Monday, October 23, 2017 2:11 PM Local Time
Level 27 concludes, and the 14 remaining players are on a short break.
Monday, October 23, 2017 2:10 PM Local Time
Brek Schutten opens to 90,000 from under the gun, Bo Fleming calls from the button, as does Jim VanZant from the small blind. The three players check around the flop.
The turn brings the , VanZant bets 150,000, Schutten calls, and Fleming gets out of the way. The hits the river, and both players check. VanZant turns over for the winning pair of kings.
Jim VanZant - 2,650,000 (66 bb)
Brek Schutten - 1,550,000 (39 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 2:10 PM Local Time
Action folds around to the blinds. Blake Battaglia raises to 90,000 in the small blind. Mukul Pahuja defends his big blind with a call.
The flop comes . Battaglia checks. Pahuja bets 130,000. Battaglia calls.
The turn is the . Battaglia checks again. Pahuja bets again, this time for 240,000. Battaglia sticks around with a call.
The river brings a fourth spade, the . Battaglia leads this street, betting 260,000 into Pahuja who takes a second to think.
Ultimately, Pahuja just calls, potentially weary of a straight flush opportunity.
Battaglia shows for a queen-high flush, but Pahuja flips over for the ace-high flush. Pahuja is awarded the sizable pot.
Mukul Pahuja - 1,850,000 (46 bb)
Blake Battaglia - 3,700,000 (92 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 2:10 PM Local Time
Jeff Banghart opens the cutoff to 85,000, and Lytle Allen (pictured) three-bet shoves for 620,000 in the small blind. Banghart waits for the count, then decides to call. "All right," he says. "Let's go."
Banghart:
Allen:
The board runs out , and Banghart's threes win him the pot. Allen is eliminated in 15th place with another Main Event near-miss on his record.
Jeff Banghart - 5,750,000 (144 bb)
Lytle Allen - Eliminated
Monday, October 23, 2017 2:01 PM Local Time
It folds to Jeff Banghart who completes the small blind and Tim Gundrum checks his option in the big blind. The flop comes , Banghart bets 50,000 and Gundrum calls.
The turn brings the , Banghart bets 125,000, and Gundrum calls. The river is the , Banghart bets 225,000 and Gundrum calls again. Banghart announces "I have a flush" as he turns over and Gundrum mucks.
Jeff Banghart - 5,200,000 (130 bb)
Tim Gundrum - 1,600,0000 (40 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 2:01 PM Local Time
Action folds around to the blinds where Michael Amato completes in the small and Brek Schutten checks his option in the big.
The flop is . Amato bets 60,000, and Schutten calls. The action repeats on the turn, with Schutten calling a bet of 110,000 this time. The river is the , and Amato moves all in for 470,000 effective. Schutten calls to put himself at risk for that amount.
Amato shows for a missed straight draw. Schutten missed his, too, but his is good enough to win the pot with a pair of aces. He doubles up.
Brek Schutten - 1,395,000 (35 bb)
Michael Amato - 600,000 (15 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 1:32 PM Local Time
Bo Fleming opens to 90,000 from middle position. He gets one caller, the big stack in the big blind. Blake Battaglia and Fleming move to a flop, which lays out .
Battaglia checks. Fleming bets 125,000 and Battaglia calls.
The turn is the . The cycle repeats. Battaglia checks. Fleming bets 125,000 and Battaglia calls.
Both players check the final card, the , prompting a show. Battaglia turns over his and the pair of queens is good enough to get Fleming to muck.
Blake Battaglia - 4,375,000 (109 bb)
Bo Fleming - 1,530,000 (38 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 1:28 PM Local Time
Tim Gundrum opens to 90,000 from the button, Jerry Payne (pictured) moves all in from the big blind for 765,000, and Gundrum calls. Payne turns over and needs to hold against Gundrum's .
The board comes and Gundrum ends up with two-pair to eliminate Payne.
Tim Gundrum - 2,200,000 (55 bb)
Jerry Payne - Eliminated
Monday, October 23, 2017 1:07 PM Local Time
Level: 27
Blinds: 20,000/40,000
Ante: 5000
Monday, October 23, 2017 1:06 PM Local Time
Royce Matheson opens to 65,000 from the hijack, Andros Ioakimides (pictured) moves all in for 440,000 from the cutoff, and Matheson calls. They turn over their hands and its a coin flip with Ioakimides holding against Matheson's .
The board comes and Matheson spikes an ace to eliminate Ioakimides in 17th place.
Royce Matheson - 1,300,000 (43 bb)
Andros Ioakimides - Eliminated
Monday, October 23, 2017 1:01 PM Local Time
Jim VanZant opens to 80,000 from middle position, Mukul Pahuja calls from the button, and Royce Matheson makes it 315,000 from the small blind. VanZant callls and Pahuja gets out of the way.
