Friday, June 18, 2010 4:59 PM Local Time
Kent Vanho shoved the very next hand and fellow (relative) short stack Alexander Queen reshoved. Everyone else got out of their way, and they were on their backs.
Vanho:
Queen:
Board:
Vanho had already been standing to leave on the flop, but promptly sat back down. "What happened?" he said to Queen, laughing with relief, "You trying to donate to me or what?"
Vanho doubled to 150,000 or so while Queen was left with 280,000.
However, it couldn't last. A hand or two later and Vanho shoved under the gun, getting a call from William Kakon in mid position.
Vanho:
Kakon:
Board:
With that, we were 14.
Friday, June 18, 2010 4:54 PM Local Time
You might have noticed from that last post that Kent Vanho has slipped to just 55,000 - here's the reason why.
The chips all went in preflop, and we were alerted to the action by the standard Jean Gaspard rail celebrations (high-volume, and very entertaining).
Gaspard:
Vanho:
Board: an unequivocal
Gaspard doubled to 430,000. Vanho was left with the aforementioned bowl of rice.
Friday, June 18, 2010 4:26 PM Local Time
We're now n a 20-minute break.
Friday, June 18, 2010 4:25 PM Local Time
...Although in fairness, he was very much ahead.
We arrived just in time to see Kent Vanho and Alexander Queen turn their cards over, Queen all in for his tournament life.
Queen:
Vanho:
Board:
Queen doubled to around 350,000.
Next hand it folded to Vanho in the small blind, who shoved into Queen's big blind. Queen folded, though, and we remain 15.
Friday, June 18, 2010 4:24 PM Local Time
Kent Vanho raised to 75,000 in middle position, and Billy Griner moved all in from the button for about 254,000 chips. Vanho called the additional 179,000 chips.
Showdown
Griner:
Vanho:
The board gave Griner 470,000 chips. Vanho slipped to 350,000.
Friday, June 18, 2010 4:19 PM Local Time
Chris Kastler opened the pot in middle position with a 50,000-chip raise and Jason Hallee moved all in from the big blind. Kastler tanked and eventually called the additional 287,000 chips.
Showdown
Kastler:
Hallee:
The board ran out and gave Hallee a full double up, is now up to 683,000 chips. Kastler slipped to 1,580,000.
Friday, June 18, 2010 4:06 PM Local Time
Mike Ellis raised to 63,000 in the hijack only for Martin Jacobson in the small blind to reraise all of his green T25,000 chips - around 700,000 and easily enough to cover both Neil Channing in the big blind and Ellis.
Channing thought about it for a long time, and asked Ellis how many chips he'd started the hand with (answer - 400,000). Eventually he folded.
The action was back on Ellis, who tanked up for some time under the watchful gaze of some of his buddies and backers at the rail. Eventually he folded too, leaving himself on 340,000.
Friday, June 18, 2010 3:53 PM Local Time
It looked as though Martin Jacobson had raised under the gun and Allen Stern had called. Either way, when we arrived, Andrew Ferris had shoved for an additional 87,000. Jacobson dwelled up for a long time - and then reraised to 500,000. It was enough to push Stern off, and Jacobson and the all-in player turned their cards over.
Jacobson:
Ferris:
Board:
"That was your spot?" asked real-life neighbor and tablemate Chris Kastler as his buddy hit the rail.
Friday, June 18, 2010 3:49 PM Local Time
Markus Lehmann made it 43,000 from the button and Jeff Cohen called out of the big blind to see a flop. Choen check-called 60,000 from Lehmann.
Cohen checked again on the turn and this time Lehmann announced all in. He sttod up, and announced, "I'm nervous."
Eventually Cohen folded.
"Now I'm not nervous any more," Lehmann said and sat back down. "Seriously I was nervous you were slowrolling me with some kind of two pair something."
Friday, June 18, 2010 3:43 PM Local Time
Incidentally, we have discovered that two of our near-finalists go back a long way - all the way to their hometown of Harrisburg, North Carolina.
Chris Kastler and Andrew Ferris are neighbors back home, and they drove up here together. Now they're seated together at the feature table with 16 players left. Whatever happens, we'd hazard a guess that it's going to be a good drive home.
Friday, June 18, 2010 3:30 PM Local Time
Almost at the same time David Sands were leaving the tournament, Steven Goosen ended up all in pre-flop against our current chip leader, Christopher Gonzales.
Gonzales tabled while Goosen held pocket queens. An ace on the flop and a king on the turn, sealed it for Goosen.
