Steicke Eliminated As Blatt Confirms Chip Lead

[user80015]

Dean Blatt opened to 5,000 from under-the-gun and with it folding round to David Steicke in middle position he popped it up to 15,000. A short-stacked player in the small blind moved all in for his last 4,400 and then the action was back on Blatt.

Blatt stood up from his chair and hesitated slightly before announcing, "I'm all in" for a total of 82,000 and some change. Steicke sat there looking Blatt up and down from under his colourful pink hat. As a waiter delivered him a beer, he took a big sip never taking his eyes off Blatt. Following a chant from a fellow tablemate of "Skull, skull, skull", Steicke responded with, "Might have to soon". He glanced back down at the remaining 28,600 he had in front of him, and then back at Blatt before announcing, "All right, I call".

Blatt quickly turned over {A-Hearts}

and perched his hands on his head in anticipation of taking the chip lead into day 2. Steicke tabled {J-Spades}

and the unknown player turned over {A-Diamonds}

.

The flop came down {2-Diamonds}

still leaving Steicke with two-outs and the unknown player a runner-runner draw to out-draw Blatt. The turn of the {K-Diamonds}

changed things slightly, but with the {6-Spades}

falling on the river the pot was awarded to Blatt.

With the unknown player headed straight to the rail, Steicke finished off his beer as he pondered what could have been as Blatt stacked his chips up to over 130,000.

Tags: David Steicke Dean Blatt