Thursday, June 25, 2015 4:49 PM Local Time
Allen Cunningham has given some chips back after a couple hands that saw him table a second-best hand.
In the first, Brian Lazer brings it in with the and Eli Elezra calls with the . Cunningham calls with the . Kenn Wittock says, "There's too many callers," and completes with the . Lazer folds and Elezra and Cunningham call.
Kenn Wittock - (x-x)/ /(x)
Allen Cunningham - (x-x)/ /(x)
Eli Elezra - (x-x)/ - folded on fifth street
Wittock bets fourth street and both opponents call. Wittock bets on fifth street and only Cunningham calls. On sixth, Cunningham calls another bet from Wittock. Both players check seventh street.
Wittock tables for aces and sixes and Cunningham mucks.
Wittock - 410,000
Cunningham - 605,000
In the second hand, Cunningham brings it in with the . Byron Ziebell calls and then Benjamin Lazer complets. Cunningham and Ziebell call.
Benjamin Lazer - (x-x)/ /(x)
Allen Cunningham - (x-x)/ /(x)
Byron Ziebell - (x-x)/ - folded on fourth street
Cunningham picks up a pair of fives on fourth street and proceeds to bet every street. Lazer calls down on each street. At showdown, Cunningham says, "Jacks up." Lazer's silent response is to turn over for trip fours.
Benjamin Lazer - 306,000
Allen Cunningham - 510,000
Thursday, June 25, 2015 4:41 PM Local Time
Gylbert Drolet - (x-x)/ /(x)
Byron Ziebell - (x-x)/ /(x)
Benjamin Lazer - (x-x)/ /(x)
Eli Elezra - (x-x)/ /(x)
On fourth street, there are four players and over 40,000 in the pot. It checks to Drolet and he bets. Everyone calls. Everyone checks on fifth street, and Lazer bets sixth street when checked to. Elezra calls, Drolet folds, and Ziebell check-calls.
On seventh street, Ziebell leads with a bet. Lazer calls and Elezra folds. "You got it," Ziebell says, prompting Lazer to turn over for a pair of queens, which is good for a healthy pot.
Benjamin Lazer - 475,000
Byron Ziebell - 150,000
Eli Elezra - 460,000
Thursday, June 25, 2015 4:34 PM Local Time
Benjamin Lazer is the bring in. Eli Elezra completes showing and Allen Cunningham next to him makes it two bets showing . Action folds back to Elezra, who rechecks his hole cards before making it three bets. Cunningham flicks in the chips for a call and it is heads-up action going into fourth street.
Cunningham - (X)(X) / / (X)
Elezra - (X)(X) / / (X)
On fourth street it is Cunningham to act first and he elects to bet, only for Elezra to make it two bets. Cunningham quickly makes it three bets and Elezra slows down at this point, he just calls. On fifth street Cunningham still has the lead and bets, with Elezra smooth calling. The same action takes place on sixth street and the dealer sends out the seventh street down cards.
On seventh street Cunningham has a quick look at his down card before sending out another 20,000 bet. Elezra then goes into the tank, squeezing his hole cards multiple times and counting out the call before picking up the chips and playing with them from hand to hand. This goes on for about 90 seconds before Elezra puts the chips down next to his cards, rechecks his hole cards and decides to muck them, sending the pot, and the chip lead, in the direction of Cunningham.
Allen Cunningham - 635,000
Eli Elezra - 610,000
Thursday, June 25, 2015 4:17 PM Local Time
| Level: | 22 | | Limits: | 10k/20kBring-in:3k | | Ante: | 2k |
Thursday, June 25, 2015 3:58 PM Local Time
The players are now on a 20-minute break. Play will resume at approximately 4:15 p.m. local time.
Thursday, June 25, 2015 3:57 PM Local Time
Kenn Wittock brings it in with the and Gylbert Drolet completes with the . It folds back to Wittock and he calls.
