Monday, July 16, 2012 8:54 PM Local Time
Andras Koroknai opened to 505,000 in middle position, Michael Esposito called from the small blind, and the flop fell . Esposito quickly led for 600,000, and Koroknai called.
The turn was the suicide king ( ), and Esposito led again - this time for 1.1 million. Koroknai called.
The completed the board, and Esposito slowed down, checking to Koroknai who checked behind. Esposito rolled over for a set of eights, and took down the pot.
| Michael Esposito | 22,220,000 | 2,625,000  |
| Andras Koroknai | 8,155,000 | -585,000  |
Monday, July 16, 2012 8:52 PM Local Time
Jesse Sylvia has had quite a last hour or so. Just now he was getting involved again, raising to 480,000 from the button. Scott Abrams responded with a reraise to 1,205,000 from the small blind, and after Jacob Balsiger folded, Sylvia pushed it up further to 2.6 million. Abrams looked at Sylvia's reraise, and was persuaded to fold.
Sylvia then three-bet the next hand after a Russell Thomas open, getting Thomas to fold, and is now sitting at around 25 million. Sylvia appears to have nudged into the lead at the moment as we near the next mid-level break.
| Jesse Sylvia | 25,200,000 | 2,200,000 |
| Scott Abrams | 14,400,000 | -1,300,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 8:50 PM Local Time
Andras Koroknai opened for 505,000 and was called by Elisabeth Hille. John Esposito then called from the big blind and it was three-way action to the flop.
Esposito was first to act and led out for 505,000, Koroknai folded, and Hille made the call. Both players then checked the turn, and Esposito ended up check-calling a bet of 505,000 on the river. Hille revealed for a pair of tens, and it was good as Esposito mucked.
| Michael Esposito | 19,595,000 | -1,065,000 |
| Elisabeth Hille | 12,130,000 | 585,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 8:44 PM Local Time
Following a Jacob Balsiger open from early position, Jesse Sylvia called from the big blind and the pair saw a flop come . Sylvia checked, Balsiger bet 500,000, then Sylvia check-raised to 1,665,000. Balsiger thought it over, then called. The turn was the , pairing the board. This time Sylvia pushed out a bet of 2.65 million. Balsiger called again, making the total pot over 9 million.
The river brought the . After sitting quietly for about a half-minute, Sylvia slid out stacks of chips for a bet of 4.3 million. Balsiger sat a full minute himself, then pushed away his hand.
| Jesse Sylvia | 23,000,000 | 4,900,000 |
| Jacob Balsiger | 17,000,000 | -4,400,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 8:40 PM Local Time
Elisabeth Hille raised to 480,000 from the cutoff, and Gaelle Baumann three-bet shoved for 1.525 million from the small blind. Michael Esposito cold-called in the big blind, and Hille tank-folded.
Baumann:
Esposito:
Baumann sheepishly turned over her hand, thinking she was in trouble, and was delighted to see that she had Esposito crushed. The flop pushed her even further ahead, and the on the turn ended the hand.
By the time the completed the board, Baumann's French contingent was already cheering and singing from the stands.
| Michael Esposito | 20,660,000 | -1,745,000 |
| Gaelle Baumann | 3,650,000 | 1,825,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 8:34 PM Local Time
Playing from under the gun, Steven Gee raised to 500,000 and Jacob Balsiger called from the cutoff.
The flop came and Gee checked. Balsiger bet 500,000, and Gee called. The turn was the , and Gee checked again. This time Balsiger bet 900,000, and after a brief pause Gee let his hand go.
| Jacob Balsiger | 21,400,000 | 1,375,000 |
| Steven Gee | 17,000,000 | -1,000,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 8:28 PM Local Time
| Michael Esposito | 22,405,000 | 2,930,000 |
| Greg Merson | 21,295,000 | 1,445,000 |
| Marc Ladouceur | 13,990,000 | -2,750,000 |
| Elisabeth Hille | 11,545,000 | -165,000 |
| Andras Koroknai | 8,740,000 | -570,000 |
| Gaelle Baumann | 1,825,000 | -1,220,000 |
| Danny Wong | 1,360,000 | -210,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 8:26 PM Local Time
Robert Salaburu opened for 550,000 from the cutoff, Steven Gee called from the button, then Jesse Sylvia pushed all in for 8,085,000 from the small blind, forcing a fold from Scott Abrams a seat over. Salaburu responded by pushing all in himself, and Gee got out of the way.
Salaburu:
Sylvia:
"Queeeen!" yelled Sylvia's supporters. The dealer spread the flop — — not a queen, but a needed king for Sylvia, and the crowd rejoiced. The turn brought the and another cheer. The river was the , and amid chants of "Jesse," Sylvia had doubled up.
| Jesse Sylvia | 17,170,000 | 8,070,000 |
| Robert Salaburu | 12,000,000 | -8,200,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 8:19 PM Local Time
The action folded to Michael Esposito, who opened to 700,000 on the button. Marc Ladouceur folded from the small blind, and Danny Wong called all in from the big blind.
Esposito:
Wong:
Wong threw a fist in the air when the flop fell , and he grabbed the lead with a pair of queens. The on the turn gave Esposito a flush draw however, and Wong had to dodge an ace, five, or heart on the river.
