Saturday, May 24, 2014 4:16 PM Local Time
Athanasios Polychronopoulos is feeling charitable despite the high stakes. As some cloud cover blocks the sun and the temperature drops a few degrees here on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, he offers a spare scarf to Matthew Ashton (pictured). Ashton gracefully accepts and with that, two of our final three players are now scarved.
Saturday, May 24, 2014 4:12 PM Local Time
Dominik Nitsche completes the small blind and Athanasios Polychronopoulos checks his option in the big blind. The flop comes , Nitsche bets 27,000, and Polychronopoulos calls.
The turn is the . Nitsche bets 65,000. Polychronopoulos takes around 30 seconds before raising to 145,000 total. Nitsche wastes no time folding and Polychronopoulos takes the pot.
Athanasios Polychronopoulos - 1,035,000
Dominik Nitsche - 1,380,000
Saturday, May 24, 2014 4:08 PM Local Time
Matthew Ashton raises to 68,000 out of the small blind, Dominik Nitsche folds out of the big blind, and Ashton takes the pot.
Saturday, May 24, 2014 4:07 PM Local Time
Athanasios Polychronopoulos completes the small blind and Matthew Ashton raises to 72,000 out of the big blind. Polychronopoulos calls and they go heads-up to a flop of . Polychronopoulos checks, Ashton checks behind.
The turn brings the , prompting another check from Polychronopoulos. Ashton bets 64,000, Polychronopoulos folds, and Ashton takes the pot.
Matthew Ashton - 1,315,000
Athanasios Polychronopoulis - 885,000
Saturday, May 24, 2014 3:59 PM Local Time
Dominik Nitsche - 1,536,000
Matthew Ashton - 1,237,000
Athanasios Polychronopoulos - 959,000
Saturday, May 24, 2014 3:56 PM Local Time
Chris Bibb (pictured) raises to 50,000 from under the gun and Dominik Nitsche reraises to 120,000 out of the small blind. Bibb moves all-in for around 230,000 total. Nitsche quickly calls with . Bibb is going to need some help, as he holds .
Bibb does get help, as the flop comes to give Bibb a pair of tens, but it also gives Nitsche a flush draw. The turn is the , completing Nitsche's flush and leaving the last Circuit playr standing drawing dead.
The river is an inconsequential and Bibb is eliminated, leaving a trio of bracelet winners to duke it out for the title of National Champion.
Dominik Nitsche - 1,495,000
Chris Bibb - eliminated in fourth place $115,655
Saturday, May 24, 2014 3:52 PM Local Time
Athanasios Polychronopoulos raises to 50,000 and Dominik Nitsche calls from the big blind. The flop comes and Nitsche checks. Polychronopoulos bets 65,000 and Nitsche calls.
The turn brings the . Nitsche checks, Polychronopoulos bets 115,000, Nitsche folds, and Polychronopoulos takes the pot.
Athanasios Polychronopoulos - 1,050,000
Dominik Nitsche - 1,255,000
Saturday, May 24, 2014 3:48 PM Local Time
Athanasios Polychronopoulos raises to 50,000 on the button and Matthew Ashton reraises to 140,000 out of the big blind. Polychronopoulos folds and Ashton takes the pot.
Matthew Ashton - 1,235,000
Athanasios Polychronopoulos - 860,000
Saturday, May 24, 2014 3:47 PM Local Time
European gold bracelet winners Matthew Ashton (left) and Dominik Nitsche (right) have done something their fellow countrymen have been unable to do in the three-year history of the current National Championship format — make the final table. More than that though, the pair hopes to set the bar for all future European participants by claiming a gold bracelet at the hands of the elite field.
With just four players remaining, they're well within arm's (wrist's?) reach of the trophy.
Saturday, May 24, 2014 3:47 PM Local Time
Dominik Nitsche raises to 50,000 on the button. Athanasios Polychronopoulos calls out of the small blind and Chris Bibb calls out of the big blind.
The flop comes and Polychronopoulos and Bibb both check. Nitsche bets 60,000, Polychronopoulos calls, and Bibb folds.
The turn brings the . Polychronopoulos checks, Nitsche bets 110,000, and Polychronopoulos calls.
The river is the . Both players check.
Polychronopoulos shows for ace-high and Nitsche takes the pot with for a winning pair of jacks.
Dominik Nitsche - 1,385,000
Athanasios Polychronopoulos - 915,000
Saturday, May 24, 2014 3:41 PM Local Time
Matthew Ashton raises to 55,000 on the button and Athanasios Polychronopoulos calls from the big blind. The flop comes and Polychronopoulos bets 70,000. Ashton calls.
The turn is the and Polychronopoulos checks. Ashton bets 85,000, Polychronopoulos folds, and Ashton takes the pot.
Matthew Ashton - 1,170,000
Athanasios Polychronopoulos - 1,165,000
Saturday, May 24, 2014 3:35 PM Local Time
Dominik Nitsche gets a walk in the big blind.
Saturday, May 24, 2014 3:34 PM Local Time
Athanasios Polychronopoulos raises to 60,000 on the button, winning the blinds and antes.
Saturday, May 24, 2014 3:32 PM Local Time
Matthew Ashton raises to 48,000, winning the blinds and antes.
Saturday, May 24, 2014 3:31 PM Local Time
Dominik Nitsche completes the small blind and Athanasios Polychronopoulos raises to 69,000 total out of the big blind. Nitsche calls and they go heads-up to a flop of . Nitsche checks, Polychronopoulos bets 80,000, Nitsche folds, and Polychronopoulos takes the pot.
Athanasios Polychronopoulos - 1,275,000
Dominik Nitsche - 1,125,000
Saturday, May 24, 2014 3:28 PM Local Time
Matthew Ashton raises to 68,000 out of the small blind and Dominik Nitsche calls out of the big blind.
The flop comes and Ashton checks. Nitsche double checks his hole cards, then bets 72,000. Ashton folds and Nitsche takes the pot.
Dominik Nitsche - 1,175,000
Matthew Ashton - 940,000
Saturday, May 24, 2014 3:26 PM Local Time
While each of the four remaining players is assured at least $115,655 in prize money, they're all playing for this -- the first bracelet of the 2014 WSOP season. The $352,800 payday that comes along with it is nothing to shake a stick at, either.
Saturday, May 24, 2014 3:24 PM Local Time
Athansios Polychronopoulos limps in on the button. Chris Bibb is in the small blind and thinks a bit before raising to 100,000 total. Matthew Ashton folds out of the big blind, Polychronopoulos folds as well, and Bibb takes the pot.
Chris Bibb - 380,000
Saturday, May 24, 2014 3:21 PM Local Time
Dominik Nitsche raises to 50,000 on the button. Chris Bibb is in the big blind and flashes his 2-5 before folding.
Saturday, May 24, 2014 3:20 PM Local Time
Action is back underway following the second 15-minute break of the day. Each of the four remaining players locked up $115,655.