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Brian Rast Denies Phil Hellmuth, Wins World Series of Poker $50,000 Player's Championship

Rast Wins Second Bracelet of Summer, Hellmuth Earns Third Second Place Finish of Summer

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Brian RastA casual observer may take a glance at Phil Hellmuth’s 2011 World Series of Poker and be impressed with his five cashes, three final table appearances and nearly $1.6 million in earnings, but Hellmuth himself will only be disappointed with the fact that three times he made it to heads-up play and three times he walked away empty handed.

His most recent defeat, losing the $50,000 Player’s Championship to Brian Rast, is particularly crushing. Hellmuth had Rast outchipped 6-1 and was locked in, leading many on the rail to believe that it was only a matter of time before he held his 12th career bracelet.

Instead, three missed flush draws later, Hellmuth had been eliminated and Rast had earned his second bracelet of the summer, the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy and the first-place prize of $1,720,328.

Hellmuth took little comfort in his $1,063,034 prize, stating after the tournament that he’d “trade three seconds for a first any day.” Incredibly, this was the first seven-figure score of Hellmuth’s career. He now has $12.55 million in lifetime tournament earnings and sits in fourth place all-time behind Erik Seidel, Daniel Negreanu and Phil Ivey.

Rast boosts his career earnings to $3 million, after an incredible summer that has seen him earn his first two gold bracelets and $1.95 million.

The rest of the final table was rounded out by Minh Ly (third), Owais Ahmed (fourth), Matt Glantz (fifth), George Lind (sixth), Scott Seiver (seventh) and Ben Lamb (eighth).

Here’s a look at how it all went down according to Card Player’s live updates page.

Hellmuth Doubles Through Rast, Takes Chip Lead

Brian Rast opened the pot for 125,000 before the flop, Phil Hellmuth reraised to 250,000 and Rast called.

The flop came QDiamond Suit JDiamond Suit 5Spade Suit, Rast bet 2,000,000, Hellmuth reraised all in for 2,030,000 and Rast called the additional 30,000 raise.

Hellmuth turned over JSpade Suit JClub Suit for middle set while Rast showed 7Diamond Suit 5Diamond Suit for bottom pair and a live flush draw.

The turn and river were the 7Heart Suit and the 7Club Suit, giving both players a full house on the river, but Hellmuth the best hand overall to win the pot. Hellmuth doubled up to just over 4,750,000 that hand, stealing the chip lead for the first time tonight.

Ben LambBen Lamb Eliminated in 8th Place ($201,338)

Scott Seiver opened the pot for 100,000 before the flop, Ben Lamb moved all in with the short stack for 295,000 and Seiver called.

Seiver lead with AHeart Suit JSpade Suit against Lamb’s ADiamond Suit 2Spade Suit.

The board came KSpade Suit 6Club Suit 4Diamond Suit 3Spade Suit 9Heart Suit, no help for Ben Lamb who was the first one eliminated in 8th place ($201,338).

Scott SeiverScott Seiver Eliminated in 7th Place ($243,978)

Scott Seiver moved all in before the flop and Brian Rast called from the big blind.

Rast lead with ASpade Suit ADiamond Suit against Seiver’s 8Heart Suit 8Diamond Suit.

The board came 7Diamond Suit 6Heart Suit 3Diamond Suit 2Heart Suit 9Heart Suit, no help for Scott Seiver who was eliminated in 7th place ($243,978).

George LindGeorge Lind Eliminated in 6th Place ($300,441)

George Lind opened the pot for 125,000 from under the gun and Minh Ly called from the button.

The flop came ASpade Suit QSpade Suit 6Heart Suit, Lind checked, Ly bet 150,000 and Lind called.

The turn was the 10Spade Suit, Lind checked, Ly bet 380,000, Lind check-raised all in and Ly called.

Lind turned over QDiamond Suit 10Diamond Suit for two pair but Ly was ahead with 8Spade Suit 7Spade Suit for a flush.

The river was the 3Club Suit, no help to George Lind who was eliminated in 6th place ($300,441).

Matt GlantzMatt Glantz Eliminated in 5th Place ($376,750)

Minh Ly opened the pot for 130,000 from under the gun, Matt Glantz called from middle position, Phil Hellmuth called from the small blind and Owais Ahmed called from the big blind.

The flop came AHeart Suit QDiamond Suit 7Heart Suit, Hellmuth bet 250,000, Ahmed folded, Ly called, Glantz moved all in for 2,415,000, Hellmuth tank-folded and Ly called.

Ly showed ASpade Suit KHeart Suit for top pair on the flop and Glantz showed JHeart Suit 10Heart Suit for a flush draw and an inside straight draw.

The turn and river were the 10Club Suit and the 3Club Suit, not enough help for Matt Glantz who was eliminated in 5th place ($376,750).

