Meet your new chip leader, Filippo Candio

Judging from the reaction in the Amazon Room, we experienced what might end up being the most memorable moment of the entire WSOP Main Event.  Filippo Candio doubled through chip leader Joseph Cheong in such dramatic fashion that the whole room was abuzz about the action for several minutes after the fact.

While Candio got his chips in one fell swoop, John Racener spent the apst hour quietly chipping his way to the top of the counts and trails Candio’s 27 million chip stack by a mere 1 million chips.  Keep reading to find out just how Candio chipped up and how the field shrank from 22 to 19 in the latter half of Level 31 (Blinds 80,000/160,000 ante 20,000):
Redmond Lee Eliminated in 21st Place ($317,161)

Redmond Lee shoved all in for his last 2.4 million from middle position and Michiel Sijpkens called from the button. Lee’s 44 were up against Sijpkens’ TT and when the board brought no help, Lee made his exit in 21st place.

Adam Levy Doubles Thru Ben Statz

Adam Levy opened for 480,000 from the small blind and Ben Statz called out of the big blind. The flop came 9 4 2, Levy checked, Statz bet 400,000 and Levy raised to 1.025 million. Statz re-raised to 2,000,000 total and Levy pushed his 4.6 million stack in the middle. Statz called and tabled A 5 drawing to a wheel against Levy’s flopped set holding 4 4. The board finished T T and Levy moved up to over ten million and Statz slid down to 6.5 million.

John Dolan Doubles Thru Michiel Sijpkens

Michael Mizrachi raised from middle position, Michiel Sijpkens called cutoff, and John Dolan moved all in from the button. Brandon Steven paused to think in the big blind before folding and Mizrachi followed suit. Sijpkens called with AT and was up against Dolan’s QQ. The board ran out 96357 and Dolan doubled up for the second time today. He doubled to 5 million chips while Sijpkens slipped to 9.5 million.

Filippo Candio Doubles Thru Joseph Cheong

Felipo Candio raised in middle position and Joseph Cheong reraised from the butto. Candio called and the two saw a flop o 665. Candio bet 4.4 million and Cheong announced “All-in,” having Candio easily covered. With 7.7 million left, Candio called and was way behind with 75 against Cheong’s AA. The turn was the 8 which gave Candio additional straight draw outs. The crowd grew tense as the dealer burned and the river. It was the 4, making Candio a backdoor straight and doubling him up in dramatic fashion.

Candio ran around and pumped his fist in celebration as Cheong cut the lavender 100,000 chips out of his stack for the dealer to count down and push to Candio. Candio had pulled the miracle runner-runner straight and not only avoided elimination but doubled up to over 27 million and the chip lead. Joseph Cheong took it in stride but was down to 9.5 million after the hand.

Patrick Eskander Eliminated in 20th Place ($317,161)

Pascal LeFrancois opened for 375,000 and after a short tank Patrick Eskander moved all in for 845,000. Soi Nguyen called and LeFrancois called as well. The flop came Q T 9 and Nguyen bet 1.5 million and LeFrancois got out of the way. The hands were:

Nguyen – K Q

Eskander – A 7

The turn came T, leaving Eskander hoping for an ace. He bricked when the K came on the river and eliminated him in 20th place. Nguyen is over 15 million.

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