Friday, June 18, 2010 3:25 PM Local Time
When we arrived at the table David Sands were already packing. The board read and Sands held , Jason Halle tabled pocket jacks and that's the end of the line for Sands.
Friday, June 18, 2010 3:15 PM Local Time
Three players made it as far as the turn of the board. Jean Gaspard (small blind) checked, but Jeff Cohen bet 65,000. David Wilkinson folded but Gaspard made the call, leaving himself just 70,000.
The river was the and it looked as though both players checked. Gaspard tentatively turned over - and was rewarded with a muck from Cohen. Gaspard and his rail (consisting mostly of the Scott brothers) went nuts.
"Oh that's gangster, oh that's gangster, oh that's gangster," said Gaspard as his buddie srushed over to congratulate him upon his near double up to 330,000. "You know what it takes?" he asked us. We like to think we do.
The Scott brothers were enjoying it possibly even more than Gaspard. "Oh that's hot, PokerNews dot com, write it down. That's hot," cried Robert "E-Dolo" Scott.
Neil Channing wandered over from the next table and put his hand on Gaspard's shoulder. "You know we're playing for proper money here, stop f***ing about," he laughed.
Responded the grinning Gaspard: "Oh, we're playing for cash?"
Friday, June 18, 2010 2:59 PM Local Time
With only 18 players left in the field it's time for a seat redraw:
Table 355
Seat 1: Andrew Ferris
Seat 2: Mike Ellis
Seat 3: Christopher Gonzales
Seat 4: Jason Hallee
Seat 5: Martin Jacobson
Seat 6: David Sands
Seat 7: Neil Channing
Seat 8: Steven Goosen
Seat 9: Allen Stern
Table 360
Seat 1: Jean Gaspard
Seat 2: Jeff Cohen
Seat 3: Kent Vaho
Seat 4: Alexander Queen
Seat 5: William Kakon
Seat 6: David Wilkinson
Seat 7: Billy Griner
Seat 8: Christopher Kastler
Seat 9: Markus Lehman
Friday, June 18, 2010 2:57 PM Local Time
Martin Jacobson opened the pot from under the gun with a 33,000-chip raise, and Neil Channing moved all in in the cutoff seat. Jacobson called the additional 193,000 chips.
Showdown
Jacobson:
Channing:
The board spread out and Channing doubled up, is now up to 480,000.
Friday, June 18, 2010 2:57 PM Local Time
Alexander Queen raised in early position and Kenneth Whelan shoved from the big blind. Queen made the call, and Whelan was dominated and in some hot water.
Queen:
Whelan:
Board:
With that, we were down to 18 players, or two full tables. Redraw time.
Friday, June 18, 2010 2:54 PM Local Time
We got there just in time to see all the cards on the table and Spencer Hudson getting up to leave.
Hudson:
Jeff Cohen:
Board:
Hudson was no more for this tournament, and Cohen moved on up to the environs of 865,000.
Friday, June 18, 2010 2:51 PM Local Time
It looked as though Chris Kastler had checked the flop; either way Jean Gaspard had bet in position when we caught up with the action and Kastler (big blind) had raised. Gaspard called and they saw a turn.
Kastler checked the turn and Gaspard bet 110,000. This time Kastler flat-called and they were at the river.
Kastler checked the river and this time Gaspard checked behind. Kastler turned over and Gaspard mucked, to cries of, "Good check!" and some applause from a railer.
Kastler moved up to 1.45 million. Gaspard dropped to 200,000 or so.
Friday, June 18, 2010 2:44 PM Local Time
Allen Stern opened the pot with a 33,000-chip raise and Neil Channing re-popped it to 95,000. From the button,Mike Ellis moved all in for an additional 116,000 chips.
Stern folded and Channing called.
Showdown
Ellis:
Channing:
The board came out and gave Ellis a full double up. Ellis is now up to 455,000 while Channing slipped to 250,000.
Friday, June 18, 2010 2:36 PM Local Time
Chip leader Chris Gonzales opened to 40,000 from the button, and in the small blind Kevin O'Brien re-popped for 105,000. Gonzales tanked for a while before four-betting; O'Brien's chips went in, Gonzales agreed to make the call, and they were on their backs.
O'Brien:
Gonzales:
Board:
O'Brien received no assistance from the deck and hit the rail. At least he can now go to the friend's wedding he though he would have to miss - he and fiancee Lana Maier were meant to be on a flight at 2.30pm.
Gonzales extended his lead to around 1.9 million.