Joe Cada raised to 500,000 from the cutoff, Jamie Robbins three-bet to 1,700,000 from the button and Cada responded with a four-bet shove. Robbins insta-folded and Cada won the pot.
There are fourteen players left in the tournament now. Each successive elimination ratchets up the pressure another notch as the player contend for the final table. Even chopped pots have their share of drama.
Jeff Shulman opened the pot for 600,000 preflop from under the gun and was called only by big blind Jordan Smith. On a flop of , Smith check-called another 1 million chips from Shulman.
Both players checked the turn. At the river, Smith checked a third time, then called again when Shulman made what looked like a value bet of 750,000. Shulman showed down for two pair, jacks and queens. Smith had the same hand, , and so the pot was chopped.
Antoine Saout raised to 550,000 from UTG and Steven Begleiter called from the small blind.
The flop was . Begleiter checked to Saout, who bet 650,000. Begleiter made a small raise to 1.5 million, and after tanking for several minutes, Saout moved all in for 5,175,000.
Begleiter folded and slapped the edge of the table in frustration as he did so.
Kevin Schaffel opened the pot to 600,000 and was called by Jordan Smith from the big blind. They took a heads-up flop that was all diamonds -- . Schaffel had first action from the small blind. He bet 850,000 and was called by Smith from the big blind.
The turn brought another bet from Schaffel, 1.5 million chips this time. Again Smith called.
A fourth diamond hit the river, . Schaffel finally checked to the player in position. Smith obliged with a bet of 2 million.
"Maybe I'm bluffing with the best hand," said Smith.
"I don't even have a diamond," replied Schaffel. He folded his hand.
Jeff Shulman opened with a raise from early position to 600,000, and Darvin Moon, sitting to Shulman's left, made the call. James Calderaro was next in line, and he shoved all in for 2.425 million.
The table folded back to Shulman, who also got out, then Moon made the call.
Moon showed , and Calderaro .
The flop came , and Calderaro was still good. The turn was the , giving Calderaro a pair but Moon a gutshot straight draw. The river brought the , and Calderaro survives.
Calderaro now has about 5.8 million, while Moon remains comfortably seated behind his mountain of 23.5 million chips.
Nick Maimone raised to 450,000 and Eric Buchman called from the small blind.
The flop was and Buchman checked to Maimone, who bet 900,000. Buchman moved all in and Maimone called all in for 4,505,000.
Maimone
Buchman
"I'm 40% right now," said Maimone to the crowd.
The turn was the , making Buchman trips and taking away most of Maimone's outs. The river fell the , Buchman hitting a straight. Maimone exited in 15th place while Buchman chipped up to 25,280,000.
We don't hear very much coming from Ben Lamb's corner of the gallery after the last pot between Lamb and Darvin Moon. Moon opened for 425,000 preflop and was called by Lamb from the big blind.
On a flop of all babies, , Lamb check-called a bet of 600,000 made by Moon. The brought another check from Lamb and another bet by Moon, 1,000,000 chips total. Again Lamb called.
The river paired nines, . Lamb checked a third time, bringing a huge bet of 3.0 million chips from Moon. Lamb called one last time, then mucked in disappointment as Moon showed for trip nines.