The two men have stepped away from the table to talk a little business, and that's pretty normal.
But there's something a bit abnormal going on, too. The rail has just been completely cleared of spectators as the Main Event finishes bagging up on the other side of the room. There's practically nobody left in here. The two men are talking numbers right now on one side of the stage, and other than that, the room is completely vacant apart from a few members of the floor staff and one dealer at each table. Oh, and us.
After the elimination of Bryce Yockey in third place, we overheard a comment on the rail. It was Michael Binger offering some words of encouragement to his brother: "You've now gone further than any Binger," he said. It's odd timing, too. We were just thinking about the 2008 event in which Nick Binger spoiled a massive chip lead to finish in third place, and he's now bested that previous-best finish by one.
Bryce Yockey mini-raised to 80,000 from the button, and both David Bach and Nick Binger called from their respective blinds. There was 240,000 in the middle, and off they went.
Three-handed, the flop came , and action checked to the raiser. Yockey continued out with another 190,000 chips, and Bach check-raised the pot. Binger folded, but Yockey couldn't wait to get his chips into the pot. He sloppily shoved them all in, tipping forward a technicolor pile of chips as he simultaneously turned up his cards.
Showdown
Yockey:
Bach:
Bach had flopped bottom two pair, and he needed to fade the last two cards to earn the knockout. The on the turn further improved him to a flush, and it would prove to be a crucial card in the end. The river gave Yockey trips, but his hand was still second-best. The diamonds play for Bach, and he scoops the pot to earn the knockout. It's Yockey who falls out in third place, good for a symmetrical payout of $180,180.
Phil Laak was under the gun and raised to 80,000, which David Bach called from the big blind. Both players checked the flop, leading to the on the turn. Bach checked for a second time, and after a moment's thought, Laak fired out 150,000. Bach thought for a bit and then check-raised enough to put Laak all in.
Laak didn't seem happy about it, but committed his remaining stack nonetheless.
Laak:
Bach:
"Oh, why did I bet?" Laak lamented after seeing Bach's flopped full house. The river didn't change a thing and Laak became our fourth-place finisher, worth $133,377.
Phil Laak raised to 75,000 under the gun and found a caller in Nick Binger in the cutoff. When action reached Trevor Reader in the small blind, he potted to 330,000, which both Laak and Binger called. Reader proceeded to move all in for 160,000 on the flop, and again both Laak and Binger made the call.
The two active players then checked the turn, leading to the river. Laak checked, Binger bet 430,000, and Laak release his hand. Binger revealed for aces full of tens, which bested Reader's .
Reader was eliminated from the tournament in fifth place while Binger took over the chip lead with 2.495 million.
First into the pot, Bryce Yockey pot-raised to 105,000 from the button, and Peter Charalambous three-bet shoved for 225,000 from the big blind. Yockey only had 215,000 total, and he called all in looking for the double.
Showdown
Yockey:
Charalambous:
Yockey sure liked the flop a great deal, and he pulled into a big lead with trips. The turn and river further improved him to aces full, and he doubled to 445,000. Charalambous stood up, threw his bag over his shoulder, and said his goodbyes to the table. But he still had 10,000 chips left.
Charalambous was all in from the small blind on the next hand, and he had kings again: . Nick Binger bet David Bach out on a flop, and he turned over a hand that could beat the at-risk player: . Binger turned trips into a full house on the turn, and Charalambous was drawing dead to the river. With that, he becomes our sixth-place finisher, walking out with just shy of $75,000 as a reward for his fine efforts this week.