Ben Lamb raised to 435,000 from under the gun, and Michael Ruane three-bet to 1,375,000 from the hijack. Lamb four-bet to 2,875,000, Ruane folded, and Lamb won the pot.
Valentin Messina raised to 450,000 on the button, and Michael Sklenicka defended the big blind. The Czech player check-called 500,000 on the flop, and both players checked the turn. Sklenicka bet 800,000 when the river hit. Messina thought awhile and then slid in 3.8 million.
Sklenicka drew a deep breath and went into the tank as the others headed for break. "Nines?" he asked.
After about three minutes of thought, he spoke up again. "I have the worst value hand," he said, mucking.
Messina showed the bluff, slapping down on the felt.
Scott Blumstein raised to 500,000, and Scott Stewart three-bet to 1,700,000 in the small blind, claiming the pot without further resistance.
Stewart raised to 480,000 two hands later, and Alexandre Reard three-bet to 1,300,000 successfully.
Then, Benjamin Pollak opened to 560,000, and Blumstein called in the big blind. The duo checked down the board entirely, and Blumstein showed to win the pot.
Since the start of the level, play has been quite snug, with Pedro Oliveira controlling most of the action.
Oliveira has raised most of the hands and has been applying pressure as Day 7 is on everyone's minds. He has chipped up a bit and crossed the 30-million-chip mark.
Action folded to Christian Pham in the cutoff, and he opened to 575,000. Michael Krasienko was in the big blind and moved all in for 4,745,000. Pham tanked for a couple minutes and then elected to muck.
Then, Robin Hegele raised to 555,000 in the cutoff. Krasienko moved all in from the small blind for 5,710,000. Hegele thought for about a minute and called.
Michael Krasienko:
Robin Hegele:
Krasienko needed to fade an ace, hearts or a combination of straight draws to survive, and the flop was , doing exactly that. The turn was the , and the two players' rails were yelling out for the card that they each wanted to see. The river brought the , sending a massive double-up to Krasienko, who has been patiently waiting for his spots.
Jonas Mackoff opened for 525,000 second to act. Scott Blumstein called in the cutoff, as did Scott Stewart in the small blind and Alexandre Reard in the big.
After two checks on the flop, Mackoff made a small bet of 650,000. Everyone called. Action checked to Blumstein on the turn, and he bet 2.3 million. That got three fairly quick folds.
"Nice set of tens down there," Stewart said after the hand.