Michael Hurey raised from middle position, and Dario Alioto three-bet from the button. Greg Mueller cold-called in the big blind, and Hurey called as well.
The flop came . Mueller and Hurey checked, and Alioto bet. Mueller raised, and Hurey folded. Both players checked the turn, and the dealer revealed the as the river. Mueller fired, and his opponent folded.
Marco Johnson raised from late position and Travis Pearson three-bet from the button. The blinds folded and Johnson stuck around.
The flop came and Johnson checked. Pearson continued and Johnson called. The turn brought the and once again Johnson check-called a bet. The river was the and Johnson check-called for a third time.
Pearson showed and Johnson flashed the and mucked his hand. Pearson picked up the pot and is now sitting on 160,000.
Greg Mueller is a two-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner. He won his first WSOP title in 2009 in the $10,000 Limit Hold’em Championship to collect $460,841, and 11 days later went on to win his second WSOP bracelet and $194,909 in a $1,500 Limit Hold’em Shootout event.
Today, the Canadian pro is in contention to win a third bracelet, and it just so happens to be in the same event he final tabled in 2012. Last year, Muller went heads-up against David “ODB” Baker in the $2,500 8-Game event but lost when he tabled a queen-eight low against Baker’s seven-six low in the game of razz.
Mueller won't have to worry about Baker this time around, but does have some serious competition with players like Chris Tryba, Dario Alioto, Robert Mizrachi, and Josh Arieh still alive.
"I’ve been in this position before so it’s not intimidating or anything," Mueller told PokerNews before play started on Tuesday. "It’s always exciting and it’s good to reminisce because last year my good buddy David Baker won first and I took second. I’ve been saying as a joke that I’ve got to do better than last year, but now in Day 3 it feels like there is a semi-realistic chance of it coming true."
Benjamin Pollak raised from middle position, and Greg Mueller took a moment to figure the right amount before three-betting from Pollak's immediate left.
"Floor," Josh Arieh called. "Greg needs a calculator."
Action folded back to Pollak, who tanked for about a minute before folding, apparently showing Mueller .
"Wow," Mueller exclaimed, before leaning back with his cards. He whipped out his phone and took a picture of the cards, presumably to document the occasion for later.
We picked up with the action on fifth street to see both players check. Arieh fired out a bet on sixth street and Alioto went into the tank.
"There's no shame in folding," said Arieh.
Another moment passed and Alioto announced a call. Arieh moved in for his last 14,500 after seventh street was dealt and Alioto called.
"Two pair," said Arieh.
Alioto rolled over for trip fours. Arieh shot out of his seat and smacked his cards down on the table. He was eliminated in 15th place and will collect $8,262.