Chance Kornuth raised to 60,000, and next to act, Eric "p3achy_keen" Liu potted to 225,000. After a minute, Kornuth folded.
The next hand, Kornuth raised to 60,000. Liu potted to 225,000. It was all looking familiar until Kornuth called. Liu had about 270,000 behind, and there were quite a few flops that would get all that money in the middle. The dealer alerted the announcer that after a few hands without much happening, there was going to be a flop. It came out , and Kornuth had moved all of his chips forward before the last card was even down. Liu called just as fast.
Liu: for top set
Kornuth: for straight and flush draws
The announcer called out the hands. "Where's the straight draw?" Liu asked, completely serious. Kornuth pointed to the cards he'd separated. "I was trying to show you." Liu laughed. "I don't play this game. I usually stick to no limit."
The on the turn completed that pesky straight, and Kornuth's large rail went nuts. They got a litter more tense when they realized that the spade had given Liu the nut flush draw to go with his boat draw. "Pair the board! Pair the board!" shouted Liu's fans.
But the on the river didn't come to Liu's rescue. He went from final table chip leader by a very slim margin to out in seventh place for $68,902. Kornuth took over the lead with 1.6 million.
Several players made it to the flop and it checked around to Scott Mandel in position, who bet pot - 120,000. Robert Mizrachi, who'd checked in the big blind, now check-raised pot or 480,000, with not much behind.
Mandel whistled in an "oooh, that's a lot" sort of way. He thought about it for a while. Then he reraised all in to cover Mizrachi, who swiftly called all in.
Mandel: for two pair
Mizrachi: for aces and a flush draw
Turn: giving Mizrachi straight outs as well
River:
The river was not one of Mizrachi's outs, and he duly busted out in eighth place. There will be no second bracelet for Mizrachi this time around.
Mandel moved back into the chip lead on 1.37 million.
Eric Liu raised to 75,000, and Danny Smith defended his big blind. The flop fell , and Smith checked. Liu bet 105,000, and Smith instantly check-raised to 250,000. Liu didn't like it, but after checking his hand again, he gave it up. Liu has dropped to 400,000, while Smith just keeps building. He's up to 1.4 million now.
Four players limped to an flop. Scott Mandel checked his small blind, Julian Gardner checked the big, and Ted Martin potted for 120,000. Kevin Boudreau folded, and Mandel made a thoughtful call. Garder got out of the way, and they were heads up to the turn. Mandel checked again, and Martin bet 360,000. It didn't take Mandel very long to decide to fold, saving himself 700,000. Martin moved up to 1.1 million.
Robert Mizrachi, by far the most aggressive player at this final table so far, opened for 80,000. Chance Kornuth called on the button, as did Eric Liu and Ted Martin in the blinds.
They saw a flop and it checked around to Kornuth, who bet pot - 320,000. Like dominoes his opponents all gave it up, and Kornuth raked in the pot.
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A few hands later and Mizrachi limped in, only for Kornuth to raise pot. Martin tanked up and eventually called on the button, Mizrachi folded, and they were heads up to the flop.
Flop:
Kornuth bet out 200,000, and after a few moments of squinting at the felt (he likes to take his time over decisions, does Martin), Martin folded and Kornuth again took the pot.