Bleron Maliqi got his stack of 14,400 in the middle in a heads-up pot against Alexander Norden on a flop of .
Bleron Maliqi:
Alexander Norden:
Maliqi was ahead with a pair of nines while Norden had plenty of outs with overcards and a flush draw. Luckily for Maliqi, the board bricked out and he earned a double through the Swede.
Nozomu Shimizu opened to 2,500 from middle position and called when Romain Morvan made it 10,200 from the small blind.
Shimizu called bets of 3,500 and 7,500 on the flop and turn for the final board to read . Morvan jammed for around 30,000 on the river and his opponent quickly folded.
Soenke Jahn made a late position raise and Frederic Delval responded with a shove from the big blind for around 18,000. Jahn had the odds to make the call and did so.
Frederic Delval:
Soenke Jahn:
The board ran out to give Delval the rivered runner-runner straight and a much needed double up.
Mehdi Chaoui moved all in for 5,600 from the cutoff and was called by Svetlana Aubakirova from the small blind. Aubakirova had around 15,000 left behind and Laurent Michot then put her all-in from the big blind. After a few moments, Aubakirova called off her stack.
Mehdi Chaoui:
Svetlana Aubakirova:
Laurent Michot:
Michot was on course for a double knockout following the flop and turn.
Chaoui then begged for an "ace on the river." His wishes were granted and he tripled up after the river hit the felt while Aubakirova was eliminated.
The very next hand, Chaoui moved all in with pocket sevens and was called by the pocket queens held by Johann Beaudet. He was unable to find a seven on the runout and busted.
As the hands took place, Ian Drake joined the table.
Agostino Ascone raised to 2,500 from early position and picked up a call from Igor Yaroshevskyy.
The flop fell . Ascone checked, Yaroshevskyy bet 8,500 and Ascone check-raised to 19,000. Yaroshevskyy called.
The turn came the and Ascone shoved all in for around 50,000. After a long think and a couple of glances across the table, Yaroshevskyy made the fold and Ascone scooped a large pot.
Farid Afakir open-jammed a stack of around 15,000 from the hijack and Andrea Ricci re-shoved with slightly more from the cutoff to get things heads-up.
Farid Afakir:
Andrea Ricci:
Afakir was dominated and was drawing even thinner once the flop landed . Afakir got some hope with the turn but the then bricked off on the river to mark his elimination.