Naoya Kihara opened and called when Hassan Kamel three-bet to 480,000. The 7♥Q♣6♣ flop saw Kamel bet enough to put Kihara all in and the call was made.
Naoya Kihara: A♠J♥5♦2♦
Hassan Kamel: A♥K♥9♥2♣
Kamel's ace-king high was leading, with both players sharing the same nut low draw. The 7♣ turn and 6♥ river completed the board, leaving Kamel stacking more chips as Kihara's run came to an end.
Patrick Leonard came into the day as the shortest stack and stayed in contention with two double ups. However, the Brit has just become the latest player to bust and had to settle for 12th place.
In a battle of the blinds, he was all-in for 265,000 on the Q♠3♠3♣4♣ turn against John Holley in the small blind.
Patrick Leonard: K♠6♥5♠2♦
John Holley: 9♦8♠3♦2♥
Holley was ahead with trips treys while Leonard had a wrap, flush draw and low draw. However, the Q♦ river was a blank and that spelled the end for the Brit.
"It was nice playing with you, I respect you a lot," Holley told his table neighbour on the way out.
Calen McNeil limped the button and Ryan Hoenig did so from the small blind, John Holley checked in the big blind.
Hoenig bet the A♠5♠4♣ flop for both opponents to call and the J♣ turn was checked to McNeil, who pushed all-in for 325,000. Hoenig folded and Holley asked for a count as McNeil started fist-bumping and declaring "I can't lose".
"You are a nice guy," Holley said after mulling it over for half a minute and he then called.
Calen McNeil: A♥5♥4♦4♥
John Holley: A♣K♠7♠6♦
Holley had top pair, plus straight and flush draws against the middle set of McNeil with the latter asking for a low card.
That wish was granted but the 3♠ river gave Holley a flush and low to send McNeil out in tenth place for $37,663.
The final hand on their five-handed table was to be completed still and Paul Volpe got his chips in preflop from the cutoff against the red-hot running Hassan Kamel.
Paul Volpe: A♣Q♣5♠2♠
Hassan Kamel: A♠K♥8♠8♦
The K♠K♦5♦2♥4♣ board brought no low for Volpe and he was eliminated in ninth place to set up an eight-handed final table.
Long Tran opened to 175,000 from early position, with John Holley and Hassan Kamel calling in the blinds.
Holley and Kamel checked the 5♣5♠10♣ flop before Tran moved all in for 485,000. Holley called while Kamel got out of the way.
Long Tran: A♠A♥Q♥8♥
John Holley: A♣K♦6♣4♣
Tran's two pair were in front before the 8♣ turn completed Holley's flush draw. The 3♦ river gave Holley the best low, scooping the pot and knocking out Tran in seventh place.
Stephen Deutsch raised to 160,000 and was called by Ryan Hoenig in the big blind. On the A♠7♥4♥ flop, Hoenig bet 125,000 and Deutsch raised to 470,000 in order to force a fold.
One hand later, John Holley opened to 135,000 and was called by Hassan Kamel from one seat over, Deutsch defended his big blind. The trio headed to the 9♥9♦7♣ flop on which the action checked to Kamel, who bet 175,000 and received two calls.
The 3♠ followed on the turn and two checks led to Kamel's bet of 700,000. Deutsch frantically fiddled with his remaining chips and folded while Holley called after brief consideration.
That brought them to the A♦ river and Holley checked. Kamel plunked in a large stack of T-100,000 chips and it was worth an effective pot-sized bet of 2,420,000.
"I have a low ... you don't have to have a low," Holley said, enjoying a table massage since the two table redraw.
Ultimately, Holley opted to fold and asked "You got anything?"
Kamel replied swiftly: "I definitely had something."
"Did you have a low?" Holley asked shortly after.
"Too much information," Kamel concluded with a big smile on the face.
After some back and forth tussles with minor chip changes, Dylan Weisman raised the pot to 210,000 from under the gun and Stephen Deutsch three-bet the pot to 660,000 in the big blind. Weisman pushed all-in and Deutsch called.
Dylan Weisman: A♣A♥J♦10♥
Stephen Deutsch: K♦K♥4♣3♦
"No king please," Weisman said and started walking to his rail. When the K♣5♥3♠ flop brought the king, he instantly groaned a "fuck me". He didn't even realise at first that the J♥ turn and 6♥ river ensured the full double via running hearts, while Deutsch's low hopes had bricked.
Weisman instantly apologised as his stack of 1,060,000 was counted and paid for, leaving Deutsch short.
Stephen Deutsch raised to 130,000 and John Holley let it ride with a pot-sized three-bet from the big blind. Deutsch started casual table chat with the jovial Holley and opted to "live another day" with a fold. Holley exposed the 9♥ which he declared as the key card, then stated he had AxAx2x9x.
One hand later, Holley limped in but instantly asked "how much can he make it", fully expecting a raise by Hassan Kamel.
"You know what it is," Kamel replied and potted to 240,000 for Holley to call. The 8♥5♥2♣ flop was check-called by Holley when Kamel continued for 200,000. Both checked the 9♠ turn and the 2♦ river saw Holley check again. Kamel bet the full pot for 960,000 and forced a fold.
In the very next hand, Holley raised to 200,000 on the button and Anton Smirnov potted to 600,000 from the big blind. Without any hesitation, Holley called and they headed to the Q♠10♠5♣ flop. Smirnov pushed forward 250,000 and left 25,000 behind, which Holley didn't see.
Holley instantly splashed in chips and exposed his cards, then turned them back over when it was pointed out. Hence, Holley only called and Smirnov checked the 3♥ turn.
"Wait, let me check my cards," Holley stated and checked it back to the 10♦ river.
Smirnov moved all-in and Holley called. "You win, but I can't fold the wrap," Holley said as he exposed his A♥K♣J♠5♠. Smirnov earned the full double with the A♠Q♦7♠3♦ to leave Holley on fumes.
