The Final Countdown

Nenad Medic picked up two 600,000 pots during a run where he won eight in a row against Andy Bloch to tip the scales even further after beginning their heads-up match with a sizeable advantage. These events set up the last stand for Bloch, and Medic's eventual victory.

Andy Bloch Doubles Up - Happy Birthday!

Nenad Medic raised the pot and Andy Bloch moved all in. They turned up their hands and Bloch held Q5 against Medic's K8. The crowd rose to their feet and awaited the board that hit table QJ897. Bloch doubled up on the hand as his group of supporters serendaded him with a round of "Happy Birthday" to coincide with the pot he had won as well as his 39th birhtday.

Nenad Medic Wins Event No. 1 ($10,000 pot-limit hold'em World Championship)

Medic made the call on the button and Bloch raised to 300,000. Medic called the raise and the flop hit the table 854. Bloch bet 500,000 and Medic raised the pot. Bloch called all in and they turned up their hands. Bloch turned up 99 and Medic revealed 75.  The turn and river fell J5, making Medic a flush, and eliminating Bloch from the tournamet in second place ($488,048). Medic was awarded the first gold bracelet of the summer, which is also the first gold bracelet of his young career. He will also take home $794,112 in prize money.

Blinds/Antes: 40,000-80,000

Players Left: 3

Chip Counts:

Eliminations: 

Mike Sexton - 4th Place ($248,160)

Big Hands and Storylines:

The Poker Kat's Third Live

Kathy Liebert got all of her chip into middle against Andy Bloch soon after the dinner break ended to construct a pot worth 1.2 million. Liebert hung her hopes on A7, while Bloch showed down AQ. The board rolled out 65344 and Liebert doubled up for the tird time at the final table.

Medic! Doubles Up

Mike Sexton raised 215,000 preflop from the button and Nenad Medic raised the pot to 765,000. Sexton moved all in on top of that and Medic made the call. They turned up their hands and Sexton held pocket tens to Medic's AJ. The board rolled out A63AQ and Medic doubled up. Sexton was left dangerously low after the hand.

New Birds

Tom McEvoy, David Williams, and Vincent Procopio have popped up in different parts of the crowd to sweat the fourhanded action.

Mike Sexton Eliminated in 4th Place ($248,160)

Sexton made a pot-sized raise preflop and Liebert made the call. The flop rolled out AJ8 and Liebert checked. Sexton moved all in and Liebert made the call., They turned up their hands and Libert revealed A8 for top two-pair. Sexton showed down A6. The turn and river fell 46 and Sexton was eliminated in fourth place. He left to a round of applause, and he will take home $248,160 in prize money.

 Note: The final four players are on dinner break until 9:15 p.m.

Blinds/Antes: 30,000-60,000

Players Left: 4

Chip Counts:

Eliminations: none

Big Hands and Storylines:

Grinding

The last hour of play was by far the slowest at the final table. The measured approach of the final four professionl players has taken over, and it could take a while to crown the first champion at the 2008 WSOP. Another player arrived to watch the grind and support Nenad Medic, and it was none other than Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi.

What is a Showdown doing here?

A flop of KJ7 is checked by both Andy Bloch and Mike Sexton. The 5 fell on the turn and Bloch bet 220,000. Sexton made the call and the river rolled out the 5. Bloch fired 250,000 and Sexton decided to call again. They turned up their hands and Bloch turned up K9 to take down the pot over Sexton's J10. This was the only showdown on the river during the hour that was not checked by both players on the river.

The 320,000 Chip Trade

Sexton and Nenad Medic checked a flop of Q55, and the 8 fell on the turn. Sexton bet 100,000 and Medic made the call. The river brought the 8 and Sexton fired out 280,000. Medic mucked and Sexton took down the 320,000 in the middle of the table.

The 620,000 Chip Trade

On the last hand before the dinner break, Sexton called and Medic checked a pot preflop, and the fop was dealt 763. Medic bet 80,000 and Sexton raised to 250,000. The two players then checked down the 2 on the turn and the 5 on the river. Sexton revealed two 7's in the hole and took down the 620,000 pot.

