With around 17,000 in the pot and a board reading , David Chiu checked and allowed John Caridad to bet pot. Chiu, who only had a stack of 13,400, tanked for a minute, toying with his chips. Eventually he wrapped both hands around his pile and pushed it forward.
Caridad:
Chiu:
Caridad had flopped Broadway and was out in front; however, Chiu could still take the pot if the board paired on the river. As the dealer burned, Chiu rose from his chair and prepared to meet his fate . . . the . Chiu was eliminated from the tournament while Caridad chipped up to about 47,000.
We're back in action following what was not the last break of the night. We'll play two more levels, but they'll be interrupted by a color-up break in between.
We've reduced this field by more than 100. The big board shows that less than 243 players have survived these first six levels. We've got two more levels to play, but we're on our last 15-minute break first.
On a board of , the blinds both checked to John Caridad, who bet 4,200. The small blind then woke up with a check-raise to 8,400, the big blind folded, and Caridad called off for 7,825 total.
Caridad:
Opponent:
Caridad was in trouble, but the river delivered him salvation. He hit the nut flush to take down the pot and double to nearly 20K. "It's a six-card royal," another player pointed out.
On a flop, Tom Schneider and another player both got their money all in against Carlos Mortensen, and they were both in pretty fair shape to take a chunk from him.
The turn was a blank, but the river was not a blank at all, the . That gives Mortensen queens up and the best hand, and he's sent two players to the rail to boost his count to about 37,000.
The under-the-gun player opened to 1,200, and a player in middle-position player reraised all in for 2,500 total. Action came around to Doc Sands, and he made another raise, sliding out 8,450. Under the gun reraised all in for 17,750, and Sands called with a chance at the double knockout. And he was fairly well ahead:
Showdown
UTG:
Middle:
Sands:
The board ran out , though, and Mr. UTG finds a naked pair of queens as the best hand. He's doubled up and then some, the middle-position player is out, and Sands drops back to about 40,000.
We didn't see the betting action for most of the hand, only joining as the full board was out on the table. Jonathan Duhamel and Bill Gazes each had 8,300 chips out in front of them from the first three rounds of betting. It all happened verbally and very quietly, but one of them shoved the river, and the other called. It was Duhamel at risk for about 8,000, and the news was not good.
Gazes tabled for aces full, and Duhamel mucked and ducked out. His day is done, while Gazes improves to about 43,000 with that knockout pot.