Saffari and Sternheimer Battle in Badugi
Badugi
"Badugi now," intoned the tournament director. "The game of kings." "Gotta make it a bracelet event," answered Brandon Wong, as the first hand of the round was dealt.
It was a lively Badugi round, with four of the six hands going to showdown. The two biggest hands during the sequence both involved Sebastian Saffari and Philip Sternheimer.
In the first, Saffari raised from the small blind and Sternheimer called from a seat over. Saffari took one card, Sternheimer took two, and after Saffari bet, Sternheimer called.
Saffari stood pat from that point forward, with Sternheimer drawing one card on each of the last two draws. Saffari led both times, with Sternheimer calling on the second round, then raising on the third. Saffari came back with a reraise back, and when Sternheimer called, Saffari showed his 
for a 6 Badugi.
"I almost just called," said Sternhemier as he mucked his 8 Badugi, but Wong replied "three-handed… what can you do?"
Sternheimer got some back on the next hand, however, when the pair tangled again, Sternheimer ended up drawing a 
, and his hand beat Saffari's 10 Badugi.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,550,000
501,000
|
501,000 |
|
||
|
865,000
-311,000
|
-311,000 |
|
430,000
-138,000
|
-138,000 |