The flop comes , Matheson bets 380,000, VanZant tanks for a few minutes then decides to move all in for 550,000 more. Matheson says "I just feel like you're bluffing" then asks VanZant "Will you show if I fold?" and VanZant nods his head yes. Matheson folds and VanZant turns up .
Jim VanZant - 2,100,000 (70 bb)
Royce Matheson - 800,000 (27 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 12:49 PM Local Time
While that elimination was happening, a pretty substantial pot was playing out at the other table.
It appears that Blake Battaglia was the preflop raiser from the button, and both Mukul Pahuja (small blind) and Royce Matheson (big blind) are involved on an flop. It checks to Battaglia, who bets 105,000. Both opponents call.
The turn is the , and Battaglia bets 280,000 into about 500,000 now. Both Pahuja and Matheson check-call once again to put a huge pot in the middle.
The river is the , and all three players check.
"Ace," Pahuja announces. He shows , and it's good. Both opponents muck, and Pahuja receives some compliments as he rakes the pot. "There haven't been many times where I wanted a river to go check-check-check more than that," he laughs.
Mukul Pahuja - 2,125,000 (71 bb)
Blake Battaglia - 4,200,000 (140 bb)
Royce Matheson - 1,550,000 (52 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 12:44 PM Local Time
Jeff Banghart opens to 65,000 in middle position, and Damon Chittenden three-bet shoves for about 300,000 in the small blind. Banghart calls, putting Chittenden at risk.
Banghart:
Chittenden:
The board runs out , and Banghart's kicker plays to earn him the pot. Chittenden is eliminated in 18th place.
Jeff Banghart - 3,260,000 (54 bb)
Damon Chittenden - Eliminated
Monday, October 23, 2017 12:39 PM Local Time
Royce Matheson opens to 65,000 from late position and Andros Ioakimides calls from the hijack. The flop comes , Matheson bets 100,000 and Ioakimides calls.
Both players check the on the turn. The river brings the , Matheson bets 130,000, and Ioakimides calls. Matheson tables and Ioakimides mucks.
Royce Matheson - 1,900,000 (63 bb)
Andros Ioakimides - 475,000 (16 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 12:31 PM Local Time
Brek Schutten has been the most active player in the field to start the day, and he opens another pot to 70,000 from middle position. Blake Battaglia three-bets to 180,000 in the cutoff, and Schutten calls.
The flop is . Schutten checks, Battaglia continues for 125,000, and Schutten calls. Both players check through the turn. The river is the . Schutten leads for 275,000, and Battaglia calls.
"Playing the board," Schutten laments as he tables .
Battaglia shows , winning the pot with aces up to pad his chip lead.
Blake Battaglia - 4,850,000 (162 bb)
Brek Schutten - 690,000 (23 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 12:28 PM Local Time
David McGowan opens to 60,000 in middle position, and Lytle Allen three-bets to 140,000 on the button. McGowan calls.
Both players check through the turn of an board. The river is the , and McGowan bets 275,000. Allen calls.
McGowan shows for a miss, and Allen tables to win the pot with a pair of aces.
Lytle Allen - 1,325,000 (44 bb)
David McGowan - 670,000 (22 bb)
Monday, October 23, 2017 12:20 PM Local Time
Table 1
Seat 1: Mike Parisi - 225,000
Seat 2: Blake Battaglia - 4,100,000
Seat 3: Mukul Pahuja - 1,100,000
Seat 4: Royce Matheson - 1,195,000
Seat 5: Andros Ioakimides - 900,000
Seat 6: Bo Fleming - 1,775,000
Seat 7: Jim VanZant - 1,060,000
Seat 8: Michael Amato - 680,000
Seat 9: Brek Schutten - 1,890,000
Table 2
Seat 1: David McGowan - 950,000
Seat 2: Jeff Banghart - 2,400,000
Seat 3: Tim Gundrum - 1,450,000
Seat 4: Lytle Allen - 900,000
Seat 5: Damon Chittenden - 200,000
Seat 6: Jerry Payne - 785,000
Seat 7: Michael Partipilo - 1,000,000
Seat 8: Pawel Czarnota - 2,400,000
Seat 9: Dylan Linde - 2,600,000
Monday, October 23, 2017 12:06 PM Local Time
Chad Martin entered Day 3 with the shortest stack in the room, and he's the first one to hit the rail.
Action folds around to the blinds, where Blake Battaglia shoves from the small. Martin calls all in for about 130,000 in the big, putting himself at risk on a coin flip.
Battaglia:
Martin:
The board runs out , and Battaglia wins the race with eights full. Martin is eliminated in 19th place.
Blake Battaglia - 4,240,000 (141 bb)
Chad Martin - Eliminated
Monday, October 23, 2017 12:02 PM Local Time
Cards are in the air for the third and final day of play in the $1,675 Hammond Main Event.
Monday, October 23, 2017 12:02 PM Local Time
Level: 26
Blinds: 15,000/30,000
Ante: 5000