Barry Chien saw action folded to him on the button and opened to 10,000. John Jacob was in the big blind and announced he was all in, sending Chien into the tank. After over a minute, Chien decided to call.
Barry Chien:
John Jacob:
Chien was in need of improving to win the coin flip for his tournament life as he found himself a slight underdog with the title of Bubble Boy looming. The flop came , leaving Chien in need of running outs to stay alive. The turn gave him a sweat, but the river fell and Chien became the 46th place finisher in the tournament.
There are 46 players remaining and the tournament director has announced the beginning of hand-for-hand play. Here are a few other players to have recently been eliminated prior to the bubble.
Action folded to Dennis Baker on the button and he announced he was all in. Steven O'Bryan called all in for much less and the two were off to the races.
Steven O'Bryan:
Dennis Baker:
The flop dropped , putting O'Bryan in prime position to score a double. However, the turn fell to leave him in need of hitting one of the two remaining aces in the deck to improve to a better full house. Neither came on the river and he was left hitting the rail just a few eliminations short of the bubble bursting.
Steven Cushway opened the action with a raise to 12,000 from middle position and was called by Christopher Shaw, who was on his direct left in the hijack. Chris Hight was next to act in the cutoff and three-bet to 41,000.
Action folded back to Cushway and he announced he was all in for 73,000. Shaw folded and Hight called.
Steven Cushway:
Chris Hight:
The two were in a coin flip situation as the flop rolled off , leaving Cushway in trouble and at risk of elimination. The turn and river failed to provide the help he needed and he was left hitting the rail in around 50th place.
Jack Venable saw action folded to him on the button and opened to 12,000. Phyilis Blanton defended her big blind with no small blind in the hand due to an apparent elimination on the previous hand, and the two saw a flop of .
Blanton checked to Venable, who counted out some chips in front of him before stacking them up and placing them out in one stack to bet. Blanton asked how much he had bet and the stack was cut back out to total 12,000. Blanton called. The turn came and Blanton checked again.
"All in," said Venable. Blanton asked for confirmation that he had announced he was all in and then immediately called thereafter.
"You called? Ah, good hand!" said Venable.
Jack Venable:
Phylis Blanton:
Venable had overbet-bluffed his stack with nothing more than six high and a gutshot straight draw only to run into Blanton's turned trip sevens.
"Give me a four," he asked from the dealer as he stood up from his seat. The dealer complied, burning and turning the river to send the table into a slight uproar as he sat back down to get his stack counted, which ended up being another 74,000 to be paid.
The tournament clock reads 53 players remaining as Level 14 comes to a close with the bubble looming near as 45 players are set to make it into the money.
Bryan Chaler saw action folded to him in the hijack and opened to 12,000. He was called by Joey Taylor in the cutoff to put action on Preston McEwen, who was on the button and three-bet all in. Charles Rhodes called all in for less from the big blind and both Chaler and Taylor folded.
Charles Rhodes:
Preston McEwen:
The two were off to the races as the dealer set down the burn card and counted out three cards for the flop . The turn came behind it, leaving Rhodes with one shot at staying alive. He was unable to hit it as the river fell and he got up from his seat, wishing his tablemates good luck as he exited the tournament area.
On RunGood's first visit to Horseshoe Bossier City, the first thing to catch your attention isn't the abundance of players, or the wild amount action at the tables. It's the gorgeous German Shepherd service dog quietly lazing near retired cowboy Grant Hart. Hart's semi-regular companion goes by the name of Whiskey, and is a favorite of both casino staff and players alike.
Hart, who earned his education degree from McNeese State University on a rodeo scholarship, competed in rodeo until 2015, retiring from competition following a shoulder injury. Hart completed college and while competing on the rodeo circuit, he also ran a successful real estate investment company that reached a multi-million dollar valuation by the time Hart hit 40.
"My poker career began in 2016," Hart says. Asked what he likes most about it, he doesn't have to think about the answer. "I love the payouts, but I hate the sitting. When you're used to running a million miles an hour with your hair on fire, sitting takes some getting used to."
The Conway, Arkansas resident has come to RunGood stops in Kansas City, Tulsa, Council Bluffs, Bossier City, and finished 8th in the Main Event in Tunica last month. "I'm centrally located for all your stops. It's just three hours away for most of them."
Hart plays all the majors in the area. Last week, he finished 2nd in the 2018 Gulf Coast Poker Championship in Biloxi for $7,788. He has also played abroad, placing 2nd for $8,392 in the UA MILLIONS Poker Series in Kharkiv, Ukraine last year.
The theme this season is the Old West, but we're just playing dress up. Grant Hart is the real deal.
(content and photos courtsey of Mark Slatcher, rungoodgear.com)