Monday, July 16, 2012 10:25 PM Local Time
Level: 34
Blinds: 150000/300000
Ante: 40000
Monday, July 16, 2012 10:24 PM Local Time
The action folded to Andras Koroknai, who raised to 550,000 out of the small blind. Elisabeth Hille defended her big blind, and the dealer fanned . Koroknai led for 625,000, and Hille called.
The turn was the , and Koroknai led again - this time for 1.175 million. Hille again called.
The completed the board, and Koroknai emptied the chamber, firing a third bullet worth 4 million. Hille decided not to call all in, and mucked her hand.
| Andras Koroknai | 22,035,000 | 3,225,000  |
| Elisabeth Hille | 3,845,000 | -3,635,000  |
Monday, July 16, 2012 10:17 PM Local Time
Jeremy Ausmus raised to 510,000 from under the gun, Steven Gee reraised to 1.5 million even from the cutoff, and when it folded back Ausmus called.
The flop came and Ausmus checked. Gee continued for 1.75 million, and Ausmus folded.
| Steven Gee | 15,800,000 | 1,800,000 |
| Jeremy Ausmus | 9,100,000 | -1,600,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 10:09 PM Local Time
Jesse Sylvia raised to 480,000 from the hijack seat, Scott Abrams called from the cutoff, and Russell Thomas called from the big blind as well. The flop came and it checked to Abrams who bet 775,000. Both of his opponents called. The turn was the . It checked again to Abrams who bet 1.9 million, and this time only Sylvia stuck around.
The river was the . Sylvia checked, and after a pause Abrams checked as well. Abrams then turned over for two pair, and Sylvia mucked.
| Jesse Sylvia | 23,700,000 | -3,300,000 |
| Scott Abrams | 20,000,000 | 4,100,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 10:06 PM Local Time
| Table | Seat | Player |
|---|
| Main | 1 | Andras Koroknai |
| | 2 | Elisabeth Hille |
| | 3 | --empty-- |
| | 4 | Greg Merson |
| | 5 | Gaelle Baumann |
| | 6 | Michael Esposito |
| | 7 | Robert Salaburu |
| | 8 | --empty-- |
| | 9 | --empty-- |
| | | |
| Secondary | 1 | Russell Thomas |
| | 2 | --empty-- |
| | 3 | Steven Gee |
| | 4 | Jesse Silvia |
| | 5 | Scott Abrams |
| | 6 | --empty-- |
| | 7 | Jacob Balsiger |
| | 8 | Jeremy Ausmus |
| | 9 | --empty-- |
Monday, July 16, 2012 10:06 PM Local Time
Greg Merson raised to 500,000 from the cutoff and action folded to a short-stacked Marc Ladouceur in the big blind. He moved all in for 4.285 million and Merson made a quick call.
Showdown
Merson:
Ladouceur:
Ladouceur, who began the day as chip leader, was racing for his tournament life and would need to improve to stay alive. At first it looked as if he would as the appeared in the window, and while it was accompanied by the , the flop also brought the . Ladouceur had flopped trips, but Merson a full house.
The turn meant Ladouceur could win with either the case seven, an ace, or a deuce, but it wasn't in the cards as the dealer burned and put out the on the river. With that, Ladouceur was eliminated from the tournament while Merson chipped up to over 30 million.
| Greg Merson | 31,305,000 | 4,355,000 |
| Marc Ladouceur | 0 | -4,415,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 10:03 PM Local Time
...things have been a bit quieter of late than at the main feature table.
We watched several hands without a flop, with players taking turns raising and taking the blinds and antes. That sequence then changed to Scott Abrams in the blinds three-betting over late position raises — first from Steven Gee, then from Jesse Sylvia — and taking the pot both times. On the second instance, Abrams showed his before collecting the chips.
The next hand finally brought us some community cards after Gee raised to 500,000 from the hijack seat and Jacob Balsiger called from the small blind. The flop came . Balsiger checked, Gee bet 600,000, and Balsiger called. Both then checked the river and river. Balsiger showed , and Gee mucked.
| Jacob Balsiger | 17,400,000 | 1,600,000 |
| Steven Gee | 12,700,000 | -1,300,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 10:01 PM Local Time
The action folded to Elisabeth Hille, who opened to 480,000 on the button. Gaelle Baumann three-bet jammed for 2.455 million from the big blind, and Hille tank-called.
Baumann:
Hille:
The crowd burst into chorus of cheers and "ohhhh"s as the flop fell . Baumann had the dummy end of an open-ended straight draw, but any eight would give Hille a higher straight. The turned, giving Baumann a seven-high straight, and Hille was drawing to just four cards.
