Russell Crane Eliminated in 16th Place ($18,251)

Level 27: 20,000-40,000, 4,000 ante

Yung Hwang opens to 80,000 from UTG+2 and Matt Haugen calls on the button. Russell Crane three-bets to 290,000 from the big blind and Hwang comes back over the top with a four-bet to 563,000. Haugen folds, but Crane takes a few moments before five-bet shoving for roughly 2.1 million. Hwang calls with KK and is ahead of Crane's A4.

The board runs out J925Q as Crane can't catch up, ending his tournament in 16th place.

Yung Hwang - 8,571,000 (214 bb)
Russell Crane - Out in 16th Place ($18,251)

Yung Hwang Wins a 2.5M Pot with Queen High

Level 27: 20,000-40,000, 4,000 ante

With the board showing A433 on the turn, Yung Hwang bets 383,000 from the big blind, and Russell Crane calls from the cutoff.

The river card trips the board with the 3, Hwang checks, Crane bets 700,000, and Hwang tanks for a while before he calls. Crane shows 65 for a missed straight draw (six high), and Hwang turns over Q7 for a missed club flush draw (queen high).

Hwang wins a huge pot worth about 2.5 million by making a big call with queen high.

Yung Hwang  -  5,000,000*  (125 bb)
Russell Crane  -  2,520,000  (63 bb)

* Hwang's chip count is only an approximate because of the arrangement of his chip stacks. An official chip count will be posted at the next break.

Mark Sykes Doubles Thru Russell Crane

Level 27: 20,000-40,000, 4,000 ante

Matt Haugen opens to 115,000 under the gun and Russell Crane three-bets to about 240,000 from the hijack. Mark Sykes four-bets all in for 506,000 from the small blind and Haugen folds. Crane calls with AJ, but is dominated by Sykes' AQ.

The board runs out Q77Q3, giving Sykes the double up.

Mark Sykes - 1,150,000 (28 bb)
Russell Crane - 3,810,000 (95 bb)

Ryan Paluf Out in 20th; Russell Crane Leads w/ 4.2M

Level 26: 15,000-30,000, 3,000 ante

Photo: Russell Crane stares down Ryan Paluf (foreground, right) after Paluf reraised preflop.

Russell Crane min-raises from the button to 60,000, Ryan Paluf reraises from the big blind to 200,000, and Crane tanks for a while before he moves all in.

Paluf calls all in for a little more than 700,000 with A3, and Crane turns over QJ. Paluf will need his hand to hold to stay alive.

The board comes 95310J, and Crane pairs his jack on the river to win the pot, take the chip lead, and eliminate Paluf from the tournament.

Russell Crane  -  4,200,000  (140 bb)
Ryan Paluf  -  Out in 20th Place  ($14,933)

Russell Crane vs. Matt Haugen

Level 26: 15,000-30,000, 3,000 ante

Matt Haugen raises from the cutoff to 65,000, and Russell Crane calls from the button. The flop comes J53, Haugen bets 80,000, and Crane calls. The turn card pairs the board with the 3, Haugen checks, Crane bets 150,000, and Haugen calls.

The river is the 10, Haugen checks, Crane bets about 600,000, and Haugen quickly folds. Crane takes the pot to inch closer to the chip lead.

Russell Crane  -  3,500,000  (116 bb)
Matt Haugen  -  1,560,000  (52 bb)

Russell Crane Crosses the 3-Million Chip Mark

Level 25: 12,000-24,000, 3,000 ante

With the board showing A1064 on the turn and more than 350,000 already in the pot, Matt Haugen bets 220,000 from the big blind, and Russell Crane tanks for a couple of minutes before he moves all in from UTG+1.

Haugen quickly folds, and Crane takes the pot as he crosses the three-million chip mark to take the lead.

Russell Crane  -  3,050,000  (127 bb)
Matt Haugen  -  555,000  (23 bb)

Taylor Paur vs Russell Crane

Level 24: 10,000-20,000, 2,000 ante

Russell Crane opens to 40,000 on the button and Taylor Paur three-bets to 108,000 from the small blind. Crane calls and the flop falls T99. Paur bets about 110,000 and gets Crane to fold.

Taylor Paur - 2,700,000 (135 bb)
Russell Crane - 2,650,000 (132 bb)

Russell Crane Doubles Thru Mark Wahba

Level 24: 10,000-20,000, 2,000 ante

Mark Wahba opens to 43,000 from UTG+1 and Russell Crane three-bets to 107,000 from the button. Wahba calls and the flop falls KT5.

Wahba check-calls 95,000 from Crane to see the J turn where Wahba check-calls about 160,000 from Crane this time. The river falls the A and Wahba leads out for 200,000. Crane took a few moments before raising all in for 1,039,000. Wahba calls and tables AQ for a straight, but Crane shows 76 for a flush to double up.

Russell Crane - 2,970,000 (148 bb)
Mark Wahba - 60,000 (3 bb)

Matt Glantz Eliminated in 36th Place ($12,942)

Level 23: 8,000-16,000, 2,000 ante

As told to us by Russell Crane, a short-stacked Matt Glantz shoves from the cutoff with K-6 offsuit. Crane calls from the big blind with 6-5 offsuit and scores the elimination when the board runs out J-5-2-A-8.

Russell Crane - 1,590,000 (99 bb)
Matt Glantz - Out in 36th Place ($12,942)

Day 3 with Russell Crane

Level 21: 5,000-10,000, 1,000 ante