Hand #205: To the chants of "Bordy Bordy Bordy!", the next hand was dealt and Baldassari received a walk.
Hand #206: Baldassari returned the favour on the next hand and James Bord took the pot.
Hand #207: Our two remaining players reach a cheap flop of where Bord bet and Baldassari called. On the turn, it was the Italian who became the aggressor, leading for 250,000, and then 500,000 on the river. Bord called the turn, but fled on the river.
Hand #208: Another cheap flop of went check, check, as did the turn, and the river. was more than enough for Bord to scoop the pot.
Hand #209: More walks than Crufts in this heads-up! Baldassari lapped up the treat this time.
Hand #204: Fabrizio Baldassari raised to 200,000 and James Bord made the call from the big blind. The flop came down and Bord led with a bet of 250,000. Baldassari made the call.
The turn brought the and Bord checked. Baldassari reached for chips and bet out 350,000. Bord made the call.
The river completed the board with the and Bord checked. Baldassari bet out 425,000 and Bord called. Bord tabled the and Baldassari mucked.
Hand #199: Bord raised to 175k on the button, called by Baldassari. On the no bet, but on the Baldassari bet out 250k. This was immediately raised by Bord to 500k, and with the ball back in his court, Baldassari didn't return it.
Hand #200: Baldassari's button raise wins the next one instantly. If there were a live hands per hour prize, these guys would be in the running.
Hand #201: 125k to go on the button from Bord again. Another call by Baldassari. The flop, , brought a bet of 125k from Bord, check-called. The turn was the - no further action. The river saw Baldassari now betting out - 150k - and Bord making a raise. The 500k total bet waited for a call, and eventually got one, Bord showing down the unwinnable-with and could only shake his head and admit his bluff had been called as Baldassari's took the pot down.
The atmosphere is so electric in here at the moment that if Phil Hellmuth walked in with 11 Lady Gagas, I don't think anyone would notice.
Prior to kick-off, there was a pre-match hug followed by intros from Jack Effel, both players receiving a rapturous reception. James Bord may be the fan favourtie, but Fabrizio Baldassari has warmed himself to the homegrown rail too.
Hand #196: On the first hand of heads-up, Baldassari raised it up to 130,000 and Bord made the fold.
Hand #197: James limped the small blind leading to a flop. The Italian checked triggering a bet of 100,000 from Bord. Baldassari called. On the turn, both players checked, before Baldassari fired out 300,000 on the river. Bord scratched his head in confusion and riffled his chips intently. Then came the fold.
Hand #198: Baldassari raised his button to 135,000 and Bord let it go.
This is what they're playing for now - 50% of these guys will win a WSOP bracelet and ��830,410 (even more if you change it to $). The lighting has been changed to better illuminate the heads-up players and the Cash Mountain has been given pride of place at the front of the area within grabbing distance, worryingly, of the super-excited railers.
So who will have to content themselves with a simple half million pounds? We will know some time tonight. Stay tuned while they set up for heads-up dealing which should start in a few minutes.
Hand #192: Ronald Lee raised it up and won the pot.
Hand #193: Fabrizio Baldassari called from the small blind and James Bord checked in the big blind. The flop came down and both checked to see the on the turn. Baldassari checked and Bord bet out. Baldassari folded and Bord won the pot.
Hand #194: Baldassari raised to 120,000 on the button and won the pot.
Hand #195: Bord raised to 175,000 from the button and Lee moved all in from the small blind. After Baldassari folded, Bord snap-called and the cards were on their backs.
Bord:
Lee:
Bord's rail cheered hard for an ace or a king and then the flop was spread... and Bord took the lead. Lee stood up and started to put his jacked on as the hit the turn to push him further out the door.
The river completed the board and the crowd erupted. The final card on board was the and the cheer was coming from Bord's section. Bord was jumping up and down with them while they crowded the rail, going nuts for their mate. Lee looked like he had lost everything, but congratulated his opponents and shook their hands, wishing them luck. The kid from Brooklyn, New York took home ��376,829 for his finish and we're off to heads-up play.
Hand #189: Button James Bord made it125k, called by Baldassari. The flop came and a continuation bet from Bord immediately picked up the smallish pot, to rapturous chanting from the rail.
Hand #190: Small blind Baldassari raised Bord but faced an instant reraise to around 350k, passing instantly. That's two in a row.
Hand #191: Baldassari raised the button to 130k, and Lee called in the small blind. On the flop both players checked, and on the turn Lee bet out 150k. Immediately Baldassari counted out a raise to 410k, and again Lee faced a flop raise out of position against the now out-chipping Italian. Lee reraised however, to 825k total, and Baldassari sat back, arms crossed, for a minute or so before deciding to check out Lee's stack a bit more closely. He inched forward another raise, setting Lee all in, and was rewarded with his own instant fold (and another kiss from the pretty lady).
Hand #184: Ronald Lee raised it up to 125,000 from the button and James Bord defended the big blind. Lee then took it down on the flop with a bet of 165,000.
Hand #185: Fabrizio Baldassari took it down preflop with a raise to 130,000.
Hand #186: Bord raised it up to 125,000 and Lee called. Baldassari three-bet from the big blind and both players chucked their hands.
Hand #187: Lee raised the button to 125,000 and received one call in Baldassari in the small blind. On the flop, both players checked, leading to a turn of . Baldassari led for 175,000 and Lee called. The river came the , and Baldassari fired again, this time to the tune of 250,000. Lee released his hand.
Hand #188: Baldassari mixed it up with a rare limp from the button, bringing us to an flop with Lee in the big blind. Baldassari bet and Lee gave it up.
Hand #178: Ronald Lee raise to 125,000 from the button and won the pot.
Hand #179: Lee got a walk in the big blind.
Hand #180: James Bord raised to 125,000 from the button. Fabrizio Baldassari called from the big blind and the flop came down . Baldassari bet out 180,000 and won the pot.
Hand #181: Baldassari raised and then Bord reraised to take down the pot preflop.
![[user4144]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
where Bord bet and Baldassari called. On the 
turn, it was the Italian who became the aggressor, leading for 250,000, and then 500,000 on the 
river. Bord called the turn, but fled on the river.
went check, check, as did the 
river. 
was more than enough for Bord to scoop the pot.
and Bord checked. Baldassari reached for chips and bet out 350,000. Bord made the call.
and Baldassari mucked.
no bet, but on the 
Baldassari bet out 250k. This was immediately raised by Bord to 500k, and with the ball back in his court, Baldassari didn't return it.
took the pot down.
flop. The Italian checked triggering a bet of 100,000 from Bord. Baldassari called. On the 
and both checked to see the 
on the turn. Baldassari checked and Bord bet out. Baldassari folded and Bord won the pot.
and the cheer was coming from Bord's section. Bord was jumping up and down with them while they crowded the rail, going nuts for their mate. Lee looked like he had lost everything, but congratulated his opponents and shook their hands, wishing them luck. The kid from Brooklyn, New York took home ��376,829 for his finish and we're off to heads-up play.
flop with a bet of 165,000.
. Baldassari bet out 180,000 and won the pot.