Wednesday, June 22, 2011 10:35 PM Local Time
Jason Mercier raised to 100,000 on the button and was called by Hans Winzeler in the small blind. Steven Merrifield then raised pot from the big blind. Mercier immediately folded while Winzeler opted to make the call. It was heads up to the flop, which Winzeler checked. Merrifield put the pressure on with a 400,000 bet and Winzeler hit the tank.
After about a minute, Winzeler came out with two stacks of green T25,000 chips, totaling 1,000,000. Merrifield, who only had 550,000 behind, shook his head as he slowly folded his cards.
Two hands later, Merrifield raised to 175,000 on the button and again received a call from Winzeler, who checked the flop. Merrifield grabbed his remaining 350,000 chips and committed them to the pot. Winzeler snap-called and flipped for the nut flush.
Merrifield was behind, but he had outs with his . Any king or jacks would give him the win, while a queen would grant him a chop. Merrifield's supporters leaned in as the blanked on the turn, leaving just one card to come. The atmosphere was tense as the dealer burned and put out the .
It was a swing and a miss for the man known as "Ball Game," and with that he was out in third place ($239,100).
Hans Winzeler | 4,125,000 | 1,375,000 |
Jason Mercier | 3,490,000 | 45,000 |
Steven Merrifield | 0 | -1,205,000 |
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 10:26 PM Local Time
Jason Mercier has hit quad tens (the second time at this final table tonight) to move back into the chip lead with more than 3.4 million now in his ever-growing stack.
Hans Winzeler raised from the button to 100,000 pre-flop; Steven Merrifield folded from the small blind and Jason Mercier called from the big blind before before both players checked after the flop of .
Mercier then led out for 160,000 on the turn of the and Winzeler called before doing the same after Mercier's bet of 285,000 on the river of the . Mercier flipped up for quad tens and took the pot down, much to Merrifield's disbelief.
"Holy cow," Merrifield exclaimed. "That was the same board that came out when I had quads!" Close, but it did come out the same way!
Jason Mercier | 3,445,000 | 445,000 |
Hans Winzeler | 2,750,000 | -250,000 |
Steven Merrifield | 1,205,000 | -295,000 |
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 10:14 PM Local Time
Hans Winzeler limped from the small blind and Steven Merrifield checked his option from the big. The flop saw Winzeler check-call a bet of 75,000. Winzeler then check-called another bet, this time 175,000, fon the turn.
Both player quickly checked the river and Merrifield rolled over for two pair. Winzeler shook his head as if to say, "It's good," and then flung his cards to the muck.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 10:04 PM Local Time
Steven Merrifield has had chunks taken out of him by both Jason Mercier and Hans Winzeler and as a result is down to less than 1.7 million as the final table of WSOP #35 continues.
Earlier, all three players limped in to see a flop of ; which they all checked before Merrifield fired out 175,000 after the turn of the . Mercier folded and Winzeler called from the button before Merrifield led out for 225,000 on the river of the .
Winzeler quickly raised to 525,000 and Merrifield called, showing down but mucked his hand after Winzeler tabled for the nut straight.
Then in the very next hand, Merrifield raised to 125,000 from the button and only Mercier called from the small blind before both players checked the flop of . Mercier then opened for 80,000 on the turn of the ; Merrifield reraised to 200,000 and Mercier called before both players checked down the river of the .
Mercier showed for queens full and scooped the pot.
Hans Winzeler | 3,250,000 | 750,000 |
Jason Mercier | 2,300,000 | 0 |
Steven Merrifield | 1,655,000 | -1,245,000 |
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 9:58 PM Local Time
Steven Merrifield | 2,900,000 | 370,000 |
Hans Winzeler | 2,500,000 | -240,000 |
Jason Mercier | 2,300,000 | 20,000 |
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 9:55 PM Local Time
Steven Merrifield, who has come to be called "Ball Game" here at the feature table, raised to 120,000 from the button and was called by Hans Winzeler in the big blind. It went check-bet 175,000-call on the flop, which was followed by a check-bet 390,000-fold on the turn. Ship the pot to Winzeler.
So far the action three-handed has been exceptionally lackluster. As always, it's only a matter of time before things pick up.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 9:47 PM Local Time
Since the players returned from break, Hans Winzeler has come out swinging, taking down two sizeable pots to move into the chip lead with more than 2.7 million.
Earlier, Winzeler raised to 100,000 from the button and Steven Merrifield folded from the small blind pre-flop before Jason Mercier called to go heads-up to the flop of . Mercier check-called Winzeler's bet of 150,000, but then check-folded after Winzeler fired a second shell on the turn of the .
Then in the very next hand, Merrifield raised from the button and Mercier folded the small blind before Winzeler called from the big blind to see a flop heads-up of . From there, Winzeler check-raised to 585,000 after Merrifield opened for 190,000. Merrifield wasn't interested and sent his hand into the muck.
With the average chip stack around 2.38 million, the players aren't as quick to put bets out there now. Gear yourselves up for a long night, people!
Hans Winzeler | 2,740,000 | 440,000 |
Steven Merrifield | 2,530,000 | -245,000 |
Jason Mercier | 2,280,000 | -260,000 |
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 9:35 PM Local Time
The cards are now back in the air!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 9:34 PM Local Time
Level: 27
Blinds: 25000/50000
Ante: 0
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 9:21 PM Local Time
Steven Merrifield | 2,775,000 | -590,000 |
Jason Mercier | 2,540,000 | -135,000 |
Hans Winzeler | 2,300,000 | 700,000 |
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 9:19 PM Local Time
The players are are now taking full advantage of a 15-minute intermission.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 9:18 PM Local Time
Steven Merrifield raised to 90,000 on the button and was called by Hans Winzeler from the big blind. The flop came down and Merrifield check-called a bet of 225,000. The same exact action occurred on the turn, bringing about the on the river.
