Talal Shakerchi opened to 24,000 on the button and Daniel Negreanu three-bet to 96,000 in the small blind. Shakerchi eyed up Negreanu's stack and folded as he showed the A♥.
"A little better," Negreanu said as he showed A♠K♠. "I wasn't folding under any circumstances."
Action was picked up on the turn with the board showing A♦K♦5♦9♦. Chad Eveslage checked from the small blind and Alexandros Theologis checked from the big blind.
Eveslage checked again on the 5♠ river and Theologis bet for 42,000. Eveslage used two time extension chips before making the call.
Theologis showed Q♣3♦ for a three-high flush which was good enough to take the pot down.
For Phil Hellmuth, whose 16 bracelets (and counting) may never be touched, one of those perks is his own personal break room at Horseshoe Las Vegas. That's a nice benefit especially on 90-minute dinner breaks.
Hellmuth granted PokerNews access to his small but intimate break room, which is in an undisclosed location. "Don't disclose the location. I don't need fans knocking on the door seeking autographs while I'm trying to rest," the Poker Hall of Famer joked.
Erik Seidel flatted an under-the-gun open in early position and called a three-bet from Daniel Rezaei in hijack to see a flop heads-up.
Seidel checked on the flop of 2♠Q♣Q♦ and Rezaei continued for 35,000. Seidel called. Seidel check-called again when Rezaei bet 50,000 on the 5♥ turn.
Seidel checked once more on the 4♥ river and Rezaei moved all in for 324,000. Seidel shuffled a handful of chips and studied the board as he received a back massage.
Seidel folded and Rezaei slid his cards over to the Poker Hall of Famer, who laughed as Rezaei then showed the rest of the table Q♥Q♠ for flopped quads.
"I thought you didn't have it," commented Jeremy Ausmus.
Action began preflop with the winner of this event last year, Jake Schindler, opening to 20,000 from late position. Chance Kornuth called from the small blind and Talal Shakerchi called from the big blind leaving action 3-way heading into the flop.
The flop came J♠A♥5♣ and both Kornuth and Shakerchi checked. Schindler bet 18,000 and received a call from Kornuth while Shakerchi made the fold.
Kornuth check-called a bet of 55,000 from Schindler on the Q♦ turn.
When the river came the 2♣ Kornuth checked again and Schindler moved all in for his last chips, approximately 80,000. Kornuth instantly made the call to put Schindler at risk.
Jake Schindler: A♣J♥
Chance Kornuth: K♦10♥
Schindler had flopped two pair but Kornuth pulled way ahead on the turn when he made a broadway straight, which was good enough at showdown to eliminate the defending champion and rake in a huge pot.
Schindler was seen returning for a second bullet shortly after this hand.
PokerNews spent an orbit with poker's all-time money leader Justin Bonomo as he looks to add to his $62.3 million in live earnings.
Hand #1 (Cutoff): Christoph Vogelsang opened from under the gun and Bonomo called on the button as Anton Morgenstern and Barak Wisbrod came along from the blinds. Morgenstern led all in on the flop of A♠5♠3♣ and Wisbrod called as Vogelsang and Bonomo folded. Wisbrod held with AxJx to eliminate Morgenstern with Ax4x.
Hand #2 (Hijack): Chris Hunichen opened to 22,000 in middle position and Bonomo folded as Kristen Foxen joined the table.
Hand #3 (Middle Position): Action folded to Bonomo and he folded as the blinds played a heads-up pot.
Hand #4 (Early Position): Hunichen folded from under the gun and Bonomo followed suit.
Hand #5 (UTG): Bonomo was first to act and folded as he and Ren Lin talked about Omaha. "That's my game," Lin said.
Hand #6 (Big Blind): Lin opened to 20,000 from under the gun and Bonomo defended out of the big blind.
"I got trouble! He will snap call ace-high always," Lin said. "Let me win one time, Justin."
Bonomo checked on the flop of K♥10♣2♦ and Lin continued for 16,000 and groaned as his opponent called. "Ay ya ya."
Bonomo checked again on the A♦ turn and Lin sized up to 30,000. Bonomo check-raised to 155,000 and Lin laid it down.
"You knew you had trouble," Hunichen commented.
Hand #7 (Small Blind): Hunichen raised on the button and Bonomo folded.
