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Mikhail Smirnov raised the button, and Dan Smith came along to the flop out of position. The dealer rolled out 
, and Smith check-called a bet of 45,000. The turn brought the 
and a pair of checks, and the river 
was the last card off the deck. Now Smith leapt into action with a bet of 110,000, and Smirnov made the call to see what was what.
Smith tabled 
, and his pair of tens was good enough to win him the pot.
Dan Smith raised to 40,000 from the button, and Mikhail Smirnov defended his big blind to see a flop.
It came 
, and Smirnov took the lead with 55,000 of his own chips. Smith surrendered.
On the next hand, Smirnov limped in from the button, and Smith took a free 
flop. Now Smith took a cue from his opponent and led out with 25,000, but Smirnov called to see the 
hit the turn. Smith tried again with another 55,000, but Smirnov raised it up to 185,000 total, and Smith tanked and folded.
Level: 12
Blinds: 10,000/20,000
Ante: 0
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,208,000
208,000
|
208,000 |
|
992,000
-208,000
|
-208,000 |
|
||
The players are now on a break.
From the button, Dan Smith raised the minimum to 32,000. Mikhail Smirnov called from the big blind and the flop came down 
. Both players checked.
The turn was the and Smirnov bet 20,000. Smith called.
After the 
paired the board on the river, both players checked and it was time for the showdown.
Smirnov tabled the 
and Smith mucked his hand.
Dan Smith check-called a bet of 24,000 on the 
board before the landed on the river. Smith checked again and this time Mikhail Smirnov fired 100,000. Smith gave it some thought, but opted to fold and Smirnov won the pot.
Dan Smith raised the button, and Mikhail Smirnov defended his big blind to see the flop.
It came 
, and Smirnov check-called a bet from Smith. It looked like 32,000, but we really can't say with any certainty. What we do know is that both men checked through the 
turn, and the river 
drew a leading bet from Smirnov. It was 106,000, and it sent Smith into the tank. He used up a Time Bank chip, mumbled a few words that indicated his hand wasn't very strong, and then made the call.
Smirnov tabled 
to win the pot, and someone on Smith's rail yelled a sarcastic, "Nice call, Dan!"
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,200,000
-134,000
|
-134,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,000,000
134,000
|
134,000 |
Just moments after Joe Hachem fell in third place, Dan Smith and Mikhail Smirnov were all in up on the feature table stage after a preflop raising war found all of the money in the middle. Smith tabled the best of it with the 
and was all in for 667,000 against the for Smirnov.
The flop was safe for Smith was the 
fell and then the turn added the to the board. Smirnov needed a ten and a ten only to end the tournament, but he couldn't find it when the hit the river. Smith's jacks held up and he doubled to the chip lead with 1.334 million.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,334,000
709,000
|
709,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
866,000
-634,000
|
-634,000 |
Joe Hachem and Dan Smith were very close in chips when they got it all in preflop, both holding suited aces. Unfortunately for Hachem, his ace was dominated.
Showdown
Hachem: 
Smith: 
The flop drew a roar from the hometown crowd that's assembled on the balcony overhead. Hachem flopped lucky to pull himself into a big lead with two to come, but Smith did earn a straight draw as a consolation.
The turn was a fantastic card if you like a good sweat. It gave Hachem trip nines, but it added another set of outs for Smith as he now had spades as knockout cards, too.
River:
Bink! �� as they say in the parlance of our times. Smith goes runner-runner to get back in front and earn the knockout. Five spades is too many to keep Hachem around, and the 2005 WSOP Main Event champ has been sent off from this $100,000 Challenge in third place. He'll add another A$ 330,000 to his career earnings as he notches his largest cash in the region by a big margin. It's a couple spots shy of his goal though, but Hachem was still all smiles and handshakes as he made his way from the table.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
625,000
245,000
|
245,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
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