Friday, February 8, 2013 10:25 PM Local Time
Blinds: 12,000/24,000 ante 4,000
Mark Bell raises to 60,000 from under the gun and Sallie Stohler calls from the cutoff. The flop comes and Bell checks. Stohler announces she is all-in for 299,000. Bell gives it pause before folding, and Stohler takes the pot.
Sallie Stohler - 390,000
Mark Bell - 515,000
Friday, February 8, 2013 10:11 PM Local Time
The first few hands of post-dinner break action feature more than a couple players asking, "How much is that?" A new level means new raise sizes.
Craig Gold has an idea for the table: "Let''s all just agree on a standard raise," he jokes. The table then spends a minute or two deliberating what a good amount would be. Some players threw out 65,000 as an option. Travell Thomas prefers the more precise 54,000.
Friday, February 8, 2013 9:57 PM Local Time
Level: 8
Blinds: 2000/24000
Ante: 000
Friday, February 8, 2013 9:06 PM Local Time
The final six players are now on a one-hour dinner break. Cards will be back in the air at approximately 10:10pm PT. Here is a look at the end of level counts:
Seat 1: John Wale - 590,000
Seat 2: Craig Gold - 340,000
Seat 3: -empty-
Seat 4: -empty-
Seat 5: Arthur "Ace" McFarland - 1,560,000
Seat 6: Mark Bell - 845,000
Seat 7: Travell Thomas - 1,000,000
Seat 8: -empty-
Seat 9: Sallie Stoehler - 465,000
Friday, February 8, 2013 8:58 PM Local Time
Blinds: 10,000/20,000 ante 2,000
Sallie Stohler raises to 50,000 from middle position, Ace McFarland calls from the small blind, and Mark Bell calls from the big blind.
The flop comes and McFarland checks. Bell bets 70,000 and Stohler quickly raises to 200,000 total. McFarland thinks a bit, then calls. Bell folds.
The turn brings the and both players check. The river is the and McFarland deliberately counts out a stfck of chips, betting 300,000.
Stohler calls and, as she sets the chips in the middle, says "Set''s good."
She flips over pocket kings for two pair, kings and sevens. McFarland did flop a set and his improved to a full house on the turn to give him the massive pot and the chip lead.
Ace McFarland - 1,475,000
Sallie Stohler - 410,000
Friday, February 8, 2013 8:41 PM Local Time
Blinds: 10,000/20,000 ante 2,000
James Hoeppner and Ace McFarland get it all-in preflop with McFarland having Hoeppner''s remaining 280,000 or so covered.
It is a coinflip situation as Hoeppner holds to McFarland''s .
The flop comes and McFarland exclaims, "Yes! Eight!"
Travell Thomas is less enthusiastic about McFarland''s chances. He asks McFarland "Are you crazy?" McFarland points out Hoeppner is open-ended and this hand is far from over.
Hoeppner gets no help from the on the turn and, though the on the river does pair him up, it is not enough and he is eliminated in seventh place.
Ace McFarland - 770,000
James Hoeppner - eliminated in 7th place ($4,515)
Friday, February 8, 2013 8:36 PM Local Time
Seat 1: John Wale - 860,000
Seat 2: Craig Gold - 410,000
Seat 3: -empty-
Seat 4: -empty-
Seat 5: Arthur "Ace" McFarland - 475,000
Seat 6: Mark Bell - 945,000
Seat 7: Travell Thomas - 1,000,000
Seat 8: James Hoeppner - 280,000
Seat 9: Sallie Stoehler - 1,040,000
Blinds: 10,000/20,000 ante 2,000
Friday, February 8, 2013 8:30 PM Local Time
Blinds: 10,000/20,000 ante 2,000
Mark Bell raises to 55,000 in middle position and Sallie Stohler calls out of the small blind. John Wale is in the big blind and thinks a minute or so before announcing he is all-in for 422,000 total.
Bell takes little time before calling, while Stohler opts to fold. Wale turns over and Bell shows .
Bell holds the lead before the flop, but the give Wale top pair and the advantage in the hand. The on the turn changes nothing and, with the on the river, Wale secures a big double up.
The big pot drops Bell below 1 million chips for the first time this final table and, for the moment, it appears Sallie Stohler is our new chip leader by just a big blind or two.
John Wale - 910,000
Mark Bell - 915,000
Friday, February 8, 2013 8:26 PM Local Time
Blinds: 10,000/20,000 ante 2,000
Action folds to Travell Thomas on the button and he raises to 50,000. Sallie Stohler, who has already sparred with Thomas in several hands, calls from the big blind.
