The field has shrunk at a rapid pace today. At the start of play the field took up the entire Pavilion Room with 20 tables in the Amazon Room. Tournament officials have completely broken all tables in the Amazon Room, the Green section of the Pavilion Room, almost all the tables in the Yellow section and more than half the tables in the White section.
On a flop of Hellmuth checked from the small blind, the player in the big blind checked, and a player in late position bet out 1,100. Hellmuth in the small blind raised to 2,400, the big blind re-raised to 5,500 and the late position player went all in. Hellmuth called and the big blind folded.
Hellmuth flipped over for the flopped nuts and the player in the small blind showed for a set of jacks.
Lauren Kling and the player in the cutoff went to a flop of together. They both checked the flop and the came on the turn. Kling led out with 1,050 and was called. The fell on the turn and Kling checked. The player bet 2,350 and after some short thought she folded.
Antonio Esfandiari opened for 900 in late position and the big blind called. The flop came and the big blind checked. Esfandiari bet out 1,500 and the big blind folded. Esfandiari is up to 45,000.
We walked up Phil Hellmuth's table with a hand at the river. The board read and Hellmuth had bet 1,700 and his opponent in the big blind check-raised him to 7,000. Hellmuth leaned back in his chair, postured and then threw in the call.
His opponent, sporting a Ukranian track jacket, tabled , flopping the nuts and then improving to a king high straight on the river.
Hellmuth mucked and under his breath muttered, "Flop the nuts on me? Good luck buddy. You Russians are..." Hellmuth trailed off and went back to arranging his chips.