Tuesday, September 28, 2010 3:34 PM Local Time
Hand #70: Ronald Lee raised to 65,000 from under the gun and Roland De Wolfe three-bet to 245,000. Back round to Lee who, after a brief pause, made the fold.
Hand #71: Roland De Wolfe bumped it up to 65,000 from UTG+1 and Daniel Steinberg made the call on the button. The flop came and De Wolfe led out for 110,000. Steinberg threw his hand into the muck.
Hand #72: Continuing the trend of early position aggression, Nicolas Levi raised to 73,000 preflop and Dan Fleyshman defended his big blind.
On the flop, Fleyshman check-called a continuation bet of 75,000, and then checked again on the turn. Levi checked behind.
The river turned Fleyshman aggressor as he fired out a chunky bet of 375,000. Levi pitched up tent in the think tank, reached for chips and feigned the call, which, I believe, triggered Jack Effel to interrupt and force the Frenchman to make the call.
On this occasion, however, the ruling favoured Levi who tabled for the winning hand. They didn't announce Fleyshman's holding or bring it into view of the flop cam, but it looked like he had a jack.
Fleyshman had turned his hand into a bluff, and had kept deftly quiet on the river as the other players complained about Levi's feign and alerted Effel to the scene of the crime. Understandably, Felysman was rather disappointed with the result, as it was a ruling that now sees him struggling with just 400,000 after entering the day first in chips.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 3:25 PM Local Time
Hand #65: Roland de Wolfe raised to 75,000 and action folded over to the Italian Fabrizio Baldassari. He reraised to 260,000. Play moved back over to de Wolfe and he began counting out some chips from his stack, but ended up folding and giving Baldassari the pot.
Hand #66: James Bord raised to 77,000 to open up the action and de Wolfe called from the big blind. The flop came down and de Wolfe checked to Bord. He checked behind.
The hit fourth street and de Wolfe fired out 50,000. Bord tossed away his hand and the chips went to de Wolfe.
Hand #67: From the small blind, de Wolfe raised to 77,000, attacking Nicolas Levi's big blind. Levi folded.
Hand #68: De Wolfe was involved again, this time from the button. He raised to 70,000. Levi sat in the small blind and stared straight ahead for a bit before looking to see de Wolfe's stack size. He then folded, just posturing a bit. Baldassari also folded from the big blind and de Wolfe won the pot.
Hand #69: Dan Fleyshman raised to 64,000 and Danny Steinberg reraised to 205,000 from the big blind. Immediately, Fleyshman put out a tall stack of white T25,000 chips for 569,000 total. Steinberg immediately shoved all in for 1,117,000. Fleyshman didn't look too happy, but made the call.
Fleyshman:
Steinberg:
The flop came down and although Steinberg flopped a full house, Fleyshman picked up one out because he could hit the case ten to win now.
The turn brought the and kept Steinberg in the lead. The river brought the and Steinberg's twin brother gave a loud cheer from the rail and clapped his hands, super happy that his brother just doubled up big.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 3:10 PM Local Time
Hand #61: Dan Fleyshman raised to 69k in the cutoff. De Wolfe called on the button, and that brought it heads up to a flop. Check to a turn, where Fleyshman bet out 85k, which won him the pot.
Hand #62: Ron Lee raised to 65k, called immediately by Dan Fleyshman in position. The two of them saw a flop of and Lee bet out to take it down with minimal fuss.
Hand #63: Lee made it 65k again, called immediately again by Dan Fleyshman. Round two: ding ding ding!
Flop: . Check to Fleyshman, who bet 70k and Lee called.
Turn: . Both players checked.
River: . Lee bet 103k, which after some searching staring, was enough to get rid of Fleyshman.
Hand #64: Nicolas Levi raised to 75k preflop. Daniel Steinberg had a little scope out of his stack, which he helpfully counted down for him... then called on the button. Small blind Bord called too.
Flop: . Check round.
Turn: . Check round 2.
River: . Now Levi bet 110k. Steinberg called and Bord folded.
Levi showed down which turned out to be the best hand and a winner for the patient Frenchman (who seems to like KQ).
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 2:54 PM Local Time
Hand #56: The action folded round to Fabrizio Baldassari on the button who took down the blinds and antes with a raise to 75,000.
Hand #57: Dan Fleyshman raised it up under the gun and Ronald Lee called, but the latter gave it up to a bet on an flop.
Hand #58: Dan Fleyshman received a walk in the big blind.
Hand #59: Daniel Steinberg raised to 65,000 in the cut-off, only for James Bord to three-bet to 155,000 total from the button. Steinberg, looking ice cool in his Top Gun shades, riffled his chips for a minute before releasing his hand.
Hand #60: Fabrizio Baldassari opened the action with 75,000. The rest of the table stepped out of the way.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 2:44 PM Local Time
Hand #54: Roland de Wolfe raised from the button and then Fabrizio Baldassari reraised from the big blind. De Wolfe folded and the Italian won the pot.
