[user67765]
Paul Rochford - 4th Place
The very next hand Paul Rochford raised to 100,000 from the button before Christian Heich raised to 245,000 from the small blind. Steve Topakas folded his big blind before Rochford moved all in. Heich snap-called.
Heich:
Rochford:
Rochford once again found himself needing a ten to stay alive but it didn't arrive this time on the board. Heich collects a near 1 million chip pot to send Rochford to the rail in 4th place for AU$51,170 in prize money.
Germany's Christian Heich is our new chip leader with over 1.5 million in chips.
[user75032]
Sam Khouiss - 5th Place
Sam Khouiss moved his short stack all in preflop. Christian Heich called from the big blind, tabling . Khouiss showed and was in position for another small double-up. Neither player hit the flop, but Heich spiked the on the turn to Khouiss' dismay. He had an up-and-down straight draw to go along with his draw at a pair of sevens, but neither came in. The river fell to finally eliminate Khouiss in 5th place. He earned AU$36,550 in prize money.
"F*ck!" exclaimed Mick Stanton as Khouiss was eliminated.
[user67765]
Nothing tastes better than chocolate milk and cracking pocket aces...
Steve Bouya opened the action with a raise to 85,000 from the cutoff position before Paul Rochford quickly moved all in from the button as Bouya appeared to throw his head back in disgust.
The blinds folded and Bouya's expression quickly changed as he said "call" and slammed down on the felt with a sly smirk to his entourage on the rail. Rochford held and was looking down the barrel with his tournament life on the line.
The flop came down to give Rochford some life as he picked up a gutshot straight draw. Needing a ten to survive the peeled off right on cue to the shock of Bouya and his followers. The river was the and Rochford finds a sensational double up to jump back up to 522,000 chips.
[user75032]
Sam Khouiss must be on his eighth life at this point. He has been short-stacked for the entire final table. With only 69,000 left in his stack, Khouiss called all in from the big blind after Christian Heich opened from the button to 100,000. Heich was in the lead with against Khouiss' , but Khouiss hit the flop hard: gave him trip sevens. The board bricked out a very safe to allow Khouiss to remain in the tournament.
[user67765]
TD Jonno Pittock just placed a handful of mini chocolate bars on the final table for our final five players to enjoy.
The players hesitated until Sam Khouiss spoke for the table saying "We can't have chocolates...we're athletes!"
Fortunately for the PokerNews live reporting team, the unwanted chocolates were removed from the table and handballed on to us to happily enjoy as the official non-athletes in the room!
[user67765]
From under the gun, Christian Heich raised it up to 80,000. Steve Topakas was next to speak and made it 280,000 to go. The table folded around and Heich also laid down his hand.
"Queens Steve?" questioned Sam Khouiss, and Topakas indeed flashed ! Topakas slid 100,000 in chips over to Khouiss in jest as the crowd murmured "Nice read Sam!" from the rail.
[user75032]
Christian Heich and Steve Topakas
Steve Topakas has played solid poker at this final table. His decisions have all worked out for him. Sitting in the big blind, he called a raise to 100,000 from small blind Christian Heich. The flop was . Heich, ever the aggressor, fired out 125,000. Topakas made the call.
The turn was the , which both players checked. On the river , Heich tried a bet of 200,000. Topakas leaned back in his seat and placed his hands on his head. He shook his head slightly, then made the call. Heich instantly mucked his hand without showing. Topakas showed for two pair, aces and sixes.
He moved to 1.1 million in chips as a result of this hand. Heich fell back to 775,000.
[user67765]
First hand back from the break, the action folded around to Steve Bouya in the small blind who bet enough to maximum pressure on Paul Rochford in the big blind. Faced with a decision for his tournament life Rochford looked down at his hole cards and snap-called.
Bouya:
Rochford:
The board fell and Rochford doubles up to over 350,000.
![[user67765]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
board. Heich collects a near 1 million chip pot to send Rochford to the rail in 4th place for AU$51,170 in prize money.
. Khouiss showed 
and was in position for another small double-up. Neither player hit the 
flop, but Heich spiked the 
on the turn to Khouiss' dismay. He had an up-and-down straight draw to go along with his draw at a pair of sevens, but neither came in. The river fell 
to finally eliminate Khouiss in 5th place. He earned AU$36,550 in prize money.
down on the felt with a sly smirk to his entourage on the rail. Rochford held 
to give Rochford some life as he picked up a gutshot straight draw. Needing a ten to survive the 
and Rochford finds a sensational double up to jump back up to 522,000 chips.
gave him trip sevens. The board bricked out a very safe 
to allow Khouiss to remain in the tournament.
! Topakas slid 100,000 in chips over to Khouiss in jest as the crowd murmured "Nice read Sam!" from the rail.
, Heich tried a bet of 200,000. Topakas leaned back in his seat and placed his hands on his head. He shook his head slightly, then made the call. Heich instantly mucked his hand without showing. Topakas showed 
and Rochford doubles up to over 350,000.
