Annuztia D did an amazing job at staying alive throughout final table play. She only took stabs here and there, and even showed a few monsters after everybody had folded, building credibility among her table mates. She sat there, stealing the occasional blind, and climbing the payout table as players were taken out.

That was until she felt like she had to take a stand, clearly last in chips with 5 players left, with just a few blinds in her stack and in her hand. Walter Asatoorian, the man of a thousand monsters, had , and although the board offered Annuztia a gutshot on the flop, it did not come.

Annuztia cashes $12,400 for her 5th place finish. Congratulations!

Walter Asatoorian now has a stranglehold on this final, with too many chips to handle. The Champion’s Trophy was brought to the table, adding some incentive for our final 4.

Ruben Perceval had raise-folded twice in the past couple of rounds, and was now at about 3.5M chips, so when Asatoorian raised from the cut-off, he decided to go all-in right away, not caring for post-flop play with the chip leader. As he could see when the cards were tabled, his timing could not have been worse.

Ruben Perceval:
Walter Asatoorian:

Board:

Just like that, the most experienced player on the table walked away in 6th with $9,430, as 3 shorter-stacked players were gloating.

After the terrible blow that Anthony Payette suffered when Walter Asatoorian rivered a straight, he was left with about a million chips. He managed to earn a few few chips after that, before doubling through Ruben Perceval when his got the best of Ruben’s . Both of them are now at about 3.5M, while Asatoorian is still leading with almost 10M, and Mounzer Awada in between with about 4M.

Malik Lefty just doubled through the chip leader with against Asatoorian’s , and is now at almost 3M, while Annuztia remains in the 1M vicinity.

Vi Thanh Tony To had been very patient, trying to jump up the prize pool or find a big hand. With 4 big blinds left and on the cut-off, he found , and decided it was time to dance. Amirpasha Emami quickly made the call from the big blind with , pretty short himself, barely covering him.

Board:

It was over on the turn, and with To’s elimination, Emami found a much needed breath of fresh air. 2 hands later however, Emami pushed his now 1-million stack from the button with , but the timing could not have been worse. Walter Asatoorian woke up with , and hit an ace on the flop, a hit that spelled Emami’s elimination in 7th place.

Vi Thanh Tony To cashed $4,900 for his 8th place finish, while Emami’s 7th position got him $6,820. Great job gentlemen!

Play has been a little sterile in the half-hour that followed the break. The fact that Annuztia D and Vi Thanh Tony to were very short stacked must have something to do with it. With great pay jumps for every bust, players are reluctant to take major risks.

That being said, after both of these short stacks managed to double up, it was Malik lefty who finally popped up. When Walter Asattorian made it 300K to go from the under-th-gun position, Lefty pushed 650K forward, or almost half his stack, showing great strength. Asatoorian made the call, and when the flop came king high, he checked it to Malik, who bet 500K. Walter paused, and announced all-in. As he called, Malik showed , for a top set. Walter’s was drawing to a runner-runner straight, which did not come.

Malik lost a chunk of his new chips to Mounzer Awada shortly after.

Our 8 finalists are now on break. On the last hand of the break, a pot of almost 10 million chips was played. Anthony Payette opened to 185K from the button, and Walter Asatoorian 3-bet to 480K. Payette made he call, and they went to the flop: .

Asatoorian checked it, and Payette placed a measely 300K bet, enticing his opponent. Asatoorian took the bait, and went all-in for about 4 million chips. Payette called instantly, and showed the goods:

Anthony Payette:
Walter Asatoorian:

The turn was the innocent , but the river came with a bang: ! Walter is now very comfortable in the driver seat, as Anthony Payette, after leading the pack, is left with about a million chips. Play resumes at blinds 50K/100K/a100K.

Here are the counts at the break: