On table 33, Arnold Yaxley said to me “I’m on life support and need to double-up”. Well, on the very next hand, his wish came true. With blinds at 4,000/8,000, action folded to Jeff Cote who raised it up to 18,000. Yaxley, seated to to Cote’s left, looked down at his cards and proceeded to move his stack into the middle. It folded back to Cote who asked the dealer for a count. Yaxley had 55,000 and Cote threw in a chip to signal a call. The hands were tabled.

Yaxley:
Cote:

Yaxley was ahead and needed to dodge either a queen, a jack, or perhaps a straight or flush. The flop came   and Yaxley was still in the lead. The turn was the , which changed nothing, and the river gave Yaxley a pair of kings to seal the deal.

A few tables over on 37, Nick “Shooter McGavin” Soller raised it up to 20,000 in an unopened pot. Ron S. made the call and both blinds folded. The flop came and Soller checked. Ron S. checked back. The turn brought the and action again went check-check. The river was the and this time Soller led out for 25,000. Ron S. made the call and the cards were opened up.

Soller:
Ron S.

Ron S. had flopped top pair and rivered a straight. The chips were sent his way and his intimidating stack grew larger.

As this post was being written up, Yaxley walked by our desk with a payout slip in his hand, meaning that his dreams must have been crushed a few hands later.