Tony Ma raised it up from the button, and Calen McNeil called from the small blind. Joe Ford then three bet it, and Ma made the call. McNeil them meant to just call, but he accidentally put too much out, so it was counted as a raise. Ford then capped the betting, and Ma looked upset as he folded his hand. The flop came , and the rest of Ford's money got in there.
Ford:
McNeil:
McNeil was looking for a heart or a jack to win the hand, but neither came, as the board completed and , giving the double up to Ford.
With only six players remaining at the Event #20 final table, Can Kim Hua is the chip leader heading into level 27. The veteran pro has over $2.8 million in career tournament earnings, but has yet to win a World Series of Poker bracelet. Pokernews caught up him for a brief interview at dinner break.
Can you recall any key hands that helped propel you to the final table.
No specific hand. It's important to be consistent. But I had, a couple of times, ace-ace, ace-two-three suited, ace-ace-six-seven suited. I couple of times with hands like that, I won big pots.
How do you like your position at the table right now?
I like it. I’m feeling good!
You’ve had a lot of success, but you don’t have a bracelet. How much would this mean to you?
I don’t have a bracelet from the World Series, but I have three wins at the World Poker Open.
If you win, how are you going to celebrate?
At this question, a huge smile broke across Hua’s face as he started chuckling, obviously enjoying the thought.
If I win...I'll go home, tell my wife, "It’s about time...It’s the first time I won at the World Series!
Calen McNeil raised from middle position, and Todd Brunson called from the small blind. Stephen Chidwick three-bet from the big blind, and McNeil made it four-bets. Brunson called, and Chidwick five-bet for less than another full bet. Brunson and McNeil both called.
McNeil fired into the side pot after Brunson checked the flop. Brunson called. The turn came , and Brunson checked once more. McNeil bet.
"How did I get into this mess?" Brunson wondered aloud. Finally, he folded.
McNeil:
Chidwick:
McNeil's aces, flush draw and low draw had Chidwick almost dead. The river brought another 8, and McNeil scooped the massive pot, sending Chidwick to the rail.
Calen McNeil raised it up from the cutoff, and Todd Brunson was the lone caller from the small blind. The board ran down , and Brunson check called bets from McNeil the whole way. At the end, McNeil tabled for aces with an ace-four low, and Brunson showed just in his hand for a lesser low.
After that hand, Brunson is down to 275,000, while McNeil is back in the lead with 1.31 million.
The players have agreed to take a 75 minute dinner break as opposed to the standard 60 minute dinner break. Cards will be back in the air at 9:25 local time.
Tony Ma raised under the gun, and Stephen Chidwick, in the big blind, was the only taker.
The flop came , and Chidwick check-called. A turn completed a low, and Chidwick check-raised this time. Ma reraised, and Chidwick put him all in for his last 15,000.
Ma:
Chidwick:
Ma had a low locked up, and he was ahead for high with the nut flush. The river was a , leaving the board unpaired for Chidwick's set and securing yet another double for Ma.
John Monnette raised it up in middle position, and Calen McNeil three bet it from the big blind. Monnette called, and when the dealer put out a flop of , the rest of Monnette's money got in the middle.
Monnette:
McNeil:
Monette was looking for a low card to take half the pot, or a three to take the high, but the dealer put the on the turn. McNeil's rail yelled "pair the board," and the dealer obliged with the on the river.
Monnette busts in 7th, while McNeil is back up to almost a million.
, and the rest of Ford's money got in there.
and 
, giving the double up to Ford.
flop. Brunson called. The turn came 
, and Brunson checked once more. McNeil bet.
, and Brunson check called bets from McNeil the whole way. At the end, McNeil tabled 
for aces with an ace-four low, and Brunson showed just 
in his hand for a lesser low.
, and Chidwick check-called. A 
turn completed a low, and Chidwick check-raised this time. Ma reraised, and Chidwick put him all in for his last 15,000.
, leaving the board unpaired for Chidwick's set and securing yet another double for Ma.
