[user38449]
Ernst Hermans opened with a raise to 250,000 and Aaron Benton made the call.
Both players checked down the board to the river where Benton fired a 275,000 bet. Hermans made the call and Benton announced "Nine high." Hermans then tabled the and took down the pot with a pair of fours.
donpeters
On the first hand of heads-up play, Aaron Benton raised to 400,000 and Ernst Hermans called. The flop came down and Hermans checked. Benton fired 500,000 and Hermans called.
The turn card was the and both players checked.
The river was the and Hermans bet 875,000. Benton mucked, handing some chips over to Hermans. The two are nearly deadlocked in chips now.
[user38449]
The Hardware
Aaron Benton and Ernst Hermans have officially agreed to the aforementioned deal -- AUD $475,000 guaranteed to each player, leaving $25,348 and the APPT Sydney Grand Final Main Event title left to play for.
Both players have since returned to their seats and the cards are back in the air.
donpeters
Heads-up play is postponed for a little bit while Aaron Benton and Ernst Hermans step away from the table to talk about a possible deal. Preliminary talks are AUD $475,000 for each player and then play for the rest. That'd be $25,348 left over.
donpeters
Leo Boxell - 3rd Place
Aaron Benton raised to 450,000 with the button and Leo Boxell called out of the big blind. The flop came down and Boxell shoved all in for 1.86 million. Benton made the call.
Benton held top pair and an open-ender with . Boxell held and would need a lot of help if he was going to stay alive.
The turn card was the , leaving Boxell looking for his gutshot to hit. It wouldn't be in the cards for Boxell when the hit the felt, sending him to the rail in 3rd place.
Boxell earned over AUD $200,000 for his third-place finish.
[user38449]
Wayne Carlson
Ernst Hermans has just taken over the chip lead from Aaron Benton with the recent elimination of Wayne Carlson.
Hermans opened the pot with a raise to 245,000 and Carlson three-bet to 500,000. Hermans then four-bet shoved and Carlson made the call tabling , only to find he was dominated by Hermans' .
The ensuing board ran out king-high with no real sweat for Hermans, who piled up just under five million in chips after the hand.
![[user38449]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
board to the river where Benton fired a 275,000 bet. Hermans made the call and Benton announced "Nine high." Hermans then tabled the 
and took down the pot with a pair of fours.
and Benton fired 225,000. Hermans raised to 800,000 and Benton folded. Hermans is now in lead by a tiny bit.
and Benton fired 100,000. Hermans called.
and Benton bet 200,000. Hermans folded.
and Hermans checked. Benton fired 500,000 and Hermans called.
and both players checked.
. Boxell held 
and would need a lot of help if he was going to stay alive.
, leaving Boxell looking for his gutshot to hit. It wouldn't be in the cards for Boxell when the 
hit the felt, sending him to the rail in 3rd place.
and Carlson shoved in for about one million. Benton folded.
