Huck Seed has taken the early lead in his match with Andy Bloch. The biggest pot so far saw Andy Bloch check-call a $40k turn bet by Seed on a raggedy board, then fold when Seed came out firing another $115k on the brick-looking river, giving Seed the chip lead.

Chris Ferguson has drawn first blood in his battle with Phil Ivey. After Ferguson fired a $20k bet into a 7-7-3-5 board on the turn, Ivey came over the top for $30k more. Ferguson flat-called and the river came the 9. This time he checked, hoping Ivey would bet out, but Phil checked behind him. Ferguson showed the seven for trips to take a pot worth more than $100k and the early lead.

It appears the final four are set to play. Phil Ivey against Chris Ferguson and Huck Seed taking on Andy Bloch... Let's get it on!

BTW - in the semis they get $320k stacks and blinds start at $1,500/$3,000.

We are down to four! Orel Hershiser, David Benyamine, Gus Hansen and Jonathan Little are all out, each taking $75,000. We'll be taking a short break before returning to play down to our final two in about an hour. Here are the match-ups for the next round.

Chris Ferguson	vs.	Phil Ivey
Andy Bloch	vs.	Huck Seed

 

In a limped pot Gus Hansen bet $6k into a 9 6 3 flop and Phil Ivey came over the top, making it $18k to go. Hansen tanked for a good two minutes before moving in. Ivey had him covered and wasted little time making the call with K Q. Phil had flopped the second nut flush and Hansen would need all kinds of runners to come back. The 8 turn meant he was drawing dead and Ivey moves on to the semis.

Chris Ferguson resurrected himself in his match with ShipItHolla Balla Jon little and took a decisive chip lead before ending it. Ferguson raised to $15,000 from the button and Little moved all-in. Ferguson made the call, putting Little at risk of elimination.

Ferguson: 9 9

Little: T 7

Little would need a lot of help but got absolutely nothing from the J 3 2 5 4 board. He's out, taking $75,000, and Ferguson is on to the next round. Jesus has the best all-around record at this event having finished second two out of the three years it's been run. Perhaps this will be the year he finally takes it down.

Phil Ivey has begun to put the hammer down in his match with Gus Hansen. When Hansen bet out on a 4-5-7 flop, Ivey came over the top. Hansen called, but checked the 7 turn and was forced to make a decision when Phil made it $35k to see the river. His decision was to fold and allow Phil to increase his chip lead in the match.

The blinds are up again. They now rest at $3k/$6k.

The match between Chris Ferguson and Jon Little looked decidedly one-sided until recently but Jesus has made a charge and now holds a small chip lead over the young gun. Little limped in from the button and Jesus made it $14,000 to go from the big blind. Little moved all-in and Fergie quickly called.

Ferguson: 9 9

Little: 4 4

Little was in a tough spot and things went from bad to worse with the flop of K 9 6. Little needed running quads to end the match but when the 7 hit the turn Jesus was good for the double.

Courtesy of some aggressive play, including coming over the top of an $8k Gus Hansen turn bet and picking up a recent pot, Phil Ivey has a slight lead in the match.

Both players seem intent on letting few hands get to showdown and have taken an aggressive stance.