During the last break, David Steicke told Andrew Scott that he thought the tournament might end this level. He was definitely right about one thing -- his tournament would end this level.
Steicke opened the pot to 48,000 preflop. Action passed to Inwook Choi. He put in a re-raise to 148,000. Steicke announced that he was all-in and Choi snap-called.
Steicke:
Choi:
For the second time at this final table, nines took on kings in an all-in battle. This time Choi's kings held up, , sending Steicke to the rail in 4th place. Only three players remain.
Inwook Choi raised it up to 30,000 with David Steicke and Adrien Allain making the call.
The flop fell and all three players checked to see the fall on the turn. Allain checked and Choi fired 60,000. Steicke folded but Allain put in the check-raise to 200,000. Choi quickly folded and Allain rakes in another nice pot.
It looks like David Steicke thought he might have been able to bluff Inwook Choi out of a pot. Steicke called Choi's raise to 26,000 and then acted first on all streets. Each player checked the flop. When the turn came , Steicke checked again. Choi fired for 32,000 but couldn't shake the sticky Steicke.
The river was the , a card that filled a number of draws. Steicke led out for 54,000 and was quickly called by Choi. Steicke did not seem to have much of anything. Choi showed for a pair of queens to win the pot.
Inwook Choi completed from the small blind and David Steicke checked his option in the big blind.
was the flop and Choi took a stab with a minimum bet of 12,000. Steicke made the call.
The turn was the and both checked before the landed on the river to put a straight on board. Choi checked and Steicke fired 40,000 to force a fold from his opponent and take it down.
It was a curious hand between J.C. Tran and Adrien Allain. Tran opened for 30,000, then called Allain's preflop re-raise to 120,000 from the small blind. The action checked all the way down on a board of , with Allain's being enough to drag the pot.