Blinds/Antes: 80,000 - 160,000 with a 20,000 ante

Players Left: 2 of 3,929

Chip Counts:

Hinkle Wins One Early

Hinkle began the heads-up match by taking down an early pot worth 1.5 million. The board read KJJ28 when Hinkle revealed K8 after both players checked the river. He increased his large lead even more so thanks to this pot.

The Akenhead Headache for Hinkle

Hinkle took down an early pot, but James Akenhead has proved a worthy opponent during the heads-up match by picking up more than his fair share of the small pots that have come to define this heads-up match. Many pots make it to a flop, and the two players seem content feeling each other out for now. This style seems to be playing into the hands of Akenhead as the two chip stacks draw even.

Hinkle Stirkes Back

Hinkle opened the action for 300,000 and Akenhead reraised to 600,000. Hinkle reraised again to 1.2 million and Akenhead made the call. The flop hit the table K74 and Akenhead checked his option. Hinkle bet 1.5 million and Akenhead mucked his cards. Hinkle was able to recoup some of the losses he had suffered at the hands of Akenhead and the chip counts now stand Hinkle - 6.5 million to Akenhead - 5.2 million.

Role Reversal

Let the record show that Akenhead took over the chip lead from Hinkle 36 hands into their heads-up match. He held over 6 million in chips for the first time.

Note: The players went on yet another break 20 minute break.

Blinds/Antes: 50,000 - 100,000 with a 10,000 ante

Players Left: 3 of 3,929

Chip Counts:

Big Hands and Storylines:

Mike Ngo Eliminated in 5th Place ($268,154)

Grant Hinkle raised to 325,000 preflop and Mike Ngo reraised all in for 1.6 million. They then turned up their hands:

Hinkle: AJ

Ngo: AK

Board: Q538J

Ngo is eliminated in 5th place, and he will take home $268,154 in prize money. Hinkle added to his chip lead, and now holds 4.5 million.

Tran Doubles Up

Hinkle raised to 250,000 and Theo Tran moved all in behind him. Ferguson made the all-in call and Hinkle mucked. They then turned up their hands:

Tran: AK

Ferguson: 88

Board: J103K6

Tran doubled up on the hand, and Ferguson took a huge hit to his stack.

Theo Tran Eliminated in 4th Place ($327,148)

Hinkle raised preflop to 250,000 and Tran made the call. The flop rolled out AK4 and Tran checked. Hinkle raised 300,000 and Tran called. The turn rolled out the A and Tran checked again. Hinkle opened the action again, this time for 700,000, and Tran made the call. The 8 fell on the river and Tran checked for a third time. Hinkle moved all in and Tran made the call. They flipped up their hands and Tran revealed AQ. Hinkle showed A4 and he eliminated Tran with a full house. Tran took home $327,148 for his his fourth-place finish.

The Resurrection

Jesus Three Times

Chris Ferguson moved all in preflop for 430,000 and both Hinkle and James Akenhead made the call. The side pot was arranged and the two live players checked down a board of 1082Q6. Ferguson turned up his hand on the river to reveal KQ, which was good enough for him to triple up! The pre-Ferguson crowd erupted into cheers that echoed across the Amazon Room, momentarily drowning out the consant clatter and chirp of shuffling chips. Jesus was alive and kicking.

Jesus One More Time

Four hands after the crowd-rousing triple up Ferguson found himself facing an all-in decision once again. Hinkle moaved all in preflop and Ferguson made an all-in call. The two then turned up their hands:

Ferguson: A8

Hinkle: QJ

Board: K72103

Ferguson tempted fate once more, and survived to tell the tale.

Blinds/Antes: 40,000 - 80,000 with a 10,000 ante

Players Left: 6 of 3,929

Chip Counts:

None

Big Hands and Storylines:

Call Me - I Dare You

During the 15 hands that transpired after a short break taken after Melvin Jones elimination, not too much went down. Two players did move all of their chips into the middle though. Chris Ferguson pushed for 975,000 and Aaron Coulthard shoved for 825,000, but in both cases no one called them down. Coulthard moved all in a second time about 20 hands into this stretch and once again found no one to tango with for his tournament life.

