Level 15 Begins

Level 15: 2,000-4,000, 400 ante

The players return from break to begin Level 15, with increased blinds of 2,000-4,000 and a 400 ante. With 33 players remaining, the average chip stack is about 220,000.

This will be the last level of the night. It's looking like the field won't be hitting the money bubble tonight -- the top 25 players finish in the money.

Jason Mercier Looking For His Second WPT Cash

Level 14: 1,500-3,000, 400 ante

Lance Steinberg Eliminated by Chris Hunichen

Level 14: 1,500-3,000, 400 ante

Chris Hunichen raises in late position, Lance Steinberg reraises out of the big blind, and Hunichen calls.  The flop comes down 943 and Steinberg bets 30,000.  Hunichen calls and the turn brings the K.  Steinberg checks, Hunichen bets 45,000, and Steinberg check-raises to 100,000 total.

Hunichen calls and they go heads-up to a the river, which comes 5.  Steinberg checks again.  Hunichen announces he is all-in and Steinberg snap-calls with AK for top pair.  Hunichen shows 99 for a set of nines and he rakes in the more than 500,000 chip pot, eliminating Steinberg in the process.

Chris Hunichen - 740,000 (244 big blinds)
Lance Steinberg - eliminated

Jeff Forrest vs. Bryan Piccioli

Level 14: 1,500-3,000, 400 ante

With the final board showing KJ10K4 and about 85,000 already in the pot, Jeff Forrest has a bet of 60,000 in front of him as the big blind, and Bryan Piccioli is tanking from the small blind.

Piccioli tanks for several minutes before he folds, and Forrest takes the pot.

Jeff Forrest  -  350,000  (116 bb)
Bryan Piccioli  -  126,000  (42 bb)

Jason Mercier Busts a Player

Level 14: 1,500-3,000, 400 ante

Jason Mercier raises preflop from the cutoff, and the small blind calls. The flop comes K94, the small blind checks, Mercier bets, and the small blind calls.

The turn card is the 10, the small blind checks, Mercier bets, and the small blind check-raises. Mercier asks him for a count of his remaining chips, and then moves all in. His opponent calls with 44 for a set of fours, but Mercier has the lead with QJ for a king-high straight.

The river card is the 5, and Mercier wins the pot with his straight to bust his opponent.

Jason Mercier  -  405,000  (135 bb)

Josh Arieh Avoids a Penalty

Level 14: 1,500-3,000, 400 ante

With 15,000 in the pot and the board reading 109829, a player checks and Josh Arieh bets 10,800.  The player check-raises all-in for around 85,000 and now the theatrics begin.

The player stands and zips his hoodie.  Arieh laughs.

"You really gotta zip the collar?"

"Every time I am all-in I do this and I stay alive."

Arieh thinks a minute and watches as his opponent paces along the rail.  "Get out your car keys," Arieh teases.  He thinks a while longer.  "I can't imagine I have the worst hand," he says quietly.  Then, he has a question for the floor.

"What happens if I expose a card?"

"You get a penalty," the other player chimes in.  "Right, Giovanni?"  Giovanni the floorman confirms this to be the case.

"Watch him, Giovanni," the player says.  "He's been bluffing me all day."

Arieh thinks a while longer, then has another question.

"It might be worth it.  How long is the penalty?"

"One round," Giovanni tells him, inching closer to Arieh.  The tanking continues a little while longer.  Arieh asks the dealer to "do all that goofy stuff," i.e. square up the pot.  The dealer obliges and Arieh thinks some more.  Then, he turns around to the two floorman standing directly behind them and has a request.

"Y'all quit sweating me, I'm not going to show a card."  The floormen back off, but Arieh still hasn't made a decision.

"I know he's going to show me the ace-six or something."  Eventually, Arieh decides to fold, showing the table K-9 for trip nines.  The other player flashes a jack and rakes in the pot.

Josh Arieh - 440,000  (146 big blinds)

Josh Arieh Adds to His Stack

Level 14: 1,500-3,000, 400 ante

With the board showing Q102J on the turn and more than 35,000 already in the pot, Thomas Marchese checks the small blind, Keven Stammen checks from early position, and Josh Arieh bets 21,300 from the cutoff. Marchese folds, and Stammen calls.

An unknown river card comes out, and Stammen check-folds to a quick bet from Arieh that looks to be about 50,000. Arieh takes the pot.

Josh Arieh  -  445,000  (148 bb)
Thomas Marchese  -  281,000  (93 bb)
Keven Stammen  -  400,000  (133 bb)

As Arieh stacks his chips from the hand, another player tells the table that he folded pocket deuces and would've flopped a set. Stammen says, "Pocket deuces might not have been good there." Arieh says, "I think any deuce might have been good."

Barry Greenstein Eliminated by Hoyt Corkins

Level 14: 1,500-3,000, 400 ante

Barry Greenstein is getting short on chips, but he has a secret weapon.  Sorel Mizzi, who firmly believes Russian poker pro Vitaly Lunkin is "lucky," tells Greenstein he saved his "Lunkin" (similar to a player's "one time") for him.

Greenstein decides to cash in on the Lunkin in short order, moving all-in for 24,700 a few minutes later.  Hoyt Corkins calls from the button and Corkins' AK is racing with Greenstein's 99.  The board runs out KJ233 and the Lunkin seems to fail, as Greenstein is eliminated.

As Greenstein goes over to shake Corkins' hand and wish him luck and Corkins asks, "Where's my book?"

"I'll get it to you the next time I see you," Greenstein assures him.

"Finally got that trophy," Corkins responds.

Hoyt Corkins - 260,000 (87 big blinds)

Doug Benedict Eliminated, Aces Cracked by Kings

Level 14: 1,500-3,000, 400 ante

Doug Benedict is all in preflop with AA against another player's KK. Benedict is poised to double up, until the board comes K7342 and his opponent flops a set of kings to win the pot and eliminate Benedict from the tournament.

Doug Benedict  -  Eliminated

Ben Klier Doubles Through Mohsin Charania

Level 14: 1,500-3,000, 400 ante

Ben Klier raises to 8,400 from middle position and Mohsin Charania reraises to 17,500 out of the hijack.  Klier makes it 37,400 to go and Charania takes a minute before announcing he is all-in.  Klier takes a few seconds to think before calling.

Klier shows AK and he is racing with Charania's QQ.  The board runs out K109A6 and Klier makes two pair to double up.

"That was the most predictable flop ever," Charania deadpans as he cuts out chips to pay off his opponent.

Ben Klier - 290,000
Mohsin Charania - 320,000