From the small blind, Vladimir Shchmelev opened to 95,000 and he was called by Mel Judah in the big. The flop came down and Shchmelev led out with a bet of 75,000. Judah raised to 150,000 and was called by Shchmelev.
The turn was the and both players slowed down with a check.
On the river, Shchmelev checked again to Judah, but Judah didn't check. He fired out 200,000 and after a little while in the tank, Shchmelev frustratedly mucked his cards, thus awarding Judah the pot and the chip lead.
We caught up with Mel Judah and Vladimir Shchmelev on a board of . There was already more than 200,000 chips in the pot and Judah fired out a bet of 125,000 on the river after being checked to from Shchmelev.
Shchmelev thought over his decision for a bit before eventually tossing in a call. Judah turned over his for the nut straight and that was good enough to make Shchmelev muck his hand.
After that pot, Shchmelev has fallen into the position of the shortest stack.
Ashly Butler put Vladimir Shchmelev all in on a flop of . He called.
Butler:
Shchmelev:
Butler was ahead with a pair of tens and a flush draw, while Shchmelev had a better low draw and a better straight draw. The turn was a , changing nothing and leaving Butler in prime position to scoop the pot and enter heads-up play with a huge lead. However, the river came , and though Butler initially thought he was chopping with a straight against Shchmelev's low, Shchmelev had the better straight with a nine-high one, so he scooped Butler and grabbed the chip lead.
On one of the first hands back from break, Ashly Butler and Vladimir Shchmelev got it all in. Shchmelev opened the pot with a raise to 70,000 and he was called by Butler in the big blind.
On the flop of Butler check raised a 60,000 chip bit from Shchmelev to 325,000. Shchmelev quickly went all in and Butler called.
Butler:
Shchmelev: .
Butler flopped a huge hand and looked good to win the pot and eliminate Shchmelev. The turn was the improving no one, but the river was the giving Shchmelev a better high hand, and chopping the pot as Butler still had a three-four for the low.
On the next hand after a raise and a call, Butler check raised again on a flop of against Shchmelev, but this time Shchmelev folded.
On the third hand Shchmelev raised from the button to 60,000 and was called by Butler in the big blind. Butler check called a 50,000 chip bet from Shchmelev on the flop. The turn was the and both players checked to see the on the river. There, Butler check called a 125,000 chip bet from Shchmelev but mucked when he was shown for a full house from Shchmelev.