James Akenhead Good with a Straight and Good with Tens

James Akenhead managed to pick up two sizeable pots during this stretch.

Hand 1: Theo Tran raised to 170,000 preflop and both Akenhead and Mike Ngo made the call. The flop delivered AQ10 on the board and all three players checked. The turn was dealt 4 and Ngo bet 200,000. Tran mucked and Akenhead made the call. The river fell J and Ngo checked. Akenhead bet 475,000 and Ngo reluctantly made the call. Akenhead revealed AK and picked up a cool million on the hand.

Hand 2: Tran raised to 200,000 preflop and Akenhead made the call. The flop rolled out J72 and both players checked. The turn brought the J and Tran fired out 200,000 again. Akenhead called and the river fell 3. Both players checked and Akenhead revealed pocket tens to take down the hand.

These pots took Akenhead above the 2-million mark.

Mike Ngo Doubles Up

Ngo exacted some revenge on Akenhead when he moved all in preflop and Akenhead had him covered for his tournament life. They turned up their hands and revealed:

Ngo: A10

Akenhead: KK

Board: A64Q6

Blinds/Antes: 20,000 - 40,000 with a 5,000 ante

Players Left: 7 of 3,929

Chip Counts:

David Bach - 8th Place ($117,988)

Big Hands and Storylines:

Grant Hinkle Scores a Nice Pot

Theo Tran and Grant Hinkle built a pot up to 300,000 on a board of Q4258 before Hinkle moved all in on the river for 700,000. Tran went into the tank for a moment and then mucked his hand.

David Bach Eliminated in 8th Place ($117,988)

David Bach raised all in preflop and both Theo Tran and Chris Ferguson made the call. The flop was dealt K95 and all three players checked. The 3 fell on the turn and Bach moved all in. Tran moved all in over the top of him and Ferguson got out of the way. They then turned up their hands:

Bach: 76

Tran: J9

Turn and River: 32

Bach was eliminated on the hand in 8th place, and he will take home $117,988 in prize money.

Note: There was a 5-minute pause in the action after the elimination of Bach.

James Akenhead Scores a Nice Pot

Chris Ferguson opened the action for 150,000 and James Akenhead raised to 450,000. Ferguson made the call and then both players checked a flop of K88. They also checked the 10 on the turn, and the river fell 2. Akenman bet 500,000 and Ferguson went into the tank for a while before folding.

Note: The players then went on a 30-minute break and should return at 10:20 p.m. Next post will be up at 11 p.m.

Blinds/Antes: 20,000 - 40,000 with a 5,000 ante

Players Left: 10 of 3,929

Chip Counts:

Eliminations: 

Jeff Wiedenhoeft - 10th Place ($52,022)

Big Hands and Storylines:

Jeff Wiedenhoeft Eliminated in 10th Place ($52,022)

On the very first hand at the final table, Jeff Wiedehoeft raised 125,000 preflop, and Mike Ngo made the call. The flop rolled out 976 and Wiedenhoeft moved all in. Ngo made the call and they turned up their hands.

Wiedenhoeft: K10

Ngo: A10

Turn and River: AQ

Weidenhoeft busted out of the tournament in 10th place, and he took home $52,022 in prize money for his efforts.

Railbirds

Multiple professionals were spotted at the final table to support a number of players at the table. Perry Friedman (11th place) stuck around to sweat the action and support Chris Ferguson. Tom Mackey is here along with Blair Hinkle, who is present to sweat his brother Grant.

Lone Londoner in Vegas

James Ankenman is the lone European representative at the final table tonight, amongst a group of North American representataives (Eight Americans and Aaron Courtland, who hails from Ontario, Canada - the same province that Event No. 1 winner, Nenad Medic calls home). He has almost 2 million in front of him, so has a solid shot to score the first gold bracelet for Europoean players at this year's Series.