Upon checking in on some action at the table, Ray Chiu was kind enough to fill the PokerNews team in a couple of hands recently played by Paul Phua that saw him shoot up to 145,000 in chips.
On the first hand, Chiu said Phua and one other opponent took an flop and both players checked to see a come on the turn. Phua's opponent bet and Phua just smooth called the bet. The river completed the board with a and Phua's opponent bet 7,200. Phua raised to 17,200 and his opponent tank-called, but only called. Phua showed two aces — — for a flopped full house. His opponent also flopped a full house with the , but some how, didn't go broke.
Chiu said that shortly after that, Phua raised to 1,800 from early position and found calls from the small blind and Chiu himself in the big blind. The flop came down with two diamonds and action checked to Phua. He bet 3,800 and the small blind check-raised to 8,200. Chiu got out of the way before Phua came back with a reraise to 19,200. The small blind made it 40,100 and Phua shoved. The small blind called holding middle set with the . Unfortunately for him, Phua had flopped top set of eights — .
The top set of Phua held up after a blank turn and river and he moved his stack way up to 145,000 in chips.
Jerry "Big Schlick" Schlichting was kind enough to let the PokerNews Live Reporting Team know about a recent hand where he won a big pot to move to about 140,000 in chips while also busting Thomas Lock from the tournament. Here's how Schlichting described the action to us.
After a player raised to 1,900, Lock called from the cutoff seat and then Schlichting called on the button. "I had the ," he said. The big blind also called and the flop came down . The first player led out for 3,700 and the preflop raiser made the call.
"[Lock] reraised to 14,700 with about 17,000 behind," Schlichting described, "And I made it 20,000 more," which would mean he reraised to 34,700. Play folded back to Lock and he put himself all in with a set of sevens, meaning Schlichting needed to spike a club that didn't pair the board.
The turn was a and the river the — bink! Schlichting had made his flush and cracked the set of sevens for Lock. Schlichting was pushed the pot and moved to 140,000 in chips while Lock was sent out the door.
From middle position, former NFL player Eric Stocz raised to 2,000. The only caller he found was from the player in the big blind and the flop came down . After the big blind checked, Stocz bet 3,000. His opponent folded and Stocz won the pot.
On the next hand, Stocz limped in from early position and action folded to Jeremy Saunders in the cutoff seat. He raised to 2,300 and play folded back to Stocz. "You don't want none of this, man," commented Stocz with a smile. "Show if I fold?" he asked.
Saunders obliged and showed the after Stocz folded the face up. "Nice position," commented Stocz. "And I limped from early position, pretty ballsy on your part."
Action started with Ali Eslami, who raised it up to 1,800. It folded around to the button, and he made the call. The small blind was next, and he shoved all in for about 13,000. Eslami made the call, and the button got out of the way. The cards were tabled, and it was a classic race.
Eslami:
Opponent:
The flop came down , which provided little help for Eslami. The turn, the , gave Eslami flush draw outs to go along with his ace and queen outs. However, the river came the , which was a brick for Eslami. After the hand, Eslami is down to under 35,000.
Chad Brown was all in and at risk holding moments ago. His opponent held , and the board ran out ...., cracking Brown's aces and eliminating him from the tournament.
After a preflop raise to 2,200 and a call in front, Pius Heinz three-bet to 6,400 from the button. Action folded back to the original raiser, who put in a four-bet to 19,000. The other player folded, and Heinz immediately flicked his hand into the muck.
"You've been on TV so much you don't need to Hollywood," one of the players said to the reigning champ.
When we reached Table 1 in the Brasilia Room, Jason Somerville was heads up with an opponent on a board of . Somerville's opponent check-called a 5,000-chip bet, and the completed the board.
Somerville's opponent checked again, and Somerville fired 8,000. His opponent tank-called, and Somerville turned over for Broadway.
The player mucked, and Somerville is up to 345,000 chips.
come on the turn. Phua's opponent bet and Phua just smooth called the bet. The river completed the board with a 
and Phua's opponent bet 7,200. Phua raised to 17,200 and his opponent tank-called, but only called. Phua showed two aces — 
," he said. The big blind also called and the flop came down 
and the river the 
— bink! Schlichting had made his flush and cracked the set of sevens for Lock. Schlichting was pushed the pot and moved to 140,000 in chips while Lock was sent out the door.
. After the big blind checked, Stocz bet 3,000. His opponent folded and Stocz won the pot.
after Stocz folded the 
face up. "Nice position," commented Stocz. "And I limped from early position, pretty ballsy on your part."
, which provided little help for Eslami. The turn, the 
, gave Eslami flush draw outs to go along with his ace and queen outs. However, the river came the 
, which was a brick for Eslami. After the hand, Eslami is down to under 35,000.
, and the board ran out 
....
, cracking Brown's aces and eliminating him from the tournament.
. Somerville's opponent check-called a 5,000-chip bet, and the 
completed the board.
for Broadway.