Well, that's it for tonight. We don't yet have a bracelet winner, but we are one step closer to it now that we've got down to an official final table.
After that last bombshell of a hand, Salvatore Bonavena lurched into the lead, but this is no-limit hold'em and anything can happen.
The final table will take place tomorrow at 3pm in the Pavilion Room - there's some sort of other tournament going on in the Amazon Room that's going to require an awful lot of space - and the lineup will be as follows.
Tomer Berda opened to 110,000 from under the gun and Hungcheng Hung called from early position. James "mig.com" Mackey plopped his last 80,000 in the middle on the button and Ali Alawadhi called from the small blind.
The flop fell , and all three of the acting players checked.
Alawadhi again checked after the turned, but Berda fired 200,000. Hung called and Alawadhi got out of the way.
The river brought the and Berda quickly led for 300,000. Hung folded and it was showdown time.
Berda opened two black fours for a set, and Mackey gave a wry smile before opening .
As the entire tabled celebrated making the official final table, Mackey slipped away looking for a floorperson to take him to the payout line. Finally, after a minute or so, he found some assistance and was escorted away.
Joseph Curcio opened for 85,000 under the gun and Salvatore Bonavena called on the button, as did James Mackey in the small blind. They saw a flop.
Flop:
Mackey checked to Curcio who bet 150,000. Bonavena flat-called, but Mackey now check-raised to 400,000. Curcio folded, but Bonavena called that as well. They went heads up to the turn.
Turn:
Mackey checked, and Bonavena bet 500,000. Mackey made the call. This was becoming a massive pot.
River:
Mackey announced all in and Bonavena insta-called.
Mackey: for the nut flush
Bonavena: for a full house
It took a very long time to count the stacks, which was OK as it allowed various floor staff finally to eject all the Italian railers form the Amazon Room - they'd actually managed to knock over the rail in their rush to see Bonavena double up from close range and the floor eventually had enough of them.
When the stack were counted, it was deemed that Mackey had some change - but only 80,000 or so. Bonavena moved into a decisive chip lead on around 4.4 million.
Viet Vo moved all in for around 500,000 from the cutoff and Christian Jeppsson called all in with the button. The blinds released and the hands were opened.
Vo:
Jeppsson:
The board ran and Vo was left with just 60,000 chips.
The very next hand Vo shoved from the hijack seat and Jeppsson isolated by re-raising to 125,000 from the cutoff. The players behind folded and the two showed down again.
Vo:
Jeppsson:
Again there was no ace to be found on the board and Vo was sent to the rail.
It looked as though Mike Wattel raised and Alfonso Amendola shoved. Either way, the cards were on their backs when we arrived, Amendola all in for his tournament life.
Wattel:
Amendola:
Board:
"Yes! More life!" cried Amendola as he doubled up and the TD attempted once again to eject the Italian railers who do not seem to understand the concept of staying behind the rail. "Thank you my friend."
Amendola doubled to 900,000. Wattel was left with 700,000.
Michael Kamran shoved from the cutoff for 250,000 and a man at the rail, who we presume was railing Kamran, raised his fist in the air for some reason. After a short dwell-up, Tomer Berda called in the small blind and they were on their backs. The man at the rail was incredibly excited.
Kamran:
Berda:
Man At Rail: "Come on! Queen-ball! Queen-ball!"
Flop:
Kamran: "Nice hand," and stood up to leave.
Turn:
Man At Rail: "Yes, that's a sweat!!!"
River:
Kamran took his leave and the Man At Rail calmed down a bit as his boy busted out in 13th place.
James "mig.com" Mackey opened to 80,000 from the cutoff and Kevin O'Connell moved all in for 650,000 from the big blind. Mackey shrugged then called, opening .
"I've only looked at one," O'Connell said with a lilt, tabling the .
"That's good for me," Mackey professed.
It was good for Mackey, for the second card was the .
The board ran and O'Connell did not improve. He is out, and Mackey is up to 1,400,000 chips.
, and all three of the acting players checked.
turned, but Berda fired 200,000. Hung called and Alawadhi got out of the way.
and Berda quickly led for 300,000. Hung folded and it was showdown time.
.
for the nut flush
for a full house
