After hanging on with his short stack for as long as he could, the card dead Daniel Negreanu finally got it all in and was going to either double up or go home.  Stanislav Alekhin has been playing the role of assassin here in London, and when it was folded to him in the small blind he bet enough to cover Daniel Negreanu and Daniel (right) called from the big blind.

Daniel was behind with his A9 trailing Alekhin and his pocket jacks.  With an animated Daniel commentating, saying he had seen an ace beat a pair before and cheering for cards to make it more interesting, the board was put out.  No help for Daniel and when no ace appeared on the river that was the end of the road for Daniel Negreanu.  He finishes in 5th place for £217,200.

With Daniel’s elimination the Russian’s are all that much closer to being heads up with each other for the title.  The two are 1-2 in the chip counts, though Alekhin has pulled away while Ivan Demidov has fallen back and is in the same range as John Juanda.  Bengt Sonnert takes over the role of the shortstack with Negreanu gone from the action.

Here are the counts:
Stanislav Alekhin - 3.7 million
Ivan Demidov - 1.6 million
John Juanda - 1.45 million
Bengt Sonnert - 525k

Blinds are still 12k / 24k with a 3k ante.

• October 2, 2008 -- Turned Upside Down, But Still Evenish
• October 2, 2008 -- Bengt Bounced, Juanda Gains Ground
• October 2, 2008 -- Negreanu Scrapping, Juanda Doubles
• October 2, 2008 -- The Russians Are Coming!

In the play right after the dinner break a short stacked Daniel Negreanu (left) is fighting to hang on in the World Series of Poker Europe Mian Event.  Daniel is working in the 12-15 big blind range, meaning he has to be willing to get it in and that one misstep or unfortunate turn of a card could spell his demise. 

A double up would be ideal, but Daniel is also in a good spot to pick off weak opening raises.  His stack is still enough that players don’t want to call him too light because of both the chunk it could take out of their stack and that doubling him up would put a very dangerous player back in the mix.

In one hand Daniel had to fold to Ivan Demidov.  Negreanu had called the 61k opening raise from his spot in the big blind.  On the AK6 flop Daniel check and then folded when Ivan bet enough to put him all in.  The next hand the two were at it again.  Demidov again opened for 61k and Daniel called from the small blind.  On the 754 Daniel took the option away from Demidov by moving all in himself for 215,000.  Ivan folded and Daniel is back up to around 350k for the time being.

While Daniel is looking for a spot to get it in, the two Russians are being the most aggressive and taking the lions share of the pots.  Stanislav Alekhin is cruising along, constantly picking up small pots and applying pressure to the rest of the table.  Ivan is also active, pulling enough chips in to gain ground as well.

John Juanda was able to get a much needed double up in a pot against Bengt Sonnert.  Bengt limped and when Juanda raised from the big blind Sonnert moved in over the top.  Juanda quietly said call and Negreanu piped up to let everyone know there was an “All in and a call.”  Sonnert had the A7 while Juanda was poised for the double up with his pocket queens.  The flop was safe for John, the turn added a wheel draw for Bengt, but the river bricked, doubling Juanda up to over 1.3 million in chips while leaving Sonnert with just over 500k. 

• October 2, 2008 -- Turned Upside Down, But Still Evenish
• October 2, 2008 -- Bengt Bounced, Juanda Gains Ground
• October 2, 2008 -- Kid Poker Felted
• October 2, 2008 -- The Russians Are Coming!

Daniel Negreanu (right) predicted a 15+ hour final table.  A few hours into the day it looked like Stanislav Alekhin and Ivan Demidov were going to clean house before the dinner break.  After the flurry of eliminations brought the field down to 5 players things stalled out a bit.  Ivan Demidov had Bengt Sonnert all in and dominated but Bengt was saved by a 3-outer that kept the field 5 handed.

Since then the field has leveled out some and there has been a lot of preflop poker with not many large pots moving around the table.  The players finished up play before dinner break at 10k / 20k with a 3k ante blind level and after dinner will be back to play the 12k / 24k with a 3k ante level.  The blinds are increasing but the average stack is just under 1.5 million putting plenty of chips on the table to provide for lots of play at the blind amounts scheduled for the next few levels of play.

One of the largest pots since the last bustout came just 3 hands before the dinner break.  Juanda raised to 55k from the button and Alekhin called from the big blind.  On the 652 flop Stanislav checked to Juanda who bet 100k and was called.  On the K turn Alekhin again checked and Juanda doubled the bet putting out 200k.  After a while Alekhin made the call.

With the 3 to fill out the board the action was sent to Juanda for the third time.  True to form he bet, putting out 320k.  After check calling the flop and turn Stanislav took a new line on the river and check raised all in forcing Juanda to decide for the rest of his chips.  After a long time for thought a very uncomfortable looking Juanda found a fold and tossed his hand away.  The next hand Juanda moved all in over the top of a Bengt Sonnert opening raise to get a very few of the chips lost back.

