Friday, May 23, 2014 9:31 PM Local Time
Matthew Ashton opens for 12,000 from middle position. Athanasios Polychronopoulos calls from late position and action folds to Andrew Robinson who calls from the small blind. They're three-handed to the flop.
The board comes and Robinson checks. Ashton follows suit and it's on Polychronopoulos. He bets 20,000 and Robinson folds. Ashton calls. They're heads-up to the turn.
The dealer lays the and Ashton checks. Polychronopoulos makes it 35,000 and Ashton calls.
The river comes the and Ashton checks a third time. Polychronopoulos slides out a stack of gray the dealer counts down to 75,000. Ashton eyes the bet, then reaches into his stack to check-raise to 240,000.
Polychronopoulos leans back in his chair and grabs his shoulder. Reluctantly, he wastes little time calling and tabling for two pair. Ashton flashes his cards quickly to Polychronopoulos and they head to the muck.
The pot moves Polychronopoulos over 900,000 chips and puts him firmly in the lead with 14 players left.
Athanasios Polychronopoulos - 950,000 (158 BBs)
Friday, May 23, 2014 9:31 PM Local Time
WSOP.com online qualifier Tracy Doss raises to 17,000 from the cutoff and at-large qualifier Timothy Campbell (pictured) moves all-in from the small blind for around 125,000. Doss calls with and he is racing with Campbell's .
The flop is a good one for Campbell, but Doss pairs up with the on the turn to take the advantage in the hand. The river brings the and Doss takes the pot, eliminating Campbell in the process.
Tracy Doss - 530,000 (88 BBs)
Timothy Campbell - eliminated in 14th place for $21,269
Friday, May 23, 2014 9:25 PM Local Time
Michael Oshana raises from early position and Dominik Nitsche reraises from middle position. The 2012 WSOP Main Event Champ Greg Merson is in the blinds and moves all-in for around 150,000 total. Oshana reluctantly folds, while Nitsche quickly calls.
Nitsche turns over and Merson trails with . The flop gives Nitsche a boat and leaves Merson drawing dead to running fives. The on the turn means Merson's run in this event is over and, with the on the river, Merson is officially eliminated.
Dominik Nitsche - 600,000 (100 BBs)
Greg Merson - eliminated in 15th place for $21,269
This is just the beginning of a busy summer for Merson, who plans to play a large slate of events in Vegas, including potentially buying in to the $1 million Big One for One Drop event.
Friday, May 23, 2014 9:06 PM Local Time
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Bryan Campanello raises to 12,000 from early position and $50,000 Poker Players Champion Matthew Ashton (pictured left) reraises to 29,000 from the button. Two-time bracelet winner Athanasios Polychronopoulos (pictured right) is in the big blind and four-bets to 60,000 total. Campanello folds.
Ashton stares down his opponent for a bit, then calls. The duo sees a flop of and Polychronopoulos sits motionless for quite a while before flicking out a bet of 10,000. It is now Ashton's turn to take his time. He eyes Polychronopoulos up and down for a bit before eventually calling.
The turn is the and Polychronopoulos bets 40,000. Ashton takes some time before giving up and folding his hand.
Polychronopoulos quietly shows his for a total bluff before mucking.
The table oohs and ahhs, but Polychronopoulos has an explanation:
"I had to win one out twelve hands to feel better about myself. He's a bully."
Athanasios Polychronopoulos - 315,000 (53 BBs)
Matthew Ashton - 637,000 (106 BBs)
Friday, May 23, 2014 8:43 PM Local Time
Level: 17
Blinds: 3,000/6,000
Ante: 1,000
Friday, May 23, 2014 8:42 PM Local Time
Dinner is over, the players are rested and fed, and action is underway once again. There are still several eliminations to go before the six-handed final table is set.
Friday, May 23, 2014 7:13 PM Local Time
The players agreed to take a 90-minute dinner break and will be back in action at approximately 8:40pm ET. Here is a look at the counts from the end of the level:
Seat 1: Bryan Campanello - 406,000
Seat 2: -empty-
Seat 3: Jeff Gunnip - 194,000
Seat 4: Andrew Robinson - 89,000
Seat 5: -empty-
Seat 6: Matthew Ashton - 723,000
Seat 7: Christian Pham - 86,000
Seat 8: Athanasios Polychronopoulos - 254,000
Seat 9: Sean Lippel - 173,000
Seat 1: Dominik Nitsche - 441,500
Seat 2: Chris Bibb - 85,000
Seat 3: -empty-
Seat 4: Scott Clements - 180,000
Seat 5: Greg Merson - 155,000
Seat 6: Ylon Schwartz - 197,000
Seat 7: Tracy Doss - 350,000
Seat 8: Michael Oshana - 260,000
Seat 9: Timothy Campbell - 160,000
Friday, May 23, 2014 7:08 PM Local Time
Harrah's New Orleans Main Event winner Bryan Campanello raises from middle position, Christian Pham calls in the small blind, and Athanasios Polychronopoulos calls from the big blind. The players check around on the flop, then check again when the turn comes .
The river is the and Pham bets 50,000. Polychronopoulos folds/ Campanello gives Pham a quizzical stare, while tablemate Andrew Robinson leans over the table, unsure of the large amount of the bet as well.
After 30 seconds or so of deliberation, Campanello calls and shows for a pair of deuces. Pham mucks and Campanello takes the pot.
Bryan Campanello - 415,000 (83 BBs)
Christian Pham - 87,000 (17 BBs)
Friday, May 23, 2014 7:03 PM Local Time
Christian Pham opens for 10,000 from middle position and it folds to Jeff Gunnip. Gunnip moves all-in for his last 94,500. The remaining players fold and it's back on Pham who quickly calls.
