The second level of the day saw the field decrease to only 891 players, with some big names leaving and a new chipleader emerging. The remaining players are now on a 20-minute break and below are listed some highlights to enjoy during that time.
Felipe Ketzer had raised with the J♦J♣ and Clement Richez called with the K♥Q♥ on the button before Daniel Weinman three-bet out of the blinds with the A♠K♦. Both came along to a three-way flop of 7♥5♠4♥ on which it checked to Ketzer, who bet110,000.
Richez then pushed all-in for 430,000 and Weinman asked for a count on the shove as well as the stack of Ketzer. Weinman reluctantly folded and Ketzer went into the tank, talking through possible combinations.
"I have no heart," Ketzer mentioned before verifying the amount to call once more before he showed the heart to make the call.
The 9♥ turn instantly locked up the double for Richez, which made the 2♣ river a formality.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,580,000
717,000
|
717,000 |
|
||
|
1,399,000
784,000
|
784,000 |
|
||
|
577,000
-583,000
|
-583,000 |
Action was picked up on the flop with the board reading A♥5♠K♠ and players heads up. Chance Kornuth checked from the small blind and a player in middle position bet 28,000. Kornuth made the call.
The turn was the 3♠. Kornuth checked, his opponent bet 67,000, and Kornuth put in a check-raise to 170,000, receiving a call from his opponent.
Kornuth moved all in, covering his opponent's remaining 260,000 on the 7♣ river. After briefly considering his options, the middle position player made the call.
Kornuth tabled Q♠9♠ for a queen-high flush which was good enough to secure the elimination and collect a sizable pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,740,000
350,000
|
350,000 |
|
||
A player opened in early position and Chris Hak called next to act before the small blind did the same.
When the K♦5♦3♣ flop hit the felt, the action checked to Hak, and he dropped a bet of 30,000 across the line. Both the small blind and the early position player made the call.
The 6♣ fell on the turn and once checked to, Hak continued for 100,000. This time only the small blind made the call.
The Q♥ completed the board on the river, and the small blind checked for a final time before Hak splashed a bet of 181,000 into the middle. His opponent only took a couple of seconds before folding and flashing his A♣9♣, missing his flush draw.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,100,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
Dominik Nitsche raised for Clement Richez to three-bet to 70,000. The four-bet shove by Nitsche for 445,000 followed and it was a coin flip for the tournament life of the German GTO expert.
Dominik Nitsche: J♦J♣
Clement Richez: A♥Q♣
Richez took the lead on the Q♦10♥7♣ flop but Nitsche picked up more outs on the K♥ turn. However, the 5♥ river was a blank and Nitsche was knocked out.
The feature table cameras then switched to another all-in and call on a 9♣5♦5♥ flop on which Donald Crabtree had jammed and was called by Shota Nakanishi.
Shota Nakanishi: Q♣5♣
Donald Crabtree: A♠9♦
Two blanks followed with the 10♦ turn and Q♠ river, sending Crabtree to the payout desk as well.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,870,000
471,000
|
471,000 |
|
|
||
|
1,244,000
230,000
|
230,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
The action was relayed to PokerNews after the fact. Scott Blumstein limped from the hijack and the small blind completed. Phil Badiola checked his option in the big blind and the trio saw a flop of J♥10♣3♣. All three players checked around and the 2♥ hit the turn.
The small blind checked again and Badiola bet 25,000, which only Blumstein came along. The 3♦ completed the board and Badiola moved all in, covering the 191,000 remaining for Blumstein, who went deep in the tank.
After much deliberation, Blumstein made the call and the hands were shown. Badiola tabled QxJx for a pair of jacks and Blumstein showed KxQx for the king-high hero call as he made his way to the payout desk.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
525,000
221,000
|
221,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
Adam Friedman moved all in for his last 85,000 from under the gun and action folded around to Jonathan Ricciardi in the big blind who went deep into the tank. Eventually he made the call to put Friedman at risk.
Adam Friedman: J♥J♦
Jonathan Ricciardi: K♣J♣
Friemdan was ahead with his pocket pair and remained so on the 5♠7♣8♥ flop. The 10♣ turn did give Ricciardi a flush draw to go along with some chop outs and he ended up scooping the pot after the 5♣ river completed his flush to send Friedman out courtesy of a bad beat.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
230,000 | |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Andrew Wu raised to 37,000 with the J♦10♥ and Stephen Chidwick came along out of the small blind with the A♦J♣. The two players headed to the A♠5♣4♦ flop on which Chidwick checked and subsequently called Wu's bet worth 54,000.
The J♠ turn was checked and the K♠ river completed the board. Chidwick bet 140,000 with his two pair and Wu raised it up to massive 500,000. That sent Chidwick into the tank for two minutes and he then folded.
Wu raked in the pot without mucking his cards and when he did so, one of them appeared to flash to players at the table.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,150,000
301,000
|
301,000 |
|
471,000
-227,000
|
-227,000 |
|
|
||
The hand was heads up with the pot stood at 610,000. The full board had been dealt 7♠K♦Q♠9♦A♣ and the action was on Mitchell Halverson in the big blind, who slid out a bet out 760,000; more than enough to put his opponent all in.
Faced with a decision for their tournament life, the player in early position thought over the decision for a considerable amount of time. A crowd had started to amass, eager to see the conclusion of the hand. They eventually made the call and Halverson instantly tabled J♥10♣ for the nuts. His opponent tabled K♠Q♣ for an inferior two-pair.
Halverson claimed another tournament life and a huge pot in the process.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,980,000
1,218,000
|
1,218,000 |
It folded to Daniel Holzner on the button who bet 25,000 before Pei Li made a three-bet to 80,000 in the small blind. Holzner replied with a four-bet to 205,000 and Li made the call.
The flop revealed 7♦4♠Q♥ and Li checked to Holzner who continued for 150,000. Li thought about his move for some time and tossed a pile of 100,000-chip in front of him, putting Holzner at risk. The latter snap called for a remaining stack of 514,000 and they tabled their cards:
Daniel Holzner: A♣A♦
Pei Li: K♥10♥
Holzner was in great shape for the double up, and he took down the large pot after the 6♦ and the A♥ completed the board, improving his hand into a set of aces.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,980,000
238,000
|
238,000 |
|
|
||
|
1,420,000
740,000
|
740,000 |