The flop comes and Stohler quickly bets 100,000. Thomas quickly calls and the turn brings the . Stohler bets 175,000 and Thomas spends a minute or so talking quietly to himself as he thinks. When he eventually folds, Stohler jokingly scolds him, "Stop raising my blinds!"
Thomas, who has been the most talkative player at the table jokes back, "Oh now you want to talk s***...after I fold."
Sallie Stohler - 980,000
Travell Thomas - 750,000
Friday, February 8, 2013 8:14 PM Local Time
Apologies loyal readers, but we mistakenly reported that James Hoeppner had busted earlier this evening. He is not out, he is alive and well and currently sitting on around 350,000.
Friday, February 8, 2013 8:03 PM Local Time
The final seven players are now onto Level 27 with blinds at 10,000/20,000 ante 3,000. This is the last level before a scheduled 60-minute dinner break.
Friday, February 8, 2013 7:40 PM Local Time
Kevin Artman moves all-in from early position for his last 42,000. Action folds to Sallie Stohler in the small blind and she takes a minute to think before calling. John Wale is in the big blind and calls as well.
The two players check it down as the board comes .
Artman balks at the fourth heart on the river, assuming one of his two opponents has a flush. Stohler doesn''t have a flush, but she does show for a pair of kings. Wale tries to muck, but the dealer tables the hand revealing small cards and no hearts.
Artman turns over his for a pair of sevens, which can''t beat Stohler''s pair of kings, so he is eliminated.
Sallie Stohler - 640,000
Kevin Artman - eliminated in 8th place ($3,542)
Friday, February 8, 2013 7:15 PM Local Time
Kevin Artman and Ace McFarland get it all-in preflop with Hoeppner having the short-stacked McFarland outchipped by about 90,000.
While McFarland has the inferior stack, he holds the superior hand with to Artman's .
"Keep it clean," McFarland yells as the dealer puts out the flop. The turn brings the and McFarland lets out another celebratory yell before calling out, "No ladies in this house!"
There is no lady on the river, as it comes to give McFarland the hand and the double up, leaving Artman as the new short stack at the table.
Ace McFarland - 450,000
Kevin Artman - 90,000
Friday, February 8, 2013 7:08 PM Local Time
Kevin Artman and James Hoeppner both feel good about doubling up when they get it all-in preflop, but it is all disappointment once they turned over their cards.
Both players hold pocket aces and, when no four-flush comes on the board, the two have to settle for chopping up the blinds and antes.
Friday, February 8, 2013 7:06 PM Local Time
We are now on 60-minute levels and the blinds are at 8,000/16,000 ante 2,000. Eight players remain.
Friday, February 8, 2013 7:03 PM Local Time
The chip counts from the break indicate Mark Bell benefited from early final table play. He is far and away the chip leader with 1.7 million. No one else is in seven-figure territory. Here are the updated counts:
Seat 1: John Wale - 555,000
Seat 2: Craig Gold - 575,000
Seat 3: -empty-
Seat 4: Kevin Artman - 275,000
Seat 5: Arthur "Ace" McFarland - 225,000
Seat 6: Mark Bell - 1,700,000
Seat 7: Travell Thomas - 775,000
Seat 8: James Hoeppner - 245,000
Seat 9: Sallie Stoehler - 375,000
Friday, February 8, 2013 6:56 PM Local Time
With the elimination of Michael Reisman in 10th, the official final table was set. Allan Graham exited shortly after that and the final eight are currently on a break.
Friday, February 8, 2013 6:51 PM Local Time
We are down to ten in Event 1, which means we are at the unofficial final table. Blinds are at 7,000/14,000 ante 2,000 for another 14 minutes. Here are the chip counts and seat assignments:
Seat 1: John Wale - 533,000 (38 BBs)
Seat 2: Craig Gold - 602,000 (43 BBs)
Seat 3: Allan Graham - 515,000 (37 BBs)
Seat 4: Kevin Artman - 320,500 (23 BBs)
Seat 5: Arthur "Ace" McFarland - 260,000 (19 BBs)
Seat 6: Mark Bell - 1,200,000 (86 BBs)
Seat 7: Travell Thomas - 493,000 (35 BBs)
Seat 8: Michael Reisman - 217,000 (16 BBs)
Seat 9: James Hoeppner - 252,000 (18 BBs)
Seat 10: Sallie Stohler - 390,000 (29 BBs)
Friday, February 8, 2013 5:00 PM Local Time
Level: 4
Blinds: 000/12000
Ante: 000
Friday, February 8, 2013 4:40 PM Local Time