In what looked like a three-bet pot, Samuel Tsehai bet 77,000 on a flop from the small blind and Mikita Badziakouski called on the button. The turn was a and Tsehai barreled for 160,000 more. Badziakouski again called. On the river, Tsehai used a time bank and then jammed.
It was 415,000 more effective, and Badziakouski exited his seat briefly, thought awhile, and folded.
Sam Grafton managed to survive the bubble with just a few big blinds and once it burst, he was all in for around 40,000. Tomas Jozonis called directly to his left and the cards were on their backs.
Tomas Jozonis:
Sam Grafton:
Jozonis was in a dominating position but the flop of gave Grafton the lead. However, the on the turn flipped the script and the on the river sealed Grafton's fate as he wish his tablemates good luck.
Anton Sulymka and Fabio Freitas were all in with Sulymka at risk for a mere 17,000, Ryan Riess called and had two players at risk.
Anton Sulymka:
Fabio Freitas:
Ryan Riess:
The board came and Sulymka more than tripled up, Freitas was among the first to bust in the money. Right after, Jimmy Guerrero departed from one table over to also secure a min-cash of $25,450.
Paul Leckey was all in from middle position for about 235,000 and was at risk against neighbor Tianle Wang. Leckey put in all his money on a four-bet shove. After action was complete at all the other tables, they showed their cards.
Paul Leckey:
Tianle Wang:
Despite loud calls for a king from the British rail, the board ran and Leckey was eliminated on the bubble.
In the aftermath of the hand, however, it was announced that Leckey did earn an EPT Monte Carlo package for his efforts.
Frank Kassela gave up a pot against Ajay Chabra and was then spotted thinking about the hand for several minutes, staring away from the table.
One table over, Griffin Benger and Marius Gierse were involved in a battle of the blinds. The former bet the river of for 75,000, Gierse reluctantly folded.
The players have finally reached the first break of the day. There are still 182 players remaining and the money bubble will continue with hand-for-hand when the new level of 6,000/12,000 and a 12,000 big blind ante resumes.
Sam Greenwood bet 25,000 from the big blind on and Joey Couden called on the button. As the other players all went on break, Greenwood tanked awhile on the river before sliding in 106,000, most of his remaining chips. Couden thought about a minute and mucked.
In the last two hands of the level, Ramin Hajiyev increased his stack and Kristen Bicknell was caught bluffing over on the secondary feature table.
Hajiyev raised to 22,000 and Murilo Souza Figueredo tank-folded with a very pained facial expression. He smashed the cards so hard that the was exposed and many players at the table guessed after the hand that he had folded pocket kings. Luigi Knoppers called in the big blind, then check-folded a flop. By then, Souza Figueredo was out of his chair and blew off the tilt about his fold.
Last but not least, Andrea Benelli defended his big blind against a Bicknell open and was spotted check-calling a bet of 48,000 on the turn. On the river, Benelli checked with around 190,000 behind and Bicknell bet 110,000 in the cutoff. Benelli tanked and the clock was called on him, the Italian called and Bicknell showed . Benelli claimed the pot with .