Antonio Esfandiari (pictured in less chatty times)
Antonio Esfandiari came back from the dinner break awfully chatty. He seems to be a talkative person by nature, but he's really been chattering heavily for the last half hour.
While we were here at our desk typing, we couldn't help but eavesdrop on his table talk about 25 feet away. Matt Marafioti was his first target.
"Kid has a decision every hand," he said as Marafioti tanked preflop. "Every single hand, this kid's got a decision." The two exchanged a few quieter comments, and Esfandiari continued. "Now you're just doing it to get under my skin. Every hand."
A few moments later, Esfandiari was forced out of a pot by David Benyamine. "Take it, sir," he said. "You've been beating me for eight years. I don't see that changing any time soon."
Just then, Andy Frankenberger came sprinting past their table on his way to the restroom, presumably. "Frankenberger!" Esfandiari's voice followed him out the door. "Frankenberger. That's gotta be the coolest name in poker. Except Lunkin. Lunkin. Lun-kin. We got a Lunkin!"
If you had more than twice the average chips with 24 players left in a $10k, you might be a little chatty, too.
Manuel Bevand came in raising to 12,000 in early position, and Bryn Kenney three-bet to 29,000 from the hijack. Bevand clicked it back to 52,000, Kenney shoved for 130,000, and the cards were on their backs soon thereafter.
Showdown
Bevand:
Kenney:
There was no help for Kenny on the board, and Bevand's queens outrun him. Kenney is forced to the rail in 25th place, and the money bubble is starting to loom on the horizon.
Bevand has positioned himself well as he stacks up a half-million chips following that knockout.
Jason Senti is now the tournament's short stack after granting a double to Steven Silverman. The pot began with the latter opening with a cutoff raise and . Senti three-bet from the big blind holding . Silverman only had 31,000 to start the hand, and he quickly called off his remainder to put himself at risk.
He'd win the coin flip. The board ran , and the pair of tens is going to keep Silverman in this game. He's back to 71,000, while Sent drops to about half that count.
In middle position, Steve Landfish raised to 11,500. Jeff Tims called from the hijack, and Mike McDonald followed them into the pot from the small blind. In the big, Liv Boeree found a squeezing hand. She had just 34,000 chips left, and she shoved all in behind those three players. Only Tims called her down, and he had snuck in with a monster.
Showdown
Tims:
Boeree:
The mighty jack-seven could not overcome the hole it began in. A board of has sent her off to the ropes, and Tims is now making a chip charge of his own.
Mohsin Charania raised to 10,500 in middle position and Chris Klodnicki defended his big blind.
The flop came down and Klodnicki check-called 14,000 to see the turn. Both checked and did the same when the hit the river. Charania showed for a pair of nines, good enough to win the pot.
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board, and Bevand's queens outrun him. Kenney is forced to the rail in 25th place, and the money bubble is starting to loom on the horizon.
. Senti three-bet from the big blind holding 
, and the pair of tens is going to keep Silverman in this game. He's back to 71,000, while Sent drops to about half that count.
and Tims checked it to Moorman who bet 13,500. Tims raised the pot, Moorman moved all in, and Tims called immediately.
turn ended any sweat as Moorman made a full house.
has sent her off to the ropes, and Tims is now making a chip charge of his own.
for a pair of nines, good enough to win the pot.
