Steven Sung leads the remaining four players at the end of Level 24. PokerNews caught up with a supremely confident Sung during the dinner break to talk briefly about this event and his 2013 World Series.
PokerNews: What would it mean to you to win your second bracelet in this event?
Steve Sung: It would be a dream come true. Any bracelet is great, but this event is special.
You’ve cashed three times so far this World Series, four after tonight. How much are you planning on playing over the next few weeks?
I plan to play a lot. I’ll be playing the 50K tomorrow (Event #55: The $50,000 Poker Players' Championship 8-game mix). And I’ll be playing the Main Event, of course.
How do you feel about your spot at the table right now?
I feel great. I'm not really worried about anyone right now. I have position on Phil. He’s a great player, but I’m on his left and I have the chip lead, so I feel good about my chances.
Do you have any interesting off-the-felt projects?
Nothing right now, but there will be a lot of things coming up soon. That’s all I can say for now, so I’ll leave it at that.
Hand #35: Dani Stern raised to 105,000 from under the gun, Steve Sung three-bet to 330,000 from the small blind, and Stern moved all in for 2.35 million. Stern tanked for the better part of three minutes, then folded.
Hand #36: On the final hand of the level, Phil Galfond raised to 100,000 in the cutoff, Max Lehmanski moved all in from the small blind for a little over 1.3 million, and Galfond snap-called.
Galfond:
Lehmanski:
Lehmanski's hand was crushed, and Galfond's aces held as the board rolled out . The German will earn nearly a quarter of a million dollars for his fifth-place finish.
The remaining four players are now on a 60-minute dinner break. We will have full counts shortly.
Hand #30: Dani Stern was first to act, and raised to 120,000. Stephen Chidwick called in the cutoff, and Max Lehmanski defended his big blind. The flop came , Lehmanski checked, Stern bet 190,000, and both Chidwick and Lehmanski folded.
Hand #31: Stern received a walk.
Hand #32: Phil Galfond raised to 100,000 from under the gun, Chidwick defended his big blind, and the dealer fanned . Chidwick checked, Galfond bet 75,000, and Chidwick called. The turn was the , both players checked, and the completed the board. Chidwick led out for 375,000, and Galfond folded.
Hand #33: Steve Sung raised to 100,000 from under the gun, Galfond defended his big blind, and the flop fell . Galfond check-folded to a bet of 125,000.
Hand #34: Stern raised to 120,000 from the cutoff, Galfond three-bet to 315,000 from the small blind, and Stern folded.
Hand #28: Dani Stern raised to 115,000 on the button, winning the blinds and antes.
Hand #29: Stern raised to 120,000 in the cutoff, Steve Sung defended from the big blind, and the flop fell . Steve checked, Stern fired out 160,000, and Sung called. The turn was a third club - the - and Sung checked again. Stern bet another 265,000, Sung tank-called, and the completed the board.
Sung led out for 550,000, Stern snap-called, and Sung took the pot with for a turned flush.
Hand #25: Phil Galfond raised to 100,000 on the button, then called 200,000 more when Steve Sung three-bet out of the small blind. The two checked on the flop () and on the turn (), and Sung led out for 400,000 when the completed the board. Galfond tank-folded.
Hand #26: The action folded to Max Lehmanski in the small blind, and he called. Dani Stern raised to 140,000 out of the big blind, and Lehmanski folded.
Hand #27: Galfond raised to 100,000 from under the gun, Stern called out of the small blind, and the dealer spread . Stern quickly knuckled, Galfond continued for 130,000, and Stern called. The turn was the , Stern checked again, and Galfond fired out another 275,000. Stern called.
The completed the board, the two players checked, and Stern won with .