Note: Players take a 20-minute break and return to Level 24 with increased blinds of 25,000-50,000. Two more levels will take place before the dinner break.

Blinds/Antes: 25,000-50,000

Players Left: 5

Chip Counts:

Eliminations:

Andy Bloch Wins a Million Dollar Pot

Andy Bloch had the button and raised to 110,000. Mike Sexton called from the small blind. The flop came 862, and Sexton checked to Bloch who bet 125,000. Sexton called and the turn brought the 7. Sexton led out for 365,000 and Bloch immediately raised the size of the pot (~1.2 million). Sexton tanked for a few minutes before folding to Bloch’s raise. Bloch raked a pot woth a million, maintaining a now commanding chip lead over the table.

Chris Bell Eliminated in 6th Place ($157,168)

Mike Sexton had the button when Chris Bell opened for 140,000. Nenad Medic raised enough to put Bell all in. Bell called the raise and was all in for 290,000. Bell turned over A3 while Medic showed JJ for the lead going to the flop. The flop came Q65, no help to Bell who was all in and facing elimination, but the turn brought the A, giving Bell top pair and the lead. The crowd gasped. Medic was reduced to catching one of the two remaining jacks, and he did, when the J hit the river! Bell was eliminated in 6th place and received $157,168 for his efforts.

Wife of an Icon

When the players returned from their break, Nolan Dalla made anannouncement to the crowd that the wife of the late poker icon, Stu Ungar, was in the crowd. He then asked Madeline Ungar to stand up and the crowd cheered their approval.

Another Big Pot for Bloch

Over a half-dozen hands then transpired without much action before Bloch and Sexton tangled once again. Bloch raised 120,000 more from the cutoff preflop and Sexton reraised to 420,000 on the button. Blkoch popped the action up to 1,350,000 and Sexton went into the tank. He eventtually mucked, and conceded another big pot to Bloch (800,000).

Amit Makhija Eliminated in 5th Place ($198,528)

Amit Makhija got all of his chips into the middle against Andy Bloch preflop and they turrned up their hands. Both of them held an ace, but Bloch held the upper hand with a 7-kicker over Makhija's 3-kicker. The board was dealt Q964A and Makhija was eliminated in 5th place. He will take home $198,528 in prize money.

Blinds/Antes: 20,000-40,000

Players Left: 8

Eliminations:

Phil Laak - 9th Place ($74,448)

Big Hands and Storylines:

Railbird Central

As the players took their seats and were introduced to the crowd, excitment filled the air for what should be one of the most star-studded final tables of the summer. Many professionals were in the crowd as well. Jennifer Tilly was supporting Phil Laak, Linda Johnson had taken a seat to root for Mike Sexton, and Noah Boeken was on hand to support fellow European star, Patrik Antonius. Also on hand were Erick Liindgren and Gavin Smith in Chris Bell's corner, and Chad Batista was there to support fellow online professional Amit Makhija. Numerous other pros dotted the crowd as well - including Theo Tran, Allen Kessler, and Steve Wong. Cards got into the air shortly after 3 p.m. and one of the strongest final tables in recent WSOP memeory was under way. 

Action out of the Gate

On the very first hand of play, Patrik Antonius moved all in for 230,000 from the big blind, and Phil Laak made the call from middle position. They turned up their hands and Antonius held pocket kings to Laak’s pocket jacks. The board was dealt AJ210K as the players and surrounding crowd were taken on a wild ride to start the final table. Antonius doubled up and survived, while Laak was knocked down to a short stack.

Phil Laak Eliminated in 9th Place ($74,448)

Laak got his short stack all in a few hands later when he shoved for 165,000 total from the small blind. Nenad Medic reraised to 350,000 while Laak got up from his seat and revealed his hole cards to members of the audience. Everyone else folded and Laak tossed two jacks down on the table. Medic revealed two aces and the board rolled out K6295. Laak was eliminated in 9th place and the life of the party was the first player to leave.