Tuesday, June 26, 2012 1:46 PM Local Time
Travell Thomas was sitting behind a short stack from much of the last coupld of levels and finally got his stack all-in preflop holding and coming up against Jason Everett's .
Thomas was looking good to double up, but the board had other ideas, giving Everett the full house and enough to eliminate Thomas in 12th place.
With that, we are one player away from our "unofficial" final table of ten.
| Travell Thomas | 0 | -240,000  |
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 1:42 PM Local Time
Neil Mittelman and Nelson Robinson have just played a massive hand that equals almost a quarter of all the chips in play. It started when Francisco Azares opened the pot to 40,000. Mittelman then three-bet to 95,000 on the button. Robinson was in the big blind and four-bet to 225,000. Azares got out of the way quickly and it was back on Mittelman. It didn't take him long to shove all in. Robinson looked at his opponent's almost 1,000,000-chip stack and snapped him off.
The board would see Mittelman win the huge flip, while Robinson takes a massive hit to his stack.
| Niel Mittelman | 1,960,000 | 985,000  |
| Nelson Robinson | 500,000 | -1,000,000 |
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 1:35 PM Local Time
Darren Rabinowitz opened from the hijack position and it was folded around to Jaspal Brar in the big blind, who went all in for his last 160,000. Rabinowitz peaked back at his cards and made the call to put Brar at risk.
Rabinowitz:
Brar:
Brar was dominated and would need help going to the flop, however, the board kept Rabinowitz in front and Brar was sent to the rail.
Rabinowitz is up to 700,000.
| Darren Rabinowitz | 700,000 | 80,000 |
| Jaspal Brar | 0 | -175,000 |
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 1:29 PM Local Time
Nelson Robinson has storm away to become the far-and-away chip leader, managing to take down a big pot against Patrick Karchamroon.
The hand began when Karschamroon opened up the pot to 42,000. Robinson called out of the big blind and a flop was dealt. Karschamroon check-called a bet of 51,000 here and the was dealt on the turn. This time Robinson would lead for 104,000 and after plenty of time thinking, Karschamroon called.
The on the river would see Nelson only take a moment to bet 200,000. Karschamroon then thought long and hard for almost two minutes. Eventually he opted to fold, sending the pot to Robinson.
| Nelson Robinson | 1,500,000 | 340,000 |
| Patrick Karschamroon | 510,000 | -290,000 |
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 1:23 PM Local Time
Niel Mittelman min-raised to 40,000 from under-the-gun and action folded around to Jaspal Brar in the small blind - who three-bet to 88,000 total. It went back around to Mittelman who made the made call.
Flop:
Brar led out for 64,000, which Mittelman raised to 128,000. Brar thought it over and made it 64,000 more to 182,000 total. Undeterred, Mittelman announced he was all in, which was more than enough to put Brar all in for his last 175,000. Brar tanked for some time, but eventually revealed a for top pair and mucked his hand.
Mittelman is up to 975,000 after that one.
| Niel Mittelman | 975,000 | 370,000 |
| Jaspal Brar | 175,000 | -375,000 |
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 1:13 PM Local Time
Paul Sokoloff's last hand of the tournament began when Thomas Conway opened up the pot to 40,000. Sokoloff then three-bet shoved on the button and it was on David Forster in the small blind. He made the call and the action was sent back around to Conway.
Around one minute passed as Conway decided what to do. Eventually Forster called the clock on Conway and he was given 60 more seconds to act. Conway opted to fold and Sokoloff tabled his , well behind the of Forster. At this point, Conway told the table he folded ace-king.
Sokoloff would need some help to survive and it was help that would never come as the board saw Forster's hand hold up to send Sokoloff home in 14th place. A great effort as Sokoloff adds this result to his third-place finish in Event 32: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E from just a few days ago.
| David Forster | 865,000 | 265,000 |
| Paul Sokoloff | 0 | -375,000 |
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 1:04 PM Local Time
Kevin Elia opened to 36,000 from the cutoff position and action folded over to Travell Thomas in the small bind, who announced he was all in for his last 195,000. The big blind gave it up and so did Elia after asking for a count.
Thomas is short, but still in, with 240,000. Elia, on the other hand is sitting just under 1 million
| Kevin Elia | 950,000 | -100,000 |
| Travell Thomas | 240,000 | -128,000 |
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 12:49 PM Local Time
| Nelson Robinson | 1,160,000 | 110,000 |
| Patrick Karschamroon | 640,000 | -120,000 |
| Darren Rabinowitz | 620,000 | -80,000 |
| Niel Mittelman | 605,000 | 27,000 |
| Jaspal Brar | 550,000 | -1,000 |
| Rocco Palumbo | 460,000 | 78,000 |
| Francisco Azares | 440,000 | -100,000 |
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 12:39 PM Local Time
Paul Sokoloff was under the gun when he shoved his stack all in, holding 165,000 in chips. When the play was folded around to Thomas Conway in the small blind, he would shove his even larger stack in the middle. The big blind folded and the two players tabled their hands.