Kenn Wittock - (x-x)/ /(x)
Gylbert Drolet - (x-x)/ /(x)
Drolet bets fourth and Wittock calls. On fifth, Drolet continues and Wittock raises. Drolet calls and then bets when Wittock checks on sixth. Wittock check-calls sixth street and then check-calls another bet on seventh. Drolet turns over for a straight and Wittock flashes for a smaller straight, earning praise from Elezra for check-calling.
Gylbert Drolet - 450,000
Kenn Wittock - 315,000
Thursday, June 25, 2015 3:44 PM Local Time
Benjamin Lazer is the bring-in. Eli Elezra is next to act and completes, showing . Gylbert Drolet calls showing and all other players muck their cards.
Elezra - (X)(X) / / (X)
Drolet - (X)(X) / / (X)
Drolet elects to call one bet from Elezra on fourth street, but when Elezra fires again on fifth street, Drolet makes it two bets. Elezra slows down and calls, but fires again on sixth street when he makes an open pair of queens.
On seventh street Elezra says "I check my three queens" before the last card is pitched out, but Drolet laughs and says "Well I have a queen and he had a queen (points at Byron Ziebell) so..." Eli just laughs and Drolet bets on seventh. Eli calls and says "aces up", rolling over . "Really?" replies Drolet as he mucks face up. The conversation continues into the next hand, with Drolet asking "Did you really start with Aces and a queen?" and Eli replying with "Do you really think I'd open with ace-queen-four badugi or something like that?! I didn't even move my cards before turning them over (on seventh)" with a smile on his face as he stacks the chips.
Eli Elezra - 720,000
Gylbert Drolet - 290,000
Thursday, June 25, 2015 3:31 PM Local Time
Jean Gaspard
Byron Ziebell brings it in and Benjamin Lazer completes with the . Jean Gaspard calls all in for less and everyone else folds.
Lazer - / /
Gaspard - / /
Lazer catches a pair of queens and Gaspard was unable to catch a wheel or an ace to survive. Gaspar is eliminated in 7th place for $13,486.
Benjamin Lazer - 135,000
Jean Gaspard - Eliminated
Thursday, June 25, 2015 3:20 PM Local Time
After losing a few hands, Jean Gaspard has taken a big hit that has his stack at less than 10,000.
Allen Cunningham brings it in with the and Jean Gapsard completes with the . Kenn Wittock asks, "Is that a king?" Wittock gets the answer and then raises. As Elezra folds, he asks, "If it was a queen you wouldn't raise?" Gaspard calls.
Jean Gaspard - (x-x)/ /(x)
Kenn Wittock - (x-x)/ /(x)
Gaspard bets fourth and fifth streets and Wittock calls. Wittock checks sixth when he catches the king to give him the betting lead and Gaspard says, "That's no good. He's got my king over there." Gaspard checks behind.
Wittock then leads with a bet on seventh street and Gaspard calls. Wittock turns over for a full house. Gaspard groans and flashes and mucks.
Kenn Wittock - 448,000
Jean Gaspard - 7,000
Thursday, June 25, 2015 2:59 PM Local Time
| Level: | 21 | | Limits: | 10k/20kBring-in:3k | | Ante: | 2k |
Thursday, June 25, 2015 2:58 PM Local Time
Jean Gaspard completes the bet and both Kenn Wittock and Byron Ziebell call.
On fourth street Gaspard is first to speak and bets. Wittock folds but Ziebell calls and it is heads up going down the streets. On fifth street Gaspard bets and Ziebell calls. The same action occurs on sixth street and as the dealer pitches out the seventh street down cards, Gaspard bets again.
Ziebell - (X)(X) / / (X)
Gaspard - (X)(X) / / (X)
Ziebell calls and Gaspard points at his board and says that's all he has. Ziebell turns over for a pair of aces which is enough to win the pot.
Byron Ziebell - 295,000
Jean Gaspard - 125,000
Thursday, June 25, 2015 2:51 PM Local Time
Eli Elezra brings it in with the and Jean Gaspard completes with the . Byron Ziebell calls with the and Elezra folds.
Jean Gaspard - (x-x)/ /(x)
Byron Ziebell - (x-x)/ /(x)
Gaspard bets fourth and fifth streets and Ziebell calls. Ziebell checks his pair of kings on sixth and Gaspard checks behind. Both players check it down on seventh. "Aces," Gaspard says, and tables . Ziebell nods his head and mucks.
