Amir Lehavot opened to 51,000 in middle position and Stephen Chidwick popped it to 125,000 on the button. Nicolas Levi four-bet the pot from the small blind, forcing folds all around.
Tommy Vinas opened for 54,000 from late position and Amir Lehavot called from the button. The blinds released and the flop came . Vinas slid out 87,000 and Lehavot called. The on the turn brought checks from both players. The river saw Vinas bet 75,000 and Lehavot raised it up to 300,000. Vinas folded and dropped down to 940,000 and Lehavot is up to 1,500,000.
Amir Lehavot raised to 44,000 from the hijack only to have Sam Stein, who was next to act in the cutoff, reraise to 112,000. The reraise was enough to clear the field, Lehavot included, and Stein took down the pot without seeing a flop.
Action folded to Eric Cloutier in middle position and he opened for 47,000. McLean Karr then reraise pot from the cutoff. The blinds got out of the way and Cloutier thought for a solid minute before releasing his hand.
Michael Benvenuti opened for 42,000 from the cutoff and McLean Karr potted from the big blind, making his bet 148,000. Benvenuti took a moment and then folded.
Sam Stein raised to 42,000 from middle position and received calls from both the small blind and big, Michael Benvenuti and Eric Cloutier respectively. The three players watched the flop fall and it went check-check to Stein, who bet 58,000. Benvenuti made the call while Cloutier opted to get out of the way.
Both players then checked the turn and watched as the was put out on the river. Benvenuti check-called a bet of 132,000 only to muck when Stein revealed . With that, Stein is just over a million in chips.
The atmosphere surrounding the final table has been fairly subdued thus far. The crowd is content to simply observe, offering the occasional applause, but it seems as if everyone is simply waiting for something to happen . . . ourselves included.
Michael Benvenuti opened for 47,000, Tommy Vinas called and Sam Stein raised to 168,000. Benvenuti folded, as did Vinas. Stein picked a pot without seeing a flop.