World Poker Tour Championship -- Television Final Table set for Tomorrow

The final television table of six has been decided at the World Poker Tour Championship for season VIII and some of the biggest names in poker are still in contention. David Benyamine (pictured right) leads the way with 4,705,000, and he is joined by 2009 Card Player Player of the Year Eric Baldwin, David Williams, Shawn Buchanan, John O’Shea, and Billy Baxter. These professionals will return tomorrow at 4 p.m. PDT to decide a champion that will walk away with $1,530,537 in prize money.

Day 6 was a slow and long affair. Cliff Josephy was the first player to fall in 10th place on the most exciting hand of the day. He made a full house on the river, but that same card made a straight flush for David Williams. Phil Hellmuth then doubled up through Nikolay Evdakov and shortly after that the Poker Brat eliminated him in ninth place. Eight-handed play took more than four hours to decide who was busted next, and that player was Scotty Nguyen. The television bubble boy busted two hours later and it was Hellmuth. Be sure to check back in tomorrow to follow all of the final-table action on CardPlayer.com. Here are the chip counts heading into the final day:

Seat 1: John O’Shea – 1,200,000
Seat 2: Billy Baxter – 2,440,000
Seat 3: Eric Baldwin – 4,490,000
Seat 4: David Williams – 4,700,000
Seat 5: David Benyamine – 4,705,000
Seat 6: Shawn Buchanan – 1,965,000

Day 6 Cashes:

10: Cliff Josephy — $56,439
9: Nikolay Evdakov — $75,252
8: Scotty Nguyen — $105,823
7: Phil Hellmuth — $152,856

Here is a look at the elimination hands from today as featured in CardPlayer.com’s live updates:

Cliff Josephy Eliminated in 10th Place ($56,439)

Cliff Josephy raised to 75,000 from middle position and David Williams made the call from the big blind. The flop was dealt 9 8 6 and Williams checked. Josephy bet 130,000 and Williams check-raised to 400,000. Josephy reraised all in for 1.1 million and Williams made the call. Their cards:

Josephy: 9 9
Williams: 10 7

Turn and River: 5 and 6

The hand was an exciting ride for both players. The river improved Josephy’s set of nines to a full house, but it also made a straight flush for Williams, who won the hand to grow his stack to 3.3 million. Josephy was eliminated in 10th place and he will take home $56,439.

Phil Hellmuth Doubles Up through Nikolay Evdakov and then Eliminates him in Ninth Place ($75,252)

Part I:

Phil Hellmuth raised to 100,000 under the gun preflop and Nikolay Evdakov reraised to 250,000 from early position. Scott Nguyen went into the tank and then mucked. Hellmuth made the call and then checked in the dark before the flop was dealt Q 9 8. Evdakov moved all in for 405,000 and Hellmuth made the call. Their cards:

Hellmuth: J J
Evdakov: K K

Turn and River: A and J

Hellmuth doubled up on the hand thanks to a rivered set and he now holds 1.3 million. Evdakov was knocked down to 63,000 after the hand, leaving him with a single big blind.

Part II:

John O’Shea raised to 110,000 preflop under the gun and Phil Hellmuth made the call from the small blind. Evdakov made the all-in call for 55,000 from the big blind. The board was dealt 8 8 3 A J before Hellmuth bet 150,000 and O’Shea mucked.

Hellmuth revealed K 4 and Evdakov held Q 2. Hellmuth won the hand with a flush to grow his stack to 1.5 million and Evdakov was eliminated in ninth place ($75,252).

Scotty Nguyen Eliminated in Eighth Place ($105,823)

Scotty Nguyen raised to 260,000 from middle position preflop and David Benyamine made the call from the big blind. Both players checked a board of J 10 6 8 until Benyamine bet 350,000. Nguyen raised to 1,150,000 and Benyamine went into the tank before moving all in. Nguyen made the all-in call and they flipped over their cards:

Nguyen: 8 8
Benyamine: 10 10

River: 7

Benyamine won the hand and he grew his stack to 6 million to take the chip lead. Nguyen was eliminated in eighth place and he will take home $105,823 in prize money.

Phil Hellmuth Eliminated in Seventh Place ($152,856)

Phil Hellmuth moved all in under the gun for 505,000 and David Williams made the call. Their cards:

Hellmuth: K 10
Williams: A J

Board: 8 7 6 6 7

Williams won the hand to grow his stack to 4.7 million and Hellmuth was eliminated in seventh place. He will take home $152,856 in prize money.

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