Herbert Tapscott has had the better of the first few heads-up pots. They're not exciting or big enough to write about but they have seen Gavin Griffin slip further behind.
The end has come for the very pleasant mannered Ashly Butler from New Orleans.
Gavin Griffin called on the button before Herbert Tapscott raised to 160,000 and Butler called all-in for 150,000. Griffin called as well, and then the two checked the board all the way down.
Butler opened .
Griffin tabled .
Tapscott showed the winning and scooped.
We are still three-handed and chips are flying from one player to another. Butler is our short stack but just two big hands could turn that around. Tapscott has a big lead but as we've seen many times today, that is no guarantee for succes.
Don't count Ashly Butler out yet. He was sure someone used their, "One-time" for him as he faded a host of outs on the river.
Herbert Tapscott opened from the button and both blinds called to the flop. Butler bet 60,000 and only Tapscott called to the turn where he called a 120,000 bet.
The river was and Butler bet his last 30,000. Tapscott didn't call immediately but he eventually called with , and lost out to Butler's for two-pair.
In two big pots Herbert Tapscott has just taken over the chip lead by a big margin. In the first hand Griffin raised from the small blind to 120,000 and Tapscott defended from the big blind. The flop came down and Griffin bet 60,000, Tapscott called. The turn was the and both players checked. The river was the and Griffin bet 120,000, Tapscott called.
Griffin showed for a low but he got scooped by Tapscott who showed for a better low and a pair of nines.
A few hands later Griffin raised from the button to 120,000 and Tapscott defended his small blind. The flop came down and Tapscott lead for 60,000, Griffin called. The turn was the and Tapscott bet again. On the river the hit and Tapscott bet another 120,000. Griffin called and mucked when Tapscott showed him for a straight.
It seemed like Gavin Griffin couldn't lose but Herbert Tapscott just made a little dent in the Triple Crown winner's chip lead. Tapscott raised to 120,000 from the button and Griffin defended his big blind. The flop brought and Griffin lead out for 60,000 after which Tapscott raised to 120,000. Griffin called and the turn was the . Griffin check-called 120,000 and the river was the . Griffin check-called another 120,000 and mucked when Tapscott showed for the nut flush.
Can Kim Hua started off the action in his final hand by raising to 120,000 under the gun. The action got folded to Griffin who called from the big blind. The flop brought out and Griffin lead out for 60,000, Hua called. The turn was the and Griffin put Hua all-in for his final 45,000 chips. Hua called and showed his for a pair of fives. Griffin showed for the nut straight and the river was the ending Hua's tournament in 4th place.
We are now down to just three players and Gavin Griffin has a commanding chip lead.