Event #20: $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout

Hand #100: Jack Duong raised to 19,000, Michael Stonehill called on the button, Dylan Linde called out of the small blind and Eric Wasserson defended his big blind. The quartet took a flop of    , everyone checked and the turn was the  . The action checked to Duong, he bet 30,000 and everyone else folded.

Hand #101: Taylor Paur raised to 16,000 from early position, Duong called from two spots to his left and the flop fell    . Paur continued for 15,000, Duong called and the turn was the  . Paur fired out another 38,000 and Duong called. The   completed the board, Paur checked for the first time and Duong took the opportunity to bet 79,000. Paur snap-folded.

The players are now on a 60-minute dinner break.

Hand #95: Eric Wasserson raised to 17,000 from the hijack seat, Kory Kilpatrick called in the big blind and the flop was    . Kilpatrick checked, Wasserson fired out 16,000 and Kilpatrick called. The turn was the  , Kilpatrick knuckled again and Wasserson checked behind. The   completed the board, Kilpatrick checked a third and final time and Wasserson fired 40,000.

Kilpatrick tank-called and Wasserson won the pot with   .

Hand #96: Phil Galfond raised to 17,000 from middle position, winning the blinds and antes.

Hand #97: Chris Bell raised to 20,000 in middle position and no one called.

Hand #98: Galfond raised to 17,000 in early position and found no callers.

Hand #99: Jack Duong raised to 20,000 from the cutoff, Dyland Linde defended his big blind, and the flop fell    . Both players checked. The turn was the  , Linde led out for 37,000, and Duong called. The   completed the board, both players checked, and Linde took the pot with    for a pair of tens.

We've now played 99 hands with only one elimination.

Hand #88: Phil Galfond raised to 17,000 from middle position, winning the blinds and antes.

Hand #89: Dylan Linde raised to 17,000 from under the gun, Michael Stonehill called out of the big blind, and the two took a flop of    . Stonehill checked, Linde tossed out 21,000, and Stonehill folded.

Hand #90: Jack Duong raised to 18,000 from the hijack, Linde called out of the big blind, and the dealer fanned    . Both players checked. The turn was the  , Linde led out for 18,000, and Duong folded.

Hand #91: Kory Kilpatrick won the pot with a preflop raise.

Hand #92: Eric Wasserson completed from the small blind, Galfond checked, and both players checked on a flop of    . The turn was the  , Wasserson checked, and Galfond won the pot with a bet of 10,000.

Hand #93: Taylor Paur raised to 16,000 from under the gun, Chris Bell defended his big blind, and the flop fell    . Both players checked. The turn was the  , the two checked again, and the   completed the board. Paur took it down with a bet.

Hand #94: Kilpatrick raised to 20,000 from under the gun, Bell called out of the small blind, and the dealer fanned    . Bell checked, Kilpatrick continued for 24,000, and Bell called. The turn was the  , Bell checked again, and Kilpatrick bet another 58,000. Bell folded.

Today, Taylor Paur is sitting down at his second final table, after placing sixth in Event #11: $1,500 No Limit Hold'em - Six Handed. With fourteen World Series of Poker cashes and one bracelet, Paur is playing well, getting results and is on track for another big summer. We caught up with Paur as players went on break to see how his tables were going and how he feels to be at another final table.

PokerNews: This is your second final table this summer. Do you feel like a second bracelet's coming?

Taylor Paur: I have no idea. These shootouts are tough and ten-handed, now nine-handed, anything can happen. It's a lot about getting cards at this point and running good.

How were your tables coming into today?

My first table had a lot of really good players. I ended up beating Tony Gregg heads-up. He is - if not the best in the world - he is certainly one of the best in the world. I was just fortunate to run good against him and run good at that table overall.

Yesterday was pretty tough, I had Sylvain Loosli at my table who played pretty tough and he probably deserved to win. I just ran better than him and I was lucky to win. I'll take it, though.

So does catching cards and beating such great players give you some confidence coming into today?

Of course, it always makes you feel good to beat the best.

How does your shootout strategy differ from a traditional freeze out?

I wouldn't say I have a set strategy. I prefer shootouts in six-max, I just play and it feels more natural to me. Whereas full-ring - which is where we are now - is not as much as a strength for me.

How do you feel about your table today?

There are really good players. My friend Kory Kilpatrick, who's a boss and obviously Phil Galfond, who have won just a little money at poker. And there are other good players, too. It's a tough table.

How do you feel about your chances?

I feel good.

Hand #84: Kory Kilpatrick raised to 19,000 in early position, winning the blinds and antes.

Hand #85: Phil Galfond raised on the button, and both players in the blinds folded.

Hand #86: Galfond raised to 17,000 from the cutoff, Kilpatrick defended his big blind, and the flop fell    . Both players checked. The turn was the  , Kilpatrick checked again, and Galfond fired out 22,000. Kilpatrick called, the river was the  , and both players checked.

Kilpatrick dragged the pot with    for trip eights.

Hand #87: Paur raised to 16,000 on the button, Kilpatrick three-bet to 41,000 out of the small blind, and Paur called. The dealer fanned    , Kilpatrick led out for 40,000, Paur called, and the turn was the  . Both players checked.

The river was the  , Kilpatrick tanked for nearly two minutes then led out for 85,000, and Paur folded.

There will now be a small break as the WSOP readies the live stream for nine-handed play.

Hand #79: Dylan Linde raised to 17,000 in middle position, Chris Bell called on the button, and the flop came down    . Linde continued for 23,000, Bell called in the hijack, and the turn was the  . Linde checked, Bell knuckled behind, and the river was the  . The two checked again, and Bell took down the pot with   .

Hand #80: Phil Galfond raised to 17,000 in middle position, and no one looked him up.

Hand #81: Linde received a walk.

Hand #82: Bell raised in middle position, earning the blinds and antes.

Hand #83: Galfond raised to 18,000 from under the gun, Jack Duong called in middle position, and Narendra Banwari moved all in for 117,000 from the big blind. Galfond quickly folded, and Duong tanked for a well over two minutes before calling, putting Banwari at risk.

Banwari:   
Duong:   

The     flop missed Duong, but the   spiked on the turn. The   bricked off on the river, and Banwari was eliminated.

Taylor Paur raised to 16,000 on the button, Jack Duong called in the big blind and the flop came    . Duong checked, Paur continued for 18,000 and Duong called. The turn was the  , Duong knuckled again and Paur tossed out another 28,000. Duong check-raised all in for 142,000 and Paur snap-folded.

Hand #76: Jack Duong raised to 15,000 in early position, winning the blinds and antes.

Hand #77: Michael Stonehill raised to 15,000 in middle position, Galfond called in the cutoff and the dealer fanned    . Stonehill check-folded to a bet of 22,000 from Galfond, who flashed the  .