The players head off to their two hour dinner break with Stanislav Alekhin holding a commanding lead over fellow Russian Ivan Demidov, and both Russians pacing the rest of the field.  Negreanu is the shortest of the stacks, winning few pots and being handcuffed by the aggressive and hot Alekhin on his immediate right.  The break may come at a good time for Juanda to give him a few hours to mentally recover from the huge pot he just surrendered before the break leaving himself on the bottom half of the chip counts and with only around 20% of the chips Alekhin is sitting with.

Here are rough chip counts for the players at the break:

Stanislav Alekhin 3,350,000
Ivan Demidov 1,950,000
Bengt Sonnert 900,000
John Juanda 650,000
Daniel Negreanu 350,000

• October 2, 2008 -- Turned Upside Down, But Still Evenish
• October 2, 2008 -- Bengt Bounced, Juanda Gains Ground
• October 2, 2008 -- Kid Poker Felted
• October 2, 2008 -- Negreanu Scrapping, Juanda Doubles

The Russians (Ivan Demidov and Stanislov Alekhin) have continued to lead the way, and when Demidov had Bengt Sonnert all it looked like another elimination would came at the hand of a Russian and more chips would slide the their end of the table.

Sonnert (left) was all in preflop with his A7 against Demidov’s pocket queens.  The flop was no help for Sonnert but the A on the river was just what he needed.  His significant cheering section erupted when the ace hit.  No redraw on the river was in the works and Bengt Sonnert binking an ace on the turn has taken a bite out of Demidov while building Sonnert’s stack to just over 1 million. 

The two Russians still lead the way, but Sonnert’s double up has leveled the playing field a bit.  Demidov’s loss against Sonnert sets him back a bit, down to 1.7 million chips, but there have been no setbacks for Stanislov Alekhin yet and he continues to build his lead, now sitting with 2.3 million chips.

John Juanda is still slightly over a million, just ahead of Sonnert after his double up.  Daniel Negreanu has the only player under 1 million chips, but he is barely under that mark and though his stack is the shortest he is not far off of Juanda and Sonnert, and is only one double through away from switching places with chip leader Alekhin.

• October 2, 2008 -- Turned Upside Down, But Still Evenish
• October 2, 2008 -- Bengt Bounced, Juanda Gains Ground
• October 2, 2008 -- Kid Poker Felted
• October 2, 2008 -- Negreanu Scrapping, Juanda Doubles

Actually, they are already here.  And at the rate they are going they will be the only ones left before long.  Ivan Demidov and Stanislav Alekhin are atop the chip counts, and the 4 eliminations today have all came at the hands of the Russians.  Scott “emptyseat88″ Fischman (right), Toni Hiltunen and Robin Keston have all now joined Chris Elliott on the sidelines.

Alekhin took out Hiltunen in 8th place when the two ended up all in preflop and Alekhin’s pocket queens held up against Toni’s pocket jacks.  8th place for Toni Hiltunen brings £108,600. 

Next up was Ivan Demidov’s turn at being the executioner, eliminating Robin Keston in 7th place for £135,750. Demidov had opened for 38k and Keston moved all in.  Ivan called with pocket nines and was well ahead of the A-8 for Keston.  Robin picked up a flush draw on the 9 turn which made a set for Ivan.  The river was a blank though, ending the day for Keston and puting more chips in the hands of November Niner.

 Not to be outdone, Alekhin (below) got right back to work and has sent two time bracelet winner Scott “emptyseat88″ Fischman off to collect his £171,950 for 7th place.  Ivan had started the action with a raise and both Fischman and Alekhin called.  On the AJT flop Ivan checked, Fischman bet 45k and then Stanislav took over control of the pot by raising to 135k.  Ivan got out of the way leaving the action to Fischman who moved the rest of his stack into the middle.  Stanislav was sitting on the nuts and couldn’t call quick enough.

The KQ for the Russian gave him a flopped straight while Fischman only had the AQ for top pair and a straight draw in hopes of chopping the pot.  The possibility of running cards for a full house went out the door with a 4 on the turn leaving Fischman looking for a king to split the pot and continue on.  It didn’t happen and Alekhin added another notch on his belt from this final table.

Play is now 5 handed with the two Russians leading the way.  Daniel Negreanu, John Juanda and Bengt Sonnert will have to find some way to slow the Russians down before the steamroll of this final table is complete.

• October 2, 2008 -- Elite Eight
• October 2, 2008 -- Turned Upside Down, But Still Evenish
• October 2, 2008 -- Bengt Bounced, Juanda Gains Ground
• October 2, 2008 -- Kid Poker Felted