Sunday, June 10, 2012 10:16 PM Local Time
| Phil Hellmuth | / |
| Don Zewin | / |
Hellmuth brought it in, Zewin completed, and Hellmuth raised. Zewin called. Zewin check-called a bet on fourth street, then folded to a bet on fifth.
Hellmuth has a huge lead now, and can surely smell his twelfth bracelet.
| Phil Hellmuth | 1,800,000 | 100,000  |
| Don Zewin | 440,000 | -50,000  |
Sunday, June 10, 2012 10:03 PM Local Time
Brandon Cantu put out a bet on the turn and received a call from Phil Hellmuth before slowing down and checking fifth. Hellmuth took the opportunity to bet, which put Cantu in the tank for a solid minute. He eventually made the call only to check-folded to Hellmuth's bet on sixth. Per usual, Hellmuth showed him the goods.
Hellmuth: /
Cantu: (x-x) /
| Phil Hellmuth | 1,700,000 | 530,000 |
| Don Zewin | 415,000 | -275,000 |
| Brandon Cantu | 215,000 | -460,000 |
Sunday, June 10, 2012 9:55 PM Local Time
Scott Fischman: / /
Brandon Cantu: / (FOLDED)
Don Zewin: / /
Cantu brought it in, Zewin completed, and Fischman raised. Only Zewin called. Fischman called a bet on fourth street, and when Zewin paired on fifth, Fischman led out. Zewin called, and Fischman bet all in on sixth. Zewin called.
Fischman:
Zewin:
Zewin was turned over a on seventh, so Fischman was drawing, but the did not improve his hand. Fischman was eliminated in fourth place, while Zewin moved into second on the chip counts.
| Don Zewin | 690,000 | 215,000 |
| Scott Fischman | 0 | -195,000 |
Sunday, June 10, 2012 9:40 PM Local Time
| Phil Hellmuth | 1,170,000 | 195,000 |
| Brandon Cantu | 675,000 | 245,000 |
| Don Zewin | 475,000 | 25,000 |
| Scott Fischman | 195,000 | -105,000 |
Sunday, June 10, 2012 9:30 PM Local Time
Scott Fischman completed with a and received a call from the of Phil Hellmuth. The latter took the lead on the turn and fired out a bet, which Fischman called. The lead changed again on fifth, which saw Hellmuth call a bet from Fischman. Unfortunately for the "Poker Brat," he would pair on sixth and fold to a Fischman bet.
Hellmuth: (x-x) /
Fischman: (x-x) /
"Nice hand, Scott," Hellmuth said. "I had you for a minute."
| Phil Hellmuth | 975,000 | -125,000 |
| Scott Fischman | 300,000 | 96,000 |
Sunday, June 10, 2012 9:19 PM Local Time
Mike Matusow was on the rail moments ago, and he and Phil Hellmuth had a short conversation. Hellmuth returned to his seat to play a hand, while Matusow went to talk with Hellmuth's wife Katherine.
| Hellmuth | / / |
| Don Zewin | / / |
Hellmuth completed, and Zewin called. Hellmuth led out on fourth street, Zewin called, and then Zewin made a better board on fifth. He led out on fifth, sixth, and seventh, and Hellmuth called all three bets.
Zewin rolled over for a sixty-five, and Hellmuth mucked.
"I'm superstitious," Matusow said to Hellmuth after the hand, and left.
| Phil Hellmuth | 910,000 | -221,000 |
| Don Zewin | 815,000 | 257,000 |
Sunday, June 10, 2012 9:11 PM Local Time
Level: 25
Blinds: 25000/50000
Ante: 5000
Sunday, June 10, 2012 8:12 PM Local Time
Players are now on a one-hour dinner break.
| Phil Hellmuth | 1,131,000 | 111,000 |
| Don Zewin | 558,000 | 78,000 |
| Brandon Cantu | 430,000 | -70,000 |
| Scott Fischman | 204,000 | -11,000 |
Sunday, June 10, 2012 8:03 PM Local Time
| Phil Hellmuth | / / |
| Don Zewin | / / |
Hellmuth completed with a , and Zewin called. Hellmuth led out on fourth and fifth street, Zewin called both bets, and on sixth, Hellmuth paired his ace. Zewin fired, and Hellmuth folded face up.
| Phil Hellmuth | 1,020,000 | -220,000 |
| Don Zewin | 480,000 | 120,000 |
Sunday, June 10, 2012 7:56 PM Local Time
| Phil Hellmuth | 1,240,000 | 90,000 |
| Brandon Cantu | 500,000 | 0 |
| Don Zewin | 360,000 | 40,000 |
| Scott Fischman | 215,000 | -100,000 |
Sunday, June 10, 2012 7:53 PM Local Time
Brandon Cantu had the bring-in and then called a completion from Don Zewin, who you may recall finished ninth in this very event back in 2009. When he took the lead on the turn, Cantu bet and it was Zewin's turn to call. Cantu kept the lead for the remainder of the hand and bet every street. Zewin came along and after he called seventh, Cantu said, "Nine."
"Nine what?" the soft-spoken Zewin asked. Cantu showed a 9-8 and it was good enough.