The was a brick however, and Wong doubled to 1.57 million.
| Michael Esposito | 19,475,000 | -650,000 |
| Danny Wong | 1,570,000 | 830,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 8:11 PM Local Time
In the last hand before the level went up, Danny Wong opened for 405,000 from the cutoff only to have Andras Koroknai move all in for 4.4 million from the button. Both blinds got out of the way, and Wong thought long and hard before spiking in a call.
Showdown
Wong made a good call as he had Koroknai dominated, but the flop made things interesting as the latter picked up a flush draw. The turn paired both and put put some chop options, but it was the on the river that sent shockwaves through the crowd. The Hungarian had made his flush to double, while Wong was left with less than three big blinds.
| Andras Koroknai | 9,310,000 | 3,790,000 |
| Danny Wong | 740,000 | -4,875,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 8:10 PM Local Time
In the last hand of Level 32, Jacob Balsiger raised to 500,000 from the button and Russell Thomas called from the big blind. The flop came and both checked. Thomas then pushed out 550,000 following the turn, and Balsiger called.
The river was the , putting a second pair on the board. Thomas bet again — 1.2 million this time — and Balsiger let it go.
Thomas pushes up over the 20 million-chip mark with that one, while Balsiger ducks just below it.
| Russell Thomas | 22,300,000 | 2,800,000 |
| Jacob Balsiger | 19,200,000 | -2,400,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 8:04 PM Local Time
Level: 33
Blinds: 120000/240000
Ante: 30000
Monday, July 16, 2012 8:04 PM Local Time
After three hands in a row in which preflop raises claimed the blinds and antes — two by Jeremy Ausmus, one by Russell Thomas — Thomas was raising again to 450,000 from early position and getting a caller this time in Jacob Balsiger in the big blind.
The flop came . Balsiger checked, Thomas bet 500,000, and Balsiger called. The turn then brought the and checks from both players.
The river was the . Balsiger checked once more, and this time Thomas fired 1.3 million. Balsiger thought a full minute, then looked back at his cards and pushed them away.
| Jacob Balsiger | 21,600,000 | -1,100,000 |
| Russell Thomas | 19,500,000 | 1,200,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 8:03 PM Local Time
Greg Merson opened to 400,000 from early position, and Andras Koroknai defended his big blind. The flop fell , Koroknai led for 505,000, Merson moved all in for effectively 5.49 million, and Koroknai folded.
Marc Ladouceur opened to 400,000 from the cutoff, Danny Wong moved all in on the button, and Ladouceur folded.
Monday, July 16, 2012 7:57 PM Local Time
Andras Koroknairaised to 405,000 from early position and was called by Elisabeth Hille in middle position. Michael Esposito then called from the small blind, and it was three-way action to the flop.
Esposito was first to act and led out for 500,000, which only Koroknai called. Espositio continued to keep the pressure on with bets of 1 million and 2 million on the turn and respectively, both of which Koroknai called.
Espositio rolled over for a flopped flush, and it was good as Koroknai simply mucked.
| Michael Esposito | 20,125,000 | 2,555,000 |
| Andras Koroknai | 5,520,000 | -4,580,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 7:52 PM Local Time
Jacob Balsiger opened for 400,000 from the button, then Jeremy Ausmus reraised to 1.075 million from the small blind, causing Russell Thomas to step aside. Balsiger then made it 2 million to go, and after waiting a half-minute Ausmus announced he was all in for roughly 11.5 million.
Balsiger didn't respond right away, but after waiting just a short while let his hand go.
| Jacob Balsiger | 22,700,000 | -2,200,000 |
| Jeremy Ausmus | 13,700,000 | 2,500,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 7:47 PM Local Time
- Elisabeth Hille opened to 400,000 from middle position, Michael Esposito called on the button, and the blinds released. The flop fell , and Hille led for 475,000. Esposito released.
- Marc Ladouceur opened to 400,000 on the button, and Andras Koroknai defended his big blind. The flop was , and both players checked. The turn was the , and Koroknai checked again. Ladouceur fired 475,000, and Koroknai called. The completed the board, and Koroknai checked again. Ladouceur checked behind, tabling for a pair of sixes, and won the pot.
- Greg Merson opened to 400,000 from middle position, and the action folded to Marc Ladouceur, who called in the cutoff seat. The button and blinds released, and the flop fell . Merson checked, Ladouceur fired 675,000, and Merson called. The turn brought the , both players checked, and the completed the board. Merson checked a third time, and Ladouceur fired over a million. Merson quickly folded, and Ladouceur picked up the pot.
Monday, July 16, 2012 7:46 PM Local Time
Russell Thomas raised to 450,000 from early position, Robert Salaburu called from the hijack seat, and Steven Gee also called from the cutoff.
The dealer spread the flop . Thomas tossed out 550,000 and Salaburu folded quickly. Gee paused a few beats, then called. The turn brought the , and both players checked.
The river brought the . Both checked again, and Thomas showed for nines and aces. Gee looked back at his hand, showed the saying he thought it was a spade, then mucked.
| Russell Thomas | 18,300,000 | 1,500,000 |
| Steven Gee | 16,800,000 | -1,000,000 |
Monday, July 16, 2012 7:39 PM Local Time
The tournament staff has just introduced a new almond chip, worth T250,000. Interestingly, just one of those chips represents eight people (30,000 starting stack X 8 = 240,000).