Banic opened to 375,000 with in the small blind, and Chikita called with . The flop of saw a c-bet from Banic to 415,000 and that was enough to scoop another pot for the Croatian.
It was another raise, another take for Banic in the next hand, as he opened with on the button, taking it down.
Mihai Croitoru limped from the small blind with and Banic checked with . The flop of saw Banic bet out 360,000, but Croitoru called. The turn of saw both men’s hands improve, with Banic’s bet of 325,000 raised to just over a million, which Banic called with top pair against two pair.
The river of led to Croitoru making it 395,000, and Banic called to pay off his opponent.
Banic opened to 560,000 with and Croitoru raised to 1,040,000 with on the button. Banic just called. The flop of saw Croitoru lead for 1,550,000 and Banic check-called.
The turn of saw Banic check to his opponent and Croitoru made it 2.4 million! Banic again made the call to create a ten million chip pot and the biggest of the tournament so far.
The river of saw Croitoru give up and Banic swept the pot, giving him a huge chip lead. Croitoru fired two barrels but the Croat held firm and his reward is holding more than double the chips of either of his opponents.
In two hands, Croatian player Ivan Banic extended his chip lead.
First, Banic moved all-in from the small blind with and Chikita folded what was in his own words “the worst had in poker”, .
Banic then made it 320,000 with and was called by Mihai Croitoru with . Banic c-bet the flop of for 175,000 and was called by Croitoru. The turn of saw Banic bet again, this time 950,000. Croitoru made the call, and on the river of , both men checked. Another big one for Banic, with three million chips slid his way.
Banic opened to 320,000 with and was called by Croitoru in the big blind with The queen-high flop saw two checks, and the turn was a . Both men checked again. The river of saw Banic bet 325,000 despite neither man improving and Croitoru raised to 1,175,000. Banic had the winning hand with his pair of fives, but let it go to give away some chips.
Croitoru limped in the button with and Banic did the same, as did Chikita with . The flop of [Jac3hAc] saw Croitoru bet, but Chikita made the call. The turn of and river saw checks also, but Chikita won’t mind, he has over three million.
Banic has led the action all day, and he has continued to do so in the latter stages. We saw a series of small pots go his way.
First, Ivan Banic made it 320,000 from the button with and got it through, despite Chikita holding an ace.
Next, Banic raised the big blind with next and and Croitoru check-called from the small blind with . The flop of saw Banic c-bet to 440,000 to take it down.
Banic moved all-in to take Chikita’s big blind in the following hand.
Banic raised to 320,000 on the button with and got it through another ace for Chikita, but Croitoru called wuth . He let it go on the flop, however, and Banic climbed to around 17 million chips with only 25.5 million in play.
Ivan Banic again opened pre-flop to 360,000 on the big blind with and Mihai Croitoru called on the small blind with . The flop of saw Banic c-bet and Croitoru call, before the turn of slowed the action to two checks.
The river saw Banic bet 2 million with his straight and Croitoru called to lose a massive pot and go to the short stack. Croitoru moved all-in pre-flop in the next hand for 2.8 m with and got it through.
Banic opened to 400,000 from the button and only Chikita called with to a flop of which saw both men check. The turn of was checked but on the river of Banic bet 625,000 and took it down.
Banic raised pre-flop to 400,000 with on the button and took it down.
Banic moved all-in from the small blind for around 18 million chips and put Yehuda ‘Chikita’ Cohen to a real decision. Cohen elected to fold it away.
Banic raised with from the button and neither player could call. Croatian Ivan Banic looks odds-on favorite to take the gold WSOP Circuit Ring at this stage. Another raise and take.
Banic made it 500,000 with in the small blind and he took it away. With such a huge pay-jump
Banic moved all-in and we only saw an . It was enough to take yet another pit away pre-flop. “Banic is demolishing these two players.” Fintan Gavin announced in commentary.
Ivan Banic moved all-in with from the button and Yehuda ‘Chikita’ Cohen had woken up with in the small blind. Cohen took a very long time and had the clock called on him. With just a few seconds remaining, he looked to throw in a chip, but he held back and his hand was automatically folded when the clock ran down.
Croitoru raised all-in on Chikita with the Romanian Croitoru holding and Chikita holding . The pot would see the winner move into second position if the move was looked up by Chikita and with the clock called yet again on Cohen, Croitoru got a fold from his opponent who showed an ace.
Banic moved all-in with from the button and Chikita again had the decision with . The players at the table were laughing, while Chikita tried to explain that he held a hand he had already folded before. He folded the pocket tens yet again! As Chikita showed the hand, Croitoru couldn’t believe it.
“What the **** is happening?” asked Croitoru to anyone who would listen. Banic simply laughed.
in the small blind, and Chikita called with 
. The flop of 
saw a c-bet from Banic to 415,000 and that was enough to scoop another pot for the Croatian. 
on the button, taking it down. 
and Banic checked with 
. The flop of 
saw Banic bet out 360,000, but Croitoru called. The turn of 
saw both men’s hands improve, with Banic’s bet of 325,000 raised to just over a million, which Banic called with top pair against two pair. 
led to Croitoru making it 395,000, and Banic called to pay off his opponent.
and Croitoru raised to 1,040,000 with 
saw Banic check to his opponent and Croitoru made it 2.4 million! Banic again made the call to create a ten million chip pot and the biggest of the tournament so far. 
saw Croitoru give up and Banic swept the pot, giving him a huge chip lead. Croitoru fired two barrels but the Croat held firm and his reward is holding more than double the chips of either of his opponents.
. 
. Banic c-bet the flop of 
saw Banic bet again, this time 950,000. Croitoru made the call, and on the river of 
, both men checked. Another big one for Banic, with three million chips slid his way.
The queen-high flop saw two checks, and the turn was a 
saw checks also, but Chikita won’t mind, he has over three million.
flop, however, and Banic climbed to around 17 million chips with only 25.5 million in play.
saw Banic c-bet and Croitoru call, before the turn of 
from the button and Chikita again had the decision with 
. The players at the table were laughing, while Chikita tried to explain that he held a hand he had already folded before. He folded the pocket tens yet again! As Chikita showed the hand, Croitoru couldn’t believe it. 