There was a misdeal at Table 635 and players returned their cards to the dealer as Toby Gibson angrily showed KxKx and complained about how bad he was running.
Actually, the misdeal was a miracle for Gibson as Biao Ding to his immediate right showed AxAx as those at the table erupted and Gibson changed his tune.
Naor Slobodskoy raised to 200,000 and Fabiano Kovalski made it 500,000 to go two seats over in the cutoff. Aleksejs Ponakovs in the big blind reluctantly folded and Slobodskoy then clicked it back to 1,300,000. Kovalski moved all-in and his opponent reluctantly called.
Fabiano Kovalski: K?K?
Naor Slobodskoy: A?K?
"I think the ace of spades will probably come. Yeah, likely the ace of spades," Slobodskoy predicted.
His wish did not come true on the 8?7?2? flop and Q? turn. However, one of the remaining aces indeed came as the A? rolled off on the river. Both stacks were counted and Kovalski was covered to hit the rail in painful fashion.
With around 1,000,000 in the pot on a board of 4?A?8?7?, Kalyan Chivukula moved all in for 525,000 in the small blind as action went on Jacob Ferro in early position.
"I never take this long. Sorry guys," Ferro told his tablemates. "I was folding the entire way, but I talked myself into it," he added as he put in the chips to call.
"Nuts," Chivukula said, slamming down K?10? for a flush. Ferro showed A?Q? and was left paying off Chivukula once the 9? fell on the river.
At the same time at another table, Brian Kim was all in for 2,100,000 from the small blind and up against Kevin Theodore on the button.
Brian Kim: A?Q?
Kevin Theodore: 9x9x
The flop came A?J?J? to give Kim the lead with two pair. The rest of the board ran out 7?2? and Kim doubled up.
Nicholas Howard had raised and Jordan Griff then three-bet to 550,000 on the button. The blinds got out of the way and Howard in the cutoff four-bet to 1,100,000. Back on Griff, he moved all-in and was snapped off by Howard with the covering stack.
Jordan Griff: Q?Q?
Nicholas Howard: A?A?
The A?J?7? flop seemingly sealed the fate of Griff but he pulled a rabbit out of the hat thanks to the 10? turn and K? river, as several players at the table gasped an "oh my god" and took out their phones to snap a picture.
Griff doubled for 3,470,000 and cut the stack of Howard in half, who paid off the double without any emotions and a "nice hand".
Several players at the table pointed out that Griff had used his one time with this fortunate escape.
Alex Keating raised to 250,000 in early position before Nevan Chang moved all in for around 800,000 in the small blind. Keating called to put him at risk.
Nevan Chang: 9?9?
Alex Keating: 10?10?
Chang was dominated by Keating's better pair as the board ran out Q?6?2?4?J?, sending Chang to the rail.
The next hand at this table, Tobias Matuschek moved all in for 750,000 from the cutoff and Kyosuke Nagami called on the button.
Tobias Matuschek: K?8?
Kyosuke Nagami: A?7?
The board ran out 3?10?3?J?2? and Nagami took the pot with his ace-high as Matuschek headed off to the payout desk.
Nazar Buhaiov opened under the gun to 200,000 and was called by Tomas Szwarcberg from middle position. Kenneth Kim then squeezed to 750,000 from the cutoff, and Sami Bechahed made it 1,800,000 from the button, leaving himself just 60,000 behind. Buhaiov and Szwarcberg both quickly folded, then Kim shoved and exposed his cards, without realizing that Bechahed hadn't yet called. Bechahed knew what he was up against and flicked in his last 60,000 chips.
Sami Bechahed: K?K?
Kenneth Kim: K?J?
Kim didn't get any help from the 5?3?9?A?6? runout which meant Bechahed more than doubled up, and Kim's stack had a big hole in it.
Rene Nezhoda moved all-in for 1,465,000 from under the gun and Arthur Morris then called with a few chips behind. Gary Dishongh in the big blind declared that he was all-in and the dealer announced a three-way all-in as the media and camera crews rushed towards the table to see what was happening.
Morris asked for the stack size of Dishongh, who happened to have called all-in for 1,135,000, and the showdown then proceeded.
Gary Dishongh: A?A?
Rene Nezhoda: A?K?
Arthur Morris: 8?8?
The board ran out Q?10?4?Q?Q? and the jovial Nezhoda was eliminated in the side pot whereas Dishongh tripled up. Morris took a hit to his stack and dropped to ten big blinds.
Orson Young opened to 220,000 from early position and was called by Toby Gibson in middle position and Peter Bloch in the big blind.
Action checked through on the 7?7?A? flop and Bloch led out for 450,000 on the 5? turn. Both Young and Gibson called.
The 9? completed the board and Bloch checked to Young, who bet 1,700,000. Gibson called, but then Bloch check-raised all in for 5,260,000. Young called and Gibson tanked for some time before folding what he claimed was K?10? for the nut flush.
Bloch turned over J?7? for trip sevens and Young tabled A?A? for aces full of sevens to take down the monster pot and eliminate Bloch from contention.