Kadziela opened to 175,000 with but walked into the monster of Croitoru’s , the Romanian raising to 465,000. That got a fold, and Kadziela’s frustration is clear for all to see.
Georgios Vrakas opened to 190,000 with and Chikita looked down at with less than eight big blinds. He announced ‘I fold!’ after asking for a chip-count and that was the last hand before a twenty-minute break.
Ivan Banic made it 225,000 with and he got folds all round. The next hand featured Banic again, and he raised to 235,0000 this time with ! Wendlandt called from the big blind with . The flop of saw Banic lead for 235,000 but Wendlandt folded it away.
Banic has the chip lead from the others, although Mihai Croitoru is quite close behind him with 8.2 million. The overnight chip leader and the Croatian Banic look favourites to clash heads-up. Can anyone change that?
Local player Chikita (Yehuda Cohen) Doubles Back into contention
Polish player Michal Kadziela made it 235,000 with but Croitoru raised to 500,000 with . Kadziela counted out his chips and with just fourteen big blinds behind, couldn’t carry on with the other short stacks around him. Both chip leaders are taking advantage of their lead by putting the other five remaining players in the cage as they glance at the pay-outs throughout.
Marco Topic moved all-in pre-flop with and got it through, before Croitoru moved all-in with from the small blind. The big blind was Wendlandt and he dodged any trouble. Banic raised with an ace then c-bet the ace-high flop as the status quo was maintained.
Two hours into play, Ivan Banic has benefitted most, building himself a chip-leading stack. Overnight leader Mihai Croitoru has maintained his table control, however, while Stefan Drabert busted in eighth place. Of the remaining seven players, Michal Kadziela has endured the most pain, hardly winning a hand and having to fold in some horrible spots.
Henning Wendlandt busted after running into two strong pairs here in Rozvadov.
Henning Wendlandt moved all-in from the button with for 1,585,000 and he was called by Georgios Vrakas in the small blind with . Topic got out of the way in the big blind, and with 3.3 million in the pot and almost identical chip stacks, the board of sent Wendlandt down to just a couple of chips.
Those were into the middle straight away with , but the German had run into Ivan Banic and the board of sent the German home, running into two very strong hands to bust.
Banic had built a small chip lead against Mihai Croitoru, but it has disappeared in one hand.
Banic raised pre-flop with and was called by Croitoru with The flop of saw a c-bet called again by Croitoru before a turn was checked.
On the river of , Banic bet 455,000, but he was called by Croitoru, and after losing a huge 3 million-chip pot, Banic will be disappointed to have given away a chip lead he had to work so hard to take.
In the next hand, Banic raised with and was called by Croitoru, with . But after both men saw nothing help their hand, Croitoru's strong bet of 1.75m on the river saw him take a big pot.
A very quick all-in with for Chikita was called by Georgios Vrakas in the big blind with . Chikita only had 385,000 , but after the board of , he had nine big blinds. He still needs help, but Chikita is back to needing just one double to get back into the race.
Vrakas opened to 575,000 with and was raised powerfully to 800,000 with by Miahi Croitoru. The Spanish-based Romanian-born player has been a big-stack all day and has showed very few of his cards. Strong stuff.
Kadziela moved all-in with 795,000 in front of him on the button and got folds from Croitoru in the small blind and Vrakas in the big blind. For the first time at the final table, Kadziela is smiling, having won his first hand in hours of play.
Chikita moved all-in for 660,000 with and Croitoru called with but Vrakas had woken up with and was going nowhere. Vrakas raised to just under 1.5m and Croitoru folded.
Chikita was on his feet and looking to triple up, the flop of set that up perfectly. The turn and river confirmed local businessman Chikita’s resurgence, putting him third in chips! A carnival atmosphere in this cardroom, as Chikita is elated, again shouting “Chukka Chukka!”
Chikita had and after Mihai Croitoru’s opening bet to 225,000 from the hijack position with , Chikita only called. The flop of saw Croitoru c-bet to 225,000, which Chikita called.
The turn was a , and Chikita checked, but so too did Croitoru. The river of saw both men check and Croitoru took it down. Chikita was suddenly silent, perhaps wondering how he has lost that hand.
but walked into the monster of Croitoru’s 
, the Romanian raising to 465,000. That got a fold, and Kadziela’s frustration is clear for all to see. 
and Chikita looked down at 
with less than eight big blinds. He announced ‘I fold!’ after asking for a chip-count and that was the last hand before a twenty-minute break. 
and he got folds all round. The next hand featured Banic again, and he raised to 235,0000 this time with 
. The flop of 
saw Banic lead for 235,000 but Wendlandt folded it away. 
but Croitoru raised to 500,000 with 
and got it through, before Croitoru moved all-in with 
from the small blind. The big blind was Wendlandt and he dodged any trouble. Banic raised with an ace then c-bet the ace-high flop as the status quo was maintained. 
for 1,585,000 and he was called by Georgios Vrakas in the small blind with 
sent Wendlandt down to just a couple of chips. 
and the board of 
sent the German home, running into two very strong hands to bust.
turn was checked. 
, Banic bet 455,000, but he was called by Croitoru, and after losing a huge 3 million-chip pot, Banic will be disappointed to have given away a chip lead he had to work so hard to take. 
with 795,000 in front of him on the button and got folds from Croitoru in the small blind and Vrakas in the big blind. For the first time at the final table, Kadziela is smiling, having won his first hand in hours of play.
and Croitoru called with 
but Vrakas had woken up with 