Hand #55: Ronald Lee raised to 65,000. Action folded around to Danny Steinberg in the big blind and he made the call. The flop came down , all black, but not just one suit. Steinberg checked to the preflop aggressor and Lee checked.
The turn brought the and Steinberg led with a bet of 85,000. Lee made the call and the two saw the fall on the river. Steinberg didn't lead this time, passing the action with a check to Lee. Lee thought for a minute and then fired out 250,000. Steinberg released and Lee won the pot, increasing his chip lead.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 2:37 PM Local Time
Hand #50: Ron Lee made it 69k to go preflop, but let his hand go in pretty short order when Fabrizio Baldassari upped it to 200k straight.
Hand #51: Baldassari continued on, his chips hardly touching his stacks before making their way back in preflop as a raise to 75k to play. No callers.
Hand #52: Baldassari made it 75k preflop, but this time Dan Fleyshman in the small blind repopped him: 250k total. Baldassari didn't push his luck this time, though, and folded after one of the longest thinks we've seen thus far.
Hand #53: 65k to play from Daniel Steinberg this time. Ron Lee took his turn in the threebet throne, making it 163k total. Danny Steinberg passed and Lee won another.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 2:26 PM Local Time
Hand #49: Lee raised for the third consecutive hand, this time under the gun. Roland De Wolfe folded, but Nicolas Levi moved all in for 399,000 more.
The next three players side-stepped out of the way to put the decision back on the chip leader. Lee mulled over his options for a minute, and then made the call.
Lee:
Levi:
"Good time for my one time, right?" smiled the Frenchman.
The rail released a united "oooh" as the dealer lay a fun-filled flop onto the felt.
Turn:
Levi looked intently at the flop, silently willing out one of his outs.
The clippety-clop of horseshoes hitting the ground gradually became more distinct...
River:
A cowboy rode in to save the day and double Levi through! He's now right back in the game with almost one million in chips.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 2:26 PM Local Time
Hand #46: James Bord took down another nice pot, three-betting preflop to 310,000.
Hand #47: Daniel Steinberg opened to 75,000 from under the gun, only for Ronald Lee to reraise 183,000 more one seat down. Steinberg folded his hand.
Hand #48: Lee made a standard raise preflop to pick up the blinds and antes uncontested.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 2:17 PM Local Time
Hand #43: Dan Fleyshman called Ronald Lee's 65k preflop raise.
Flop: . Both players checked.
Turn: . Check to Fleyshman who bet 50k; Lee called.
RIver: . A fast double check led to showdown - both players held pocket pairs but Lee's pipped Fleyshman's to take the pot.
Hand #44: Nicolas Levi opened for 72k, to pick up some blinds and antes.
Hand #45: Four flat callers in this one (big blind Fleyshman checking his option).
Flop: . Everyone checked.
Turn: . Ron Lee bet 69k, de Wolfe now called, while Fleyshman and Bord got out of the way.
River: . Lee now bet out 115k and de Wolfe instacalled with . This was in front of Lee (who also had two pair, we think Tens although the hand was mucked quickly on the feature table), so de Wolfe wins a fairly big pot.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 1:45 PM Local Time
The players have in a way reduced their number by one per level (if you count the ten minutes at the beginning as a level). The fireworks will no doubt continue after the present 20-minute break.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 1:44 PM Local Time
Hand #41: Dan Fleyshman raised to 55,000 from middle position. Everyone else folded.
Hand #42: On the last hand before the break, Roland De Wolfe made it 60,000 from the button and the blinds released their hands.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 1:44 PM Local Time
Hand #39: Fabrizio Baldasseri made it 65k preflop and Dan Fleyshman made the call in the small blind.
Flop: Two quick checks.
Turn: A non-spade non-paint. Fleyshman checked, and out came 80k from Baldasseri - Fleyshman called.
River: Check once again, and a check behind - Fleyshman showed down for the full house - no enticement for Baldasseri with the river check - and scooped the pot to the rail fans saying, "Nice one Dan!"
Hand #40: Pass to Fleyshman on the button, who bet 65k. Roland de Wolfe called in the small blind.
Flop: Check-check.
Turn: De Wolfe won that one right here with a swift bet out of 65k.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 1:37 PM Local Time
Hand #36: Fabrizio Baldassari raised to 67,000 from the button and Daniel Steinberg, who's been one of the quieter players at this final table so far, made the call from the small blind. James Bord, however, opted to reraise from the big blind, meticulously counting out 164,000 more on top.
Baldassari glared down at his stack for a moment before counting out his white 25,000 chips. A quick look up at the skies, a blow of the cheeks, and then the inevitable fold. Steinberg followed suit, and Bord picked up the pot having squeezed his opponents like a pair of fresh oranges.
