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Real-time updates from Level 29 of the 2009 PCA are brought to you by Howard Swains, Paul ‘Dr. Pauly’ McGuire, Stephen Bartley, and Brad Willis. Click refresh to see the latest updates.

Levels are 75 minutes long and blinds are 100,000-200,000 (20,000).

Last updated: 8:45pm

8:53–Walking to break

The last hand of the level was a walk in the big blind (not an uncommon occurrence in this version of three-handed play). It has now been nearly four and half hours since Alex Gomes busted in fourth place.

8:46pm–Nazari Takes One from Spindler

Benny Spindler raised to 600,000 from the small blind. Poorya Nazari called from the big blind. The flop was 9c-3c-3d. Spindler bet 700,000. Nazari raised to 1.625 million. Spindler called. The turn was the 10c. Spindler checked. Nazari bet 2.5 million and Spindler quickly folded. Nazari dragged the pot.

8.42pm–Spindler pushes Gregg back

Benny Spindler raises 400,000 and then calls Tony Gregg’s 1.2m reraise. They see a flop of Qd-5s-8c and Gregg bets 875,000. Spindler calls. The turn is the Kd and after Gregg checks, Spindler announces all in, which is too rich by half for Gregg, who folds.

8.32pm: Good enough

In a patch of play light on action the three finalists each add 400,000 to the pot pre-flop to get a hand started. 2h-Ks-3s on the flop and a bet of 825,000 from Nazari. Gregg calls, Spindler passes and the see the 4s on the turn. Both check for a Ts river and both check that as well. Gregg shows a king and that’s good enough.

8:26pm–This is it!

A raise from Poorya Nazari, an instant all-in from Tony Gregg, and a snap-call from Nazari. The crowd (including this blogger) jumped from the seats and waited to hear the hands. Announcer Neil Johnson quickly obliged. “Ace-ten for Tony! Ace-ten for Poorya.”

The crowd (including this blogger) muttered various expletives and watched the board run out the expected chop.

8.12pm–Spindler spinning up again
The former dominant chip leader Benny Spindler has become the poor relation in this three-way duel. But he just got his last three million in behind a diamond draw – Ad-9d on a flop of 3d-4h-Qd – and he hit it when the Jd rivered. He doubled through Tony Gregg, whose 7s-3s, for a pair of threes, wasn’t good enough.

8.11pm: Big pot for the Nazari

With 1.3 million in the pot from each player pre-flop, Nazari and Gregg see a flop of Kd-9c-3s. Both check for a turn 6d. Nazari bets out 1.2million which Gregg calls for a Qh on the river. 2,550,000 from Nazari now, good for the pot.

8:06–Gregg Takes Family Pot

Poorya Nazari raised to 400,000 and both blinds called. The flop was Ad-Qc-4c. All three players checked. The turn was the 5s. Tony Gregg checked. Benny Spindler bet 450,000. Nazari folded. Gregg check-raised to 1.5 million. Spinder called. The river was the 5d. Both players checked. Gregg tabled A-Q for two pair and Nazari tossed his hand in the muck. Gregg won the pot.

8:00pm–Seen in the crowd…

Let’s face it. The last couple hours of poker have not been the most exciting in history. We expect that to change at any moment. In the meantime, here is what we just read on a t-shirt belonging to part of Benny Spindler’s rail:

“To err is human. To arr is pirate.

7.50pm: Nazari edging ahead

It’s 600,000 each from the blinds of Spindler and Nazari and they get a flop of 5c-3h-7c. Spindler starts things off with a bet of 650,000 which Nazari calls. The turn brings an ace. Now the German makes it an even 1 million but still Nazari calls for a 5s on the river. No betting from Spindler now. He checks leaving Nazari to bet 2,500,000 and take the pot.

7:38pm–Play resumes

We’re back in action. With blinds at 100,000-200,000 the ante (20,000) is now as big as the PCA main event starting stack.

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