Christian Harder Doubles Up

Level 7: 400-800, 100 ante

Kevin Saul vs. Erik Seidel

Level 7: 400-800, 100 ante

Kevin Saul raises to 1,800 from middle position and the player in the cutoff calls out of turn before the player in the hijack acts. The player in the hijack thinks a minute, then calls.  The player in the cutoff's call is binding, and Erik Seidel defends from the big blind.

The flop comes J66 and everyone checks.  The turn brings the 8 and Seidel bets 3,000.  Saul calls and the other two players fold.  The river brings the 2 and both player's check.

Seidel shows A-8 for two pair, sixes and eights, but Saul has him bested with J-10 for jacks and sixes.

Kevin Saul - 52,000
Erik Seidel - 69,500

Amit Makhija Eliminated

Level 7: 400-800, 100 ante

Level 7 Begins

Level 7: 400-800, 100 ante

The players return from break to begin Level 7, with increased blinds of 400-800 and a 100 ante.

The tournament clock shows a field size of 386 players, though registration remains open until the end of Level 8 (around 5:00 pm).

Billy Baxter's 1984 Sports Illustrated Article

Level 6: 300-600, 75 ante

At Table 49, Billy Baxter is entertaining his table (including Eric Baldwin and reigning WPT Bellagio Five Diamond champion Antonio Esfandiari) with the story of how he came to be profiled in a Sports Illustrated article in 1984 -- at a time when the mainstream media had little to no interest in the poker world.

Baxter said that he was hanging around with a boxer at that time, and a Sports Illustrated reporter was following the boxer for a story, but he was also fascinated by Baxter's involvement in high-stakes poker.

When it came time for the boxer's big fight, Baxter's friend was knocked out in the first round, which pretty much killed any interest that Sports Illustrated had in the story about the boxer.

So the reporter turned to Baxter and decided to write the article about him instead. And that's how Billy Baxter was profiled in Sports Illustrated in 1984.

You can read the original article (it's a long one) on SportsIllustrated.com by clicking here.

William Reynolds Chipping Up

Level 6: 300-600, 75 ante

With around 8,000 in the pot and the board reading A94, the player in the hijack chekcs, then William Reynolds bets 2,150 from the button. Reynolds' opponent check-raises  to 5,200.  Reynolds calls.

The turn brings the 4 and the player in the hijack bets 7,500. Reynolds calls.  The river is the 3 and Reynolds' opponent bets 10,500. Reynolds quickly calls and his opponent shows KQ for just king-high.  Reynolds shows A8 for a pair of aces to take the pot.

William Reynolds - 107,000

D'Angelo Puzzles Mortensen

Level 6: 300-600, 75 ante

Ryan D'Angelo and Carlos Mortensen are heads-up on a Q93JK board when D'Angelo checks from early position and Mortensen bets 4,300 from late position.  D'Angelo check-raises all-in for around 26,000, which sends Mortensen deep into the tank.

The players at the table claim Mortensen tanks for nearly ten minutes, and eventually someone calls the clock on him.  The floorman gets about halfway through the countdown before Mortensen flashes his hand to a neighbor and tosses it in the muck.

Before the dealer starts to reshuffle the deck, the floorman tells her to reveal Mortensen's hand, as one player has seen what he was holding.  She turns over 1010 for a king-high straight.

Ryan D'Angelo - 43,000
Carlos Mortensen - 104,000

Ronald Lee Doubles Up

Level 6: 300-600, 75 ante

With around 6,000 in the pot and the board reading J85, the player in the big blind checks, and Ronlad Lee bets 1,400 from middle position.  The player in the big blind check-raises to 3,500, and Lee responds by moving all-in for 14,675 total.

The other player takes a little time before calling with J10 for top pair.  Lee shows AQ for overcards and the nut flush draw.  The 2 on the turn changes nothing, but the 6 on the river completes Lee's flush and he doubles up.

Ronald Lee - 36,000 

Jennifer Harman Chops With Todd Terry

Level 6: 300-600, 75 ante

With the board showing JJ9Q on the turn, Jennifer Harman bets 4,500 from the small blind, Brandon Cantu folds middle position, and Todd Terry calls from the cutoff.

The river card is the 10, and both players check. Terry shows K10 for a king-high straight, and Harman smiles and turns over KQ for an identical straight. It's a chopped pot.

Terry lets out a big sigh and says, "Oh, I had the flush draw too." On the turn, Terry had the king-high straight to go with a diamond flush draw, while Harman had two pair.

Todd Terry  -  53,000
Jennifer Harman  -  41,000

Todd Terry Five-Bets All In

Level 6: 300-600, 75 ante

Eric Blair raises under the gun to 1,500, Todd Terry reraises from the button to 3,750, and Blair four-bets to 7,750. Terry moves all in, and Blair quickly folds. Todd Terry takes the pot.

Todd Terry  -  50,000
Eric Blair  -  74,000