The flop was great for Sokoloff and the turn and the river would ensure he would take the double up.
| Thomas Conway | 650,000 | -230,000 |
| Paul Sokoloff | 375,000 | 166,000 |
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 12:32 PM Local Time
Mario Delis open-pushed all in for his last 90,000 from early position and action folded around to David Forster in the cutoff, who re-raised to isolate Delis. Everyone else got out of the way and hands were revealed.
Delis:
Forster:
The board ran out and Delis was sent to the rail in 15th.
Forster is up to 600,000 following the knockout.
| David Forster | 600,000 | 163,000 |
| Mario Delis | 0 | -234,000 |
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 12:28 PM Local Time
In a hand that would cripple Keven Stammen, Kevin Elia opened to 34,000 from under-the-gun and action folded around to Stammen in the hijack, who three-bet to 80,000. It was folded back around to Elia, who made it 150,000 on top. Stammen fall hard into the tank, and, after a couple minutes, Elia called the clock on him. A tournament director came over and have Stammen 70 seconds to act on his hand.
After a little more deliberation, Stammen announced he was all in and Elia snap-called all in for 491,000.
Stammen:
Elia:
Ouch.
The board ran out and Elia doubled through Stammen, leaving him with just 90,000 behind.
In the very next hand, Stammen open-pushed all in and action folded around to David Forster, who went all in himself to put Stammen at risk.
Forster:
Stammen:
The board left Stammen second-best and he was eliminated.
| Kevin Elia | 1,050,000 | 547,000 |
| Keven Stammen | 0 | -654,000 |
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 12:14 PM Local Time
Nelson Robinson is the first player to crack a seven-figure stack today, courtesy of the following hand. Robinson started the action with a raise to 32,000 from the hijack. Francisco Azeres made the call in the small blind and with the big blind out of the way, the dealer spread a flop across the felt.
Both players checked here and a landed on the turn. This time Azeres lead for 39,000 and Robinson called. On the river, Azeres bet 63,000 and after some though, Robinson again called.
Robinson's hand was strong enough to rake in the pot, while Azeres took a small hit to his stack.
| Nelson Robinson | 1,050,000 | 179,000 |
| Francisco Azares | 540,000 | -138,000 |
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 12:06 PM Local Time
Darren Rabinowitz opened up the action to 32,000 from middle position and only Patrick Karschamroon would call in the small blind.
Flop:
On the flop, Karschamroon checked and it was on Rabinowitz. A bet of 35,000 was sent out onto the felt and it was back on Karschamroon. After a few moments, Karschamroon check-raised to 75,000 and Rabinowtiz folded.
| Patrick Karschamroon | 760,000 | 82,000 |
| Darren Rabinowitz | 700,000 | -60,000 |
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 12:01 PM Local Time
Cards are in the air and play is underway!
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 11:02 AM Local Time
Good afternoon and welcome back to the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino for our third and final day of Event 44: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em! Today we will crown an eventual champion, however, with 16 players still vying for the title - there is still a ways to go!
Best positioned to take down the title is Thomas Conway, who bagged up 888,000 last night after taking down some large pots and scoring some knockouts toward the end of the night. Right behind Conway in chips is Nelson Robinson, who will come into Day 3 with 871,000.
Our last woman standing - Anke Berner, is looking to be yet another woman to make a World Series of Poker final table this year. Just yesterday - Jackie Glazier scored a second-place finish in Event 41: $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em. Bener actually entered Day 2 with just 7,600 in chips and figured she would be quickly eliminated. However, she is still here and has a chance to become the first woman to win an open WSOP event since Vanessa Selbst - who won a Pot-Limit Omaha event back in 2008.
Here is the seating draw and player chip counts heading into Day 3:
| Table | Seat | Player | Chips |
|---|
| 440 | 1 | Thomas Conway | 880,000 |
| 440 | 2 | Patrick Karschamroon | 678,000 |
| 440 | 3 | Francisco Azares | 678,000 |
| 440 | 4 | — Empty — | |
| 440 | 5 | Jaspal Brar | 551,000 |
| 440 | 6 | Rocco Palumbo | 382,000 |
| 440 | 7 | Niel Mittelman | 578,000 |
| 440 | 8 | Darren Rabinowitz | 760,000 |
| 440 | 9 | Nelson Robinson | 871,000 |
| | | | |
| 441 | 1 | — Empty — | |
| 441 | 2 | Paul Sokoloff | 209,000 |
| 441 | 3 | David Forster | 437,000 |
| 441 | 4 | Kevin Elia | 503,000 |
| 441 | 5 | Jason Everett | 399,000 |
| 441 | 6 | Travell Thomas | 368,000 |
| 441 | 7 | Keven Stammen | 654,000 |
| 441 | 8 | Anke Berner | 655,000 |
| 441 | 9 | Mario Delis | 234,000 |
There you have it - can Conway use his chip advantage to propel himself to the final table and claim victory? Will Berner accomplish what the other ladies could not and claim a bracelet this year? Or will another one of our 16 players - such as 2009 bracelet-winner Kevin Stammen - take home the gold?
Stay tuned and be sure to follow the action right here at PokerNews as the drama unfolds and we crown an eventual champion!