Gianluca Speranza opened to 80,000 with just 15,000 behind and Lars Kamphues three-bet jammed on the button to send Speranza into the tank on the soft money bubble.
Speranza used three time banks before the floor instructed him that they would kill his hand after five seconds and Speranza then called.
Gianluca Speranza:
Lars Kamphues:
Speranza couldn't survive the flip as the board ran out to pair Kamphues's king as Stephen Song revealed he folded king-jack.
"I like your king-jack better after the flop," commented Kamphues.
The Italian's elimination marked the beginning of hand-for-hand play with 64 players remaining and 63 places paid.
Apoorva Goel opened to 16,000 from early position and Eros Calderone called from the cutoff. With the bubble looming, Mauricio Ferreira Pais used up three time banks before folding.
Fahredin Mustafov displayed his displeasure to Pais regarding how long each decision takes him. Upon returning from their dinner break, the floor warned the players that using the time banks to stall into the money would incur some penalties. Mustafov called the floor but no action was taken.
As the conversation continued, the dealer fanned the flop. Goel check-called for 21,000 before the turn checked through to the river. Goel then check-folded after Calderone bet 70,000.
"I can't put you on a hand," said Goel, encouraging his opponent to show. Calderone complied by showing just the .
Tamer Kamel shoved from the button and got called by Martin Jacobson in the big blind. Players flipped over their cards, with Kamel at risk.
Tamer Kamel:
Martin Jacobson:
The board came . Neither player improved, meaning Jacobson had the best of it with his pocket eights. Kamel was eliminated in 66th place, just three players shy of the money.
Andrija Robovic opened to 16,000 in early position and Abdelhakim Zoufri defended out of the big blind.
Zoufri checked on the flop of and Robovic checked back. Zoufri then led out for 26,000 on the turn and Robovic called. Zoufri sized down to 12,000 on the river and Robovic again called.
Zoufri tabled for a pair of fives and it was good to win the pot.
Fahredin Mustafov raised to 12,000, Hady El Asmar called on the button, Apoorva Goel called in the small blind and Nozomu Shimizu called in the big blind.
The flop came . Mustafov bet out for 27,000 and play folded around to Goel, who made the call. The turn was the . Mustafov checked and Goel pushed all in. Mustafov folded the pot and Goel chipped up.
Play around the room has been noticeably slower as we approach the money bubble.
Conor Beresford opened to 12,000 in middle position and Viacheslav Goryachev flat-called on the button before Timothy Adams three-bet to 56,000 from the small blind. Beresford folded and Goryachev four-bet jammed before Adams snap-called with a bigger stack.
Viacheslav Goryachev:
Timothy Adams:
The flop landed to give Adams a set, but Goryachev had a gutshot to Broadway and picked up flush outs on the turn. Sadly for the Russian, the bricked off on the river to send him to the rail.
"I had king-ten. I would have scooped," Beresford said glumly.
Tetsuma Ishizu opened to 13,000 from middle positon and was called by Roman Hrabec from the button. Tom-Aksel Bedell decided to defend his big blind.
Action checked to Hrabec on the flop and he bet 13,000. Bedell called before Ishizu bumped it up to 42,000. Hrabec got out of the way but Bedell stuck around.
Ishizu then moved all in for 158,000 on the turn and Bedell opted to fold.