The gave Hille a meaningless pair of queens, and Baumann doubled to 5.2 million.
| Elisabeth Hille | 7,540,000 | -2,425,000 |
| Gaelle Baumann | 5,210,000 | 2,160,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 9:57 PM Local Time
John Esposito opened for 500,000 from the hijack and Greg Merson defended from the big blind. The flop saw Merson bet 650,000, Esposito call and the turn. Merson slowed down with a check, but proceeded to check-raise Esposito's bet up to 3.3 million. The latter quickly folded and it was on to the next hand.
| Greg Merson | 26,950,000 | 2,340,000 |
| Michael Esposito | 18,920,000 | -2,660,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 9:47 PM Local Time
Steven Gee has been quiet of late, but got involved just now with a raise to 500,000 from the hijack seat, then Jacob Balsiger reraised to 1.65 million from the small blind. It folded back to Gee who went deep into the tank. He sat riffling chips for three minutes, peering out from beneath the brim of his Raiders cap, then finally raising to 4.1 million. Balsiger immediately pushed his cards away.
| Jacob Balsiger | 15,800,000 | -1,700,000 |
| Steven Gee | 15,200,000 | 2,200,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 9:46 PM Local Time
Elisabeth Hille opened to 480,000 from the cutoff, Greg Merson called on the button, and the blinds released. The flop fell , and Hille led for 575,000. Merson called.
The turn brought the , and Hille slowed down, checking to Merson who fired 875,000. Hille released, and Merson picked up the pot.
| Greg Merson | 24,610,000 | 2,495,000 |
| Elisabeth Hille | 9,965,000 | -1,805,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 9:39 PM Local Time
Marc Ladouceur limped from the small blind and Andras Koroknai checked his option from the big. Ladouceur proceeded to bet 510,000 on the flop, Koroknai called, and then both players checked the turn.
Ladouceur checked for a second time on the river, but this time Ladouceur came out firing to the tune of 1.05 million. The Canadian gave up his hand and Koroknai was pushed the pot.
| Andras Koroknai | 19,080,000 | 780,000 |
| Marc Ladouceur | 4,415,000 | -610,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 9:35 PM Local Time
Russell Thomas opened with a raise from the cutoff and got a single caller in new chip leader Jesse Sylvia in the big blind. The flop came . Sylvia checked, Thomas continued, and Sylvia called. The turn brought the and another check from Sylvia. Thomas bet 1.05 million this time, and Sylvia called, building a pot of around 4 million.
The river brought the and one more check from Sylvia. Thomas bet 1.55 million, and when Sylvia check-raised to 3.9 million, Thomas instantly tossed his cards into the muck.
| Jesse Sylvia | 27,900,000 | 3,835,000 |
| Russell Thomas | 17,000,000 | -3,800,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 9:30 PM Local Time
Marc Ladouceur opened to 480,000 from the hijack seat, Danny Wong moved all in for 1.9 million in the cutoff, and Greg Merson re-jammed from the big blind. Ladouceur folded, and the hands were opened.
Merson:
Wong:
The flop didn't improve Wong's hand, and neither did the on the turn. The completed the board, and Wong was eliminated in 14th place.
Chants of "P! O! Y!" filled the mothership, as Merson chipped up to 22.115 million.
| Greg Merson | 22,115,000 | 2,690,000 |
| Danny Wong | 0 | -1,940,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 9:25 PM Local Time
Players are back at the tables for the second hour of Level 33.
Monday, July 16, 2012 9:17 PM Local Time
| Jesse Sylvia | 24,065,000 | -385,000 |
| Russell Thomas | 21,490,000 | -1,360,000 |
| Scott Abrams | 15,560,000 | 1,160,000 |
| Jacob Balsiger | 15,355,000 | -1,645,000 |
| Steven Gee | 14,215,000 | -1,185,000 |
| Jeremy Ausmus | 12,775,000 | -225,000 |
| Robert Salaburu | 11,780,000 | -120,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 9:13 PM Local Time
| Michael Esposito | 21,580,000 | -640,000 |
| Greg Merson | 19,425,000 | -1,870,000 |
| Andras Koroknai | 18,300,000 | 60,000 |
| Elisabeth Hille | 11,770,000 | -360,000 |
| Marc Ladouceur | 5,025,000 | 0 |
| Gaelle Baumann | 3,050,000 | -600,000 |
| Danny Wong | 1,940,000 | 580,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 9:12 PM Local Time
The players are now on another 20-minute break. Here's what happened during the last level:
Monday, July 16, 2012 9:10 PM Local Time
Marc Ladouceur raised to 480,000 from the cutoff only to have Andras Koroknai three-bet to 1.2 million from the small blind. Ladouceur responded by making it 2.15 million, Koroknai moved all in and Ladouceur made the call.
Showdown
Koroknai:
Ladouceur:
Both players held the same hand and chances are it would be a chopped pot; in fact, the only way it wouldn't be is if the board was four flushed in either spades or clubs. The crowd seemed disappointed both players had the same holdings, but they perked up when the flop gave Koroknai a freeroll to a club.
Much to the dismay of Ladouceur's supporters on the rail, the spiked on the turn to give Koroknai the flush and the improbable double. The meaningless was put out on the river and Ladouceur was knocked down to five million.
| Andras Koroknai | 18,240,000 | 10,085,000 |
| Marc Ladouceur | 5,025,000 | -8,965,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 9:06 PM Local Time
Robert Salaburu raised to 495,000 from early position and just Jeremy Ausmus called him from the big blind. The flop came . Ausmus checked, Salaburu bet 580,000, and Ausmus called. The turn brought the and another check from Ausmus. This time Salaburu bet 1.2 million, and Ausmus called again.
The river was the and both players checked. Salaburu turned over for trip queens, and Ausmus mucked.
That's the last hand before the mid-level break. We'll get you updated counts on everyone in just a few.