Level 33
Blinds: 100,000-200,000 w/25,000 ante
Total Entrants: 979
Players Remaining: 4
Average Stack: 4,895,000

Ara Abkarian

Ara Abkarian was under five big blinds with the start of the new level and was soon all-in with a chance to triple up as he had earlier at the final table.

Eric Wasylenko raised to 450,000 on the button and Abkarian put his final 570,000 in from the small blind. Oscar Carrasco called from the big blind as did Wasylenko.

Carrasco and Wasylenko checked the K♦9♣5♣ flop and Carrasco checked the 6♦ turn. Wasylenko bet 600,000 and Carrasco folded. Wasylenko opened up Q♦9♥ and was ahead of the J♦7♥ of Abkarian.

The river bricked and Abkarian is out. Once down to five big blinds, Wasylenko (7,780,000) holds almost half of the chips in play.

Level 32
Blinds: 80,000-160,000 w/20,000 ante
Total Entrants: 979
Players Remaining: 5
Average Stack: 3,915,000

Jeffrey Schwartz was up against it after doubling up Eric Wasylenko but he is back above the chip average after doubling up through Ara Abkarian.

Abkarian opened to 335,000 in the cutoff and Schwartz called from the small blind as did Sergei Nikiforov in the big blind. The J♣10♦7♦ checked to Abkarian and he bet 475,000. Schwartz shoved for 1,400,000 total and Nikiforov folded.

Abkarian called with K♦J♦ and was live to hit against Schwartz’s A♦A♣. The 8♣ turn and 2♥ river were both blanks and Schwartz’s higher pair held up.

Abkarian is down to 750,000 and in big trouble with the blinds about to go up.

Level 32
Blinds: 80,000-160,000 w/20,000 ante
Total Entrants: 979
Players Remaining: 5
Average Stack: 3,915,000

Eric Wasylenko started Level 32 as the shortest stack left in play but he is now the chip leader after doubling through Jeffrey Schwartz in a 6,500,000 chip pot.

Wasylenko opened to 350,000 in the cutoff and Schwartz took a discounted flop from the big blind. Schwartz checked the Q♥9♣6♣ flop and Wasylenko continued for 325,000. Schwartz called and the 6♠ turn went checked by him.

Wasylenko bet 800,000 and Schwartz check-raised to 1,600,000. Wasylenko called leaving himself with 1,200,000 behind heading to the river. The A♥ fell and Schwartz bet 1,000,000. Wasylenko went all-in for the small amount more and Schwartz called to see Wasylenko turn over A♦A♠.

Schwartz showed K♥6♥ for trips that had been rivered. He falls to 2,200,000 and Wasylenko is the new chip leader five-handed.

Level 32
Blinds: 80,000-160,000 w/20,000 ante
Total Entrants: 979
Players Remaining: 5
Average Stack: 3,915,000

Jeffrey Schwartz was the huge chip leader coming back from the last break but losing a few pots in Level 31 put him back to the pack. Schwartz is no longer the chip lead after getting beat by Eric Wasylenko in a sizable pot.

Wasylenko opened under the gun to 360,000 and Schwartz defended his big blind. They both checked the Q♥7♦4♦ flop and Schwartz checked the 8♦ turn. Wasylenko bet 325,000 and Schwartz check-raised to 800,000.

Wasylenko called and Schwartz bet 600,000 on the J♥ river. Wasylenko called with Q♣Q♦ and Schwartz could only muster K♠8♥.

Wasylenko is up to 3,400,000 and Schwartz drops down to 3,500,000.

Level 32
Blinds: 80,000-160,000 w/20,000 ante
Total Entrants: 979
Players Remaining: 5
Average Stack: 3,915,000

Following the elimination of Mark Reilly in sixth place, play has slowed down for the five remaining players. They attempted to come to an agreement on a chop deal but it ended up falling through. The rest of the level went without any major confrontation and the average stack is once again below 30 big blinds. Ara Abkarian and Eric Wasylenko are both under 15 big blinds with some chip infusion needed to stay alive. A look at the updated counts for the five remaining players is below.

