Margareta Morris will have the lead to begin Day 3.
Margareta Morris brings 805,000 in chips into Day 3 of Event #49: $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em, good for a solid chip lead over second-place John Dolan (719,000). Jason Koon (616,000), Kevin MacPhee (601,000), and Josh Arieh (267,000) are among the notables trailing Morris, who vaulted to the lead in one of the last Day 2 hands when she got incredibly lucky against Melanie Weisner.
Everyone left is guaranteed to walk away with $22,309, but the big prize up for grabs is $719,707 for first. Someone may claim that, along with a gold bracelet, at some point tonight, but the tournament is still scheduled for a fourth day.
The remaining contenders are scheduled to play 10 levels today, beginning with 5,000/10,000/1,000, so even shorter stacks like Arieh have plenty of play. Levels will be 60 minutes long, as always. Don't miss the exciting late portions of this tournament, as we bring you all of the updates right here on PokerNews.
Andy Spears shoved all in over an early-position open from Kevin MacPhee, and MacPhee turned over his as hecalled. Spears had , and he couldn't dodge the bullets as the board came .
Anthony Spinella pushed all in before the flop from middle position, and Norbert Szecsi made the call with on the button. Spinella had a dominating hand with , but the flop gave Szecsi a straight draw. An turn was safe for Spinella, but the river meant "holdplz" had been unable to hold on, as Szecsi made his straight.
Norbert Szecsi opened to 23,000 in late position, and Vinicus De Silva called on the button. Tony Gargano three-bet to 68,000 in the small blind, and Szecsi shoved all in, covering both opponents. De Silva called it off, while Gargano folded.
De Silva:
Szecsi:
Szecsi's kings stayed good as the board came , giving him kings up.
Jeremy Kottler raised it to 28,000 in middle position, and Josh Arieh made the call from the hijack. Tom Bedell jammed for 171,000 in the cutoff, and Kottler called. Arieh then surprised Kottler by shipping it over the top for 660,000. Kottler went deep into the tank, thinking for about four minutes before deciding to call most of his stack off.
Arieh:
Kottler:
Bedell:
Arieh faded his opponents' sets as the board came , and he raked in a massive pot, busting Bedell and cripping Kottler.
Tony Gargano shoved for 155,000 over an under-the-gun raise from Josh Arieh on his right. Arieh called.
Arieh:
Gargano:
Arieh was dominated, but the flop turned him into a massive favorite, as it left Gargano with one out. He didn't find the miracle on the turn or river.
as hecalled. Spears had 
, and he couldn't dodge the bullets as the board came 
.
on the button. Spinella had a dominating hand with 
, but the 
flop gave Szecsi a straight draw. An 
river meant "holdplz" had been unable to hold on, as Szecsi made his straight.
, giving him kings up.
though, ending the hand.
and 
, and he raked in a massive pot, busting Bedell and cripping Kottler.
flop turned him into a massive favorite, as it left Gargano with one out. He didn't find the miracle on the 
board, and the Brit notched a knockout.
