Aleksejs Ponakovs raised to 150,000 for most of his stack and earned the blinds and big blind ante.
Pablo Brito Silva had to forfeit his big blind and big blind ante and then jammed out of the small blind into Ponakovs to get some chips back. In the very next hand, Brito Silva pushed from the button and forced two folds.
Kannapong Thanarattrakul made it 40,000 to go from under the gun and Jorryt van Hoof then moved all-in for 55,000 on the button.
"How much is it?" Aleksejs Ponakovs inquired and folded while Thanarattrakul called in a heartbeat.
Jorryt van Hoof:
Kannapong Thanarattrakul:
Neither player connected with the flop but Van Hoof then hit the turn. He only needed to avoid a jack but that's what came when the fell on the river. The Dutchman could all but smile before grabbing his belongings and hinted at a return the following day for the upcoming €50,000 Super High Roller.
The last five players have been sent on a scheduled 15-minute break during which the T-1,000 chips will be raced off, as they are no longer required for the remainder of the night.
Kannapong Thanarattrakul forced a fold from Ben Heath when he bet a river for 100,000.
He then raised to 30,000 on the button and Jorryt van Hoof came along in the big blind. They headed to the flop on which both checked. The turn brought a bet of 45,000 by Van Hoof and a call by Thanarattrakul, which led them to the river.
Van Hoof now bet 113,000 with 72,000 behind. Thanarattrakul verified the bet size before pushing all-in.
"Now I am sad," the Dutchman said with a dry smile on the face and folded near instantly as Thanarattrakul continued his domination.
Ben Heath lost a portion of his big stack and then limped the small blind. Kannapong Thanarattrakul raised from the big blind and won the pot. Thanarattrakul limped his next small blind and folded when Pablo Brito Silva raised big.
Aleksejs Ponakovs made it 32,000 to go from under the gun next and Jorryt van Hoof called out of the big blind. The flop was checked to the Latvian, who continued for 22,000 and took it down.
There is currently a significant gap between the two big stacks and the three shorter stacks.
After a few minor pots, Jorryt van Hoof limped the small blind and Aleksejs Ponakovs pushed all-in from the big blind. The Dutchman snap-called before his opponent had even finished the words and the cards were rolled over.
Aleksejs Ponakovs:
Jorryt van Hoof:
Van Hoof remained ahead on the flop but Ponakovs improved thanks to the turn. Only two outs were at the disposal of Van Hoof but he found none on the river as Ponakovs doubled for 146,000.
In a previous hand, Kent Staahle had defended the small blind against a raise by Ben Heath and there wasn't much action until the river. Staahle bet small and Heath called to win the pot with thanks to his kicker advantage, as Staahle only had .
One hand later, Kannapong Thanarattrakul raised to 32,000 and Staahle came along on the button as did Heath in the big blind. The three-way flop of was checked by Heath and Thanarattrakul bet 30,000. Staahle then suddenly pushed all-in and that got rid of Heath within a second.
"Can I get a count please?" Thanarattrakul inquired and the all-in was for 444,000, which the Thai had covered by a very small margin only. He counted the own stack and then made the call without using a time bank extension.
Kent Staahle:
Kannapong Thanarattrakul:
The turn and river changed nothing whatsoever and Staahle was eliminated on the bubble.
"I had to call," Thanarattrakul said and pointed to the king of diamonds.
"I didn't have to go all-in," Staahle responded and grabbed his belongings. He left the tournament area with an "good luck guys ... see you tomorrow, I guess".
Aleksejs Ponakovs was the one to benefit the most as he made the money with his severe short stack. "Now I can play," the Latvian joked.