Brandon Cantu raised the button to 16,000 and Larry Wright defended his big blind.
Both players took one card.
Larry Wright lead out for 35,000 after which Cantu made it 100,000 to go. Wright wasn't done investing chips and he slid out a big three-bet to 335,000. Cantu tanked for a long time and folded knocking him down to just under 400,000.
From the button Larry Wright raised to 17,000 and Brandon Cantu defended his big blind.
Both players drew one card.
Cantu check-folded to Wright's 35,000 chip bet.
A few hands later it was Cantu who raised the button to 16,000 and Wright three-bet to 40,000. That was enough to take it down.
On the third hand Cantu raised to 16,000 and Wright defended from his big blind. Wright ook one card while Cantu needed two. Wright lead out for 37,000 and took down the pot after which he showed two nines.
Wright takes down three pots in a row and extends his chip lead.
On one of the first hands of heads up play Brandon Cantu won a nice pot. After a button raise Larry Wright decided to defend his big blind and took two cards. Cantu stood pat and Wright checked.
Cantu threw out 40,000 and Wright called him off immediately.
Cantu showed and that was good against . Wright still has the lead, but not by a big margin.
Larry Wright took care of Andrew Lichtenberger over the course of two hands.
Lichtenberger defended his big blind after a Wright button raise. Both drew one and Lichtenberger check-called a 35,000 bet, and then mucked upon seeing Wright's .
Lichtenberger was down to 190,000 after that hand. He raised off the button and saw Wright three-bet call Lichtenberger's shove. Wright then stood pat as his opponent tank-drew one.
Wright opened .
Lichtenberger was drawing to a nine-low with but found another to bust.
Maybe it's the fact that the stacks are more even now, maybe it's because the realization of how close they are to the gold, or maybe it's because Michael Mizrachi has busted out.
Whatever the reason the pace of the game has slowed considerably from what we were witnessing earlier.
Most of the pots so far this level have been stolen blinds and antes, with Larry Wright just getting the best of that battle.
He also won the only showdown pot after calling a 16,000 button raise from Cantu whilst sat in the big blind. Both drew two cards, and then checked. Wright opened and Cantu mucked.