Jean Gaspard - 280,000
Byron Ziebell - 132,000
Thursday, June 25, 2015 2:46 PM Local Time
Matt Grapenthien
Matt Grapenthien moves the last of his chips into the middle on third street against Kenn Wittock. The bring in folds and the hands are turned up.
Matt Grapenthien - (x)
Kenn Wittock -
Wittock makes three nines on fifth street. Grapenthien needs a ten to make a straight, and he catches one on sixth street. Wittock has to fill up to send Grapenthien to the rail. Wittock catches the for a full house on seventh and seals Grapenthien's fate.
Grapenthien exits the tournament in 8th place for $10,352.
Kenn Wittock - 383,000
Matt Grapenthien - Eliminated
Thursday, June 25, 2015 2:33 PM Local Time
Eli Elezra brings it in with the and Jean Gaspard completes with the . Kenn Wittock raises with the and Byron Ziebell three bets with the . Elezra folds, Gaspard folds, and Wittock calls.
Wittock - (x-x)/ /(x)
Ziebell - (x-x)/ /(x)
Ziebell bets fourth and Wittock calls. On fifth, Ziebell continues for another bet and Wittock raises. Ziebell thinks for 20 seconds and then calls. Ziebell tanks again on sixth when he checks and Wittock bets. After another twenty seconds, Ziebell calls. Both players check seventh street.
Ziebell turns over for a pair of kings, but Wittock turns up for tens and fives and drags the pot.
Kenn Wittock - 401,000
Byron Ziebell - 175,000
Thursday, June 25, 2015 2:25 PM Local Time
Jean Gaspard is the bring-in. Kenn Wittock completes the bet only for a short stacked Benjamin Lazer to raise to two bets. All fold back round to Wittock who calls.
On fourth street Lazer is first to act and he bets, with Wittock flicking in calling chips. This action is the same on fifth street, but on sixth street Lazer makes an open pair of jacks. He bets again and this is enough for Wittock to fold his hand. Lazer flips the as he rakes in the pot.
Lazer - (X)(X) /
Wittock - (X)(X) / - folded on sixth street
Benjamin Lazer - 135,000
Thursday, June 25, 2015 2:00 PM Local Time
| Level: | 20 | | Limits: | 8k/16kBring-in:2k | | Ante: | 2k |
Thursday, June 25, 2015 2:02 AM Local Time
Welcome to the Rio Hotel and Casino for the final day's play of Event #48: $1,500 Seven Card Stud.
Allen Cunningham
8 players will return at 2pm local time today to fight it out for the $112,591 first prize but more importantly, the coveted WSOP gold bracelet. Two time WSOP bracelet winner Eli Elezra is at the head of the pack with 617,000 chips but will be looking closely over his shoulder at his nearest challenger, five time WSOP bracelet winner Allen Cunningham, who has 414,500 and begins the day second in chips.
Matt Grapenthien
Even the player with the shortstack is a man to watch out for. That is none other than Matt Grapenthien. He is the man who has one bracelet - the $10,000 Stud Championship bracelet from the 2014 WSOP. Grapenthien may be the shortstack, but will be viewed as a danger to everybody else at the table.
The final table will line up as follows:
Seat 1: Kenn Wittock (282,500)
Seat 2: Gylbert Drolet (355,500)
Seat 3: Byron Ziebell (273,500)
Seat 4: Benjamin Lazer (120,500)
Seat 5: Matt Grapenthien (51,500)
Seat 6: Eli Elezra (617,000)
Seat 7: Allen Cunningham (414,500)
Seat 8: Jean Gaspard (263,500)
The final 8 players will return tomorrow to play for the $112,591 first prize and the coveted WSOP gold bracelet. Eli Elezra holds the chip lead but with Allen Cunningham and Matt Grapenthien among the chasing pack, Elezra is not guaranteed a victory just yet!
Stay with us here at WSOP.com for live coverage of the final table, beginning at 2 p.m. local time in the Amazon Room.