Level 18 ended and during the break, the black (100) and purple (500) chips were colored up and removed from play. When action resumed, they were in level 19 with blinds of 5k/10k and 1k antes.
134 players remained. Only 120 will get paid. The short stacks were looking for a hand to get their chips in good.
Olga Varkonyi
Olga Varkonyi (Great Neck, NY) made her moved with QT offsuit when action folded to her on the button. The small blind looked her up with AJ. The flop came 8 8 2 and changed nothing. Olga took the lead on the turn when a Ten fell, but the river delivered a Jack for her opponent, giving him the pot and sending Olga to the rail in 132nd place.
131...130...129...
Pocket 4s fell to T8 when an 8 hit the river. Another one gone.
Joanne Monteavarro (Bronx, NY) mucks pocket 7s in the blind after a raise. Her opponent shows pocket Aces. Joanne gives herself a pat on the back for the good laydown.
128...127...
Mike 'Little Man' Sica
Mike 'Little Man' Sica (N Brunswick, NJ) was looking for his spot and moved in from middle position. Play folded around to Robert Boyko (Bronx, NY) in the small blind, who made the call. His pocket Jacks were crushed by Mike's pocket Queens. The flop came Q T 6, giving Mike a set and extending his lead. The Jack on the turn was too little, too late, for Robert. His set was no good. A 6 on the river completed Little Man's full house and he doubled up to ~200k.
126 players...table 15 broken. Now 14 tables (9-handed)...125...124...123...122...
Things got a little crazy, so they stopped the clock to get a head count. After three passes through the tables, they confirmed that only 120 players remained, so the bubble had already burst. A round of applause went up when it was announced that they were in the money!!
The next 20 players to bust will earn $1,071 for their efforts.