Pham tables and is well ahead of the of Gunnip -- but the flop changes that.
The dealer burns and proceeds to turn the flop giving Gunnip a set.
The turn brings a helpless and the river completes the board with the .
The pot doubles Gunnip up and takes a hit from Pham's stack.
Jeff Gunnip - 200,000 (40 BBs)
Christian Pham - 155,000 (31 BBs)
Friday, May 23, 2014 6:49 PM Local Time
Friday, May 23, 2014 6:30 PM Local Time
Ruslan Dykshteyn is all-in holding against the of chip leader Matthew Ashton. Dykshteyn is at risk and needs help as the dealer burns and turns.
The board runs out , no help to Dykshteyn. He hits the rail 16th and with his elimination each of the remaining players is in the money and assured a score of at least $21,269.
The pot sends Ashton over 700,000 chips and his chip lead grows.
Matthew Ashton - 710,000 (142 BBs)
Ruslan Dykshteyn - eliminated
Friday, May 23, 2014 6:22 PM Local Time
Anthanasios Polychronopoulos opens for 11,500 and action folds to Darren Rabinowitz. Rabinowitz, left with roughly 100,000 after doubling up Sean Lippel one hand prior, shoves for the last of his stack and Polychronopoulos calls.
Polychronopoulos:
Rabinowitz:
The board runs out and Rabinowitz heads to the rail. With his elimination play is down to 16 players and we are on the money bubble. Action is now hand-for-hand.
Anthanasios Polychronopoulos - 310,000
Darren Rabinowitz - eliminated
Friday, May 23, 2014 6:17 PM Local Time
Horseshoe Hammond Casino Champ Michael Oshana raises to 18,500 and at-large qualifier Chris Bibb moves all-in from the blinds for his last 39,500. Oshana calls with and Bibb rolls over a dominating .
Big Slick holds as the board runs out and Bibb doubles up, but is still one of the shorter stacks left in this field as the money bubble looms.
Chris Bibb - 85,000 (17 BBs)
Michael Oshana - 275,000 (55 BBs)
Friday, May 23, 2014 6:13 PM Local Time
WSOP.com online qualifier Tracy Doss opens for 12,000 from early position and 2012 Main Event champion Greg Merson calls from the big blind.
The flop comes and Merson checks. Doss makes quickly throws out 15,000 and Merson calls.
The turn brings the and Merson checks again. Doss doubles his previous bet, throwing in a stock of 30,000. Merson calls.
The comes on the river and Merson taps the felt sending the action to Doss a third time. Doss slides in a stack of gray. Merson points at the stack and the dealer counts it down to 65,000. Merson calls.
Doss throws down and announce he's got the straight. Merson flashes for a pair of sixes.
"That makes sense," he says looking at Doss' hand.
Tracey Doss - 310,000 (62 BBs)
Greg Merson - 110,000 (22 BBs)
Friday, May 23, 2014 5:52 PM Local Time
Level: 16
Blinds: 2,500/5,000
Ante: 500
Friday, May 23, 2014 5:51 PM Local Time
Bryan Campanello - 384,000 (96 BBs)
Andrew Robinson - 120,000 (30 BBs)
Friday, May 23, 2014 5:51 PM Local Time
Scott Clements raises to 8,500 from under the gun and Michael Oshana makes it 21,000 to go from the hijack. Action folds to at-large qualifier Aditya Prasetyo in the big blind, and he moves all-in for 88,500 total. Clements folds. Oshana gets a count, then calls with .
Prasetyo will need some help, as he holds an inferior . He gets no help from the board and he is eliminated just short of the money.
Michael Oshana - 330,000 (83 BBs)
Aditya Prasetyo - eliminated
Friday, May 23, 2014 5:49 PM Local Time
Aditya Prasetyo raises to 9,000 from under the gun and Dominik Nitsche reraises to 25,500 out of the small blind. Prasetyo calls and the two go heads-up to a flop of . Nitsche checks, Prasetyo bets 21,500, and Nitsche calls.
The two plaers check the on the turn and check again when the river brings the .
"Ace-ten", Nitsche announces as he shows . Prasetyo mucks and Nitsche takes the pot.
Dominik Nitsche - 407,000 (102 BBs)
Aditya Prasetyo - 89,000 (22 BBs)
Friday, May 23, 2014 5:46 PM Local Time
Bryan Campanello checks the board to Matthew Ashton in a heads-up pot. Ashton bets out 27,500 and Campanello calls.
The river brings the and Campanello checks again. Ashton reaches into a stack of gray chips, takes 20,000 off the top and slides the remaining 80,000 in the middle.
"80?" Campanello asks the dealer.
The dealer confirms and Campanello begins shuffling a stack of chips. He decides on a call and cuts the chips out into the pot.
Ashton is first to show and tables for a straight. Campanello's cards hit the muck.
The pot sends Ashton well over the 500,000 mark and puts him comfortably in the chip lead.
Matthew Ashton - 545,000 (136 BBs)
Bryan Campanello - 185,000 (46 BBs)
Friday, May 23, 2014 5:37 PM Local Time
Scott Clements raises to 8,500 from the hijack and Ylon Schwartz makes it 17,000 to go on the button. Clements calls and they go heads-up to a flop of . Clements checks, Schwartz bets 15,500, and Clements takes his time and eyes Schwartz's remaining chips before check-raising to 36,000 total. Schwartz calls.
The turn brings the . Clements checks and Schwartz announces he is all-in. Clements only takes a few seconds before mucking, giving Schwartz the pot.
Ylon Schwartz - 220,000 (55 BBs)
Scott Clements - 91,500 (24 BBs)