We're not sure when the money went in the middle, but 13-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth just cracked aces with on a board of . The unlucky player, whose was just about to be mucked when we reached the table, hit the rail, and just as he got far enough away from the table to hear anything, Hellmuth defended his call.
"I honestly thought my nines were good," he shrugged.
There was a limper in middle position and David Benefield limped behind from the next seat along. Matthew Ashton then raised to 2,750 from his seat on the button and Joseph Cheong cold-called the raise. Both other active players called meaning it was four-handed to the flop.
Three checks later and it was up to Ashton to act, and he did so with a 12,000 bet. None of his three opponents were prepared to pay that amount and they each folded in turn.
Ashton Griffin is up to 33,000 chips after winning a large pot just as his table broke.
On a board reading , David William checked and Griffin put his last 400 chips into the pot (he had called a 12,600 bet on the flop). The button bet 6,000 and Williams reluctantly folded.
Williams will be happy he folded now though, because he said he had the same hand as the button, which was . Griffin opened for a bigger full house and scooped the pot.
Chino Rheem raised to 1,200 in early position, and three players called, including Josh Arieh, Chris Sly, and Phil Ivey. The flop fell , Ivey checked, and Rheem moved all in for 4,650. Only Sly called.
Rheem:
Sly:
Rheem's kings held as the turn and river came , respectively, and he doubled to 14,500 chips.
A player limped in from early position, Jason Lester, Josh Arieh and a third person called behind him, and Chris Sly raised the pot in the big blind. The original limper and Arieh called. The dealer fanned , Sly moved all in, and only the limper called.
Sly:
Limper:
The turn and river came , , and Sly was eliminated.
A few hands later, the player that busted Sly was taken out by Arieh. We missed the action, but Arieh made a full house with on a board of , and now has over 100,000 chips.
The tournament is a slightly less scary place for amateur poker players after the loss of two big names. Mike Matusow and Mike Leah have both been eliminated and will take no further part in Event #35.
From the button, Jonathan Duhamel opened to 1,100 and only the big blind called. It was checked to Duhamel on a flop and Duhamel continued with a 1,500 bet. That was the last aggressive action Duhamel would make in the hand because when the big blind check-raised to 6,400 Duhamel's cards hit the muck in record time.
Oleksii Kovalchuk checked, Joeseph Cheong checked, and Elie Payan tossed out 3,200. Kovalchuk folded, and Cheong raised the pot. Payan just called, leaving Cheong with only 225 behind. And it went in when the completed the board.
Payan called with for a rivered straight, and Cheong was forced to show for a turned set of sevens.
![[user101598]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
on a board of 
. The unlucky player, whose 
was just about to be mucked when we reached the table, hit the rail, and just as he got far enough away from the table to hear anything, Hellmuth defended his call.
flop.
. Griffin opened 
for a bigger full house and scooped the pot.
, and Sly was eliminated.
on a board of 
, and now has over 100,000 chips.
for a rivered straight, and Cheong was forced to show 
