Monday, October 23, 2017 7:43 PM Local Time
Blake Battaglia opens to 250,000 from under the gun and Royce Matheson calls from the big blind. Both players check the flop.
The turn brings the , Matheson checks, and Battaglia bets 375,000. Matheson calls. The hits the river, Matheson checks, and Battaglia bets 775,000. Matheson calls, Battaglia shows for the winning two-pair and Matheson mucks.
Blake Battaglia - 10,600,000 (88 bb)
Royce Matheson - 3,500,000 (29 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 7:28 PM Local Time
Level: 32
Blinds: 60,000/120,000
Ante: 20,000
Monday, October 23, 2017 6:51 PM Local Time
Players are on a 45 minute dinner break. Here's how they'll stack up when they return for the new level with a big blind of 120,000:
Jeff Banghart - 9,815,000 (82 bb)
Blake Battaglia - 8,510,000 (71 bb)
Royce Matheson - 5,010,000 (42 bb)
Jim VanZant - 1,600,000 (13 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 6:50 PM Local Time
Jeff Banghart opens to 225,000 in the cutoff. Action is on Battaglia and Banghart says "C'mon, fold one time." The two have a friendly back in forth about how Battaglia never folds when Banghart opens. Battaglia denies it and calls the bet.
The flop comes . Battaglia checks. Banghart bets 375,000 and is met by a call.
The turn is the . Battaglia checks again. Banghart follows up with another bet, placing out 850,000 this time. Battaglia calls again, bringing the river card.
Battaglia stays the course, checking a third street. Banghart announces "two million," and slams out a stack of blacks. Battaglia tanks for a bit and mentions that he has a good hand. Battaglia calls the monster bet.
"I have king-nine," Banghart claims, and confirms his straight by showing . Battaglia mucks. The pot is shifted toward Banghart and the Horseshoe Hammond Main Event has a new chip leader.
Jeff Banghart - 9,815,000 (98 bb)
Blake Battaglia - 8,150,000 (85 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 6:43 PM Local Time
Jeff Banghart opens to 200,000 in middle position, and Blake Battaglia calls in the small blind. Tim Gundrum (pictured) is in the big blind with just 210,000, and he raises all in for that extra ante to put himself at risk.
The board runs out with the two live players checking it down.
Banghart:
Battaglia:
Gundrum:
Both Banghart and Battaglia have a pair of nines, but Banghart's kicker earns him the pot and the knockout. Gundrum is eliminated in fifth place.
Jeff Banghart - 6,865,000 (69 bb)
Tim Gundrum - Eliminated
Monday, October 23, 2017 6:34 PM Local Time
Tim Gundrum moves all in from under the gun and Jim VanZant calls all in from the hijack for 670,000. Its a classic race as Gundrum turns over against VanZant's .
The board comes and VanZant hits an ace on the river to avoid elimination.
Jim VanZant - 1,490,000 (15 bb)
Tim Gundrum - 220,000 (2 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 6:30 PM Local Time
Royce Matheson moves all in from the small blind having Mike Parisi (pictured) well covered, and Parisi calls all in for 500,000 from the big blind. Parisi turns over and appears to be in good shape against Matheson's .
The board runs out and Matheson spikes a ten to eliminate Parisi in sixth place.
Royce Matheson - 3,550,000 (35 bb)
Mike Parisi - Eliminated
Monday, October 23, 2017 6:24 PM Local Time
Royce Matheson opens to 225,000 from the hijack and Blake Battaglia calls from the button. The flop comes , Matheson checks, and Battaglia bets 350,000. Matheson calls.
The turn brings the , Matheson checks again, Battaglia bets 675,000, and Matheson lets it go.
Blake Battaglia - 13,200,000 (132 bb)
Royce Matheson - 1,700,000 (17 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 6:17 PM Local Time
Action folds around to the blinds where Blake Battaglia and Brek Schutten dwell. Battaglia makes it 225,000 to go. Schutten lets out a sigh in response to yet another raise from the chip leader to his right, but does defend with a call.
The flop comes . Battaglia continues with a bet of 375,000. Shutten calls.
The turn is another jack, the . Battaglia does not slow down, tossing 550,000 toward the middle. Schutten comes over the top with an all-in bet of around 920,000.
Battaglia does not hesitate to call and turns up for trips. Schutten, with a look of defeat, flips over . He is drawing dead to the river, which brings the .
Battaglia finally gets Schutten after a few trys and extends his chip lead.
Blake Battaglia - 11,450,000 (114 bb)
Brek Schutten - Eliminated
Monday, October 23, 2017 6:04 PM Local Time
Tim Gundrum moves all in for 520,000 from middle position, Jim VanZant moves all in on top from late position, and the table folds. It's heads up with Gundrum in the lead holding versus VanZant's .
The board comes and Gundrum's queen kicker plays, securing his double through VanZant.
Tim Gundrum - 1,350,000 (14 bb)
Jim VanZant - 1,000,000 (10 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 6:03 PM Local Time
Blake Battaglia opens to 225,000 in middle position, and action folds around to Jeff Banghart in the big blind.
