We're not sure how the preflop action went down, but a three-way all-in pot just developed that saw both Patrick Fortin and David Labchuk at risk against the big stack of Jonathan Frey.
Showdown
Fortin:
Frey:
Labchuk:
Labchuk had more than Fortin, so a side pot of 286,000 was at stake between him and Frey. The kings of Labchuk were out in front and the flop was relatively safe. However, the spiked on the turn to send Fortin celebrating.
"Red cardm" Fortin said after noticing three clubs on board. Sure enough, if a non-deuce club hit the river, Frey would scoop the pot. Luckily for both Labchuk and Fortin, the blanked. Fortin tripled on the hand while Labchuk took down the side pot.
"That was the first time I've been all in all tournament," Fortin confessed.
Tyler Bonkowski opened to 26,000 and Kenny Shih three-bet to 80,000. Bonkowski then shipped all in for 449,000 and Shih snap called.
Shih:
Bonkowski:
Bonkowski was behind for his tournament life but that changed when he paired his jack on the flop to take the lead. Bonkowski faded an ace or a king on the turn and river to double up while Shih took a hit.
We came to the table as the river had just been dealt on a board. There was about 60,000 in the pot, and Robert Peltecci checked over to Kevin Saul, who put out 100,000 which was enough to put Peltecci all in. Peltecci thought for about 20 seconds befre stopping his massage and standing up to think some more. After about a minute of thinking, Peltecci called and showed for fives and fours. Saul simply said "wow nice call" and showed for king high.
Peltecci left the table to briefly celebrate, and tablemate Cory Albertson commented "The guy is the tighest player ever tanks everytime its on him yet he makes the greatest call ever." The whole table had a laugh, especially Peltecci, who was happy to stack up his well earned chips.
We're not sure how all the chips got in, but we walked up to see three players with all their chips out.
Showdown
Samuel Ngai: (95,000 chips)
Brendan Taylor: (445,000 chips)
Walter Ferrero: (650,000 chips)
The board ran out , and the queens hold to give Taylor the big double. With it comes the elimination of Ngai, and it knocks Ferrero down to 205,000. Taylor crosses a milestone with that big pot, improving to 1.003 million.
We caught up with the action just as David Vamplew announced he was all in for his last 160,000 preflop. He was called by Joseph Cheong. Revealed hands showed that Vamplew was in rough shape, though, he had a decent chance to chop.
Showdown
Cheong:
Vamplew:
The board ran out , giving Cheong the nut flush and sending Vamplew to the rail.
We found Alexandros Karnaos all in preflop for 228,000 and at risk against Chris Bonita.
Bonita:
Karnaos:
The ESPN camera crew came over to start filming and the flop came down to give Karnaos the lead with top two and he gave a big “YES!” along with a fist pump. Another player asked for a jack or an ace for a sweat on the turn but it came the and Bonita would need one of the two remaining queens to eliminate Karnaos. The river was the and Karnaos secured his double up.
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Tournament Specifics:
Name: Exclusive PokerNews Main Event
Date: July 17, 2011, starting at 2:00 PM EST
Game: NLH Freezout (password protected) ID#413428486
Buyin: $10+1
Prize: $20,000 added
Structure: starting @ 50-100, 15-min blinds
Starting stack: 30,000 chips
Password: PNLIVE
Payout: standard
Late reg: 120 mins
Sunny Chattha was all the way down to 116,000, and needed to make a stand to move on in the tournament. When action folded around to him in the cutoff, he decided it was time to move it all in. Action folded to Sven Mol in the big blind, who made the call. The cards were flipped, and though Chattha had a weak holding, he was very live.
Chattha:
Mol:
The flop was a tough one for Chattha to swallow, as it came . Chattha would now need a jack to win or running hearts to chop, but neither came on the turn, the . Down to possibly his last card, the river brought the , and Chattha was eliminated, while Mol jumps up to 825,000.
Diogo Borges was all in preflop against Garry "Beast Mode" Gates. The good thing for Borges was that he was in the lead with the to Gates' . The bad thing for him was that Gates flopped a six. Even though Borges turned a flush draw, but couldn't improve on the river and was eliminated.
flop was relatively safe. However, the 
spiked on the turn to send Fortin celebrating.
blanked. Fortin tripled on the hand while Labchuk took down the side pot.
flop to take the lead. Bonkowski faded an ace or a king on the 
turn and 
river to double up while Shih took a hit.
, but ran into David Bach's 
as Bach faded a river diamond to move up to 2.72 million and take the overall tournament chip lead for the time being.
for fives and fours. Saul simply said "wow nice call" and showed 
for king high.
, and the queens hold to give Taylor the big double. With it comes the elimination of Ngai, and it knocks Ferrero down to 205,000. Taylor crosses a milestone with that big pot, improving to 1.003 million.
, giving Cheong the nut flush and sending Vamplew to the rail.
and Karnaos secured his double up.
to Gates' 