Zewin: (x-x) / / (x)
Cantu: (x-x) / / (x) ( )
| Brandon Cantu | 500,000 | 100,000 |
| Don Zewin | 320,000 | -143,000 |
Sunday, June 10, 2012 7:43 PM Local Time
| Scott Fischman | / / |
| Phil Hellmuth | / / |
| Don Zewin | / (FOLDED) |
Zewin completed, and both Fischman and Hellmuth called. Hellmuth led out on fourth street, and only Fischman called. Fischman called another bet on fifth, both players checked on sixth, and Fischman checked again on seventh. Hellmuth bet, and Fischman went into the tank.
"You would never try to bluff here," Fischman announced. "Because I always call."
Fischman folded, and Hellmuth fanned for for an eighty-six. Fischman mucked.
"I finally folded," Fischman exclaimed. "And I was right!"
He gave a sarcastic whoop while Hellmuth raked in another pot.
| Phil Hellmuth | 1,150,000 | 150,000 |
| Scott Fischman | 315,000 | -65,000 |
Sunday, June 10, 2012 7:32 PM Local Time
Phil Hellmuth completed with his and found a caller in Brandon Cantu, who was showing . Hellmuth proceeded to bet every street, and Cantu called through sixth. On seventh, Cantu tanked over the bet and Hellmuth informed him, "You could have been drawing dead."
Cantu: (x-x) / / (x) ( )
Hellmuth: (x-x) / / (x-x)
Cantu thought for a few moments more and made the call. "Ten," Hellmuth said for a 10-9 low. Luckily for Cantu, his 10-7 was better.
| Phil Hellmuth | 1,000,000 | -150,000 |
| Brandon Cantu | 400,000 | 85,000 |
Sunday, June 10, 2012 7:28 PM Local Time
Don Zewin completed with a and was met with a raise by Phil Hellmuth. Zewin made the call and then bet on the turn, which Hellmuth called. From there, Zewin check-called bets on fifth and sixth street, but then check-folded on seventh. It was a good thing he did as Hellmuth showed his hand.
Hellmuth: (x-x) / / (x) ( )
Zewin: (x-x) / / (x)
Interestingly, this isn't the first time Hellmuth and Zewin have met. Back in 1989 when Hellmuth won the Main Event, he defeated Johnny Chan in heads-up play. The man who finished third in that event . . . Don Zewin.
| Phil Hellmuth | 1,150,000 | 75,000 |
| Don Zewin | 463,000 | -102,000 |
Sunday, June 10, 2012 7:18 PM Local Time
| Scott Fischman | / / |
| Phil Hellmuth | / / |
We caught up with the action on fourth street, where Fischman led out. Hellmuth called. Fischman led out on fifth, sixth, and seventh, and Hellmuth called him down. Fischman fanned for a jack-low, but Hellmuth was best with for a ninety-seven.
| Phil Hellmuth | 1,075,000 | 280,000 |
| Scott Fischman | 380,000 | -100,000 |
Sunday, June 10, 2012 7:15 PM Local Time
Brandon Cantu completed with a , Brendan Taylor raised with an , and Taylor re-raised. The rest of the chips got in, and the hands were opened.
Taylor: /
Cantu: /
Both players were dealt paint on fourth street - Cantu a and Taylor a - and both players received a on fifth. Cantu improved with a on sixth, Taylor received more paint ( ), and Cantu turned over a on seventh. We missed Taylor's last card, but he mucked, and exited the tournament in fifth place.
| Brandon Cantu | 315,000 | 35,000 |
| Brendan Taylor | 0 | -100,000 |
Sunday, June 10, 2012 7:09 PM Local Time
Level: 24
Blinds: 20000/40000
Ante: 5000
Sunday, June 10, 2012 7:07 PM Local Time
Brandon Cantu completed with a only to have Brendan Taylor raise with a . Cantu thought long and hard before making the call. With the lead, Cantu bet the turn and Taylor called. The latter then check-called a bet on fifth street before pairing and folding on sixth.
"Whew," Cantu said as he showed his hole cards . . . .
Taylor: (x-x) /
Cantu: /
| Brandon Cantu | 280,000 | 155,000 |
| Brendan Taylor | 100,000 | -180,000 |
Sunday, June 10, 2012 6:54 PM Local Time
Phil Hellmuth: / /
Brendan Taylor: / /
Taylor completed with a , Hellmuth called with a , and both players were dealt a on fourth. Hellmuth check-called a bet. Taylor led out on fifth, sixth, and seventh, and on seventh, Hellmuth ripped off his glasses.
"I think I'm supposed to raise," Hellmuth announced. "But I just call. I caught a seven."
Hellmuth fanned for a seventy-four, and all we saw from Taylor's hand was . Hellmuth pulled in the monster pot, and is starting to pull away.
| Phil Hellmuth | 795,000 | 145,000 |
| Brendan Taylor | 280,000 | -180,000 |
Sunday, June 10, 2012 6:46 PM Local Time
Brandon Cantu, who is seated in the six seat, just asked Phil Hellmuth, who is in Seat 5, if he could scoot down a bit given the players in Seats 3 and 4 have been eliminated.
"No," said Hellmuth. "This is my lucky seat." Cantu seemed taken aback that such a simple request was denied and asked the floor if he'd request Hellmuth to move down a bit. "Even six inches," Cantu said.
The floor politely asked Hellmuth if he'd be willing to move down and again the "Poker Brat" refused. Cantu asked for a little help and the floor said he could check with his superiors, which prompted Hellmuth to say, "You better call Jack [Effel]."
Despite his unwillingness to budge, Hellmuth did say with sincerity, "I love Brandon Cantu." Hellmuth's stubbornness may just be a result of superstition, though it appears he has scooted down a bit.