$3,500 WPT Showdown Championship
Level 24: 12,000/24,000 with a 4,000 ante
Players Remaining: 27 of 1,207

It was a rough day for our former chip leader Kelly Minkin. She open/shoved for final 325,000 from the small blind and Iaron Lightbourne quickly called in the big blind.

Minkin:
Lightbourne:

Lightbourne consoled Minkin on the bad luck and she could not find a save on the board to exit in 28th place.

Tournament staff paused the clock to redraw the last three tables in the Championship.

Iaron Lightbourne – 1,580,000 (66 bb)
Kelly Minkin – Eliminated in 28th place ($15,967)

$3,500 WPT Showdown Championship
Level 24: 12,000/24,000 with a 4,000 ante
Players Remaining: 30 of 1,207

Taylor von Kriegenbergh already owns one Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown Championship title from 2011 and working his way back towards another one.

He’s closing in on 3 million despite needing a two-outer against Jason Brin just to stay in the field. von Kriegenbergh’s pocket fives turned a set against Brin’s pocket aces for a big pot to put him near the top of the counts.

Taylor von Kriegenbergh – 2,800,000 (117 bb)

$3,500 WPT Showdown Championship
Level 24: 12,000/24,000 with a 4,000 ante
Players Remaining: 30 of 1,207

The breaks come quicker on Day 3 with a ten-minute breather after every 90-minute level. SHRP team member Matt Affleck continues to push his stack higher, his 3.5 million leading the way as they close in on the three-table redraw.

Here’s the list of the recently departed on Day 3:

31st: Ankush Mandavia – $15,967
32nd: Taylor Paur – $15,967
35th: Mike Chiappetta – $15,967
36th: Kaveh Tehrani – $15,967
37th: Joe Elpayaa – $13,658
38th: Brett Apler – $13,658
39th: Michael LaRocca – $13,658
40th: Steven McKoy – $13,658
41st: Lance Howard – $13,658
42nd: Millard Hale – $13,658
43rd: Dennis Zollo – $13,658
44th: Dietrich Fast – $13,658
45th: Ken Aldridge – $13,658
46th: Tyler Kenney – $12,081
47th: Richard Rice – $12,081
48th: Peter Vitantonio – $12,081
49th: Marsel Backa – $12,081
50th: Byron Kaverman – $12,081
51st: Scott Baumstein – $12,081
52nd: Shankar Pillai – $12,081
53rd: Andrey Plotnikov – $12,081
54th: David Wolff – $12,081
55th: Hiep Doan – $10,888
56th: Bryn Kenney – $10,888
57th: Will Givens – $10,888
58th: Brett Feder – $10,888
59th: Marcus Stein – $10,888
60th: Chris Klodnicki – $10,888
61st: Jonathan Kramer – $10,888
62nd: Michael Telker – $10,888
63rd: Jason Mercier – $10,888
64th: Jason Gooch – $10,080
65th: Alejandro Duque – $10,080
66th: Wally Maddah – $10,080

$3,500 WPT Showdown Championship
Level 23: 10,000/20,000 with a 3,000 ante
Players Remaining: 30 of 1,207

Dan Colman was running hot earlier in the day but the 2014 SHRPO Champ sent two double ups across the table to leave him as a short stack.

He put his final 202,000 from the button after Phil Hui opened to 45,000. Hui called to put Colman at risk.

Hui:
Colman:

Colman had a sweat with the suited over cards but immediately improved on the board. The turn meant he couldn’t lose the hand but he had some chop outs to dodge. The river was safe for Colman and his double up.

Dan Colman – 458,000 (23 bb)
Phil Hui – 1,350,000 (68 bb)

$3,500 WPT Showdown Championship
Level 23: 10,000/20,000 with a 3,000 ante
Players Remaining: 35 of 1,207

Benjamin Reinhart moved all-in from under the gun for 190,000 and Mike Chiappetta shipped in over the top from the next position. The rest of the table released and Reinhart was at risk and behind.

Reinhart:
Chiappetta:

Both players hit the but Chiappetta was outkicking Reinhart. The turn changed nothing but Reinhart popped the river for the double up.

Benjamin Reinhart – 1,010,000 (51 bb)
Mike Chiappetta – 280,000 (14 bb)

$3,500 WPT Showdown Championship
Level 23: 10,000/20,000 with a 3,000 ante
Players Remaining: 40 of 1,207

Player are returning from their second break with 40 players remaining and Seminole Hard Rock Poker team member Matt Affleck back on top with 2.5 million.

$3,500 WPT Showdown Championship
Level 22: 8,000/16,000 with a 2,000 ante
Players Remaining: 42 of 1,207

Phil Hui opened to 35,000 from the cutoff, Greg Yeager three-bet to 90,000 from the button and Hui moved all-in after the blinds released. Yeager called for his last ~500,000 and was flipping.

Hui:
Yeager:

Yeager needed to dodge the big cards and the dealer kept it low on the board to send the double up.

Greg Yeager – 1,010,000 (63 bb)
Phil Hui – 950,000 (59 bb)

$3,500 WPT Showdown Championship
Level 22: 8,000/16,000 with a 2,000 ante
Players Remaining: 42 of 1,207

In a battle of the blinds, Erik Seidel and James Mackey were heads up with the board reading . Seidel checked, Mackey bet 161,000 and Seidel called.

Seidel checked the river, Mackey moved all-in for his final 397,000 and Seidel called to put him at risk.

Mackey tabled nines up and Seidel mucked to send the double to Mackey.

James Mackey – 1,270,000 (79 bb)
Erik Seidel – 1,090,000 (68 bb)

$3,500 WPT Showdown Championship
Level 22: 8,000/16,000 with a 2,000 ante
Players Remaining: 44 of 1,207

Erik Seidel opened to 35,000 under the gun then picked up calls from Iaron Lightbourne and Vlad Mezheritsky. Ken “Teach” Aldridge moved all-in for ~300,000 from the small blind Seidel came over the top to isolate.

Aldridge:
Seidel:

Seidel had another big hand and Aldridge needed something to stay alive but it was Seidel hitting the flop. The turn left the popular player drawing dead to the river and 45th place.

Erik Seidel – 1,720,000 (108 bb)
Ken “Teach” Aldrdige – Eliminated in 45th place ($13,658)

$3,500 WPT Showdown Championship
Level 22: 8,000/16,000 with a 2,000 ante
Players Remaining: 49 of 1,207

Byron Kaverman opened to 3,200 from under the gun and picked up calls from Kelly Minkin, Chad Eveslage, and Darryll Fish in the small blind. Fish and Kaverman checked the flop and Minkin bet 75,000.

Eveslage released, Fish called, and Kaverman pulled the check/raise to 230,000. Minkin mucked her hand and Fish moved all-in. Kaverman quickly called at risk but tabled the best hand.

Kaverman:
Fish:

Kaverman was ahead with the flopped king-high straight and Fish needed to hit. The turn changed nothing but the filled the Fish flush and Kaverman was eliminated.

Darryll Fish – 1,800,000 (113 bb)
Byron Kaverman – Eliminated in 50th place ($12,081)