A very quick all-in with for Chikita was called by Georgios Vrakas in the big blind with . Chikita only had 385,000 , but after the board of , he had nine big blinds. He still needs help, but Chikita is back to needing just one double to get back into the race.
Banic raised pre-flop with and was called by Croitoru with The flop of saw a c-bet called again by Croitoru before a turn was checked.
On the river of , Banic bet 455,000, but he was called by Croitoru, and after losing a huge 3 million-chip pot, Banic will be disappointed to have given away a chip lead he had to work so hard to take.
In the next hand, Banic raised with and was called by Croitoru, with . But after both men saw nothing help their hand, Croitoru's strong bet of 1.75m on the river saw him take a big pot.
Henning Wendlandt moved all-in from the button with for 1,585,000 and he was called by Georgios Vrakas in the small blind with . Topic got out of the way in the big blind, and with 3.3 million in the pot and almost identical chip stacks, the board of sent Wendlandt down to just a couple of chips.
Those were into the middle straight away with , but the German had run into Ivan Banic and the board of sent the German home, running into two very strong hands to bust.
Polish player Michal Kadziela made it 235,000 with but Croitoru raised to 500,000 with . Kadziela counted out his chips and with just fourteen big blinds behind, couldn’t carry on with the other short stacks around him. Both chip leaders are taking advantage of their lead by putting the other five remaining players in the cage as they glance at the pay-outs throughout.
Marco Topic moved all-in pre-flop with and got it through, before Croitoru moved all-in with from the small blind. The big blind was Wendlandt and he dodged any trouble. Banic raised with an ace then c-bet the ace-high flop as the status quo was maintained.
Two hours into play, Ivan Banic has benefitted most, building himself a chip-leading stack. Overnight leader Mihai Croitoru has maintained his table control, however, while Stefan Drabert busted in eighth place. Of the remaining seven players, Michal Kadziela has endured the most pain, hardly winning a hand and having to fold in some horrible spots.
Ivan Banic made it 225,000 with and he got folds all round. The next hand featured Banic again, and he raised to 235,0000 this time with ! Wendlandt called from the big blind with . The flop of saw Banic lead for 235,000 but Wendlandt folded it away.
Banic has the chip lead from the others, although Mihai Croitoru is quite close behind him with 8.2 million. The overnight chip leader and the Croatian Banic look favourites to clash heads-up. Can anyone change that?
Kadziela opened to 175,000 with but walked into the monster of Croitoru’s , the Romanian raising to 465,000. That got a fold, and Kadziela’s frustration is clear for all to see.
Georgios Vrakas opened to 190,000 with and Chikita looked down at with less than eight big blinds. He announced ‘I fold!’ after asking for a chip-count and that was the last hand before a twenty-minute break.
Kadziela defended his big blind with against Wendlandt’s bet of 180,000 with . The flop of saw Wendlandt bet, and his bluff with the worst hand got through the formerly active Kadziela. That was Wendlandt’s first pot of the day in Hand #22, and he looked delighted to get off the mark.
Ivan Banic opened to 180,000 with , before Croitoru called with . But Wendlandt moved all-in with and that huge 30BB all-in move got through very quickly.
Kadziela got no respect at all from Croitoru, as his bet of 175,000 with was raised to 465,000 with by the Romanian. Kadziela called to a flop of which hit neither man and both checked to the turn. Kadziela checked, but Croitoru bet 385,000 and took it down. Advantage to the Romanian, who these days plies his trade in Spain. Kadziela has taken a couple of hits in this level so far and looks a little frustrated, especially given that he’s already won a WSOPC ring in a seven card stud event. He’s got an uphill battle to put one on the other hand.
Chikita bet to 180,000 with having been active all day, albeit with hands he should be moving with. However, he’s switched from yesterday’s tighter persona, and the others have seen it happen. Called by Ivan Banic with , the flop came . The turn of prompted a 175,000 bet from Chikita, but Banic called, and when both men checked the river, he won another pot. The rich get richer.
Ivan Banic has built on his new chip-lead consistently, raising aggressively now with his chip lead. A couple of nice hands have given him the back-up to play at any stakes with for example, but the table is showing him too much respect to get involved with him right now.
Chikita is right back into this WSOPC Main Event here in Rozvadov, as he found pre-flop. He made it 175,000 to go from the cut-off and got folds all round, telling the other players that he had pocket aces!
“You’ll see it on the camera!” he proudly declared, mucking. They won’t, you know…