Players have now squashed - "Why have you put all the fat guys on one end?" complained Jason Potter with a smile - into our unofficial final table. (i.e. 10 remain):
Seat 1: Terrance Chan - 580.000
Seat 2: Mark Burford - 136.000
Seat 3: Georgios Kapalas - 420.000
Seat 4: Matt Matros - 157.000
Seat 5: Adrian Dresel-Velasquez - 300.000
Seat 6: Frank Kassela - 130.000
Seat 7: Jameson Painter - 430.000
Seat 8: Jason Potter - 115.000
Seat 9: Ahmad Abghari - 275.000
Seat 10: Roberto Truijers - 235.000
Despite a plucky performance that would make Rocky look like a quitter, Ben Lamb has finally been despatched courtesy of Terrence Chan. I joined the action on the flop, all the chips flying in with Lamb's ahead, but vulnerable against Chan's .
"I'm going to hit a backdoor flush," warned Lamb.
"Let's put it this way," replied Chan, "someone's going to make a flush."
And sure enough, Chan flushed out his opponent on the turn. The river was academic (although I feel obliged to report it) and Lamb was chopped from the tournament.
Ben Lamb got involved with Ahmad Abghari on a flop, on which Abghari bet. Lamb, in the under-the-gun position, checked, and found himself facing a bet from Abghari. With just 20,000 left to his name, Lamb tanked up for a long time, before eventually folding.
In the big blind next hand, Lamb tossed his whole stack in before the cards were dealt, declaring, "4,000/20,000 limits," to some chuckling around the table.
Duly Abghari raised from the button, Lamb had already gone all in, and they were on their backs.
Abghari:
Lamb:
"I'll have a pair of threes, sir," Lamb told the dealer.
Ask, and ye shall receive.
Board:
Said tablemate Terrence Chan as Lamb doubled up again, :Listen, we'd like to make the final table at some point..."
We caught up with the action on the turn of the board; four players were still with cards.
Small blind Georgios Kapalas checked and big blind Robert Truijers bet. Adrian Dresel-Velasquez called, as did Frank Kassela on the button. Kapalas folded, and they were three-way to the river.
River:
Truijers bet out and Dresel-Velasquez folded. Kassela, however, raised. Truijers called and turned over for trips - only to discover that Kassela had rivered a full house with .
"Ahhh, lucky card there," said Truijers, standing up from the table in horror.
"I'd rather be lucky than good," chuckled Kassela as he raked in the pot.
There was already a raise out when Georgios Kapalas three-bet and Dean Tran four-bet all in. The original raiser (we think it was Matthew Matros) folded, but Kapalas made the call and they were on their backs.
Tran:
Kapalas:
Tran received no assistance from the board, and headed for the payout desk without delay.
Further woe for Kirk Banks as he raised in early position and called a reraise from Ahmad Abghari on the button. Banks check-called Abghari's bet on the flop before both players checked the turn and river - only for both of them to turn over and chop it up.
The next hand Banks raised under the gun and Terrence Chan reraised to his immediate left. Banks called and they saw a flop, which Banks check-raised. Chan called and they saw the turn.
The turn was the and this time Banks bet out. Chan raised, Banks made the call, and they were at the river.
The river came down the and Banks checked. Chan bet again, and Banks sighed.
"Ace king of spades again, not running good today," he sighed. "Not my day, I guess. Ace king three times, I lose twice and chop once. Jacks are good," he continued, and tossed in the call anyway.
Chan turned over not jacks, but and increased his stack to 340,000. Banks mucked and was down to just 39,000.
We're not sure when the chips went in, but Ben Lamb has doubled again, this time through the sighing Kirk Banks. Lamb's came good against Banks' when a queen dropped on the board, putting Lamb up to 120,000 and dropping Banks down to 190,000.
Ahmad Abghari raised from the cut-off only to be reraised by chip leader Jason Potter. Abghari called. On the flop, Abghari check-raised. Potter made what appeared to be a reluctant call, before folding to a bet on the turn.
Potter has taken a few early hits, but remains the chip leader with just over 300,000.