Niko Soininen opened to 60,000 from early position and Mukul Pahuja defended his big blind to see the flop . Pahuja check-raised all in with for around 300,000 chips and Soininen called with .
The better kicker held up on turn and river and Pahuja headed to the payout desk.
The previous hand, Jason Mercier moved all in from the small blind and Jussi Nevanlinna folded. Then Mercier asked for the stack of the player in the big blind as well and raised to 325,000. Nevanlinna called all in for 296,000 with from the small blind and Mercier only had .
On the river of a board, Christopher Frank bet 180,000 and Julian Stuer called to show for a straight to win the hand. Frank only had and the former chip leader dropped to just over half a million in chips.
On the pure bubble, Steve O'Dwyer raised from early position and Dario Sammartino moved all in for 363,000 from the button. The action folded to Mukul Pahuja in the big blind and he moved all in over the top to get O'Dwyer out of the pot.
Pahuja:
Sammartino:
The Italian was way behind but found some magic on the flop . The turn gave Pahuja some more outs, yet the river bricked and Sammartino doubled.
Niko Soininen was the initial raiser from late position and got called by Byron Kaverman. On the river of an ace-high board with three hearts, Kaverman checked and Soininen bet 75,000. Kaverman tank-called and was shown for the nut flush to drop some chips.
The money bubble is now imminent, as Dan Smith has been eliminated. Ike Haxton opened to 60,000 from the cutoff and Smith moved all in for 135,000. The other tables finished their action and Haxton cut out the exact chips for the all in. "Oh, that's not a good sign," table neighbor Jason Wheeler added.
Haxton:
Smith:
The flop changed nothing and Smith pointed towards his ace when the fell on the turn. Instead it was the on the river that gave Haxton a set and Smith the way out of the door.
The field has been reduced to its final 19 hopefuls. Byron Kaverman opened from the cutoff and then called the shove of Jonathan Roy for exactly 150,000 from one seat over. All other tables finished their hands and they proceeded with the showdown.
Roy:
Kaverman:
The flop fell and Kaverman picked up a double gutshot straight draw. Sure enough the came right on the turn and the river bricked.