Yesterday Jimmy “gobboboy” Fricke, who is not playing the event, estimated that around half of the field would be eliminated by the time registration closed at the end of the 8th level of play.  Seven levels are now in the books and with the total entrant number currently at 270 and the remaining player count at 180 roughly 35 players would need to bust during the 600 / 1,200 100 ante level to hit Jimmy’s prediction spot on.  He isn’t going to be too far off either way as elimination have been picking up in the last couple of levels.

Recently David “Bakes” Baker and Brent “Bhanks11″ Hanks were both eliminated.  Baker was all in for a significant chunk of chips against Markus “LURPED” Gonsalves (right).  The all in and call happened on the turn of a AK7Q board where Baker and his {Qx}J found the T8 of Gonsalves.  The river was the A and with that Baker made his exit from the tournament while a towering stacks of the brown 1k chips along with the rest of Baker’s stack was sent over to Gonsalves.

For Hanks (left) the end came when he found pocket aces under the gun.  He raised to 2,700 and two players called.  On the KJ7 flop Hanks led out for 5,600 and the middle player folded while the second caller put the chips out to make the call.  With the 9 on the turn Hanks moved all in for 16,200.  After checking to make sure Brent was all in the other player said call and turned over the QT for a turned straight.  “That’s good,” Hanks said as he tabled his AA.

Table talk ended up costing Cliff “JohnnyBax” Josephy the last pot of the level at his table.  On a board of Q327 Cliff had top pair and a king high spade draw and planned to check raise all in for his last 19k or so but the other player checked behind to the J river.  Josephy again checked the action over and the player bet 12,000.  All of the other players had cleared out for break and Cliff said he was 100% sure he had the best hand until the guy started talking to him and then he was 100% sure he was beat.  “I’ve got a big hand,” Cliff told the other player but ultimately decided “not as big as yours though.  I fold.”  He was then shown the A5 for ace high and left to go onto break wishing he had made the call.  Josephy will return from the break with a short stack of 19k.

Players Doing Well:

• October 23, 2009 -- Mackey Busts The Bear, Scarface Also Out
• October 22, 2009 -- Five and Done
• October 22, 2009 -- Gross To The Lead
• October 22, 2009 -- Festa al Lago 2009 Day 2 Gallery