Mark Newhouse was the first to go when his pocket 9s failed to hold against Ryan Riess' AK
David Benefield who came in as the short stack, laddered up to 8th before 3-betting with K2 but running into AK of Jay Farber. Benefield hit his 2 on the river, but before then Riess had got a 10, J & Q to make Broadway.
Michiel Brummelhuis began to slide down to a short stack, doubled up with pocket 9s but then two hands later picked up the nines again, played them strongly but unfortunately for him Ryan Riess had pocket aces which held, so eliminating the Dutchman but making "Riess The Beast" the chip leader.
In the 80 hands since, no more eliminations but Riess & Farber have drawn away in terms of stacks from the others, with JC Tran who came in as the chip leader now the short stack.
Every time McLaughlin is in the big blind, his rail is chanting "Larry Walker" trying to get the other players to fold and give him a walk. It's worked four times so far and each time it does, McLaughlin leaps into the crowd.
Reiss leads an all clubs flop (5-J-7) out of position with QcQd, Farber lays down A8 no clubs
Stacks more or less even again, Farber 3 bets to 6,2m, Reiss calls. Flop of J-2-7 (2 spades). Farber leads for 5.95m, gets Reiss to lay down KQ, Farber has A9,
Reiss rivers a 7-high straight but Farber had not much, value bet goes uncalled
Farber (unlike Reiss) is raising every button pre-flop, and continues on a 9-4-5 board. Reiss folds J-7 allowing Farber's 6-3 to take it uncontested. Farber leads 98m-92m
After a 2m raise pre, a c-bet and a 8.2m bet on the turn, Reiss check-calls. Board at this point is A-8-4-7. A second ace comes on the river, Reiss leads for 15m, Farber lays down 7-4 allowing Reiss to take with with an ace for rivererd trips. He now has the chip lead
Farber raises pre-flop, Riess calls. Board of 9-2-10 (2 clubs). C-bet takes it down
They're stil playing very deep with over an hour of play before the blinds are due to go up
Riess is raising to 2.5m each time pre flop (when he does), Farber is only min-raising to 2m.
A board of 3-3-7 next hand sees a 3m bet from Reiss called, a 2 on the turn, Riess this time tries 5m, Farber check-raises to 13.4m. Riess thinks about it for a while then counts out calling chips and does call. River brings 9s. No flush out there. Farber looks down at his stack, bets 24.5m, "Riess the beast" thinks again, this time for over 3 minutes and starts talking trying to get a read off Farber, without much obvious success. Another 2 minutes of dwellage before Riess lays down Q-7. Farber has just a missed straight draw with 6-5. Farber regains a slight chip lead.
Next hand, raise and call pre-flop, check-check flop, small bet turn and check-check river on a double paired board, Riess hole card Ace is the best kicker to gain a few of the chips back
Pre-flop Riess to 2.5m, Farber raises to 6.2m which takes it down. Farber tells Riess about the bluff on the big hand from a few minutes ago
A paired board of J-J-3 sees a bet and a call, turn is a second 3, Riess checks, Farber bets 3.3m, quickly called, river is a 10. This time Riess leads for 6m. Riess 6-5 takes it down as Farber quickly lays down the best hand (K-6)
Next hand has a wet board after the turn of 2-K-9-10 all red (2h 2d). River comes a third diamond, 3d. Farber bets and before dealer can count the bet Riess folds. Farber wins with a pair of 10s
Comments
The final table starts tonight, and if they're doing the same as last year they'll play down to three players.
To remind you, those still in with a chance of the huge money are
JC Tran (USA) 38.0 million chips
Amir Lehavot (ISR) 29.7m
Marc McLaughlin (CAN) 26.5m
Jay Farber (USA) 26.0m
Ryan Reiss (USA) 25.9m
Sylvain Loosli (FRA) 19.6m
Michiel Brummelhuis (NED) 11.3m
Mark Newhouse (USA) 7.4m
David Benefield (USA) 6.4m
The winner gets $8.3m, while all the players have locked up a minimum of $733K. Even more than Anna managed in UKOPS.
Only 2 of the 9 have bracelets already (Tran (2, 1 NLH & 1 PLO) & Lehavot (a 10K Pot Limit Hold'em).
To start the final table, there is about 40 minutes left in Level 35 (200K/400K with a 50K ante). so Benefield comes back with with 16 BB.
Mark Newhouse was the first to go when his pocket 9s failed to hold against Ryan Riess' AK
David Benefield who came in as the short stack, laddered up to 8th before 3-betting with K2 but running into AK of Jay Farber. Benefield hit his 2 on the river, but before then Riess had got a 10, J & Q to make Broadway.
Michiel Brummelhuis began to slide down to a short stack, doubled up with pocket 9s but then two hands later picked up the nines again, played them strongly but unfortunately for him Ryan Riess had pocket aces which held, so eliminating the Dutchman but making "Riess The Beast" the chip leader.
