In the first hand of Stud-8, Richard Ashby completed and Eugene Katchalov called after bringing it in.
Ashby led with a bet on fourth before both players checked fifth. On sixth, Ashby checked, Katchalov checked and Ashby called before both players checked the river.
Ashby: () /
Katchalov: (X-X-X) /
Neither player wanted to open their cards and when Ashby opened just a pair of fours, everyone looked at each other with a strange look on their face as Katchalov mucked. Incredibly a pair of fours for Ashby is good for the scoop! He's up to 1.1 million.
Eugene Katchalov brought it in and Ian Gordon completed. Richard Ashby made the call as did Katchalov. Three ways to fourth street, and Gordon led with a bet before Ashby raised to force a fold from Katchalov. Gordon made the call.
Gordon check-called on fifth before both players checked down sixth and seventh.
Katchalov: (X-X) /
Gordon: () /
Ashby: (X-X-X) /
Aces for Gordon is enough to take it down. He's up to 2.6 million with Ashby back down to 800,000.
In case you're not the kind of person who is overly impressed with live poker achievements, here is who is battling it out on the felt in terms you can related to.
Richard Ashby - CHUFTY
Matt Glantz - PokerGodZeus
Ian Gordon - IggyMcFly
Eugene Katchalov - MyRabbiFoo
Marco Johnson - Crazy Marco
Katchalov completed, and Gordon called. On fourth, Katchalov check-called. He liked his hand much more when he paired his ten on fifth, making it less likely that Gordon had another ten hidden. Gordon called bets on fifth and sixth, but he grimaced at his last card and tossed his hand into the muck. Katchalov moved up to 2,350,000, taking the lead from Gordon. Ian still has plenty of chips though, 1,890,000 to be exact.
Ian Gordon completed as Richard Ashby tried to play the rush as he made the call. Gordon fired bets on fourth, fifth and sixth before Ashby eventually released.
Gordon: (X-X) /
Ashby: (X-X) /
Ashby is back to 1.05 million with Gordon at 2.35 million.
Matt Glantz completed and Richard Ashby made the call after bringing it in. Ashby check-called on every street with Glantz the aggressor through to showdown.
Glantz: () /
Ashby: () /
Glantz showed trip jacks and was disgusted that Ashby had made his wheel. Great comeback from Ashby sees him now at 1.3 million with Glantz down to 1.15 million.
After the 20-minute refresher and the loss of Carlos Mortensen, the mood at the table has lightened considerably. They're all chatting in between hands and even joking about the action.
Richard Ashby: (X-X) / / (X)
Marco Johnson: (X-X) / / (X)
Marco Johnson brought it in, and Richard Asbhy completed. Johnson called to see fourth and continued calling all the way down until seventh, when Ashby checked. Marco checked behind, saying "one pair." Ashby showed one pair too with .
"No improvement, no need," Matt Glantz interjected. "Why waste a good river?"
"Hey, hey now," said Marco. "One player per hand."
Carlos Mortensen completed and the table folded around to Eugene Katchalov who called after bringing it in.
Mortensen fired on fourth before his last chips were committed on fifth, with Katchalov making the call. The boards ran out as follows:
Katchalov: () / / ()
Mortensen: () / / ()
Mortensen started out in front, but once Katchalov caught a better eight-low on sixth, Mortensen was left to squeeze the river to improve. He bricked out and departed the tournament in 6th place for a collect of $102,237.