We had an all in and a call between Noah Vaillancourt and Michael Gathy.

Gathy:
Vaillancourt:

The board ran and Gathy's hand held.

Noah Vaillancourt	3,400,000	100,000
Michael Gathy	1,380,000	780,000

Jamie Armstrong started this recent hand off by raising it up. Action folded over to Noah Vaillancourt in the small blind who three-bet to 175,000. Next it was to Eric Baldwin who moved all in for 710,000. Armstrong folded and Vaillancourt went deep into the tank. Vaillancourt clearly was not very confident in his hand and took his time determining if he even had a chance at winning. Eventually he did indeed complete the call and put Baldwin at risk.

Baldwin:
Vaillancourt:

An flop was exposed and Baldwin sky rocketed into the lead with a pair of aces. Baldwin though could still hit a spade to steal the advantage back. A on the turn and a on the river sealed the deal and Baldwin was sent packing.

Eric Baldwin

0

-850,000

The three shorter stacks at the table are taking turns shoving preflop. The big stacks keep laying their hands down and the short stacks are slowly collecting chips. It's just a matter of time before fireworks happen.

Noah Vaillancourt opened to 80,000 and Eric Baldwin moved all in behind him. The blinds released, followed by Vaillancourt.

John Esposito has spent the last two hands moving all in to no callers, and has crossed the 1,000,000 chip mark.

John Esposito

1,100,000

375,000

Returning from break Jamie Armstrong opened for 80,000 and John Esposito moved all in. Noah Vaillancourt took a long time to fold his small blind and Eric Baldwin folded his big blind. Armstrong tossed his cards away and Espositio survived.

The players are on a 20 minute break.

Noah Vaillancourt opened for 20,000, Jamie Armstrong called from the small blind and John Esposito called from the big blind. The flop came , the blinds checked and Vaillancourt bet 115,000. Armstrong called and Espositio folded. The turn came , Armstrong checked and Vaillancourt bet 260,000. After some thought Armstrong called.

The river came , Armstrong checked and Vaillancourt checked behind. Armstrong mumbled an expletive and tabled for the nut flush. The top two chip leaders switched positions after that pot.

Jamie Armstrong	3,050,000	471,000
Noah Vaillancourt	2,850,000	-350,000

Michael Gathy raised a recent pot to 60,000 after action had folded around to him in the cut-off. Eric Baldwin in the small blind then moved all in for 550,000. It folded back to Gathy who completed the call and cards were tabled.

Baldwin:
Gathy:

Baldwin held a strong lead with his pair of kings, he just needed to avoid an ace and he could get right back in the thick of things here. A board was released and Baldwin secured the double up he so desperately needed.

Eric Baldwin	1,100,000	190,000
Michael Gathy	175,000	-608,000

Eric Baldwin opened for 65,000 and action folded around to Noah Vaillancourt in the big blind. Baldwin took several moments to consider his options. Ultimately, he decided the spot wasn't right and folded his hand.

Short stacked Eric Davis moved all in from the button for 235,000. John Esposito in the big blind made the call and Davis was at risk.

Davis
Esposito:

With a flop exposed Esposito grabbed hold of a flush draw, to go along with his ace high. A on the turn paired Davis, but in the worst kind of way as Esposito had hit his nut flush. A fell on the river, but it changed nothing and Davis was sent packing.

John Esposito	1,100,000	682,000
Eric Davis	0	-440,000

Eric Baldwin opened the action for 65,000, Jamie Armstrong called behind him and John Esposito shoved from the button. Baldwin folded rather quickly and Armstrong took his time to make a decision. He requested a count and Esposito's shove was for 530,000.

Armstrong reluctantly folded and Esposito picked a few chips.

Jean-Louis Santoni opened from under the gun for 65,000, and action folded around to Noah Vaillancourt in the hijack who made it 135,000. Santoni completed the call and both players saw a flop. It was here that Santoni checked and Vaillancourt fired out 80,000. Santoni immediately moved all in and was called by Vaillancourt.

Vaillancourt:
Santoni:

Santoni possessed the lead with his pair of jacks, but any diamond or ace on the turn or the river would put the hand in Vaillancourt's favor. Indeed a diamond did fall as the table was shown the on the turn and Vaillancourt grabbed hold of a nut flush. The meaningless fell on the river and Santoni was eliminated.

Noah Vaillancourt	3,200,000	799,000
Jean-Louis Santoni	0	-823,000

The level ended and the tournament staff stepped in to race off the T1,000 chips.

Michael Gathy opened on the button for 50,000 and Noah Vaillancourt raised from the small blind to 124,000. Eric Baldwin folded his big blind and Gathy called.

The flop came and after some measured thought Vaillancourt bet 94,000. Gathy let his hand go and Vaillancourt took the pot.

A short stacked Jason Manggunio moved all in from the button for 163,000 and Eric Baldwin in the small blind raised to 312,000. Eric Davis in the big blind folded, and we had ourselves a showdown.

Baldwin:
Manggunio:

An flop was exposed and Manggunio failed to improve and was consequently eliminated in 8th place.

Eric Baldwin	910,000	209,000
Jason Manggunio	0	-211,000

Jamie Armstrong opened, Joshua Field shoved for around 330,000 and Armstrong called.

Armstrong:
Field:

The board ran and Field was the first to go at the final table.

Jamie Armstrong	2,579,000	330,000
Joshua Field	0	-334,000

Players have been introduced and chips have been counted here at the official final table. One of these nine players will go on to find poker glory. Who will it be?

Noah Vaillancourt	2,401,000	301,000
Jamie Armstrong	2,249,000	-151,000
Jean-Louis Santoni	823,000	-177,000
Michael Gathy	783,000	-147,000
Eric Baldwin	701,000	-199,000
Eric Davis	440,000	120,000
John Esposito	418,000	98,000
Joshua Field	334,000	-26,000
Jason Manggunio	211,000	1,000

The introductions have been made and cards are in the air for the start of the final table.

The final nine players have taken a short break and action will be underway shortly.