Time Expires for the Magician

Picking up the action on the turn with the board showing , Andreas Kniep checked over to Antonio Esfandiari who put out a bet of an unknown amount. Kniep then decided to check-raise, making it 100,000 total, and Esfandiari called.

The river was the and Kniep led out for 125,000 and Esfandiari dropped into the tank. He thought for several minutes before someone at the table called the clock. When the floor was called over, the dealer said he didn't think that Esfandiari had been given enough time yet, but several players at the table protested, saying he had at least four minutes to act already. Because of that, Esfandiari was given a 30-second countdown and he thought through the first 25 seconds without making a decision. As the floor began his five-second countdown, Esfandiari looked at him and asked a question.

"Wait, you don't give a 10-second countdown anymore?" he asked.

The floor paused to explain that players only get a five-second countdown now, with just two seconds remaining for Esfandiari to make a decision. The floor then declared Esfandiari's hand dead and he was forced to fold.

"That hurt," Esfandiari said. Kniep then agreed to show one card per some arrangement the table had made and he showed the , for at least trips.