$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 23: 10,000/20,000 with a 3,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 43 of 1,804
Average Stack: 420,000 (21 bb)

Ty Akbasli was the chip leader at the previous break, but he’s just relieved of his last few chips by Charlie Lo.

Akbalsi open-shoved for 137,000 under the gun, and Charlie Lo three-bet to 227,000 in middle position. The player behind him re-shoved for 270,000 total, and Lo called the remainder to put both opponents at risk.

Akbalsi:
Lo:
Opponent:

The board ran out , and Lo earned the double knockout with a pair of eights.

Charlie Lo – 875,000 (44 bb)
Ty Akbalsi – Eliminated

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 22: 8,000/16,000 with a 2,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 56 of 1,804
Average Stack: 322,000 (20 bb)

The player in the cutoff opened with a big raise to 70,000. Howard Mash was in the big blind, and he addressed the dealer: “Red button, please,” Mash requested, referring to the all-in button. He moved in for 110,000, and the cutoff called to put him at risk.

Cutoff:
Mash:

The board ran out , and Mash doubled up with ace-high. He won back-to-back events at the Coco Poker Open last year, and he’s worked his stack back out of the danger zone in this event thanks to that double-up.

Howard Mash – 254,000 (16 bb)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 21: 6,000/12,000 with a 2,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 72 of 1,804
Average Stack: 251,000 (21 bb)

David Lawrence moved all in for 50,000 in early position to open the action. Stephen Fraser re-shoved for 201,000 a couple seats over, and Charles Townsend did the same for just less than 400,000, putting both opponents at risk.

Lawrence:
Fraser:
Townsend:

“Keep it low,” Lawrence prodded the dealer, who obliged him. The board ran out , giving Lawrence the main pot with a pair of kings. Fraser rivered the side pot winner with a pair of jacks, and Townsend was forced to pay off his debts to both opponents.

David Lawrence – 186,000 (16 bb)
Stephen Fraser – 302,000 (25 bb)
Charles Townsend – 170,000 (14 bb)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 20: 5,000/10,000 with a 1,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 81 of 1,804
Average Stack: 223,000 (22 big blinds)

You occasionally need to get lucky to win a poker tournament and Zo Karim might have used up a lot of his run good in one big shot. He was all-in for 303,000 with but ran right into Paul Balzano’s .

Karim was in danger of cashing out small but his window opened on the flop. He missed the turn but completed his straight on the river for the huge pot.

Zo Karim – 655,000 (66 bb)
Paul Balzano – 240,000 (24 bb)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 20: 5,000/10,000 with a 1,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 81 of 1,804
Average Stack: 223,000 (22 bb)

Mike Beasley was down around 125,000 the last time his stack was checked on. He suddenly has 440,000 and a big smile on his face, and he was kind enough to provide the details of his windfall.

There were two limpers in early position, and the player in front of Beasley squeezed in a raise to 45,000. Beasley moved all in for 125,000 with , and he was called in two places. Both of his opponents had , and a nine-high board gave Beasley one of the day’s largest pots and a full triple up.

Mike Beasley – 440,000 (44 bb)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 19: 4,000/8,000 with a 1,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 99 of 1,804
Average Stack: 182,000 (23 bb)

The number on the clock has just ticked down into double digits with less than 100 players remaining. Ty Akbasli still leads, though his stack just suffered a small flesh wound at the hands of Frank Gil.

An early-position player limped into the pot, and Frank Gil did the same a couple seats over. On the button, Ty Akbasli raised to 25,000, and both opponents calls.

The flop came . When the first player checked, Gil moved all in for 66,000, and Akbasli re-shoved with his towering stack. The third player ducked out of the way to leave Gil heads up for his tournament life.

Gil: (pair of tens)
Akbasli: (flush draw)

The turn and river safely completed the board for Gil, and he doubled up.

Frank Gil – 228,000 (29 bb)
Ty Akbasli – 540,000 (68 bb)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 19: 4,000/8,000 with a 1,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 108 of 1,804
Average Stack: 167,000 (21 bb)

In the third hand of bubble action, a player in early position opened to 18,000, and Kenneth Watson three-bet shoved for about 120,000 a few seats over. The original raiser called all in for 83,000 total, putting himself at risk.

Watson:
Opponent:

The board ran out , and Watson’s pair of kings earned him the knockout, eliminating his opponent on the direct money bubble.

That reduced the field to 108 players, and they’re now all in the money. Everyone left is guaranteed to earn at least $346 this evening, with a top prize of nearly $50,000 awaiting the eventual winner.

Kenneth Watson – 220,000 (28 bb)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 18: 3,000/6,000 with a 1,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 110 of 1,804
Average Stack: 164,000 (27 big blinds)

It took less than 20 minutes into the new level to get Event 5 down near the money bubble. They are one elimination from going to hand-for-hand action.

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 18: 3,000/6,000 with a 1,000 Ante
Players Remaining: 120 of 1,804
Average Stack: 150,000 (25 big blinds)

Players are back in their seats and we expect the money bubble to get here before the end of this level. Ty Akbasli continues to lead the field but Qasem Jamhour moved into second position early in the day.

Top stacks and notable names:

Ty Akbasli – 570,000 (95 bb)
Qasem Jamhour – 462,000 (77 bb)
Jon Turner – 440,000 (73 bb)
Marc Levy – 300,000 (50 bb)
Zo Karim – 274,000 (46 bb)
Paul Balzano – 230,000 (38 bb)
Johanssy Joseph – 200,000 (33 bb)
Stosh Gepp – 193,000 (32 bb)
Sean Shah – 160,000 (27 bb)
Edina Pantinchin – 145,000 (24 bb)
James Salmon – 140,000 (23 bb)
Wally Maddah – 96,000 (16 bb)
David Inselberg – 90,000 (15 bb)
Mike Beasley – 80,000 (13 bb)

$150 No Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
Level 17: 2,500/5,000 with a 500 Ante
Players Remaining: 121 of 1,804
Average Stack: 149,000 (30 big blinds)

Players are on their first break of the day and return only a handful of eliminations away from making some money.

Tournament staff are coloring off the 500 denom chips and we’ll check out our big stacks when that is complete.