If you think this line-up isn't tough, you probably haven't been around poker very long. There are five bracelet winners at this final table: Phil Ivey (7), Bill Chen (2), Ken Aldridge (1), John Juanda (3, and one WSOP-E bracelet) and Jeff Lisandro (4). The player who bubbled the final table, Ryan Hughes, has 2 bracelets.
Then there's Chad Brown, who has five Top 4 WSOP finishes, including three runner-up finishes, and Dave Baker, who has been having a spectacular 2010 WSOP and is gunning for his first bracelet after four previous cashes and one final table appearance.
The odd man out is Albert Hahn, who seems to have no previous tournament results.
Cards are back in the air. Thirty minutes remain in the level.
Kenneth Aldridge was the bring in before Ryan Hughes completed. Jeff Lisandro called as did Chad Brown. On fourth street, play checked to Hughes who moved all in for his last 14,000.
Lisandro then called the floor and asked for a ruling as to who would receive what place if both players were eliminated on the same hand. Once he learnt that it comes down to chip counts at the start of the hand, Lisandro made the call. Brown and Aldridge also made the call.
On fifth street Lisandro led out with a bet with both live players calling, before his last chips were in on sixth against Aldridge as Brown stepped aside.
When all was said and done, Aldridge's two pair weren't enough to challenge Lisandro's straight as he took both the high and the low in the side pot. Hughes had a river squeeze to try and fill up but it wasn't to be as Lisandro scooped the lot as he gave a double fist pump to his rail.
Hughes is eliminated in 9th place for a collect of $22,849. The players are now taking a quick break before the "official" final table commences.
Phil Ivey completed the betting on third street with John Juanda making the call. Ivey led on fourth, before Juanda check-called on fifth. On sixth street Juanda led out and again on seventh, with Ivey calling him down.
Ivey: (X-X-X) /
Juanda: () /
Juanda caught two pair on sixth and then filled up on the river to collect the pot as Ivey tossed his cards into the muck.
Ivey is back into the pack with 760,000 as Juanda is up to 820,000.
Phil Ivey raised it up on third street with Chad Brown making the call. Brown led the betting on fourth and fifth streets, before Ivey paired up on sixth. Ivey led out with a bet but Brown responded with a raise. Ivey called, but then check-folded the river as Brown took it down.
Ivey: (X-X) / / (X)
Brown: (X-X) / / (X)
Ivey slips back to 950,000 as Brown recovers to 620,000.
Over to stud now, and a raising war broke out on third street between Chad Brown and Albert Hahn, with the last of Hahn's chips in on fifth street. The boards ran out:
Brown: () / / ()
Hahn: () / / ()
Both players made two pair but it was Hahn's aces and treys that were good for the double up. He's up to 350,000 with Brown back to 325,000.
Jeff Lisandro was the bring-in and he called the completion of Chad Brown. Brown led on fourth with Lisandro calling. On fifth, Lisandro caught better and decided to commit his last chips. Brown wasn't pleased with his hand as he let it go.
Lisandro: (X-X) /
Brown: (X-X) /
Lisandro virtually doubles without showdown. He's up to 190,000 with Brown back to 455,000.
John Juanda completed and Phil Ivey made the call. Juanda bet out on fourth, before Ivey check-called on fifth. Ivey took the lead on sixth when Juanda's board paired up and Juanda released.
Ivey: (X-X) /
Juanda: (X-X) /
Ivey is now up to 1.16 million (yes, you read that correctly) with Juanda back to 690,000.
Kenneth Aldridge completed with both Ryan Hughes and Chad Brown making the call. Hughes led the betting on fourth, with Brown bricking and folding, as Aldridge came along.
Aldridge caught better on fifth and led out before another bet on sixth was enough to take it down.
Brown: (X-X) /
Aldridge: (X-X) /
Hughes: (X-X) /
Aldridge is up to 840,000 with Hughes slipping down to 145,000.