1. Oscar Carrasco – 4,625,000
2. Jeffrey Schwartz – 5,830,000
3. Sergei Nikiforov – 4,430,000
4. Eric Wasylenko – 2,300,000
5. Ara Abkarian – 2,020,000

Level 31
Blinds: 60,000-120,000 w/20,000 ante
Total Entrants: 979
Players Remaining: 5
Average Stack: 3,915,000

Mark Reilly

Mark Reilly hit an early rush at the start of the Event 73 final table by eliminating Steven Steven Sanzone but then fell short after paying off both Sergei Nikiforov and Ara Abkarian. Left with under 1,000,000 at the start of the new blinds, Reilly was all-in in one of the first hands of Level 31.

He shoved for 600,000 in the cutoff and Nikiforov raised out of the small blind to 2,000,000. Eric Wasylenko folded and it was Reilly’s A♠8♠ up against the 10♥10♠ of Nikiforov.

The K♥6♦4♠5♦10♣ board gave Nikiforov the winner and Reilly was eliminated. Nikiforov is up to 4,400,000 and second behind Jeffrey Schwartz.

Level 30
Blinds: 50,000-100,000 w/10,000 ante
Total Entrants: 979
Players Remaining: 6
Average Stack: 3,265,000

David Welch

David Welch and Steve Nooralian were both very short stacked at the end of the level and both are now at the payout desk.

Welch shoved for A♦9♦ for 525,000 and Ara Abkarian called with A♠K♥. The board ran all dry for Welch and he takes home $11,551.

Steve Nooralian

Next up was Nooralian, who was taken out by Jeffrey Schwartz. Nooralian was all-in for only 300,000 with Q♥J♥ and Schwartz found 10♣10♠. A ten hit the flop and Nooralian earns $14,565 for a finish that could have been much more.

With the blinds about to go up, a look at the updated counts and remaining payouts are below.

1. Oscar Carrasco – 3,365,000
2. Mark Reilly – 785,000
3. Jeffrey Schwartz – 6,620,000
4. Sergei Nikiforov – 4,950,000
5. Eric Wasylenko – 1,820,000
6. Ara Abkarian – 1,765,000

1. $95,419
2. $58,761
3. $43,141
4. $32,645
5. $24,609
6. $18,582

Level 30
Blinds: 50,000-100,000 w/10,000 ante
Total Entrants: 979
Players Remaining: 8
Average Stack: 2,450,000

With all the short stacks on the table, it would make sense that there would be a few small preflop all-ins but Jeffrey Schwartz decided to play for it all postflop against Steve Nooralian and got there as a result.

Nooralian opened to 225,000 under the gun and Schwartz three-bet to 600,000 in the cutoff. Nooralian called and checked the A♥8♦4♥ flop. Schwartz shoved for 2,185,000, which was for nearly all of Nooralian’s stack. Nooralian called with A♣Q♦ and was ahead of Schwartz’s 10♣10♠.

The 9♥ turn was a good card for Nooralian but the 10♥ river sent him shooting out of his chair in disgust. Schwartz is playing 5,250,000 while Nooralian is left with peanuts.

Level 30
Blinds: 50,000-100,000 w/10,000 ante
Total Entrants: 979
Players Remaining: 8
Average Stack: 2,450,000

Eric Wasylenko

One of the shorter stacks at the start of the Event 73 final table, Eric Wasylenko blinded down for as long as he could before he was officially left with no other choice.

Wasylenko moved all-in for 535,000 in early position with A♠10♠ and David Welch called with K♣Q♠ on the button. An ace hit the flop and Welch was drawing dead after the turn.

He is under 500,000 and in need of a double of his own while Wasylenko is playing close to 1,400,000.

Level 29
Blinds: 40,000-80,000 w/10,000 ante
Total Entrants: 979
Players Remaining: 8
Average Stack: 2,450,000

Mohamed Mamouni

He was able to double up a few times after being down to less than three big blinds but Mohamed Mamouni’s all-in fortune finally is at an end.

Mamouni shoved for 825,000 under the gun holding 7♣7♦ and Steve Nooralian woke up with A♦A♠ in the big blind. The Q♦3♦2♠9♠10♦ board was no good for Mamouni and he is out.

After starting the final table as the short stack, Nooralian is playing 3,500,000 and is second in chips behind Sergei Nikiforov.