Alex Luneau raised from the hijack, receiving calls from cutoff Matt Glantz and big blind Robert Goldfarb.
The flop was checked to Glantz, who bet out. Both of his rivals called. The pattern remained the same on the turn, with Goldfarb and Luneau calling another bet.
All players checked the river, and Luneau showed to scoop the whole pot.
Another 100 minutes of eight-game poker have been played, and the Poker Players Championship players can now relax for 15 minutes. Day 1 will feature two more levels.
As relayed to us, Gus Hansen limped in for 800. Leon Tsoukernik made it 3,600, David Benyamine called, Harry Madoff raised to 16,400 from the blinds, Hansen folded, Tsoukernik called, and Benyamine called.
Madoff bet 25,000 on the flop, Tsoukernik folded, and Benyamine called. Madoff checked the turn to Benyamine, who bet 40,000. Madoff wasn't about to give up and called. On the river, Madoff checked, Benyamine shoved, and Madoff called it off to put himself at risk.
Benyamine:
Madoff:
Benyamine had missed every out to crack Madoff's aces and came up second-best. He was left with 40,000 after the hand, while Madoff soared to 470,000.
Brett Richey led on fifth street after catching an ace, earning a call from Jason Mercier. Richey bet again on sixth, and Mercier called again before both players checked the river.
Jason Mercier: / /
Brett Richey: / /
Richey showed his , declaring a pair of jacks. Mercier didn't find anything better among his three hole cards, and the pot went Richey's way.
After Aaron Katz raised the button, and Michael Mizrachi three-bet to 15,000 in the big blind. Katz four-bet to 50,000, and Mizrachi called.
The flop came down , and Mizrachi checked. Katz bet 65,000, and Mizrachi folded face-up without much hesitation. Mizrachi's instincts were spot on, as Katz showed .
"Great play, great play," complimented Katz after the hand.
In the second half of the fourth level, the 2017 Poker Players Championship finally saw its first casualty. Daniel Cates was the first man to leave his seat.
It was a casual start to the crucial hand. More than 200 big blinds deep, Cates three-bet to 6,500 over Mark Gregorich's 2,100-chip raise from under the gun. Action returned to Gregorich, who fired back, four-betting to 22,100. Cates paused for a while and then pushed all of his chips toward the middle. It was around 170,000, and Gregorich had a simple decision, calling instantly.
Daniel Cates:
Mark Gregorich:
What looked to be a disaster for Cates could have turned into a huge bad beat story for Gregorich as the brought a massive sweat. The turn and river, however, left Cates' flush draw incomplete.
Gregorich had Cates well covered, but the high-stakes cash game legend remained seated for a few seconds, processing what had just happened.
Then, Cates stood up and walked away. Just like that, his chips were gone, as the Poker Players Championship ended right there for Cates.
Jens Lakemeier was the bring-in, Aaron Katz completed, Brock Parker made it two bets, Michael Mizrachi called, Lakemeier put in three bets, Katz called, Parker made it four bets, Mizrachi called, Lakemeier called, and Katz called.
Lakemeier was first to act on fourth street and bet. Katz called, Parker raised, Mizrachi folded, Lakemeier called, and Katz called. Katz paired up on fifth and checked. Parker bet with three baby cards to a straight flush, Lakemeier called, and Katz called, as well.
Lakemeier improved to a pair of aces on sixth street and checked. Katz checked, Parker bet and got two calls. On seventh street, Parker put in another bet, Lakemeier folded, and Katz called.
Parker quickly opened up for the wheel, but Katz showed to snatch the high half away with a flush.
Following a flop of , Dan Shak checked from the big blind, and Ivo Donev checked from the cutoff. Justin Bonomo bet 4,000 from the button, and only Shak called. The turn was the , and Shak check-called 12,000 from Bonomo to see the river. Both players checked.
Shak showed for a pair of fives with missed flush and straight draws, while Bonomo tabled for a pair of sixes to win the pot.