Event #29: $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship

Kyle Ray raised, Daniel Idema reraised, Ray four-bet, and Idema called.

That put them heads up into a dangerous pot as the flop came out      . Idema checked, and Ray bet. That put Idema to a tough decision, as Ray only had about two bets left in his stack. After maybe 90 seconds of deliberation, Idema decided it was a go; he raised, and Ray got the rest of his chips into the pot. And he was well ahead:

Ray:    

Idema:    

The   turn and   river were pretty much formalities at that point, and Ray has found a double up to 770,000.

Kyle Ray opened for a raise, Dan Idema reraised and Ray called.

In a flurry of betting on the     flop, Ray checked, Idema bet, Ray raised, Idema reraised and Ray called. Ray check-called Idema's bet when the   hit the turn. The river was the   and Ray checked again. Idema bet and Ray sat up on his knees, hovering over the table with his hands covering his face. After a few moments, he let go of his hand and Idema took down the pot.

Ray is down to 400,000 in chips.

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Kyle Ryan got himself all in for his last 80,000 on the turn of a board showing        , battling with Matt Keikoan.

Ryan was in good shape with one card to come, turning over     to Keikoan's    . The river was safe for him as well, the  , and that marks a much needed double up for the short stack.

Ryan is up at the 700,000-chip mark now.

We've played two levels of after-dinner poker, and the final four player are taking a twenty-minute break.

Back in a flash.

With the action folded to the blinds, Matt Keikoan raised from the small, and Jameson Painter called from the big.

The flop brought      , and Painter called a Keikoan bet. That action repeated on the   turn and the   river, with Painter calling bets the whole way. At showdown, Keikoan's     was the best hand, earning him the pot and a chunk of Painter's chips.

First to act, Daniel Idema raised, and Jameson Painter three-bet from the small blind. Idema called, and the two men took a flop of      . Painter bet out, and Idema raised. Painter called there, but he check-folded to one bet on the   turn.

On the next hand, it was Painter opening with a raise on the button, and Idema called from the big blind. Idema check-raised on the       flop, then fired another bet on the  . Once more, Painter couldn't go past the turn, and he released his cards to send the second pot to Idema.

Painter - 960,000

Idema - 1,960,000

From the button Kyle Ray raised, and Daniel Idema three-bet him from the small blind. Ray called, and they took a heads-up flop of      .

Idema bet, and Ray called, and they both check-checked the   turn. Idema checked the   river too, and he called one big bet from his opponent. Ray tabled     for queens and tens, and Idema mucked to concede the pot.

Ray is up to 690,000 now.

The absence of free cocktails in the bleachers of this final table arena hasn't dampened the spirits of Jameson Painter's fans, at least. It should be noted, however, that they've been making frequent trips to the cash bar down the hallway, and they're clearly enjoying their time on the rail in Painter's corner.

It's a group of about a dozen of his friends, most of them decked out in bright orange to match Painter's blazing "Illinois" shirt. His fans are well behaved and vocal, and they're intently focused on the action. Amid the relative quiet of the featured table arena come the occasional shouts of, "Pumpkin!!!" that echo around the stage.

Other things overheard from Painter's railbirds:

[LIST]

[*]When the T.D. said on the microphone, "Jameson Painter has the button," (in unison) "Uuuuuuuuse it!"

[*]When Matt Keikoan raised Painter's big blind, one quiet voice, "Awwww. Jerk."

[*]When Painter three-bet a raise from Brock Parker, "Threeeeeee!" (in the style of a basketball announcer)

[*]When Painter gave Idema a walk in the big blind, and Idema flashed two aces, "Good read, Pumpkin!!"

[/LIST]

Jameson Painter raised and Kyle Ray made the call.

They went heads-up to an     flop. Ray led out and Painter called. The turn came the   and Ray check-called Painter's bet. The   hit the river and Ray checked again. Painter bet and Ray gave up his hand. He's down to 375,000.