Yesterday wasn't too bad for Igor Kurganov, who finished runner-up in the $25K Challenge for AU$541,680. Today, not so much.
Kurganov was just eliminated from this this tournament for a third time, meaning he's lost AU$300,000 thus far... and still has the option to reenter.
In his most recent elimination, Kurganov limped the button and Paul Newey did the same from the small blind. David Peters then raised to 7,000 from the big, Kurganov called, and Newey woke up with a three-bet to 35,000. Peters called and Kurganov thought for a long time — even using a time extension — before just calling, which left him 13,000 or so behind.
When the flop came down , Newey moved all in and Kurganov called off.
Newey:
Kurganov:
The turn left Kurganov drawing dead, and he was up out of his chair before the was run out on the river.
Byron Kaverman opened the button for 4,500 and Erik Seidel called from the big blind. Seidel then lead out for 6,600 on and Kaverman made the call. The on the turn had both players check and the completed the board. Seidel fired 10,000 and Kaverman called.
Seidel reluctantly showed his first and revealed the accompanying not much later. Kaverman tabled for the winning higher flush and collected the chips in the pot.
Connor Drinan raised to 5,000 from the hijack and Byron Kaverman called from the big blind. Kaverman check called the 6,000 continuation bet that followed on and the on the turn was checked through. The completed the board and Kaverman check called a bet of 10,000. Drinan showed and Kaverman mucked.
It appeared Erik Seidel had raised from the cutoff and Andrew Lichtenberger called from the button. Connor Drinan did the same from the small blind, and then he led out for 10,000 on the flop. Seidel folded, Lichtenberger called, and the dealer burned and turned the .
Drinan bet again, this time 25,000, and Lichtenberger called to see the river. Drinan moved all in for what looked to be 88,000, and Lichtenberger hit the tank — even using a time extension — before releasing his hand.
A table was broken in the $100,000 Challenge, so action on just 3 tables. Connor Drinan needed to rack his chips up and was moved to Byron Kaverman's table. Once arrived he asked to see how much Kaverman still had left. He wasn't pointing to his chips though, he was inquiring about the amount of time breaker chips his foe had left. Kaverman, known as a player that takes his time before making a decision, has both chips left actually and showed them with a big grin on his face.
Steve O'Dwyer opened the button and Byron Kaverman made the call from the big blind. Kaverman check called a bet of 7,500 on and check called another 14,000 on the on the turn.
The fell on the river and Kaverman checked again. O'Dwyer thought about it for a bit before checking behind with just a few seconds left. O'Dwyer showed for the missed flush draw, Kaverman took it down with his for trips.
In one of the last hands of Level 5, Andrew Lichtenberger raised to 3,500 under the gun and Connor Drinan called from the hijack. Sam Greenwood came along from the button, both blinds folded, and three players took a flop of .
Lichtenberger checked, Drinan bet 7,000, and only Greenwood called to see the turn. Drinan check-called a bet of 14,000 and then checked for a second time on the river. Greenwood fired out 36,100, and that did the trick as Drinan released.