Ben Wilinofsky hasn't exactly been maniacal with his big stack so far, but is not worried about taking on the aggressive Heinzelmann and the big stacked Kursevich when the opportunity presents itself.
Just now Max Heinzelmann raised under the gun to 200,000 (how many times today am I going to be writing that?) and button Vadzim Kursevic raised to 440,000. Big blind Ben Wilinofsky had a stare at his opponents, their stacks, and his own before putting in a four-bet to 1,075,000. This won him the pot there and then.
Ben Wilinofsky raised to 200,000 and won the blinds and antes.
The next hand Max Heinzelmann raised to 200,000 and Martin Jacobson flat-called on the button. Heinzelmann, who has opened a fair bit, checked the flop of and quickly folded to a 230,000 bet from Jacobson.
Jacobson is gradually catching the chasing pack but all still train Wilinofsky by a large amount, however with the rising blinds this could all change very quickly...
Ben Wilinofsky min-raised under the gun and got away with the blinds and antes; the next hand he got a walk in the big blind. One hand passed with no Wilinofsky involvement (Max Heinzelmann got a walk) and then the Canadian was straight back in there, raising to 200,000 from the button. This time, though, Martin Jacobson shoved from the big blind for 2,455,000. Wilinofsky waited for the push to be counted and announced, "If it's over two and a half, that's too much." It wasn't quite two and a half, but he folded anyway, and Jacobson took the pot. He's up to over 2.7 million.
Max Heinzelmann raised to 250,000 from the small blind but Martin Jacobson moved all-in for just under 2 million and Heinzelmann quickly folded.
The next hand saw Jacobson raise to 250,000 from the small blind and Vadzim Kursevich decided to just flat-call to see a flop of . Both players checked and the came on the turn, Jacobson, not a man who plays too passively, now fired 285,000 and Kursevich quickly folded.
Nothing past a flop for a while now. Max Heinzelmann and Ben Wilinofsky have picked up where they left off with the whole see-a-flop, bet-a-flop turn taking. Heinzelmann raised under the gun (200k, the standard raise atm) and Wilinofsky called. This pot went to Heinzelmann when he bet 230,000 on the .
Minutes later the c-bettor reversed and Wilinofsky won the chips right back betting a flop.
After that quick double bust out things have become a little cagier.
Vadzim Kursevich opened preflop on the button to 210,000 and Darren Kramer reraised all-in from the small blind for 1.33 million , Kursevich called but not without a minute of dwelling.
Kursevich:
Kramer:
The flop was like a death sentence for Kramer when it came and he was left drawing to running cards but the turn meant it was all over. The river just a mere footnote in this hand.
By the by, you might have noticed some shouting in the background on the live feed. We rushed over to see what was going on, and discovered that Fernando Brito was busting out from a very jovial table in the �5k six-max turbo event, his aces cracked by Kristojonas Andrulis' on a board. They all sound like they're having a lot of fun over there, with the possible exception of Mr. Brito. So there you go.
Having dropped to just 540,000, Joep van den Bijgaart found himself with little choice - even if he doubled he'd still be the short stack at the table. Having given up his big blind with a frustrated look, he shoved as soon as it passed to him on the small blind the very next hand.
Big blind Ben Wilinofsky took one look at his hand and made the call. On their backs!
Wilinofsky
van den Bijgaart
The flop put Wilinofsky in the lead and the rest of the board kept him there - so we lose the last remaining Team PokerStars Pro Joep van den Bijgaart after a hard fought afternoon.