Owen Crowe Eliminated by Gavin Smith on the Money Bubble

Level 15: 2,500-5,000, 500 ante

After he was crippled in the last hand before the break, Owen Crowe returned from break to find himself on the button, so even with three big blinds, he could be a little patient. (He had 15,000 to start this level.)

Crowe folded his first two hands, and then moved all in from late position on the third hand. Gavin Smith moved all in over the top from the cutoff, and everyone else folded.

A floorperson tells Crowe and Gavin, "Don't expose your cards." Gavin says, "I will seriously expose myself right now," and the double entendre was obvious. A crowd has gathered around the table, and someone says, "C'mon, give us a little peek." Continuing the sexual innuendo, Gavin jokingly says, "Well, it is just a little one."

Why aren't they allowed to expose their cards? The rule here at Bellagio is that, during hand-for-hand play, players who are all in aren't allowed to expose their cards until action is complete on the other tables. That way, players at other tables can't stall for information, knowing that a short stack is dominated and facing elimination, for example.

The wait gets longer and longer, because there is a relatively small pot at another table, and a player is delaying a decision at the bubble. Eventually, Lyle Berman, who isn't playing at either table, almost jokingly calls for a clock. Berman then asks TD Jack McClelland if a player at a different table can call the clock during hand-for-hand play. McClelland says, "You just did." (Some tournaments have this rule, as delays at this stage affect everyone in the field.)

With all other action complete, Crowe shows Q10, and Gavin turns over AK. Crowe will need to improve to stay alive.

The board comes J74J7, and Gavin Smith wins the pot with his A-K to eliminate Owen Crowe on the money bubble.

Gavin Smith  -  75,000  (15 bb)
Owen Crowe  -  Out in 51st Place ($0)