Hot Ferenc on Ferenc Action

Ferenc Riech, who'd somehow upped his stack to around 600,000, put Ferenc Bartha to a decision for his tournament life on the river of a 3d Kc Ac 3s Jh board. The elder Ferenc tanked up for some time before calling all in - and was soon standing up in celebration, wandering the tournament floor delightedly while the dealer counted his stack.

Bartha: As Qh

Riech: tried to muck, but was forced to show 7d 8d

With that, Bartha doubled to around 360,000 and still looks terribly pleased with himself, several minutes after the event. Riech was not very happy at all, but on 430,000 after that, he's in no trouble whatsoever.

No Win for Luis

The comeback is over for Luis Maria Martinez.

He shoved for 40,000 in early position, and it folded around to Mikucas Istvan, who reshoved for 65,000 total. Everyone else got out of their way, and they were on their backs.

"Ace-ten?" Istvan wished out loud. It was even better for him - although still, as Istvan noted, a coinflip.

Martinez: Js Ts

Istvan: 3s 3c

Board: a no-nonsense 2d 3d 8d 2c 7d, making Istvan a full house. He bellowed, "Full house!" across the room, for emphasis.

Martinez is no more, and Istvan is back in with a chance on 110,000.

New Last Woman Standing Found

Oops! Apologies, womenfolk everywhere - Ulrike Schröder was not the last lady standing. That honour goes to Laszlone Balics, still very much in the running. Just as I noticed her still hunched over a tournament table, though, she risked her tournament life, going all in for 80,000 over what looked like a reraise and a call.

But it was a false alarm - both her opponents folded (one showed A-Q) and she picked up the pot. On 100,000 now, she's still below average though.

Miracle Comeback for Martinez?

Amazingly, Luis Maria Martinez is still here.

He just now shoved under the gun for shrapnel with Ah Td and got looked up by the gentleman in the big blind holding Ac 9s. The board ran out a harmless 8h 5s Ks 6c 2c and Martinez doubled to 45,000 - still very dodgy, as the blinds are now going up to 2,500/5,000 /500.

Martin Dietrich, formerly of Martinez' table, has fared rather less well - he busted out a few minutes ago, mere spitting distance from the money.

Schröde of Destiny

This PPT is a men-only affair from here on in - our last lady standing, Ulrike Schröder, has just taken a dive.

I'm not sure exactly how it went down, but she was holding Q-8 and was up against another player's Q-J. There was zero assistance for her on the 7-2-6-T-3 board, and she was gone.

Big Stack Watch

...Wherein we check up on all the people who have been cited as chip leader or near to it in the past few hours. Curiously, the chips continue to roll towards that corner table - Ferenc Riech has now joined Andreas Zauner and Milan Zaric at that table, making the already glum short stacks' faces fall further towards the felt.

Milan Zaric - over 500,000 and chip leader by my reckoning

Andreas Zauner - dropped a little to 300,000

Ferenc Riech - 440,000

Jörg Kleindienst, a couple tables over - 480,000

The average stack is 166,000.

Martinez Shaken, Not Stirred

Disaster for Luis Maria Martinez!

He found himself looking at a 3h Qh Ad flop and it looked as though he had checked from the big blind position. Ferenc Gal, under the gun, bet 15,000 - and Martinez now raised to cover Gal. The chips went in, the cards were turned over, and it was a very bad spot for Martinez. Great spot for Gal, though.

Gal: AJ

Martinez: A7

The turn and river were both blanks, and a cheerful Gal doubled to just shy of 200,000. Martinez was crippled to just 20,000. He's still here, but he looks very depressed. We're down to 36 players, just nine places off the money.