Samuel Bongard opened for 10,500 from middle position and was called by Joe Kuether from the cutoff and Govert Metaal from the button. Both players in the blinds folded and the dealer put out a flop of . Bongard led out for 12,200, Kuether folded, and Metaal called.
The turn was the and Bongard bet 16,000 which was called quickly by Metaal.
The river was the and Bongard fired a third bullet, this time for 26,000. Metaal folded and Bongard took down the pot, moving to 365,000 in chips.
In the stacked PCA High Roller field, there are few if any soft spots to target at any given table. It's like an advanced game of Step on a Crack, with danger lurking no matter which way one turns. See what Team PokerStars Pro Jake Cody suggests for negotiating a path through such a treacherous field on the PokerStars Blog.
We found a short-stacked Zvi Stern all in and at risk before the flop against Garrett Greer for his last 23,100. The hands were tabled to find the two racing for Stern's life.
Stern:
Greer:
The board fell , keeping Stern's fives out in front. He scored the double and now has about 55,000 in chips.
Jake Schindler, who won this event last year, moved all in for his last 88,000 from the small blind. Daniel Negreanu looked at his cards and said "I think I'm supposed to call here." The PokerStars Team Pro continued to talk it over in his head and eventually decided to make the call.
The two were racing with Schindler holding and Negreanu . Schindler was looking good to double up after the flop and turn but the river was a jack to give Negreanu the pot.
Just before the last break, action folded to Ivan Soshnikov in the small blind, and he raised to 11,000. Darren Elias was in the big blind and reraised to 26,500. Soshnikov four-bet to 50,500, and Elias called.
The flop was , and Soshnikov bet 30,000. Elias called, and the turn was the . Soshnikov bet 44,000, which was just under half of his remaining stack, and then Elias moved all in. Soshnikov folded, and Elias won the pot.
"Show me aces!" Soshnikov yelled out to Elias after he folded. Elias didn't show.