After sitting side by side for 5 hours and playing very few pots together Tyler “Tydean” Smith (pictured right) and Allen “AawwNutz” Carter clashed in a hand that would essentially double Carter up and send Smith to the rail in 5th place.

Hilbert Shirey raised to 400K from the cutoff with the blinds at 40K/80K ante 10K and Tyler Smith quickly moved all-in from the small blind.  Carter immediately moved all-in from the big blind behind him and Shirey folded pocket sevens face up.  Carter just barely had Smith covered and the two went to the races with Tyler holding AK to Allen’s QQ.  The board ran out J8428 and Smith was sent packing with $134,500.  Carter finally got the double up he was looking for and increased his stack to 2.28 million chips.

It didn’t take long for the next player to be eliminated.  A mere three hands later Shirey moved all-in from the small blind for his final 620K chips and Bobby Suer didn’t hesitate before calling with A8.  Hilbert held JT and was left drawing to a gutshot straight after the flop came AK9.  The turn was the 9 and no help came with the 8 on the river, so Hilbert Shirey was eliminated in 4th place for $184,607.

Allen Carter has become increasingly aggressive in the past hour and it appears to be paying off for him.  On the first hand of 3-handed play Shamseddin raised to 200K from the button, Suer called from the small blind and Carter re-popped it to 600K from the big blind.  Shamseddin folded and Suer thought briefly before calling.  The flop ran outA74 and Suer checked to Carter who fired 350K which was enough to induce Suer to fold.

Here are the most recent chip counts from 3-handed play:
Soheil Shamseddin - 3.49 million
Allen “AawwNutz” Carter - 3.04 million
Bobby Suer - 1.97 million

• January 17, 2009 -- Good Luck Chuck–Kim Doubles Up
• January 16, 2009 -- Shamseddin Headin’ Up the Chip Counts
• January 18, 2009 -- Shamseddin Busted by Carter; Heads-Up Play Begins
• January 17, 2009 -- Final Table Set — Carter 2nd in Chips, Smith 4th