Rast Doubles Through Ly, Takes Chip Lead

Brian Rast who had since been knocked down to third in chips with about 4.2 million found a well-timed double up through Minh Ly that put Rast on top with 8.6 million and knocked Ly down to the short stack with 1.9 million in chips.

Minh Ly opened the pot for a raise to 200,000 from under the gun, Brian Rast reraised to 500,000 from the button and Ly called.

The flop came 7Diamond Suit 6Diamond Suit 2Club Suit, Ly bet 1,000,000, Rast moved all in for about 3,700,000 and Ly called.

Rast lead with 10Heart Suit 10Club Suit against Ly’s JHeart Suit 7Heart Suit.

The turn and river were the KDiamond Suit and the 3Heart Suit, no help for Minh Ly as Brian Rast doubled up to take the chip lead with about 8.6 million.

Owais AhmedOwais Ahmed Eliminated in 4th Place ($482,085)

Phil Hellmuth completed the small blind, Owais Ahmend moved all in from the big blind for about 1,750,000 and Hellmuth called.

Hellmuth lead with ADiamond Suit JDiamond Suit against Ahmed’s KHeart Suit 10Spade Suit.

The board came KSpade Suit 9Club Suit 7Club Suit 5Spade Suit ASpade Suit, giving Ahmed top pair on the flop for the lead, but Hellmuth rivered an ace to win the pot. Owais Ahmed was eliminated in 4th place ($482,085).

Minh LyMinh Ly Eliminated in 3rd Place ($665,763)

Phil Hellmuth button-raised to 280,000 before the flop, Minh Ly moved all in for about 1,900,000 from the small blind and Hellmuth called.

Hellmuth lead with ADiamond Suit 6Diamond Suit against Ly’s KClub Suit 5Club Suit.

The board came 9Spade Suit 7Spade Suit 6Heart Suit 5Diamond Suit 3Spade Suit, giving Hellmuth a pair of sixes on the flop to win the pot. Minh Ly was eliminated in 3rd place ($665,763) while Hellmuth took the chip lead going into heads-up play.

Down But Not Out..Rast Doubles to Stay Alive

Phill Hellmuth completed the small blind, Brian Rast raised to 400,000 from the big blind and Hellmuth called.

The flop came 10Heart Suit 4Spade Suit 4Heart Suit, Rast bet 345,000, Hellmuth shoved and Rast called all in.

Rast was ahead with ADiamond Suit KHeart Suit against Hellmuth’s 9Heart Suit 6Heart Suit.

The turn and river were the QClub Suit and the 2Spade Suit, no help to Hellmuth as Rast doubled up to 5,260,000 that hand.

Rast Doubles Again…Back to Even

Shortly after getting Hellmuth to shove with a flush draw in a previous hand, Brian Rast doubled up again through Hellmuth, and once again Hellmuth got it all in with a draw on the flop.

Phil Hellmuth completed the small blind, Brian Rast raised to 285,000 from the big blind and Hellmuth called.

The flop came KClub Suit JClub Suit 4Diamond Suit, Rast bet 375,000Hellmuth raised to 900,000, Rast moved all in for around 4,200,000 and Hellmuth called.

Rast was ahead with KSpade Suit 7Diamond Suit for top pair against Hellmuth’s 10Club Suit 8Club Suit for a flush draw.

The turn and river were the KDiamond Suit and the 6Heart Suit, giving Rast the pot and a double up to nearly even with 9,250,000 to Hellmuth’s 9,950,000.

Phil HellmuthPhil Hellmuth Eliminated in 2nd Place ($1,063,034)

Shortly after re-doubling to almost even, Brian Rast took his new found momentum and began to quickly chip away at Hellmuth’s stack. It wasn’t long before the two players were all in again, but this time Hellmuth was at risk of elimination.

Phil Hellmuth button-raised 400,000 before the flop and Brian Rast called from the big blind.

The flop came JDiamond Suit 10Spade Suit 9Diamond Suit, Rast bet 500,000, Hellmuth moved all in and Rast called.

Rast turned over KClub Suit QClub Suit for the nut straight on the flop while Hellmuth showed 8Diamond Suit 2Diamond Suit for what was his third flopped flush draw in a matter of minutes.

The turn and river were the 5Heart Suit and the 8Spade Suit, no help to Phil Hellmuth who was eliminated in 2nd place ($1,063,034). Brian Rast wins his second gold bracelet overall this summer in Event #55, taking home what many consider to be the most coveted title in poker, the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy and the $1,720,328 grand prize.

This finish marks Hellmuth’s third 2nd place finish at this year’s WSOP and now Brian Rast gets to join John Juanda and Eric Rodawig as the third person this summer to deny Phil Hellmuth what would have been his record-breaking twelfth WSOP gold bracelet.