Thursday, May 31, 2012 2:20 PM Local Time
We just had an interesting hand develop. Gregg Merkow and Julian Powell were at the river on a board of . Powell checked, Merkow bet 110,000 and Powell thought about his action.
While considering his action, Powell exposed his hand - . Which is legal in a heads up format. The floorman paused the clock after the hand to verify that Powelll's move was in fact legal. It was confirmed and play is back in action.
Thursday, May 31, 2012 2:09 PM Local Time
We'll have a first-time bracelet winner here today after Andrew Frankenberger was eliminated by Leif Force.
Force was on the button and set Frankenberger all-in for his last 330,000 chips. Frankenberger thought for a minute and made the call.
Frankenberger:
Force:
The board ran .
Frankenberger winced when he saw his opponent's cards. He was hoping for a chopped pot, at least, but the river didn't come to his rescue.
| Leif Force | 1,152,000 | 576,000  |
| Andrew Frankenberger | 0 | |
Thursday, May 31, 2012 2:07 PM Local Time
Julian Powell opened to 60,000 on the button and Gregg Merkow called. The flop came and both players checked. The turn came , Merkow bet 80,000 and Powell called. The river came , Merkow bet 125,000 and Powell called.
Merkow tabled for two pair and Powell mucked. After the pot was shipped to Merkow, Powell cashed in his last lammer.
Thursday, May 31, 2012 1:58 PM Local Time
We had a preflop all in between Leif Force and short-stacked Andy Frankenberger.
Frankenberger:
Force:
The board ran and Frankenberger's straight brought him back to around 320,000.
Thursday, May 31, 2012 1:54 PM Local Time
Leif Force has wrestled control of his match away from Andrew Frankenberger in their match.
Force raised the button to 40,000 and called when Frankenberger three-bet to 120,000. Both players checked the flop before Frankenberger check-folded to a 175,000 bet on the turn.
The very next hand Frankenbeger raise-folded his button to a three-bet.
He has a little more than 160,000 chips remaining.
Thursday, May 31, 2012 1:43 PM Local Time
Leif Force is starting to get frustrated every time Frankenberger gives him a walk in the big blind. So far Force has had pocket kings, pocket queens twice and pocket aces when Frankenberger has folded.
Thursday, May 31, 2012 1:40 PM Local Time
David Benefield was back down to 269,000 when Simeon Naydenov set him in for the lot. He capped his cards with a chip before tanking. He uncapped and called all-in.
Benefield:
Naydenov:
The board ran to make Naydenov a straight by the turn. The Texan had flush redraw outs but bricked the river.
Naydenov advances to play Jason Koon in the next round at 4pm.
| Simeon Naydenov | 1,152,000 | 576,000 |
| David Benefield | 0 | -576,000  |
Thursday, May 31, 2012 1:27 PM Local Time
David Benefield is right back in his match after another double up.
Simeon Naydenov had been shoving every button since the NLHE level started. The third time he did it Benefield called all in for 199,000.
Benefield:
Naydenov:
The board ran to miss both players.
Thursday, May 31, 2012 1:11 PM Local Time
Only a couple hands after being crippled David Benefield has doubled back. They were all in preflop.
Benefield:
Naydenov:
The board ran and Benefield is up to 200,000 even.
Thursday, May 31, 2012 1:08 PM Local Time
David Benefield has been crippled after a big showdown with Simeon Naydenov.
We're not sure when the chips went in but the final board read .
Benefield had top pair with but Naydenov had two-pair with .
Thursday, May 31, 2012 1:00 PM Local Time
Jason Koon is the first person through to semi-finals after he defeated Annette Obrestad.
The Norwegian had traded in her last two lammers and had 405,000 at the beginning of her exit hand.
She raised to 16,000 and faced a three-bet to 42,000 from Koon. When she four-bet all-in Koon asked, "Did you say all-in? I call."
Koon:
Obrestad:
The board ran to see the queens hold.
| Jason Koon | 1,152,000 | 576,000 |
| Annette Obrestad | 0 | -576,000 |
Thursday, May 31, 2012 12:53 PM Local Time
Simeon Naydenov is still working off his first lammer and it's working well for him so far. He has David Benefield down to less that 500,000 of his starting 576,000.
Benefield raised to 16,000 and Naydenov called to the flop.
Benefield continued for 16,000 and called when his opponent check-raised to 42,000.
The turn came and Naydenov bet 42,000. Benefield thought for a minute and folded.
Thursday, May 31, 2012 12:51 PM Local Time
Andy Frankenberger opened for 16,000, Leif Force raised to 52,000 and Frankenberger shoved. Force called and the hands were tabled.
Force:
Frankenberger:
The board ran and Frankenberger had 377,000. Force paid him off and was left with around 10,000. He cashed in his last lammer and needs some serious momentum to come back.
Thursday, May 31, 2012 12:36 PM Local Time
Jason Koon was getting the better of the battle of the first lammer in his match with Annette Obrestad, until now.
Obrestad limp-called a raise to 18,000 en route to an flop. Koon continued for 22,000 and Obrestad called to the turn where she shoved for 134,000. Koon had fired again for 54,000 and made a quick call.
KoonL for top set.
Obrestad: for a turned straight.
The river came and Koon dropped to less than 230,000 of his first lammer.
Thursday, May 31, 2012 12:35 PM Local Time
Andy Frankenberger and Leif Force went to a flop of and after some thought Frankenberger bet enough to put Force all in. Force called and the hands were tabled.
Force:
Frankenberger:
The board completed and Force's better aces up took the pot and gave him some breathing room.
Thursday, May 31, 2012 12:30 PM Local Time
Leif Force and Andy Frankenberger each put in 14,000 preflop and saw the board roll out . Frankenberger check-called 17,000 to see the turn. Both players checked to the river and Frankenberger bet 30,000. Force thought for a moment and then folded.
Thursday, May 31, 2012 12:25 PM Local Time
Anette Obrestad and Jason Koon have been testing each other other out so far. There as been a lot of button raising and the occasional three-bet, which has always gotten through so far.
That changed when Koon raised to 12,000 and called when Obrestad three-bet to 36,000.
The flop fell and Obrestad announced, "Pot."
Koon folded.
Thursday, May 31, 2012 12:14 PM Local Time
A lot players have been Tweeting this morning about how big a favorite David Benefield is in this event, now that it's down to 8 players. They might've looked at the name of Simeon Naydenov and thought, "Who is this guy?"
Benefield might've had the same thought, but now he knows all about the Bulgarian who's slowly building a fearsome reputation across the pond.
Benefield opened to 6,000 and Naydenov peeled before both players checked the flop.
The turn came and Naydenov check-called an 8,000 bet to see the river. He checked again to face a 22,000 bet that he treated to a check-raise all-in for around 150,000. Benefield threw his hands up a little, thought about it, and admitted defeat when he folded.
Thursday, May 31, 2012 12:11 PM Local Time
Andy Frankenberger had already taken out one of Leif Force's legs. He just cashed in one of his lammers and is down in early action.
Thursday, May 31, 2012 12:03 PM Local Time
David Benefield has again cashed in both his rebuy lammers at the start of play. He's done so each match he's played thus far. All other players have the standard stack.