Calen McNeil opened the action for a raise. Kal Raichura three-bet, Jim Bucci called, Nick Kost folded the big blind, and McNeil called. The flop came and it was checked to Raichura who bet. He was called by both players. The turn was the and it was checked around. The river was the and Bucci led out with a bet inducing a fold from McNeil. Raichura made the call and would take down the pot when his for the nut flush was better than Bucci's for trip 6's. With that pot, Raichura moved into the chip lead and Bucci trails the pack as the short stack.
Raichura would take another 300,000+ from McNeil a few hands later when he made a full house against McNeil's aces up to add to his chip lead and threaten McNeil's shot at winning back-to-back bracelets in this event.
Kal Raichura raised the button and called a three-bet from small blind Jim Bucci. Both players checked the flop, and Bucci check-called the turn. The river led two more checks.
Bucci's gave him the nut low and a pair of eights, but all Raichura could muster was a pair of fours with .
Nick Kost opened for a raise and Calen McNeil and Jim Bucci called. The flop came and Bucci and Kost checked to McNeil who bet. Bucci and Kost called. The turn was the and it was checked to McNeil who bet a 2nd time. Bucci got out of the way but Kost called. The river was the and it went check-check.
Kost showed for two pair, queens and sixes. McNeil peeked back at his cards, looked at the board, and pushed his hand into the muck.
Jim Bucci raised in the small blind and was called by Nick Kost. Bucci bet and got raised on the flop, and he got his last chips in.
Bucci:
Kost: [ts9d9c8]
Bucci had a nice draw with the nut low and the better flush draw, as well as bigger cards to make pairs. The assured him of half of the pot, and the river gave him a flush for all of it.
Jim Bucci opened for a raise from the button and Calen McNeil called from the big blind. The flop came and both players checked. The turn was the and McNeil check-called a bet from Bucci, leaving himself with not much behind. Both players would check the river and McNeil would turn over for a river two pair, queens and fives. That would be good enough to give him the pot and keep his dreams of winning back-to-back titles in this event alive. He stood up, and took a quick bow for the benefit of his rail.