The board read and the pot was already inflated to around 65,000. The big blind led out for 45,000 and Juha Helppi raised all-in. His opponent had less than 60,000 remaining and was in the tank. After thinking for a couple minutes, he stuck in his remaining chips and Helppi turned over for the nut flush. His opponent was eliminated and Helppi's stack started overflowing.
Canada is getting ready to celebrate its 150th birthday tomorrow, but that didn't stop a couple of Canadians going to battle. Ari Engel and Jean-Pascal Savard have met at the same table again, which is no stranger to them. They met at the final table a couple months ago in Montreal, Canada where Savard came out on top, capturing the $1,000,000 first-place prize.
Here at the WSOP in Las Vegas, they are both looking for that elusive gold bracelet that comes with winning one of these events. Engel raised it up to 13,500 from under the gun and Savard called on the button. The flop came and Engel led out for 15,000. Savard called and the turn was the . Engel checked this time and Savard bet 41,000. Engel called and the fell on the river.
Engel checked again and Savard thought for a couple minutes. He finally knuckled the table, as though to give up on the hand and Engel tabled .
"Good check," Engel said to his fellow countryman. "How fast were you calling?" Savard replied as they both had a laugh.
Pascal Hartman was all in for his last 36,000 chips and got action from Tim West before the flop.
Hartman was at risk with , with just one overcard to West's .
The flop came , looking safe for West. The turn was the but the river was the and the entire table and rail gasped as the "ace from space" hit the felt.
"You're a lucky son of a gun," smiled West. "Nice hand."
Action folded around to Mike Watson in the small blind and he slid forward a tower of chips, clearly putting Jimmy Guerrero to the test for his remaining 25,000 in chips. Guerrero slowly peeled his cards and said, "Oh that's a good one!" and eventually called.
Guerrero was at risk with while Watson had .
The flop came and Watson took a commanding lead with two pairs. Guerrero could hit a heart for a flush or running cards for trips or two pairs to improve. The turn, however, was the , and Watson made a full house to leave Guerrero drawing dead to the on the river.
Matt Affleck raised to 13,000 from middle position and the big blind reraised to 36,500. Affleck called and the two players saw a flop of . Both players checked to the turn and the big blind checked one more time. Affleck saw an opening and bet 35,000. His opponent folded and Affleck scooped the pot.
In the next hand, Affleck opened the pot again with a raise to 12,500. The big blind called and the flop was . The big blind checked and Affleck bet 20,000 which his opponent called right away. The turn was the and his opponent checked again. Affleck bet 35,000 and got another fold from his opponent.
With about 30,000 in the pot already on a board reading , Barny Boatman checked from the big blind. Kelly Minkin was in the cutoff and bet 10,000. Boatman quickly check-raised to 55,000 and Minkin called.
The turn was the and Boatman checked. Minkin reached for chips and bet 55,500. Boatman instantly moved all in and Minkin counted out her stack before deciding to call.
Boatman tabled for a set of eights and Minkin rapped the table and said "nice hand" as she tabled , drawing dead to the on the river.
Minkin was eliminated and Boatman stacked up a mountain of chips in back-to-back hands.
Adrian Attenborough came back from just 500 chips, which was just one ante, and spun it up to 17,000. He got his stack in the middle again and got two callers.
When we got to the action, Barny Boatman had just bet another opponent out of the pot and he tabled on a board reading . Attenborough was excited because his two pairs were ahead of Boatman's two overcards and flush draw. The turn, however, was the . He was still optimistic, but was sent to the rail when the hit the river.
He was all smiles and, as he was on his way to the payout desk, a comforting Kelly Minkin exclaimed, "Awww! You made a pay jump!"