Short-stacked for quite a while, Mihai Niste patiently waited for the right moment to go all in with his remaining 10,700 chips.
That moment arrived when he was in the middle position. All the other players folded, except for David Melius, who hesitated from the big blind. After a few seconds, Melius decided to make the call.
Mihai Niste: A♣8♣
David Melius: K♦9♠.
Niste's hand with an Ace high held on 6♠5♠2♥10♦6♥, and he doubled up to 22,000 chips.
Tony LaMarca was in early position and raised to 1,500. The late position player and the big blind both called. The flop came out 9♦6♠3♥ and LaMarca bet out 1,000 after the big blind checked and received a call from both players.
The turn brought the 4♥ and the big blind checked and LaMarca placed the bet of 4,000. The late position player folded and the big blind produced the old check raise maneuver and raised to 9,000. LaMarca took a bit of time and made the call.
The river 7♣ prompted a bet from the big blind to 15,000 and LaMarca took some time again and then made the call. The big blind turned over 6♣6♦ for the set and LaMarca slammed down 9♣9♠ for the bigger set.
LaMarca told the big blind player, "You actually lost the least amount of money, due to the straight being a possibility".
Cedric Danneker and an opponent in middle position had already built a pot of around 50,000 with the board showing 7♥5♦6♣10♥4♠ when Danneker, in the big blind, moved all in for 25,500.
His opponent tanked for several minutes as he considered the decision for most of his stack. He eventually flicked in a green 25,000 chip and turned over 6♥6♦ for a set.
Danneker, though, had K♥8♥ for the rivered straight as he earned a massive double up.
The board 2♥5♦9♠3♦3♠ was already dealt with a pot containing more than 33,000 when Lea Nehme checked to William Kassouf. The latter bet 15,000 and Nehme went deep into the tank.
A long discussion ensued with Kassouf, who declared "Whatever you have on the board you're behind", adding "If you show, I show".
"So much talking, I'm even more lost now" said Nehme after a few minutes. However, she ended up sending a chip for the call and Kassouf revealed Q♥4♥ for a bluff.
Nehme tabled A♦J♦ and took down the pot with ace-high.
From a few tables away, Ugur Secilmis and Alejandro Lococo watched as the projection screens showed them at the final table of the 2021 Main Event.
Perhaps inspired by his deep run, Lococo called from the button when Michael Saizan went all in for 9,500 in the big blind.
Michael Saizan: A♣A♦
Alejandro Lococo: A♠5♠
Lococo swore when he saw what he had walked into. The K♣J♠K♥ flop opened up some back door opportunities for Papo MC, but when the 9♦ hit the turn he had already started moving his 9,500 toward Saizan. The Q♠ gave Saizan the full double.
Luke Langsweirdt was on the button and got his last 37,400 in the middle on a flop of 5♠7♠6♦ against Christopher Ma in the cutoff.
Luke Langsweirdt: 9♥8♠
Christopher Ma: 6♣6♠
Langsweirdt had flopped a straight and needed to avoid the board pairing to stay alive in the Main Event. He stood up from his seat as the dealer turned over the 3♥, followed by the J♥.
"You're still here," his tablemates told him as he sat back down after doubling up. Brent Hanks later revealed he folded 4x3x for the bottom end of a straight.
"I keep folding big hands," Hanks said.
"You should've been out a long time ago. In a good way, not in a bad way," Langsweirdt told him.
Loni Hui raised to 1,200 from under the gun and action folded to the player in the big blind, who three-bet to 4,800. Undeterred, Hui four-bet to 18,000 and her opponent let his hand go.
Hui, a two-time WSOP bracelet winner, is sitting on about 90,000 late into Day 1d.
Andy Moc raised 1,200 in early positon and the action folded around to Arthur Ohannessian in the big blind who defended.
"Did he defend? I am so surprised!" Moc said sarcastically.
"This is a war! I just want to win one time, you've been raising my big blind all day" Responded Ohannessian.
The dealer fanned the A♦K♣3♣ flop, and Ohannessian quickly check-folded to a continuation bet of 1,200.
Moc has claimed to three-bet Ohannessian at least 20 times.
The following hand, Moc raised under the gun and the action folded around to Ohannessian once again in the small blind and he made the call before the big blind got out of the way.
Just before the dealer fanned the Q♥8♥5♥ flop, Ohannessian bet 1,000 dark. Moc raised to 2,800 and Ohannessian called.
The 6♣ hit the turn and Ohannessian check-called another bet of 3,300.
When the 10♠ completed the board, both players checked. Ohannessian tabled A♣Q♠ and before Moc reacted Ohannessian yelled, "Ship it! I finally got one!"
Moc joked, "What would happen if I slow-rolled here?" As he hadn't opened his hand.
After a few seconds he pitched his cards into the muck and Ohannessian had a massive smile on his face.
"You look so handsome when you win! No more grumpy face," Said Moc as Ohannessian dragged the pot.
"Am I supposed to be happy when you've been kicking my A** all day?"
Christina Renz started the action with a. raise to 1,600 and picked up calls from Scotty Nguyen on the button and Randall Emmett in the big blind.
The flop appeared 5♠4♥Q♥ and Emmett checked to Renz who continued for 5,000. Nguyen replied with a raise to 15,000 and only Renz called.
When the 4♦ hit the turn, Renz check-called Nguyen for 12,000.
The K♠ completed the board and Renz check-called again Nguyen for a bet of 15,000. Nguyen tabled K♦Q♠ for two pair but Renz revealed A♠A♦ for a better two pair and took down the nice pot.
