Hand #177: Small blind Lee made it 155k preflop, and big blind Baldassari immediately upped it to 410k. Possibly smarting from the encounter which just doubled up his dominated opponent, he hesitated, but made the call eventually.
Flop: . Check to Baldassari who cupped his nose and mouth in his hands momentarily before betting 275k and returning nose to hands. Lee paused for a while, then raised a further 525k. Baldassari made the call (although his pushing forward a big stack of 25ks was initially mistaken for a shove).
Turn: Check-check.
River: Check one final time to Baldassari, who bet 620k. Back went 70% of Baldassari's face into his hands, as Lee deliberated making the call but ultimately called
Baldassari showed for a flopped set of Fives which handed him one of the bigger non all-in pots of the night so far. A mini fist pump and a girl-shriek from the rail greeted his leap into the lead.
Hand #176: Baldassari raised again, this time to 130,000, but Bord opted to call. Ronald Lee, however, squeezed from the big blind, making it a total of 400,000 to go.
Quicker than a cheetah on Concord, Baldassari announced all-in, Bord folded, and Lee called.
In the blink of an eye, we had a showdown, the Italian in water hotter than the sun with versus Lee's superior .
The Poker Gods were clearly in a devilish mood as they lay a flop on the felt, followed by a harmless turn and river.
Baldassari was grabbed by an attractive woman on the rail who threw a barrage of kisses the Italian's way. Lee must have been gutted he didn't win, for the sexual assault alone.
"No woman has ever kissed me like that," wept a member of the Harrah's staff who I am unable to name.
Hand #174: James Bord made it 125,000 from the button, only for Fabrizio Baldassari to reraise to 560,000 from the big blind, leaving himself around 635,000 behind. Bord folded despite requesting a count.
Hand #175: Baldassari raised it up from the small blind and Bord made the fold.
[user46298]
Fabrizio Baldassari, still waters get shallow
Hand #171: Bord passed on the button and Lee on the small blind. Free money for Baldassari.
Hand #172: Button Lee raised to 125k on the button, and Fabrizio Baldassari made the call. They saw a flop of A prompt bet when it was checked to him secured this pot for Lee.
Hand #173: Baldassari on the button made it 130k to play, and Lee called on the big blind. The flop of brought no action, but the turn saw Lee bet out 175k. A swift call from Baldassari brought out the river. Now Lee bet out 325k, which was slowly raised a further 475k. Baldassari froze completely and sat motionless, mid riffle.
Lee suddenly moved in! His decision revealed either an excellent read or an excellent hand, as Baldassari almost immediately broke his statue pose and threw away his hand.
Hand #168: James Bord raised the button to 125,000 and Fabrizio Baldassari called in the big blind. Baldassari check-called a bet of 100,000 on the flop, but came out firing on the turn with a bet of 250,000. Bord made the fold and the Italian took it down.
Hand #169: Ronald Lee won the next pot with a button raise to 125,000.
Hand #170: In a battle of the blinds contest, Bord limped the small blind, Lee bet and Bord called. On the flop, Bord check-raised Lee's continuation bet of 200,000 to 550,000 before adopting his usual statuesque posture. Lee found a fold.
Hand #164: Bord limped from the small blind and then Ronald Lee checked in the big blind. The flop came down and Bord checked. Lee bet 75,000. Bord raised to 500,000, sliding out a tall stack of white T25,000 chips. Lee folded and Bord won the pot.
Hand #165: Lee made it 155,000 to go from the small blind and won the pot.
Hand #166: Lee raised to 125,000 from the button and Fabrizio Baldassari called from the small blind. Bord also called from the big blind and the flop came down . Baldassari checked, Bord checked and Lee checked.
The turn added the to the board of Baldassari checked. Bord reached for chips and bet out 150,000. Lee folded and Baldassari check-raised to 340,000. Bord folded and Baldassari scooped the pot.
Hand #167: Baldassari raised to 150,000 on the button. Lee was his only customer, coming along from the big blind.
