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The two players have wandered off the stage for a few minutes while the hardware is retrieved from the vault. When they return, they'll stack up like thusly for the bracelet duel:
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,078,000
-52,000
|
-52,000 |
|
759,000
59,000
|
59,000 |
|
||
From the button, Phil Laak opened the pot to 30,000, and Andrew Pantling called from the small blind. In the big, though, Chris Bjorin pushed out his tall tower of red chips and verbally declared himself all in. It took just about two seconds for Laak to re-shove all in, and Pantling's cards hit the muck. With Bjorin at risk, the cards were on their backs:
Laak: 
Bjorin: 
Oof! Bjorin just laughed it off as poor timing, but he had to be awfully put out to run into such a monster hand at such a monster time. The flop wouldn't make things any better either. The dealer spread out 
, and Laak almost fell out of his chair with surprise. Bjorin was already shaking hands and packing his gear as the turn and river 
and 
completed the board.
It was another remarkable WSOPE performance for the double bracelet winner, but his bid for number three has come up just short. Bjorin is out in 3rd place, taking home more than ￡70,000 for his efforts. Oh, and he's just in time to catch the start of WSOPE Event #2, the ￡5,000 PLO funfest.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,130,000
-120,000
|
-120,000 |
|
|
475,000
175,000
|
175,000 |
|
|
||
|
225,000
45,000
|
45,000 |
|
||
Phil Laak raised to 30,000 before Andrew Pantling reraised to 80,000. Laak was in the small blind and Pantling in the big blind. Laak put in a four-bet to an unknown amount and that got a fold from Pantling. Laak showed pocket queens.
Level: 19
Blinds: 5,000/10,000
Ante: 1,000
Andrew Pantling raised on the button to 16,000, the minimum allotted raise. Chris Bjorin moved all in from the small blind for 87,000. Pantling made the call and the cards were on their backs. Pantling's 
was behind and in a dominating way as Bjorin held the 
.
The flop came down 
and although Pantling didn't hit, he couldn't do anything but like his chances much better now after having flopped a flush draw.
The turn brought the 
and now Pantling could hit any nine, any six, any ten or any spade... pretty much the entire deck. The dealer somehow managed to pull out the for the river card though and Bjorin staved elimination to double up.
Chris Bjorin came in raising to 20,000 from the button, and Andrew Pantling gave him calling action out of the big blind.
Heads up, the flop brought 
and two checks, and both men checked through the 
turn as well. On the river, the 
drew one last check from Pantling, and Bjorin took his cue to bet 20,000 more. Oops. Pantling check-raised all in, and Bjorin was forced to fold and leave his 88,000 chips for another opportunity.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,300,000
-100,000
|
-100,000 |
|
|
380,000
125,000
|
125,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
144,000
-56,000
|
-56,000 |
|
|
||
From the button, chip leader Andrew Pantling raised to 16,000. Phil Laak made the call from the big blind and the two players took a flop of 
. Laak checked and Pantling fired 40,000. Laak made the call.
The turn card added the 
to the board and Laak checked again. Pantling fired out 63,000 this time. Laak tanked for a bit with a stack of 209,000 remaining. He asked the dealer to spread the pot and he tanked for a bit more. Then, Laak announced that he was all in. Pantling shook his head and mucked his hand, while Laak picked up the pot and moved to 328,000. Pantling still has a big lead with 1.28 million.
