.
donpeters
Laak and Negreanu
Phil Hellmuth opened to 12,000 with the from early position. Phil Laak reraised from the button to 44,000 with the . Daniel Negreanu was one hand removed from his blunder and reraised all in from the small blind for 124,000 holding the . Hellmuth folded and then Laak called, after taking some time to verify the count.
The entire table was rooting for Laak in the hand to bust Negreanu, even if they didn't outright say it. Negreanu was racing to stay alive and keep his Premier League hopes in view.
The flop came down and kept Negreanu in the lead. The turn was the and now Laak held a straight draw to the wheel along with his overcards. The river completed the board with the and Negreanu stayed alive. He earned the much-needed double up while Laak was crippled to under three big blinds and was left with only 11,000 chips.
donpeters
The monkey takin' over
On his first hand back, Luke Schwartz was dealt the and raised to 11,000. Daniel Negreanu was in the big blind and held the . He was chatting with Schwartz and knew that Schwartz was just trying to move up in points. After some chatter,
"So if I move all in you,'ll have to fold right?" said Negreanu, having studied the points system before hand.
Negreanu then moved all in and Schwartz snap-called.
Negreanu saw the bad news and then the board ran out and Schwartz doubled up from his 285,000 to 572,000.
"And he's in the final!" said Schwartz, "And he's in the final!" He then walked off, knowing he has a much larger stack to just be blinded off. The monkey is back in his seat.
He did come back after a couple minutes away and gave some money to the dealer for a tip for keeping him alive and not delivering a beat. Then, he walked off again.
donpeters
Luke Schwartz has finally come back to the table and taken his seat. Daniel Negreanu was questioning why Schwartz wasn't seated there the entire time and Phil Hellmuth said that he was surprised Schwartz came back at all. Let's see if anything kicks up with him back.
donpeters
David Benyamine raised to 10,000 with the and Tony G just smooth-called on the button with the .
The flop came down and Benyamine smashed it with top set. The ace on the flop might have saved Tony G's tournament. Benyamine checked and Tony G checked.
The turn was the and now Benyamine had a full house. He checked and Tony G fired 10,000. Benyamine just called.
The river was the and Benyamine bet 10,000. Tony G paid him off and Benyamine tabled his aces full of threes.
donpeters
Phil Hellmuth raised to 12,000 from the button with the . Tony G called from the small blind with the and then Vanessa Rousso called in the big blind with the .
The flop smashed Rousso when it came . Tony G checked and Rousso checked. Hellmuth fired 18,000 and Tony G folded. Rousso took her time and then raised to 40,000. Hellmuth thought about it for a little while, but eventually folded his hand.
donpeters
Luke Schwartz is still not at the table and just being blinded off. The stuffed monkey is still in his seat, taking over for Schwartz. The television crew just let everyone know that Schwartz is in the high roller section of the casino.
donpeters
Vanessa Rousso raised to 10,000 with the and Phil Laak flat-called behind her with the . Daniel Negreanu reraised to 40,000 with the . Rousso called and then Laak called as well.
The flop came down and Negreanu went from first to worst. Rousso checked, Laak checked and then Negreanu fired all in for 283,000. Rousso folded and started complaining about how she never hits any flops and then Laak folded next. Negreanu picked up the pot.
and then Phil Hellmuth reraised to 45,000 with the 
. Benyamine gave him credit for a hand and folded.
and then Hellmuth had a real hand with the 
. He reraised again to 45,000. Daniel Negreanu had a brief moment with his hand -- 
-- in the big blind, but folded and then Benyamine followed suit.
.
rolled off, giving his a king-high straight. De Wolfe checked, now drawing dead, and Benyamine fired 14,000. De Wolfe called.
. After a flop of 
to send Laak to the rail in eighth place. He didn't earn any points, but barring a win from David Benyamine, will still be the chip leader at the final table.
. Daniel Negreanu was one hand removed from his blunder and reraised all in from the small blind for 124,000 holding the 
and kept Negreanu in the lead. The turn was the 
and now Laak held a straight draw to the wheel along with his overcards. The river completed the board with the 
and Negreanu stayed alive. He earned the much-needed double up while Laak was crippled to under three big blinds and was left with only 11,000 chips.
and raised to 11,000. Daniel Negreanu was in the big blind and held the 
. He was chatting with Schwartz and knew that Schwartz was just trying to move up in points. After some chatter, 
and Benyamine smashed it with top set. The ace on the flop might have saved Tony G's tournament. Benyamine checked and Tony G checked.
and now Benyamine had a full house. He checked and Tony G fired 10,000. Benyamine just called.
and Benyamine bet 10,000. Tony G paid him off and Benyamine tabled his aces full of threes.
and then Vanessa Rousso called in the big blind with the 
. Tony G checked and Rousso checked. Hellmuth fired 18,000 and Tony G folded. Rousso took her time and then raised to 40,000. Hellmuth thought about it for a little while, but eventually folded his hand.
and Negreanu went from first to worst. Rousso checked, Laak checked and then Negreanu fired all in for 283,000. Rousso folded and started complaining about how she never hits any flops and then Laak folded next. Negreanu picked up the pot.