The flop came down and both players checked to see the on the turn. Lee was up first and he bet 180,000. His Italian opponent called.
The river completed the board with the and Lee checked. Baldassari checked behind. Lee showed a pair of tens and won the pot.
Hand #162: As the blinds rise yet again the two shorter stacks have become pretty much level; both trail Lee but a double for either would change everything. On the button Bord made it 125k and Fabrizio Baldassari reraised to 435k. Bord immediately reraised all in, the very first hand after his double-up chips had found their way into a possibly impermanent home in his stack! This time there was no showdown, as a slightly miffed Baldassari threw away his hand.
Hand #161: Fabrizio Baldassari had the button and released his hand, clearing the path for James Bord to announce all-in from the small blind. Ronald Lee requested a count - 1,190,000 - and then made the call.
The level of excitement in the room suddenly increased as the rail burst out of their chairs like jack in the boxes...
Bord:
Lee:
"Ace!" boomed the crowd, before moving on to a slightly more greedy request:
The flop was nearly as good, and after a turn and river, the room once again erupted like Mount Vesuvius.
Bord celebrated with his raucous support, and even Andrew Feldman raced onto the stage to pat the back of the Brit. He's now lifted himself out of the danger zone with well over two million in chips.
"Bordy bring it home, Bordy bring it home!" sang the rail in conclusion, utlising the tune of a pop song that I am sadly too old - or out-of-touch - to name.
Hand #157: Ronald Lee raised to 105,000 from the button. Fabrizio Baldassari reraised to 375,000 from the small blind. James Bord folded in the big blind and action was back on Lee. He gave it up and Baldassari scooped the pot.
Hand #158: Baldassari raised to 125,000 from the button. Lee made the call from the big blind and off to the flop they went. The flop came down and both players checked.
The turn brought the and Lee checked. Baldassari slid out 150,000 and Lee folded. Baldassari continues to climb back up the ranks and do so through the chip leader Lee.
Hand #159: Bord had the button and folded before Lee raised from the small blind to 115,000. Baldassari called from the big blind and the flop came down . Lee checked and Baldassari fired 225,000. Lee folded and another one was sent to Baldassari.
Hand #160: Lee raised to 125,000 and Baldassari. Bord also called and the flop came down . Baldassari checked first and action moved to Bord. He checked to the preflop raiser and our chip leader. Lee fired 180,000 and won the pot.
![[user46298]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
. Check to Baldassari who cupped his nose and mouth in his hands momentarily before betting 275k and returning nose to hands. Lee paused for a while, then raised a further 525k. Baldassari made the call (although his pushing forward a big stack of 25ks was initially mistaken for a shove).
Check-check.
Check one final time to Baldassari, who bet 620k. Back went 70% of Baldassari's face into his hands, as Lee deliberated making the call but ultimately called
for a flopped set of Fives which handed him one of the bigger non all-in pots of the night so far. A mini fist pump and a girl-shriek from the rail greeted his leap into the lead.
versus Lee's superior 
.
flop on the felt, followed by a harmless 
turn and 
river.
A prompt bet when it was checked to him secured this pot for Lee.
brought no action, but the 
turn saw Lee bet out 175k. A swift call from Baldassari brought out the 
river. Now Lee bet out 325k, which was slowly raised a further 475k. Baldassari froze completely and sat motionless, mid riffle.
flop, Bord check-raised Lee's continuation bet of 200,000 to 550,000 before adopting his usual statuesque posture. Lee found a fold.
. Baldassari checked, Bord checked and Lee checked.
to the board of Baldassari checked. Bord reached for chips and bet out 150,000. Lee folded and Baldassari check-raised to 340,000. Bord folded and Baldassari scooped the pot.
and Lee checked. Baldassari checked behind. Lee showed a pair of tens and won the pot.
river, the room once again erupted like Mount Vesuvius.
and Lee checked. Baldassari slid out 150,000 and Lee folded. Baldassari continues to climb back up the ranks and do so through the chip leader Lee.
. Lee checked and Baldassari fired 225,000. Lee folded and another one was sent to Baldassari.