This time both players checked and Merrifield showed the for trips; however, Winzeler rolled over for tens full and the win.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 9:17 PM Local Time
With only three players left in WSOP #35, Hans Winzeler has picked up the first couple of pots from Jason Mercier and Steven Merrifield.
Earlier, Merrifield raised to 80,000 before the flop; Jason Mercier folded the small blind and Winzeler called from the big blind before check-calling Merrifield's bet on the flop of before both players checked the turn of the .
Winzeler then check-called the bet of 165,000 from Merrifield on the river of the ; Merrifield showed , but mucked after Winzeler opened up for the bigger two pair.
Moments later, Winzeler limped in from the button and Merrifield completed the small blind before Mercier checked before everyone checked down the flop of . Merrifield then checked the turn of the ; Mercier bet 155,000 and Winzeler and Merrifield called before the dealer produced the on the river.
Merrifield and Mercier checked to Winzeler who led out for 325,000, but the two M's folded after that.
Steven Merrifield | 3,365,000 | 15,000 |
Jason Mercier | 2,675,000 | -225,000 |
Hans Winzeler | 1,600,000 | 260,000 |
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 9:04 PM Local Time
A short-stacked David Chiu raised from the cutoff and Jason Mercier obliged with a reraise from the big blind. Chiu had less than 300,000 and committed his entire stack to the pot.
Chiu:
Mercier:
This was one of those hands that was going to be determined by the flop, which ended up coming down . Both players had hit two pair, but Mercier's was better. Add to the equation that Mercier held the nut-flush draw, and Chiu was in a pretty bad spot.
As the crowd took to its feet, the blanked on the turn. Chiu's life came down to the river, though by that point he'd already begun to collect his things. The dealer burned once again and put out the . Mercier improved to a flush to send Chiu to the rail in fourth place ($156,628).
Jason Mercier | 2,900,000 | 360,000 |
David Chiu | 0 | -500,000 |
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 8:44 PM Local Time
Steven Merrifield | 3,350,000 | 560,000 |
Jason Mercier | 2,540,000 | 240,000 |
Hans Winzeler | 1,340,000 | 90,000 |
David Chiu | 500,000 | 0 |
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 8:43 PM Local Time
It's probably the worst thing in poker that you could possibly imagine. You get your money in good and then get busted in the worst way possible - your opponent hits the one-outer.
But that's exactly what happened to Joseph Ressler and as a result, he's our fourth-place finisher, collecting $105,967.
Ressler raised to 80,000 from under the gun and the action folded to Steven Merrifield who called from the small blind, as did Jason Mercier to go three ways to a flop of . Merrifield and Mercier checked to Ressler who bet 150,000, only to see Merrifield check-raise to 425,000.
Mercier folded, Ressler snap-shoved and Merrifield insta-called.
Ressler:
Merrifield:
Both sides of the Mothership erupted - set over set! Not the best news for Merrifield's crew, but Ressler's supporters were thrilled and became even more vocal when the bricked on the turn.
"One-outer for the ball game!" cried one of Merrifield's crew.
River:
Bink.
The roar that went up from Merrifield's mob drowned out the PA system in the Amazon. Merrifield jumped down from the stage and his friends bum-rushed the rail, hugging, high-fiving and fist-bumping all around. Ressler and his supporters went catatonic - all them stood rigid in the same pose, frozen in disbelief, hands over their mouths as if they were going to puke.
All the sickness aside, Merrifield is now way out in front with more than 3.3 million in chips.
Joseph Ressler | 0 | -670,000 |
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 8:35 PM Local Time
Jason Mecier did his standard min-raise to 80,000 under the gun, but this time David Chiu decided to use his positional advantage by putting in a reraise to 260,000. The blinds got out of the way, and after a moment's thought, Mercier made the call. With over 500,000 in the pot, it looked like things might get interesting.
Unfortunately, when the flop came down , Mercier bet pot and Chiu insta-mucked.
Jason Mercier | 2,300,000 | 285,000 |
David Chiu | 500,000 | -300,000 |
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 8:29 PM Local Time
Just before the blinds ticked over into Level 26, Jason Mercier and Steven Merrifield both rocketed past two million in chips each.
Earlier, Joseph Ressler raised to 65,000 from the under the gun before the flop and found two callers in the form of David Chiu from the cutoff, as well as Mercier from the big blind to go three-handed to a flop that read .
Mercier checked to Ressler who opened for 105,000. Chiu folded, but Mercier called, making it heads-up to the turn of the , which they both checked. However, Mercier then check-called Ressler's bet of 225,00 on the river of the , tabling for kings full against Ressler's to scoop the pot.
A short time later, Hans Winzeler raised pre-flop from the cutoff and Merrifield called from the button before both players checked the flop of . Winzeler then bet 205,000 on the turn of the ; Merrifield called and then both players checked the river .
Merrifield showed down and Winzeler flashed before sending his hand into the muck. Merrifield is now close to 2.8 million while Mercier is a little under 2.02 million.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 8:20 PM Local Time
Steven Merrifield | 2,790,000 | 390,000 |
Jason Mercier | 2,015,000 | 455,000 |
Hans Winzeler | 1,250,000 | -10,000 |
David Chiu | 800,000 | -315,000 |
Joseph Ressler | 670,000 | -530,000 |
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 8:18 PM Local Time
Level: 26
Blinds: 20000/40000
Ante: 0