$3,500 WPT RRPO Championship (Re-Entry)
$2,000,000 Guaranteed | Structure | Payouts
Level 21:  10,000/15,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining:  65 of 988

After a flop of , Aaron Mermelstein checked from middle position, and Joshua Ray bet 40,000 from the hijack. Kwynn Richards called from the cutoff, and Mermelstein check-raised to 130,000. Ray called, and Richards folded.

The turn card was the , Mermelstein bet 117,000, and Ray called.

The river card was the , Mermelstein bet 320,000 (leaving himself just 24,000 behind), and Ray tanked for a while before he called. Mermelstein showed for a pair of jacks, but Ray turned over to win the pot with top two pair, kings and jacks.

Joshua Ray  –  1,664,000  (139 bb)
Aaron Mermelstein  –  24,000  (2 bb)

At that point, the tournament clock was stopped with 10 minutes remaining in the last level of the night, and each table would play three more hands before the survivors bagged up for Day 3.

In Hand #1, Mermelstein moved all in under the gun for 24,000, and Nacho Barbera called from the big blind with . Mermelstein turned over , and needed his hand to hold to stay alive.

The board came , and Mermelstein paired his king on the flop and turned trips to win the pot and double up in chips.

Aaron Mermelstein  –  66,000  (6 bb)
Nacho Barbero  –  708,000  (59 bb)

In Hand #2, Joshua Ray raised under the gun to 25,000, and Mermelstein called from the big blind.

Both players checked to the river on a board of , and Mermelstein moved all in for 29,000. Ray snap-folded, and Mermelstein took the pot.

Aaron Mermelstein  –  97,000  (8 bb)
Joshua Ray  –  1,639,000  (137 bb)

In Hand #3 (the final hand of the night), Nacho Barbero raised from the button to 26,000, and Mermelstein moved all in from the small blind for 97,000. Ray called from the big blind, and Barbero also called. Any further betting would create a side pot between Barbero and Ray.

Both players checked to the river on a board of , and all three players turned over their cards:

Joshua Ray:    (pair of aces)
Nacho Barbero:    (pair of aces)
Aaron Mermelstein:    (nine-high straight)

Mermelstein wins the pot with a nine-high straight to triple up in chips in the last hand of the night, working his way back up to 20 big blinds heading into Day 3.

Aaron Mermelstein  –  300,000  (20 bb)
Joshua Ray  –  1,530,000  (102 bb)
Nacho Barbero  –  605,000  (40 bb)