Level 18 (5,000/10,000/1,000)
Total Entrants: 293
Players Remaining: 19
Chip Average: 308,000
Daniel Stone (pictured) lost a key all-in against Sharon Livingston at the end of Level 17 but won a more important one to start Level 18 against JD Akins to double up.
Akins opened to 22,000 under the gun and Stone defended his big blind. Stone checked the 8♣7♣5♥ flop and Akins bet 18,000. Stone check-raised to 45,000 and Akins shoved for about 190,000 effective. Stone called with 5♣5♠ for a flopped set and had cracked the K♦K♥ of Akins.
The turn and river were clean for Stone and he is up to 450,000. Akins is at his low point for the past few levels with 380,000.
On a neighboring table, Michael Lech's 10♦10♠ fell to the A♠K♠ of Chris Baumhoer when an ace hit the river for Lech's last 150,000. With that elimination, the field is one away from the two table redraw. When that juncture arrives, the updated chip counts for all players will be posted.