From middle position, Robert Hwang made it 67,000 to play. Next to act, Ed Cotter shoved from the hijack for 309,000. Action folded around to Hwang who called with . Cotter tabled a dominating , but hated to see the flop come down to give Hwang a ton of outs. The turn kept Cotter ahead, but did add a few chop outs to the equation. However the river was a safe for Cotter, doubling to nearly 700,000.
Ramana Epparla raised to 67,000 from early position and was called by Sean Knitter in the big blind.
Knitter checked in the dark as the flop came down . Epparla checked behind to see the hit the turn. Another check from Knitter led to a bet of 100,000 from Epparla. Knitter raised, though, getting in his stack of 309,000 into the middle. Epparla folded, giving the pot to Knitter.
Robert Hwang opened to 66,000 from early position. Action folded to Kenny Nguyen in the big blind and he moved all in for an additional 239,000. After a few moments, Hwang gave it up and surrendered the pot to Nguyen.
Sean Knitter opened the pot to 60,000 from the button, and both blinds (Ari Engel and Ramana Epparla) came along with calls to see the flop.
The dealer fanned , and the blinds checked to let Knitter continue out with a bet of 95,000. Engel called (with just 35,000 chips left behind), while Epparla ducked out of the way. That led the other two heads up to the turn, and Engel stuck those last few chips into the pot. Epparla called with , and Engel proudly showed that his was unbeatable. Epparla had one out to chop, but the river gives Engel his second double in three hands.
He's up to 472,000 now, recovering almost completely from that lost race against Epparla an orbit ago.
One hand after his crippling, Ari Engel raised to 72,000 under the gun, leaving one gray T5,000 chip capping his cards. Kenny Nguyen raised to 140,000, and Engel dropped his last chip into the pot, all in for 77,000.
Showdown
Engel:
Nguyen:
The flop was as blank as it gets for Engel, needing to find his six-outer to stay afloat. He found it on the turn, then peeled the off on the river just for good measure. Engel's suited gapper gives him the double back to 222,000, still the shortest stack at the table.
In early position, Ari Engel shoved all in for more than 400,000 total. In middle position, Ramana Epparla called all in for his last 379,000, and the rest of the table ducked out of the battle. With Epparla at risk again, the cards were turned up.
Showdown
Engel:
Epparla:
The dealer kept Epparla's pair safe, spreading a board to ship him the double up. He's back to 826,000 after having just 19,000 earlier in this level.
It's now Engel who finds himself on the short stack, left with just 81,000 after losing that flip.
From middle position, Sean Knitter limped into the pot, and Ari Engel raised to 72,000 from the hijack seat. On the button, Kenny Nguyen shoved all in for 123,000 total, and Engel called to put him to the test.
Showdown
Engel:
Nguyen:
The board ran out clean for Nguyen, coming to secure his double up. He's back to 338,000 now, dropping Engel down to 460,000.
Since that last double for Ramana Epparla, things have ground to a screeching halt. Most of the pots are being won with a single raise or postflop bet, and action is hard to come by right now.
In a general sense, Kenny Nguyen seems to be pretty much trying to spread his chips out across the rest of the table. In the last hand, Sean Knitter raised to 56,000 and Nguyen defended his small blind to see a flop.
It came , and Nguyen was forced to fold to a Knitter shove. He's down to 130,000 now and getting dangerously short on chips.
. Cotter tabled a dominating 
, but hated to see the flop come down 
to give Hwang a ton of outs. The 
turn kept Cotter ahead, but did add a few chop outs to the equation. However the river was a safe 
for Cotter, doubling to nearly 700,000.
. Epparla checked behind to see the 
, and the blinds checked to let Knitter continue out with a bet of 95,000. Engel called (with just 35,000 chips left behind), while Epparla ducked out of the way. That led the other two heads up to the 
was unbeatable. Epparla had one out to chop, but the river 
gives Engel his second double in three hands.
turn, then peeled the 
off on the river just for good measure. Engel's suited gapper gives him the double back to 222,000, still the shortest stack at the table.
board to ship him the double up. He's back to 826,000 after having just 19,000 earlier in this level.
