Thursday, July 3, 2014 7:41 PM Local Time
Brunson Takes a Chunk
Matt Grapenthien: / /
Todd Brunson: / /
Picking up the action on fifth street, Brunson fired away with bets on fifth, sixth, and seventh. Grapenthien called each time. Brunson showed the for three kings, and Grapenthien mucked his hand.
| Todd Brunson | 1,785,000 | 245,000  |
| Matt Grapenthien | 1,275,000 | -245,000  |
Thursday, July 3, 2014 7:33 PM Local Time
Brunson Battles Back
Matt Grapenthien: / /
Todd Brunson: / /
Brunson brought it in, Grapenthien completed, and Brunson called. Grapenthien led out on both fourth and fifth street, Brunson called both bets, and when faced with a third bet on sixth, Brunson raised.
Grapenthien called.
After sweating his final card, Grapenthien checked to Brunson on seventh. Brunson bet in the dark, Grapenthien called, and Brunson showed , then the . Grapenthien mucked.
"Nice hand," he told Brunson.
| Todd Brunson | 1,540,000 | 215,000 |
| Matt Grapenthien | 1,520,000 | -215,000 |
Thursday, July 3, 2014 7:25 PM Local Time
More for Grapenthien
Matt Grapenthien: /
Todd Brunson: /
Grapenthien brought it in, Brunson completed, and Grapenthien raised. Brunson called.
Brunson check-called a bet on fourth street, then led out on fifth. Grapenthien raised, and Brunson folded.
| Matt Grapenthien | 1,735,000 | 155,000 |
| Todd Brunson | 1,325,000 | -155,000 |
Thursday, July 3, 2014 7:14 PM Local Time
Grapenthien Takes the Lead
Matt Grapenthien: /
Todd Brunson: /
Brunson brought it in, Grapenthien completed, and Brunson called. Both players checked on fourth and fifth street, and Brunson check-folded on sixth.
Grapenthien: /
Brunson: /
Grapenthien brought it in, Brunson completed, and Grapenthien called. Brunson check-called a bet on fourth street, then check-folded on fifth.
| Matt Grapenthien | 1,580,000 | 241,000 |
| Todd Brunson | 1,480,000 | -241,000 |
Thursday, July 3, 2014 6:59 PM Local Time
Level 25 started
Level: 25
Blinds: 30000/60000
Ante: 7000
Thursday, July 3, 2014 6:42 PM Local Time
Break
The players are on a 20-minute break.
| Todd Brunson | 1,721,000 | -29,000 |
| Matt Grapenthien | 1,339,000 | 29,000 |
Thursday, July 3, 2014 6:27 PM Local Time
Grapenthien Gets Some Back
Matt Grapenthien: / /
Todd Brunson: / /
Brunson brought it in, Grapenthien completed, and Brunson made the call. Grapenthien led out on fourth street, Brunson called, and Grapenthien led out again on fifth. Brunson raised, Grapenthien called, and Grapenthien check-called a bet on sixth.
Grapenthien led out on seventh, Brunson called, and Grapenthien showed for jacks up.
Brunson flashed the , saying he had an inferior jacks up, and mucked.
| Todd Brunson | 1,965,000 | -280,000 |
| Matt Grapenthien | 1,095,000 | 280,000 |
Thursday, July 3, 2014 6:16 PM Local Time
Brunson Pulls Away Some More
Matt Grapenthien: / /
Todd Brunson: / /
Grapenthien brought in on third, Brunson completed, Grapenthien raised, and then Brunson reraised. Grapenthien called, and the two of them went off to fourth street.
On fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh streets, Brunson bet. Each time, Grapenthien made the call. At the showdown, though, he saw the bad news.
Brunson tabled the for two pair, aces and fives. Grapenthien mucked and slipped to under one million in chips.
| Todd Brunson | 2,245,000 | 200,000 |
| Matt Grapenthien | 815,000 | -200,000 |
Thursday, July 3, 2014 6:08 PM Local Time
Brunson Storms into the Lead
Matt Grapenthien: /
Todd Brunson: /
Grapenthien brought it in, then called after Brunson completed. Brunson check-called a bet on fourth street, then led out with his pair of queens. Grapenthien folded.
Grapenthien: / /
Brunson: / /
Grapenthien brought it in, Brunson completed, and Grapenthien called. Brunson check-called bets on fourth and fifth, then led out on sixth. Grapenthien raised, Brunson called, and Brunson led out again on seventh.
