What is this strange curse that has a hold over table #436, and in particular Michael Borovetz?
He and Isaac Haxton got all the chips in pre flop and the board ran . Haxton had made a straight with but the dealer mucked his hand and started pushing the pot towards Borovetz who held pockets kings.
A few of the players jumped in an stopped the dealer before it was too late. Phew!
There are currently many players have chip stacks of around 150,000 - 200,000. Steven Tabb, Nicolas Cardyn and Scott Clements are the rare few who join Layne Flack with more than 200,000.
A hand played out between Jim Collopy and Michael Borovetz that caused an awful lot of controversy and had the Floor Man making a very difficult decision.
The action had reached the river of an board with around 25,000 chips in the middle.
Collopy was first to act from under the gun and he checked. Borovetz said, "Ten."
Collopy thought his opponent was declaring his hand value and opened . The dealer mucked Collopy's hand and it was after this that Borovetz opened for five-high.
Borovetz claimed he was betting 10,000, and argued that he wouldn't declare a ten as he had five-four. Collopy argued that at no point did Borovetz motion to bet or put any chips in on the river.
Isaac Haxton said it looked like a blatant angle to him, and a great "move" to remember for the future.
The floor was called and ruled in favor of Borovetz, but gave no clear indication as to why. We can assume that it was the dealer error that cost Collopy the pot, as he mucked his hand before Borovetz opened a winning hand that must be shown to collect the pot.
Richard Toth and Tommy Vedes were a couple of the bigger name players still left in today's field, but have both been seen making their way to the rail in the last couple of minutes.
Here is what the players had to say via Twitter.
TothRichard Richard TothOut. Weaker player limp-called from SB my 16BB shove (BB) w K4, I had Q9.June 21 2012
TommyVedes TommyVedesGot the KK to fail vs the AQ for 60k out in 133rd #ontotheplowegoJune 21 2012
Layne Flack is at a new table and still hovering around the 200k mark. He just took a cautious approach in a hand versus the other big stack, Steven Tabb.
Tabb opened to 4,400 from under-the-gun and was only called by Flack in mid position. The flop fell and Tabb continued for 5,900. Call.
No more chips had the will of their keepers to venture into the middle as the turn and river were checked down. "Eights," said Tabb. Flack turned over and took the pot.
As this hand was happening Matt Affleck was busting from a nearby table.
mcmattopoker Matthew AffleckBleh out 134th in a big flip. Got in 35bb BvB w KQ to JJ . Happy with my playJune 21 2012
Richard Toth was under the gun when he opened it up to 4,000. The player directly next to him, the big blind, made the call and the two players watched as the dealer spread three cards along the felt.
Flop:
The big blind checked to Toth here and he bet 4,500. It didn't take long for the player to make the call ans the would hit the turn. This time both players checked and the completed the board on the river. When Toth's opponent checked, Toth thought long and heard before kind of shrugging and checking behind.
The player table , with the ace-high enough to take the pot away from Toth.
Layne Flack lost some of his chips earlier, but has managed to gain most of them back. We were there to see him take down a hand that went like this.
Folded to the player in the cutoff, he made it 4,500 to go. Steven Tabb called on the button and then Flack called in the big blind. The flop would see Flack quietly lead out for a bet of 10,000. The original aggressor tanked before he opted to let it go and then Tabb also got rid of his hand as Flack raked in the chips.