It's an oft told story, one of the many faces of hand for hand combat. Remy Biechel, whose stack was a modest multicoloured thing, was closest to extinction and he knew it. More than once he looked long and hard at his cards before passing, hoping another hand somewhere else, inflicted upon some other poor soul, would end his nightmare.
It turns out he held on long enough...
Englishman Andrew Feldman had been unlucky during the free play period earlier, losing out in a huge A-K vs A-Q scrap. He'd clawed on though, still firing when we reached the bubble, but knowing that he'd need a hand to carry him through to day three. He found one in the form of a pair of sixes and throwing Beichel style caution to the wind he pushed in, called by Christian Saxin with K♣-J♥.
After the necessary pauses to allow safety regulation defying crowds to swarm closer and closer, the board was dealt, with a Hollywood pause between streets intended only to take years off Feldman's life.
A♣-T♥-2♣ on the flop.
A straight draw for Saxin, adding to either of his over cards. Feldman was breathing deeply, taking in air before the turn card 8♦. Then he exhaled before he stopped breathing altogether waiting for Fifth Street. He needed to dodge a king, queen or jack, but didn't. The Q♦ on the river ended his day, our day, and left everyone else in the money.
Survivors shook hands, like they'd been rescued from some terrible ordeal. Feldman may think they had to kill one of their own to get there, but poker is a cruel game.
That's it for day two.
