Three players saw a flop of Q♣6♠Q♦. Cliff Josephy was already all in from under the gun and there was about 20,000 in the main pot and 10,000 in the side pot. John Zable checked from the small blind, James Obst made a small bet from the big blind and John Zable folded from the small blind leaving Josephy at risk against Obst.
Cliff Josephy: A♣10♦8♦2♥
James Obst: A♥9♠7♥7♦
The rest of the board ran out 4♥9♥. No low was possible and Obst was good at showdown with two pair to send Josephy to the rail and take the pot.
John Racener limped first-to-act and Yuri Dzivielevski limped behind from the hijack. Galen Hall raised to 22,000 and action folded back around to Dzivielevski, who called for a heads-up pot.
Dzivielevski announced, “Pot,” on the 10♠6♦5♠ flop and Hall shoved for his remaining 73,000. Dzivielevski quickly called and hands were revealed.
Galen Hall: A♥A♠4♠3♦
Yuri Dzivielevski: 7♣5♣5♥3♥
The 9♦ turn and 3♠ river left Hall best with the nut flush and a low and he doubled up.
With two players seeing a board of 10♠7♦3♠ and about 30,000 in the middle, Jeff Madsen bet 25,000 from out of position, Brian Rast shoved for 112,500 and Madsen, who had exactly 112,000 to start the hand, made the call to put himself at risk.
Jeff Madsen: A♠8♠5♠3♦
Brian Rast: A♣Q♦7♥7♠
The rest of the board ran out 2♥9♠. Rast did not have a low and Madsen had rivered a flush to crack Rast's set and take the pot while Rast was left with one-eighth of a big blind.
Elsewhere in the tournament area, Phil Hellmuth recently joined the field.
The next hand after being left with one purple T-500 chip, Rast was all in from the hijack and Jeff Madsen raised to 11,000 from the button. All other players folded leaving Rast at risk.
"Big hand. For the situation, f***ing huge" Rast commented before the cards were tabled.
Brian Rast: A♥A♣10♦5♥
Jeff Madsen: 10♣8♦5♣4♠
The board ran out K♣7♣Q♠9♦8♠. No low was possible, Rast's aces were good at showdown and he took the pot, multiplying his stack by twelve in the process.
A couple hands later, Rast found himself all in from the big blind for 6,000 and was up against Loni Hui.
Brian Rast: 10♠6♥5♠2♣
Loni Hui: K♠Q♥J♠9♠
The board ran out J♣8♥A♠K♦3♦. Rast made a low to chop the pot and stay in contention.
The very next hand, Richie Allen opened to 13,000 from the hijack, Rast shoved his 6,000 stack from the small blind and Dylan Weisman made the call from the big blind.
The flop came J♦8♦3♦. Allen checked, Weisman bet the pot and Allen folded leaving Rast at risk.
Brian Rast: K♠Q♥Q♣2♠
Dylan Weisman: A♠3♣3♥2♦
The rest of the board ran out K♥6♥. Weisman had a set of threes and the nut-low to take the pot while Rast was sent to the rail despite an admirable attempt at a comeback.
Vincas Tamasauskas limped in from under the gun, Jesse Lonis limped behind from the small blind and Max Hoffman made it 20,000 to go from the big blind. Tamasauskas made the call while Lonis got out of the way.
The flop came 7♠5♦2♦ and Hoffman, who had started the hand with around 60,000, quickly found himself all in and at risk against Tamasauskas who covered him.
Max Hoffman: A♥6♣5♥2♣
Vincas Tamasauskas: A♣9♠5♣3♦
The rest of the board ran out 4♥4♠. Tamasauskas had made a wheel to scoop the pot while Hoffman made his exit from the tournament area.
Alex Livingston recently sat down at this table, having waited until the last possible moment to register.