Hand #37: In contrast to the prelfop action of the previous hand, Lee received the first walk of the day on the next.
Hand #38: Lee raised the small blind to 70,000 total and neighbour Dan Fleyshman called in the big blind. Both players checked the flop, but Lee took it down with a bet on the rag turn.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 1:31 PM Local Time
Hand #34: Ron Lee won this with a preflop raise to 51k.
Hand 35: A small blind vs. big blind confrontation, as Fabrizio Baldassari limped, then called Danny Steinberg's raise to 74k total. Baldassari then bet out 80k on the flop, but after an expressionless mini-tank Steinberg made it 220k and the Italian folded.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 1:24 PM Local Time
Hand #32: Nicolas Levi raised to 60,000 from under the gun. It was enough to take the blinds.
Hand #33: Ronald Lee raised to 51,000 in the cut-off and Dan Fleyshman made the call on the button.
Flop:
Lee bet 65,000, Fleyshman called.
Turn:
Lee checked, leading to a bet of 95,000 from Fleyshman. Lee called.
River:
Lee quickly checked, and Fleyshman fired again, this time to the tune of 350,000, "a sizable raise," as Jack Effel called it.
Lee dipped into the tank, but eventually slid his cards into the muck.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 1:17 PM Local Time
Hand 30: Roland de Wolfe made it 60k utg+1. Quick passing brought the action round to button Danny Steinberg, who made the call. Both blinds folded.
Flop: . De Wolfe checked, and Steinberg bet 65k. Head resting on his hand, de Wolfe folded after a pretty brief think about it.
Hand 31: De Wolfe raised the next hand to 58k, now under the gun, and Fabrizio Baldassari quickly made it 162k total. Pass back to de Wolfe who let go of another raised pot.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 1:12 PM Local Time
Hand #26: James Bord and Dan Fleyshman saw the flop of . Bord went to reach for chips and Fleyshman folded.
Hand #27: James Bord raised to 65,000 and won the pot.
Hand #28: Ronald Lee raised to 51,000 and Dan Fleyshman made the call in the next seat. Roland de Wolfe reraised to 287,000 from the cutoff seat and action moved back around the original raiser Lee. He folded and then Fleyshman followed suit to give de Wolfe the pot.
Hand #29: Fabrizio Baldassari raised from the button to 60,000 and Danny Steinberg called from the small blind. Play went heads up with these two seeing the flop come down and Steinberg was up first. He checked and Baldassari checked behind.
The turn card was the to put a pair of ducks on board. Both players check and another duck, the , fell on the river. Both players checked again and Baldassari's was the winning hand.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 1:04 PM Local Time
Hand #25: Just as the hand was starting, I joked that 25 was my lucky number and that we'd see a double elimination. Well, I guess I should grab myself a ticket for this week's lottery, because...
Once again, Marc Inizan made his move, shoving for 313,000, but this time, he found resistance in Brian Powell who moved all in behind. Then, with little hesitation, Ronald Lee, who had both men covered, made the call from the small blind, bringing us to a three-way showdown!
On their backs, and Lee was in great shape:
Inizan:
Powell:
Lee:
"Ace," "Kingball," "Broadway," came the demands of the crowd, many of whom were likely hoping for local boy James Bord to jump two rungs of the ladder.
All pleas were ignored on the flop, but the turn brought the to seal the deal. The devil on my shoulder was hoping that a snowman arrived on the end to send the Empire into a state of frenzy, but no such oddity occurred as the river came the .
And so, like a bolt of lightening, two players exited stage left with a dazed look on their face, as Lee sky-rocketed into the chip lead.
Lee's had his fair share of good fortune over the last few days, but we're going to have to hose him down if he runs any hotter. He now has over 3,000,000 in chips and a smile the width of the equator!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 1:00 PM Local Time
Hand 23: Fabrizio Baldassari took a preflop pot with a reraise to 180k over the top of under the gun raiser Ron Lee (who made it 51k).
Hand 24: Steinberg limped on the button and Lee Checked (exactly what happened last time these two players were in these positions). Lee check-called the flop but folded to Steinberg's 110k bet on the turn.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 12:52 PM Local Time
Hand #21: Frenchman Nicolas Levi was on the button. Action folded to him and he raised. Fabrizio Baldassari was in the small blind and reraised to win the pot.
Hand #22: Action folded to Brian Powell in the small blind and he made the call. Danny Steinberg checked in the big blind to see the flop come down . Powell checked and Steinberg checked behind.
The added some more black to the board and Powell checked. Steinberg checked behind.
The looked like the ugly duckling when it fell on the river. Powell checked and Steinberg fired out 40,000. Powell made the call. The dealer failed to to pull the cards into view on the screen and tournament director Jack Effel only announced that Steinberg showed the . Whatever his complete hand was, Steinberg won the pot and Powell mucked.
