Raymond Morgan raised it up to 75,000 from under the gun, and everyone folded until Ido Ashkenazi in the big blind. He asked how much the raise was, and as soon as he heard the amount, he moved all in. Morgan got a count, and after a minute of thought, he slid the call in.
Morgan:
Ashkenazi:
We had a race on our hands, but Ashkenazi shot out to the lead when he hit the flop hard: . Morgan was now looking to catch one of the two nines in the deck, but the on the turn and the on the river didn't provide any help.
After that pot, Morgan became the short stack with 250,000, while Ashkenazi shot up to 750,000.
Joseph McKeehen has been opening most hands thus far at the ten-handed final table, winning the blinds and antes in most instances. Just now he did so again for 65,000 from middle position, then got a caller in Ido Ashkenazi in the big blind.
The flop came and both players checked. The turn was the . Ashkenazi checked again, McKeehen bet 90,000, and Ashkenazi called.
The river was the . Ashkenazi checked once more, and this time McKeehen bet 135,000. After a bit of a tank Ashkenazi called, and when McKeehen turned over for two pair, Ashkenazi mucked.
Gregory Masters opened for 75,000 from under the gun, then leader Joseph McKeehen reraised to 165,000 total from a seat over. It folded back to Masters who thought for about a half-minute, then said he was reraising all in with the more than half-million chips he had left behind, and McKeehen called.
Masters showed and McKeehen . The board came , and Masters is out in 11th.
The remaining 10 will redraw now to be reseated around a single table, and there will be a brief pause as well as they fill out their bio sheets.
Players are back in their seats following dinner, and the first hands of Level 28 are being dealt. They've been stuck on 11 for some time, with Joseph McKeehen continuing to add to his leading stack.
With one more elimination, the final 10 will redraw and reassemble around a not-quite-final final table.
Having reached the end of Level 27, it has been decided to send the remaining 11 players on a one-hour dinner break now, so we'll take ours as well. Play resumes at 6 p.m. local time.
Hend Matthews limped in from the hijack seat, then Leo Walker raised to 100,000 from one seat over. It folded back around to Matthews who sat quietly for about 15 seconds, then announced she was reraising all in with the 600,000 or so she had left, and Walker didn't wait very long before calling.
Matthews:
Walker:
Matthews immediately walked away from the table, unable to bear looking at what the community cards would bring. The dealer then delivered the flop — ! Those remaining at the table reacted at the sight of the set-giving nine, but Matthews was out of earshot and unaware.
The dealer swiftly dealt the turn and river... ... then... ! The table reacted much more loudly this time, and Matthews rushed back to discover what had happened.
"You didn't even have to sweat it!" said Ido Ashkenazi. Indeed, she'd hit a two-outer to make a better set and survive — yet another fortunate post-flop card for Matthews versus Walker — but she hadn't even known she was in such danger.
"No no no," joked Joseph McKeehen. "You were ahead the whole time... he dealt the board backwards." Others chuckled, and it took a couple of minutes for the excitement to fade after another wild hand.
Ido Ashkenazi shoved all in for his last 360,000 for the second straight hand, and Hend Matthews called as soon as she looked down at her cards. She said "I have an ace", and Ashkenazi said "well I guess it's time for me to go home."
Matthews:
Ashkenazi:
The hand would likely end in a chop unless one of them paired, and when the flop came out , Matthews thought she had done just that, and started to celebrate. She quickly realized it was just a three, and the turn brought the .
This gave Matthews flush draw outs as well, and the only way that Ashkenazi could win the full pot was if a non-club four or five came on the river. That happened when the hit the river, and even though Matthews and Ashkenazi thought it was a chop, the dealer and Joseph McKeehen quickly pointed out that Ashkenazi won the full pot.
That pot, which is now Ashkenazi's full stack, was worth 770,000, while Matthews dropped to 660,000.
. Morgan was now looking to catch one of the two nines in the deck, but the 
on the turn and the 
on the river didn't provide any help.
. Ashkenazi checked again, McKeehen bet 90,000, and Ashkenazi called.
. Ashkenazi checked once more, and this time McKeehen bet 135,000. After a bit of a tank Ashkenazi called, and when McKeehen turned over 
for two pair, Ashkenazi mucked.
. The board came 
, and Masters is out in 11th.
! Those remaining at the table reacted at the sight of the set-giving nine, but Matthews was out of earshot and unaware.
, Matthews thought she had done just that, and started to celebrate. She quickly realized it was just a three, and the turn brought the 
hit the river, and even though Matthews and Ashkenazi thought it was a chop, the dealer and Joseph McKeehen quickly pointed out that Ashkenazi won the full pot.