This time, Grapenthien just called, and he mucked when Brunson turned over fir nines and deuces.
Grapenthien: / /
Brunson: / /
Brunson check-called a bet on fourth street, then led out on each subsequent street. Grapenthien called him down, and Brunson turned over for aces up. Grapenthien frustratedly showed for an inferior two pair.
| Todd Brunson | 2,045,000 | 575,000 |
| Matt Grapenthien | 1,015,000 | -575,000 |
Thursday, July 3, 2014 6:02 PM Local Time
James Obst Eliminated in 3rd Place ($103,895)
Matt Grapenthien: / /
Todd Brunson: / — fold
James Obst: / /
On third street, Grapenthien was the bring-in, Brunson completed, Obst raised, then Grapenthien reraised. That knocked Brunson out of the way, and then Obst called.
On fourth street, Obst check-called a bet from Grapenthien, and then Grapenthien led with a bet on fifth street after he picked up the best hand showing. On sixth street, Obst bet, Grapenthien raised, and Obst called.
On the final street, seventh street, Obst check-called a bet from Grapenthien.
"Quads," said Grapenthien as he tabled the for quad eights — the second time he has had quads today.
Obst was left with just 33,000 in chips.
Grapenthien: / — fold
Brunson: / /
Obst: / /
On the next hand after getting crippled down Grapenthien's quad eights, Obst was all in on third street against his two opponents. Grapenthien and Brunson checked down to sixth street, before Brunson fired a bet and Grapenthien folded.
Brunson showed the from his hand for three-of-a-kind fives, and Obst had the . Brunson made the on the end for a full house, and Obst finished with the . With that, Obst was eliminated in third place, and it was down to the final two.
Obst earned $103,895.
| Matt Grapenthien | 1,590,000 | 345,000 |
| Todd Brunson | 1,470,000 | 70,000 |
| James Obst | 0 | -340,000 |
Thursday, July 3, 2014 5:50 PM Local Time
Brunson Straightens Out Obst
Todd Brunson: / /
James Obst: / /
Brunson bet fourth street, and Obst called. Then on fifth, Obst paired up with eights and led with a bet. Brunson called. On sixth, Obst check-called a bet from Brunson, and then Obst led out on seventh street. Brunson raised, and Obst tank-called.
Brunson showed the for a straight, and Obst mucked.
| Todd Brunson | 1,400,000 | 180,000 |
| James Obst | 340,000 | -255,000 |
Thursday, July 3, 2014 5:50 PM Local Time
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Thursday, July 3, 2014 5:43 PM Local Time
Level 24 started
Level: 24
Blinds: 25000/50000
Ante: 5000
Thursday, July 3, 2014 5:43 PM Local Time
Flush for Grapenthien
Matt Grapenthien: / /
James Obst: / /
Obst brought it in then called after Grapenthien completed. Grapenthien led out on fourth street, Obst called, and the Aussie fired out a bet when he made the best board on fifth. Grapenthien called.
Grapenthien made a pair of eights on sixth, retaking the lead, and fired out a bet. Obst called.
Obst called one last bet on seventh, then mucked when Grapenthien revealed for a flush.
| Matt Grapenthien | 1,245,000 | 145,000 |
| Todd Brunson | 1,220,000 | -110,000 |
| James Obst | 595,000 | -110,000 |
Thursday, July 3, 2014 5:40 PM Local Time
Ben Yu Eliminated in 4th Place ($75,227)
Ben Yu: / /
Matt Grapenthien: / /
Grapenthien brought it in, Yu completed, and Grapenthien made it three bets. Yu called.
Yu led out on fourth street, Grapenthien raised, and Yu committed the remainder of his stack.
Yu:
Grapenthien:
Both players had a pair, but Yu's cowboys were superior to Grapenthien's tres.
"My intention is to double up!" Yu shouted to his rail, prompting his friends to laugh.
Both players were dealt a deuce on fifth street, and sixth missed both players as well, but Grapenthien made two pair with the on seventh. Yu revealed a meaningless , and was eliminated.
Yu said his goodbyes to the table and wished them luck, then once again turned to his rail.
"See!" he shouted. "Choice Center is a scam! It doesn't work!"
| Matt Grapenthien | 1,100,000 | 150,000 |
| Ben Yu | 0 | -226,000 |
Thursday, July 3, 2014 5:31 PM Local Time
Steve Landfish Eliminated in 5th Place ($58,793)
Matt Grapenthien: / /
Steve Landfish: / /
Picking up the action on fifth street, Landfish bet from there on in the hand. Each time, Grapenthien called. Landfish showed the for a pair of deuces, and Grapenthien showed the for a pair of fives.
