Eugene Katchalov completed with Ian Gordon making the call. Gordon led the betting on fourth and fifth before checking sixth street. Katchalov fired a bet, but Gordon put in a cheeky check-raise. Katchalov called but angrily folded on the river when Gordon fired one more bet.
Katchalov: (X-X) / / (X)
Gordon: (X-X) / / (X)
Gordon extends his lead as Katchalov is crippled to just 365,000 chips.
Richard Ashby's rail has been drinking for awhile now, mostly the champagne they brought with them. (And we have to applaud their class and forethought in bringing real champagne glasses as well.) Ashby joined the celebration a few hours ago and is quite a bit more talkative now. He just had two giant plastic cups of white wine delivered to the final table. Ashby's friends finally succeeded in getting Ian Gordon to order a cocktail. He just got his vodka Red Bull, but he doesn't seem to be drinking it. Katchalov, who has send under ten words since they went three-handed, is sticking with the Naked smoothie he hasn't touched in at least an hour.
As we moved around to razz, Richard Ashby turned to his entourage and laughed, "This is where the skill comes in now boys!"
In the first two hands, Ashby had some mixed "skill".
Ashby won the first pot after completing and then firing a bet on fourth, before check-calling fifth against Eugene Katchalov. Ashby took the lead again on sixth and took it down with a bet as Katchalov folded.
Ashby: (X-X) /
Katchalov: (X-X) /
Next hand, Ian Gordon completed before Richard Ashby raised. Gordon re-raised and Ashby called. Gordon called a bet on fourth before leading the betting on fifth, sixth and seventh. Ashby was forced to fold the river when he bricked out.
The chips must be getting tired going back and forth between Richard Ashby and Eugene Katchalov. In the first of two big hands, Katchalov raised, and Ian Gordon called. Ashby three-bet, and both opponents called. The flop came , and Gordon checked. Ashby bet, and Katchalov called while Gordon folded. The turn brought the , and Ashby check-raised. Katchalov called, then called one more bet after the river. Katchalov showed for the nut low and bottom pair. Ashby also had the nut low with , but he got the whole high half of the pot with aces up. Katchalov was quartered down to one million.
Katchalov went after those chips a few hands later. All three players limped preflop to see the flop. Katchalov bet out, and only Ashby called. Ashby flatted bets on the turn and river as well. Katchalov showed for the ten-high flush. For the second time tonight, Ashby had a smaller flush and got scooped by Katchalov. Eugene was back to 1.8 million, and Richard had 2.3 million after the hand.
Richard Ashby is back! Very next hand, Ashby raised from the small blind and the fired bets on every street on a board of . Eugene Katchalov called him down but mucked when Ashby tabled for a straight and low to scoop!
He's back up to 2.8 million as the boys on the rail are finding voice with Katchalov looking unhappy as he's back to 1.55 million.
Eugene Katchalov raised from the small blind, and Ian Gordon three bet from the big. Katchalov called to see the apparently action flop - . Katchalov check-raised, and Gordon three-bet. Katchalov put in a fourth bet, and Gordon suddenly looked worried but called. Katchalov bet again after the turn and Gordon flatted. He called one more when the peeled off on the river. Katchalov showed , confident he was ahead. But Gordon's was just slightly better.
Katchalov fell to 2.4 million, passing a big chip lead to Gordon with around 4 million.
Ian Gordon completed from the small blind and Richard Ashby checked his option in the big blind.
They took a flop of and Gordon led out with a bet. Ashby responded with a raise and Gordon made the call. The turn brought the and Gordon checked to Ashby who bet again. Gordon then put in a check-raise with Ashby making the call.
The river landed the and Gordon led out with a bet. Ashby flung his cards back to the muck with such ferocity that one landed on the floor. They were shown as for a missed straight draw as Gordon took down the pot.
Gordon is up to 2.8 million with Ashby back down to 950,000.
Ashby completed, and Katchalov raised. Ashby flatted, saying "Here we go!" Ashby check-called on fourth and fifth. Eugene took over first action when he paired his king on sixth and bet out. Ashby called, and called again on seventh. Katchalov tabled for trip kings. Ashby grumpily showed for aces up on fifth. "I had you crushed!" he lamented, dropping down to 975,000. Katchalov increased his chip lead, stacking up 3,550,000.