In the 80 hands since, no more eliminations but Riess & Farber have drawn away in terms of stacks from the others, with JC Tran who came in as the chip leader now the short stack.
Approximate stacks at a short break
Riess 65.1m
Farber 58.2m
Loosli 26.2m
McLaughlin 19.5m
Tran & Lehavot each 10.9m
Blinds are at 400K/800K with a 100K ante.
Good stuff FCHD, thanks.
Reiss 63.8m
Farber 54.5
McLaughlin 38.7
Loosli 14.0
Tran 11.8
Lehavot 9.0
Every time McLaughlin is in the big blind, his rail is chanting "Larry Walker" trying to get the other players to fold and give him a walk. It's worked four times so far and each time it does, McLaughlin leaps into the crowd.
Flop 8-7-2 two spades (both players have a spade, Farber's of course is best)
Turn Jd
River Jc
McLaughlin out 6th ($1.6 million), Farber now into a huge chip lead.
Jeez, WSOP Final, Kings into Aces. That's gotta sting a bit.
Flop K9J, two hearts (Tran has Ace of hearts). Farber top pair plus a straight draw
Turn 5d - a brick
River Tran needs an Ace, gets 6h
Former chip leader JC Tran is knocked out in 5th for $2.1million
Four left, Farber increase his lead
Lehavot all in with Jacks against Reiss' A6
Flop 5-3-10 rainbow. Reiss with back door straight draw
Turn another 10
River - Reiss needs an Ace (3 outs), comes 7c
Lehavot doubles up
Loosli goes all in for just under 10m ,Reiss calls
Loosli Q7
Reiss A10
Flop 9K8 - back door straights all over the place but nobody pairs
Turn another 9
River A and the last European standing hits the rail, picking up $2.7 million
Farber 106m, Reiss 64m, Lehavot 21m
Looks like they're playing on until they get to heads-up
Lehavot shoves 21m with 7s, Reiss calls with pocket 10s
Flop Q48 - nothing for either player
Turn 2d, takes away the slim back door straight possibility
River Jd and it's all over for the Israeli who walks away with $3.7million
The two Mid West players who now reside in Vegas have knocked out all the other players between them and will go heads up tomorrow.
Farber 105m Reiss 86m approx. Plenty deep enough with the big blind at 1m. They've just agreed to go out and party together now!
Winner tomorrow gets $8.3m loser $5.1m
Farber then takes a couple of small hands and leads 100m - 90m
Farber takes a hand with a 3m value bet holding K7 on flop of 7-6-5, turn 6, river 10, Riess had a 4
Flop of 2-6-A (2 hearts), Riess c-bet with Jacks, Farber lays down 10-9 (1 heart)
Riess is laying down complete air pre-flop a few times
Farber 101m, Riess 89m
Stacks more or less even again, Farber 3 bets to 6,2m, Reiss calls. Flop of J-2-7 (2 spades). Farber leads for 5.95m, gets Reiss to lay down KQ, Farber has A9,
Reiss rivers a 7-high straight but Farber had not much, value bet goes uncalled
Farber (unlike Reiss) is raising every button pre-flop, and continues on a 9-4-5 board. Reiss folds J-7 allowing Farber's 6-3 to take it uncontested. Farber leads 98m-92m
After a 2m raise pre, a c-bet and a 8.2m bet on the turn, Reiss check-calls. Board at this point is A-8-4-7. A second ace comes on the river, Reiss leads for 15m, Farber lays down 7-4 allowing Reiss to take with with an ace for rivererd trips. He now has the chip lead
Farber raises pre-flop, Riess calls. Board of 9-2-10 (2 clubs). C-bet takes it down
They're stil playing very deep with over an hour of play before the blinds are due to go up
Riess is raising to 2.5m each time pre flop (when he does), Farber is only min-raising to 2m.
A board of 3-3-7 next hand sees a 3m bet from Reiss called, a 2 on the turn, Riess this time tries 5m, Farber check-raises to 13.4m. Riess thinks about it for a while then counts out calling chips and does call. River brings 9s. No flush out there. Farber looks down at his stack, bets 24.5m, "Riess the beast" thinks again, this time for over 3 minutes and starts talking trying to get a read off Farber, without much obvious success. Another 2 minutes of dwellage before Riess lays down Q-7. Farber has just a missed straight draw with 6-5. Farber regains a slight chip lead.
Next hand, raise and call pre-flop, check-check flop, small bet turn and check-check river on a double paired board, Riess hole card Ace is the best kicker to gain a few of the chips back
A paired board of J-J-3 sees a bet and a call, turn is a second 3, Riess checks, Farber bets 3.3m, quickly called, river is a 10. This time Riess leads for 6m. Riess 6-5 takes it down as Farber quickly lays down the best hand (K-6)
Next hand has a wet board after the turn of 2-K-9-10 all red (2h 2d). River comes a third diamond, 3d. Farber bets and before dealer can count the bet Riess folds. Farber wins with a pair of 10s