"You've got to be kidding me," said Landfish as he was left with just 33,000 in chips.
Grapenthien: / /
Todd Brunson: / /
Landfish: / /
On the next hand after getting crippled, Landfish was all in on fourth street for his last 8,000. Both Grapenthien and Brunson called, and then those two checked it down from there as their boards were run out.
At the showdown, Grapenthien revealed the for a a pair of kings. Brunson mucked, and then Landfish showed a losing and was sent to the rail.
For his finish, Landfish earned $58,793.
| Matt Grapenthien | 950,000 | 289,000 |
| Steve Landfish | 0 | -364,000 |
Thursday, July 3, 2014 5:22 PM Local Time
Phil Hellmuth Eliminated in 6th Place ($46,885)
Phil Hellmuth: / /
Todd Brunson: / /
Brunson brought it in, Hellmuth completed, and the latter check-called a bet on fourth street. Hellmuth then check-raised Brunson on fifth, Brunson called, and Hellmuth checked again on sixth.
Brunson bet, Hellmuth called, and Hellmuth checked dark on seventh. Brunson bet dark, Hellmuth tank-called, and Brunson showed for a full house. Hellmuth flashed a red .
Hellmuth: / /
Matt Grapenthien: / — Folded
James Obst: / /
The very next hand, Hellmuth completed with the lowest card - the - and Grapenthien raised. Obst and Hellmuth called, and Hellmuth checked on fourth street. Grapenthien bet, Obst called, and Hellmuth called all in.
Grapenthien check-folded to a bet on fifth, and the hands were opened.
Hellmuth:
Obst:
Obst was in the lead with a pair of tens, and held up on sixth street. Hellmuth flipped over the on seventh, meaning he was drawing dead, and Obst revealed a meaningless .
"Good luck," Hellmuth said, getting up from the table. "Everybody played really well."
| Todd Brunson | 1,330,000 | 230,000 |
| James Obst | 705,000 | 305,000 |
| Matt Grapenthien | 661,000 | -79,000 |
| Steve Landfish | 364,000 | -46,000 |
| Phil Hellmuth | 0 | -606,000 |
Thursday, July 3, 2014 5:13 PM Local Time
"I'm Easy, Kid"
"They will not let me win a pot!" Phil Hellmuth blurted out after he brought in and James Obst raised. "Gentlemen, gentlemen, they will not let me win a pot!"
"I guess it'll have to be a big one," he added, before taking time to pause. "I love this game, boys."
Just as Hellmuth said that, one of the servers game by and asked Hellmuth if he was done eating. It looked like he had a half-eaten burrito on the tray behind him, and Hellmuth quickly turned around to make sure it wasn't taken. "No, no, no," he said. "I'll tell you when," he added with a smile.
Hellmuth then returned to play the next hand, on which he had the showing. "This one I should win," he commented.
Hellmuth: / — fold
Obst: /
On third street, Obst completed the bet, and Hellmuth raised, which is when he commented that he should win this hand. Action folded back to Obst, and he called.
"He doesn't want to fold the dead nines," Hellmuth said. "He wants to gamble."
Obst led with a bet on fourth street, Hellmuth called, and then Obst led again on fifth. Hellmuth began to tank, then folded.
"Nice hand," he said to Obst. "I'm easy right now, kid."
Thursday, July 3, 2014 5:06 PM Local Time
Quads for Grapenthien
Matt Grapenthien just scooped a big pot with quads. His quad nines beat James Obst in a big pot and he was able to move up to 740,000 in chips. Obst slipped back to 400,000.
| Matt Grapenthien | 740,000 | 575,000 |
| James Obst | 400,000 | -300,000 |
Thursday, July 3, 2014 4:52 PM Local Time
Obst Trips Up Grapenthien
Matt Grapenthien: / /
James Obst: / /
Grapenthien completed, Obst called, and the former led out on fourth street. Grapenthien led out again on fifth, and Obst meant to raise but he made a forward motion with only calling chips. He then tried to go back to his stack and put out a raise, but the floor ruled it a call.
Knowing Obst wanted to raise, Grapenthien check-called a bet on sixth, and both players checked on seventh. Grapenthien turned over the for kings and eights, but Obst had him beat with for trip threes.
| James Obst | 700,000 | 195,000 |
| Matt Grapenthien | 165,000 | -154,000 |