Event #16: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed

Matt Matros raised on the button to 65,000, and Ramey Shaio, who had been widdled down to 510,000, moved all in. Mark Radoja folded his big blind, and Matros made the call.

Matros:   
Shaio:   

The flop was a tough one for Shaio, coming    . Shaio could now just catch a king to win the pot, but the turn was the  . Shaio's railed clammered for a king, and it was all that would save Shaio.

River:  

As soon as he saw the card, Shaio yelled "KING!!" and ran to high five his rail. He is back up over a million after the hand, while Matros dips below four million.

Matt Matros	3,900,000	-300,000
Ramey Shaio	1,050,000	-50,000

Action started with Mark Radoja on the button, and he raised to 65,000. Matt Matros was next, and he three bet to 175,000. Ramey Shaio was in the big blind, and he four bet it to 340,000. Radoja quickly got out of the way, and it was back to Matros. He decided to get the rest of it in there, having Shaio easily covered. Shaio snap folded, and Matros took the pot.

Matt Matros	4,000,000	350,000
Ramey Shaio	1,100,000	-300,000

Seriously, who's writing this?! We have now lost our third player in about six hands. On the first hand of the new level, Ramey Shaio raised under the gun to 65,000. Mark Radoja three bet to 125,000, and it was on Gordon Vayo. He shoved all in for about 500,000, and Shaio folded. Radoja snap called, and the cards were flipped.

Radoja:   
Vayo:   

"You have two suits!" Vayo astutely pointed out, as Radoja's ace of diamonds trumped Vayo's king. The flop ran out all spades,    . Radoja shot out of his chair in excitment, while Vayo had a disgusted look on his face. Radoja was now freerolling on the knockout, but he missed it on the turn, the  . However, the   hit the river, and Radoja gave a huge fist pump as he scored the unlikely knock out.

Vayo will leave with a bitter taste in his mouth, but the $121,262 will likely soothe his pains a bit. And just like that, we are down to three.

Mark Radoja	2,400,000	700,000
Gordon Vayo	0	-500,000

Well then. After playing six handed for the last two hours, we have now lost two players in as many hands. Right after Mark Darner was eliminated, Matros raised to 52,000 under the gun. It folded to Robert Muzzatti in the big blind, and he three bet to 200,000. It got back to Matros, and in what was a carbon copy of the hand before, he four bet shoved, and was called by his opponent. The cards were flipped, and it was a classic race.

Matros:   
Muzzatti:   

Muzzatti didn't pair the flop, but it did come     giving him a flush draw. Muzzatti hit his hand on the felt a few times, clearly happy with the new outs he received. The   hit the turn, and Matros looked at his rail, and motioned "one more". If he could dodge an ace, king, or spade, he would take another big pot. The   hit the river, and Matros collected the bounty.

Muzzatti will take home over $80,000 for his efforts, while Matros holds almost half the chips in play as we enter four handed.

Matt Matros	3,300,000	900,000
Robert Muzzatti	0	-1,050,000

Gordon Vayo is sitting on the short stack, and has easily been the tightest player at the table. He came in for a raise to 51,000 in the cutoff, and Robert Muzzatti defended his big blind. We were heads up to the flop, which came    . Both players checked, and the same occurred on the turn, the  . When the   hit the river, Muzzatti checked a third time, and Vayo bet 40,000. It was good enough to get Muzzatti off his hand, and Vayo collected his first pot of the final table.

Robert Muzzatti	1,050,000	-62,000
Gordon Vayo	500,000	-99,000

It was folded around to the battle of the blinds and the battle of the Marks, as Darner raised it up to 70,000. Radoja made the call, and the flop came down    . Darner continuation bet for 75,000, and Radoja made the call. Both players checked when the scary   hit the turn, and the river brought the  . Darner counted out a huge bet of 205,000, and slid it into the middle.

Radoja went deep into the tank, thinking for about 90 seconds. He cut out the chips to make the call, and waited to see if Darner would react. Eventually, he put them back, and started to pick up his cards like he was going to muck. He hung onto them, still looking for a reaction, but he got none. He eventually released his hand, and Darner took the pot.

Mark Radoja	1,500,000	-198,000
Mark Darner	910,000	155,000

The six remaining players are now on a 20 minute break.

Ramey Shaio raised under the gun to 45,000, forcing folds from everyone but Matt Matros in the big blind. He defended his blind, and they were off to a flop, which came    . After both players checked, the dealer put the   on the turn. Matros fired out 53,000, and Shaio made the call. The river was the  , and Matros kept his foot on the gas, fired out 135,000 this time. Shaio tanked for about 30 seconds before calling, and he mucked when Matros showed    for two pair.

The two players are very close at the top, but that pot gave Matros a slight edge.

Matt Matros	1,600,000	200,000
Ramey Shaio	1,550,000	-335,000

Players have been playing very cautiously so far, and we just got one of our first showdowns of the final table. Ramey Shaio raised it up to 40,000, and it folded around to Matt Matros, who defended his big blind. Matrios check called a bet of 32,000 on the flop, which read    . Both players checked the turn, the  , and the river, the  . Matros tabled   , and Shaio mucked his hand.