Chad Brown raised his button and got a call from Matt Glantz in the big blind; they saw a flop. Glantz checked, but then raised to a bet from Brown; Brown didn't fancy it, and Glantz took the pot.
Soheil Shamseddin and Michiel Brummelhuis saw a flop.
Flop:
Shamseddin bet out and Brummelhuis called from the button. Shamseddin bet out again on the turn and once more Brummelhuis called. Come the river Shamseddin backed off. He checked to Brummelhuis, who bet -- and a fold later, Brummelhuis was up to 475,000.
"Woo!" said Marc Naalden at the rail, most uncharacteristically.
They were hoping to get down to our official final table of nine before doing all of this, but they've decided to mike up the players, do the official introductions and start filming ten-handed instead. TV companies move in mysterious ways. Please stand by.
Matt Hawrilenko has made a near perfect start to this final table. He's just tabled a Royal Flush in a hand against Kenny Hsiung who could do nothing but shake his head.
Hawrilenko showed on a board of .
After starting the final table as the short stack, Hawrilenko is now up to 750,000.
Short stack Matt Hawrilenko took down the first few pots of the final table without showdown, and it wasn't until Greg Mueller clashed with Daniel Alaei that we saw out first showdown. Mueller raised from middle position and Alaei made the call in the big blind.
The flop landed and Alaei checked to Mueller who fired a bet. Alaei made the call. They both checked the turn before the landed on the river.
Alaei led out and Mueller called. Alaei showed for the best hand as Mueller mucked. Alaei moves up to 700,000 with Mueller back to 500,000.
Have to say, we have fairly minimal railers here for a World Championship event, especially considering the preponderance of well-known names in our remaining field. We blame the NHL celebrity shootout.