On a board reading , with about 2,500 in the pot, Omid Shahbazian checked from the big blind. David Cadoch bet 1,500 from under the gun and a player in early position called. Shahbazian check-raised to 3,600 and Cadoch came over the top for about 15,000. The early-position player folded and Shahbazian called for his 10,000 remaining chips.
Shahbazian was at risk with for a straight draw, while Cadoch held for two pair eights and fives. The turn was the to give Shahbazian a flush draw also, but the river was the and he was eliminated.
Cadoch earned the $500 bounty and added to his stack.
With about 5,000 in the pot already, on a board reading , the player in the small blind checked and Rodney Ramalho bet 1,600. Two players in late position folded and the small blind called.
The river was the and both players checked. "Board" yelled out the small blind, while chomping on some lunch. Ramalho tabled for two pair and his opponent mucked. "I had a four-high flush draw".
Ramalho hopped in to the tournament late, and has already chipped up a little bit. He's a familiar face around these parts, with almost $500,000 in career earnings. His biggest cash was for $209,000 after taking down the $2,500 No Limit Hold'em WPT Deepstacks Championship event in Calgary two years ago. He also came in second in a World Poker Tour event in 2016 in Niagara Falls for $206,000. Most recently, Ramalho scooped an $1,100 event in June right here at Playground Poker for $30,000.
The room is quickly filling up, with the tournament clock showing 120 players already! Among those includes Patrick Braga, Peter Chien and Dustin Melanson.
At this rate, the field could easily surpass the number of entries from the $550 event yesterday (150 players), with extra incentive with each knockout valued at $500 a piece.
Late registration is open until 2:15 p.m. for another hour and 45 minutes!
David Thibault raised to 400 from under the gun and got calls from the player in the hijack, the player on the button, Randy Khalil in the small blind and Thomas Cemm in the big blind.
The flop came and Khalil immediately moved all-in for 4,025. Cemm folded and Thibault raised to 10,100. The hijack and button both folded.
Khalil was at risk with for a straight draw, and Thibault tabled for ace-high. Khalil was on his feet, but the hit the turn and he immediately sat back down as he locked up the double with a straight. The river was the and the dealer shipped the pot.
The field is growing at a rapid pace with 106 players already in contention. Among those players is partypoker Team Pro Kristen Bicknell.
Bicknell joined the team earlier this year, boasting two World Series of Poker gold bracelets as well as an impressive online poker resume. She plans to dig her heels into many of the tournaments here at Playground Poker in the next couple of weeks, so look for her to make a deep run on home soil.
The Canadian pro had a successful summer with a final table appearance in the $10,000 6-Max event, finishing in sixth place for six figures. She currently sits in second place in the Global Poker Index female rankings, just a few points behind Cate Hall.