Christopher Frank lost with pocket queens against the pocket kings of Julian Stuer and then raised to 50,000 from early position. Jason Wheeler called in the big blind and then checked the flop . Frank continued for 59,000 and was called before both players checked through the turn.
Wheeler bet the river for 105,000 and Frank was sent into the think tank. He talked through all possible scenarios and then eventually called. Wheeler showed and Frank threw his cards into the muck, almost hitting the dealer. He immediately apologized, his stack has definitely taken a big hit since returning from dinner.
Juha Helppi pushed once from under the gun to steal the blinds and antes, Christopher Frank did the same after moving all in from the button and cutoff to enforce folds all around.
Last but not least, Steve O'Dwyer defended his small blind against Mukul Pahuja and won the pot with for second pair on the flop, the river paired the ace.
Jonathan Roy turned into the shortest stack after losing a few pots and then having to forfeit his big blind to a button-shove of Dario Sammartino.
Tournament director Nick O'Hara came over and talked to all the players about the suggested hand for hand mode. All remaining participants agreed to it and thus, hand for hand mode will now take place with around 25 minutes left on the current level.
Jean-Noel Thorel made it 100,000 from the button and Rainer Kempe defended his big blind.
The flop came down and after a Kempe check, Thorel continued for 105,000. Kempe called and the turn came the . This time Kempe check-called a 150,000-chip bet from Thorel.
The river brought the and another check from Kempe. Thorel fired out another 150,000-chip bet and after a short time in the tank Kempe called.
It was previously planned to start hand for hand mode with 19 players left, however several players inquired whether or not that can already be done now with 20 left. The clock is currently stopped, which would confirm that the request might get approved.
Steve O'Dwyer from middle position and Byron Kaverman in the small blind both checked the flop and the turn before Kaverman checked the on the river. O'Dwyer bet 25,000 and Kaverman called to muck when he was shown by O'Dwyer. One can tell that the money bubble is not far away, as the action is far less destructive.
From under the gun, Huidong Gu moved all in for 136,000 chips and the action folded around all the way to Niko Soininen in the big blind. He glanced over twice and then made the call with . Gu only had the and failed to improve on a board of .
For his last 92,000 chips, Tobias Leuenberger moved all in from early position and Byron Kaverman made the call out of the big blind with . Leuenberger had the and the board ran out to award the pot to Kaverman.
In a battle of the blinds, Paul Newey moved all in from the small blind and Jussi Nevanlinna made the call.
Newey:
Nevanlinna:
The flop was still safe for the Brit, but it was all but over on the turn. Nevanlinna made the straight and now just a heart could help Newey to stay in the tournament. It was the on the river that sent him to the rail next.