"All right, I have to call," he laments. "I don't want to, but I have to."
The flop is . Banghart checks, and Battaglia continues for 350,000.
"I should peel one," Banghart says. "But I won't." He folds, and Battaglia takes the small pot. "Nice hand."
"Thank you, sir," Battaglia answers.
The next hand, Battaglia opens to the same 225,000, and action comes to Banghart in the small blind this time. "I feel like bloating one," he says, three-betting to 650,000. Battaglia calls.
The flop is , and Banghart bets 400,000. "It's enough to either float or fold," he offers. Battaglia gives it a look but ultimately settles on a fold, conceding the pot to Banghart.
Blake Battaglia - 9,625,000 (96 bb)
Jeff Banghart - 7,225,000 (72 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 5:52 PM Local Time
Level: 31
Blinds: 50,000/100,000
Ante: 10000
Monday, October 23, 2017 5:51 PM Local Time
Brek Schutten opens to 180,000 from the cutoff, Jim VanZant calls from the small blind, as does Jeff Banghart from the big blind. All three players check the flop.
The turn brings the , VanZant bets 350,000 and Banghart calls. The hits the river, VanZant checks, and Banghart bets 825,000. VanZant counts out the calling chips but decides against it and lays down what was surely the best hand as Banghart shows .
Royce Matheson goes "I knew it! I knew you got one through!" Banghart says "I figured I had to bet enough to make it hurt."
Jeff Banghart - 6,450,000 (81 bb)
Jim VanZant - 1,850,000 (23 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 5:42 PM Local Time
Mike Parisi moves all in for 590,000 in the cutoff, and Timothy Gundrum calls in the big blind, committing about 60 percent of his stack to put Parisi at risk.
Parisi:
Gundrum:
The board runs out , and Parisi wins the pot with jacks up to double up. Gundrum is now sitting behind the shortest stack of the final seven players.
Mike Parisi - 1,290,000 (16 bb)
Timothy Gundrum - 400,000 (5 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 5:31 PM Local Time
Preflop, Blake Battaglia raises to 180,000 on the button. Directly to his left is Brek Schutten in the small blind who moves all in for his final 830,000. Battaglia sizes up the shove and decides to call.
Battaglia:
Schutten:
The board comes . An ace on the river could have been killer for Schutten, but he binked trip queens on the turn and secures a double through the chip leader.
Brek Schutten - 1,790,000 (22 bb)
Blake Battaglia - 10,075,000 (125 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 5:23 PM Local Time
Blake Battaglia opens under the gun for 180,000. He gets one caller, his recent rival, Jeff Banghart who is on the button.
The flop comes . Battaglia bets 275,000. Banghart calls.
The lands on the turn. Battaglia fires bullet number two for 575,000. Banghart calls again, bringing the river card in to play.
Battaglia makes it a triple barrel, betting 1,300,000. Banghart calls for a third time.
Battaglia tables for two pair. Banghart mucks.
Blake Battaglia - 11,200,000 (140 bb)
Jeff Banghart - 5,640,000 (70 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 5:16 PM Local Time
Blake Battaglia opens to 180,000 from late position, Jim VanZant calls from the button, as do Jeff Banghart and Royce Matheson from the blinds.
The flop comes , it checks to Battaglia who bets 450,000. Banghart calls. The turn brings the , Banghart checks, and Battaglia bets 850,000. Banghart calls.
The hits the river, Banghart checks again and Battaglia bets 1,300,000. Banghart folds, conceding the pot and the chip lead to Battaglia.
Blake Battaglia - 9,550,000 (96 bb)
Jeff Banghart - 7,850,000 (79 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 5:10 PM Local Time
Blake Battaglia opens to 180,000 from the hijack, Brek Schutten moves all in for 620,000 from the cutoff, and Battaglia calls. Schutten has a commanding lead as he turns over against Battaglia's .
The board comes and Schutten's queen kicker plays securing his double.
Brek Schutten - 1,460,000 (15 bb)
Blake Battaglia - 6,860,000 (69 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 5:00 PM Local Time
Royce Matheson opens to 165,000 in middle position, and Mike Parisi three-bet shoves for 390,000 next to act. Matheson calls to put him at risk.
Matheson:
Parisi:
The board runs out scary but safe for Parisi. It comes , and he doubles up.
Mike Parisi - 970,000 (12 bb)
Royce Matheson - 2,345,000 (29 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 4:50 PM Local Time
Brek Schutten opens to 175,000 from the cutoff, Tim Gundrum shoves all in from the button for 535,000 more, and Schutten calls. Gundrum turns over and is racing against Schutten's .
The flop comes and Schutten spikes an ace to take the lead. The turn brings the and the hits the river. Gundrum lets out a huge sigh of relief, Schutten says "nice hand" and Gundrum thanks him. Apparently it was the case ace that hit as Royce Matheson and Jeff Banghart both said they folded an ace.
Tim Gundrum - 1,635,000 (20 bb)
Brek Schutten - 885,000 (11 bb)