Championship Warm Up ($600)

With a huge pot of 23,000 brewing and a board of J♦ 3♦ 9♥ 7♠ , Finland’s Tommi Krankka shoves his remaining stack of 56,300 and gets called by Lithuanian foe Simas Karaliunas.

Krankka shows that he has a mega draw with A♦ Q♦ while Karaliunas made the call with J♠ 8♠ for top pair on the flop and a redraw to a straight on the turn.

The river is the 5♠ having the Finnish player miss all his draws and sidelined anew. Karaliunas continues his march to join the chip leaders.

Raising from the utg+1 position to 1,600 is Finland’s Tommi Krankka and gets called in the hijack by Simas Karaliunas ofr Lithuania.

The flop comes K♦ 5♠ 5♣ as Krankka CBets for the same amount of 1,600. Karaliunas makes the call. The turn is the Q♠ and this time, the Finnish player checks. Karalinas now grabs the betting lead and fires 4,000. Krankka still calls, however. The river is the 2♣ and nothing follows as both players check.

Krankka shows K♣ J♥ for top pair while the Lithuanian opts to muck.

Joining another hand in progress with 30,300 already in the middle and a board of 8♣ 3♥ 6♠ 2♥ South Africa’s Marc Joseph bets 30,000 to put his opponent Tommi Krankka of Finland all-in. Krankka makes the call.

Joseph tables 6♣ 6♦ for a set on the flop while the Finnish player shows A♦ 8♦ for top pair.

The river produces the 8♠ which gives Krankka trips but improves Joseph to a boat and busts Krankka. The South African now eclipses the six-figure mark in chips.