Day 2 of Event #15: $10,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship began with 32 players, 16 of whom would not make the money. Payouts started after the first round of the day at $26,711. Those who busted in the Sweet Sixteen, taking home $24,881, included Moritz Dietrich, Jason Les, Taylor Paur, Russell Thomas, Dario Sammartino, Dan Smith, Joe McKeehen and Chris Moore.
The quarterfinals ended with just four players moving on while the other four — Ryan Fee, Jack Duong, Olivier Busquet and Ryan Hughes — were eliminated but took home $56,909 for their efforts.
John Smith has advanced to the final four and is no stranger to this stage of the game; he finished second to Alan Percal in the 2016 $10,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship.
The Final Four bracket is below and play will be staggered as all matches will be held on the main stage in Brasilia until we have a champion.
The first match of John Smith vs. Ryan Riess will begin at 3 p.m. The second match between Charlie Carrel and Adrian Mateos will begin immediately after, and the winner of each of those matches will play heads up in the last round for $324,470 and a gold bracelet.
Here is each player's path to the Final Four:
Round
John Smith
Ryan Riess
Adrian Mateos
Charlie Carrel
Round of 128
Osman Ihlamur
Goran Mandic
Daniel Negreanu
Timothy Adams
Round of 64
Dietrich Fast
Dimitar Danchev
Ian O'Hara
Stephen Chidwick
Round of 32
Chance Kornuth
Kane Kalas
Eric Wasserson
Jason McConnon
Round of 16
Russell Thomas
Dan Smith
Taylor Paur
Chris Moore
Round of 8
Jack Duong
Olivier Busquet
Ryan Hughes
Ryan Fee
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Adrian Mateos took a commanding lead in the hand prior to Ryan Hughes's bust out hand. They played out as follows:
Hughes was on the button and raised to 60,000. Mateos called.
The flop was and both players checked to the turn which was the .
Hughes check-called Mateos' bet of 80,000 and the river was the .
Hughes checked again and Mateos grabbed a bunch of green chips and fired out a bet of 225,000. Hughes snap-called and Mateos showed for trips and Hughes' hand went into the muck.
On the final hand, Mateos moved all in on the button and Hughes called.
Mateos showed and Hughes tabled .
The board ran out and things looked good for Hughes until the fell on the river. Mateos rounds out our final four remaining players in this event.
Our access to the feature table has been limited, but Ryan Riess has just defeated Olivier Busquet.
On the final hand (with the blinds at 10,000/20,000), Riess shoved from the button and Busquet called all in for about 200,000 from the big blind with . Riess trailed with , but the board came down , giving Riess fours full of queens to lock up a seat for him in the Final Four, where he will face John Smith.
Jack Duong raised to 50,000 and John Smith called.
The flop came and Smith checked. Duong bet 25,000 and Smith called.
The turn was the and Smith bet 50,000, Duong called.
The river came the and Smith bet 105,000. Duong moved all in and Smith called.
Duong:
Smith:
Duong held the lower flush and was sent home with $56,909. Smith advanced to the Final Four where he will play the winner of Olivier Busquet and Ryan Riess.
Charlie Carrel raised to 25,000 from the button, Ryan Fee three-bet to 85,000 from the big blind, and Carrel called.
The flop came down , and Fee check-called 60,000 from Carrel. The turn was the , and Fee check-called another 130,000 from Carrel. The river was the , and Fee checked for a third time. Carrel shoved for 504,000, and after a few moments, Fee called.
Carrel turned over for top set, Fee showed for a pair of aces, and Carrel scored the sizable double up.
The following hand, Fee stuck his remaining four big blinds in preflop with , and Carrel called with . The board came down , no help to Fee, ending his tournament.
Charlie Carrel advanced to the Final Four, where he will face the winner of Ryan Hughes and Adrian Mateos.
Chris Moore was on the button and moved all in for 289,400. Charlie Carrel thought for a minute and called.
Moore showed , and Carrel tabled .
The board ran out , and Carrel moved on to the round of eight. When asked about the victory he said, "It was back and forth." Indeed it was, and a very competitive match in the end.
The flop came , and McKeehen checked. Fee bet 35,000, and McKeehen called. Both players checked the on the turn. The river brought the , McKeehen bet 64,000, and Fee moved all in. McKeehen called.
Fee showed , and McKeehen mucked his hand to signal his elimination. Fee moved on to Elite Eight.