Blinds Up

The blinds are now $80,000-$160,000

Take Forever – Part V

The heads-up match has now gone over 250 hands and the chip stacks are about back to even.

Smurfit Takes the Lead

Just like a shift in the tide, Smurfit took down a pot with a pot-sized raise. This once again gave him the chip lead.

Alan Smurfit Wins Event No. 33 ($464,867)

On a flop of J 8 6 Qushqar Morad moved all in and Alan Smurfit made the call. Smurfit turned up Q J 8 2 and Morad turned over 10 9 9 6. The turn and river cards were dealt 6 8. Smurfit won the hand, and $464,867. He also took home the gold bracelet after a 167 hand marathon heads-up battle. Morad took home $279,595 for his second-place finish.

Take Forever – Part III

The heads-up match has now gone 75 hands.

The Price of Poker Has Gone Up – Astronomically

The players then went on a 15 minute break. When they returned the blinds were kicked up to $50,000-$100,000. Geeezzzz…

Smurfit Refuses to Quit

Alan Smurfit made a pot-sized $600,000 bet and Qushqar Morad made the call on a board of 9 7 6 8. The river brought the K and Smurfit moved all in. Morad called and Smurfit flipped over the A and 2 for a flush. Morad mucked and Smurfit double up again. This time he took the chip lead:

Alan Smurfit: $2,300,000
Qushqar Morad: $1,100,000

200 Hands – 96 Heads Up

‘Nuff said.

Take Forever

The final three players didn’t seem too interested in advancing the action, so the blinds were kicked up again. The blinds were now $30,000-$60,000.

Van Marcus Eliminated in Third Place ($190,326)

After a rapid succession raise, reraise, all-in push; Van Marcus found himself all in against Alan Smurfit with a flop of 7 6 6 on the table. Smurfit revealed K 9 7 7 and Marcus turned up 9 8 6 3. The turn and river cards were dealt Q Q. Smurfit scored a full house and the pot. Marcus scored a trip to the rail in third place. He took home $190,326 as a consolation prize.

Heads Up

Qushqar Morad: $2,125,000
Alan Smurfit: $1,300,000

Early Tussle

On a board of A 8 8 8 Smurfit bet $100,000 and Qushqar Morad raised to $400,000 total. Smurfitt mucked his hand and he lost over $300,000 on the hand. Morad now had an even larger lead and the pace of the match would be his to determine.

Avoiding the Inevitable

Morad and Smurfit’s heads-up match went by with out much action for the next half hour but the blinds were cutting into Smurfit’s stack. Morad seemed content to just lean into him and wait for the issue to press itself. Smurfit had less than $900,000 at this point.

Chris Bjorin Eliminated in Fourth Place ($129,691)

Chris Bjorin and Van Marcus got it all in with a flop of 9 6 2 out on the board. Bjorin revealed Q 10 9 7 and Marcus flipped up A J 10 7. The turn and river cards came 3 Q and Marcus made his diamond flush on the river. Bjorin was eliminated in fifth place by his opponent’s gain, and he will take home $129,691 in prize money.

Smurfitt Takes Down a Pot

Alan Smurfit grabbed a $500,000 pot from Qushqar Morad with three eights and a superior kicker. Both players held an eight, but the king kicker of Smurfitt gave him the large pot.

Morad Reclaims Some Chips

Morad and Smurfit have been exchanging punches as of late. They got involved in another large pot, and this time Morad was the victor. He revealed three nines after the action between Smurfit and Morad pumped the pot to $395,000.

Leader Board

Van Marcus: $545,000
Qushqar Morad: $1,980,000
Alan Smurfit: $945,000

Brandon Adams Eliminated in Sixth Place ($75,794)

Brandon Adams moved all in for his last $105,000 and Qushqar Morad made the call on a flop of J J 9. Adams flipped up A A 8 6 and Morad turned over Q Q 3 3. Adams was in the lead with aces up until the 3 fell on the river to give Morad a full house. The river brought the 9 and Adams was eliminated in sixth place. He took home $75,794 in prize money. Morad has now sent three of the last four players to the rail.

Chau Giang Eliminated in Fifth Place ($96,005)

On a board of K Q 10 3 Chris Bjorin bet the pot and Chau Giang made an all-in call. Bjorin turned over A J 10 4 and Giang revealed 10 10 7 3. Giang would need to improve his set of tens on the river to eclipse the ace-high straight. He just missed when the 9 was dealt on the river. Giang was eliminated in fifth place, and he will take home $96,005 in prize money.

Leader Board

Van Marcus: $425,000
Qushqar Morad: $1,540,000
Alan Smurfit: $650,000
Chris Bjorin: $880,000

Break Time

The players then went on a fifteen minute break.