Blinds/Antes: Stud - A: 5,000 B: 7,000 C: 25,000 , Razz - A: 5,000 B: 7,000 C: 25,000, Stud 8 - A: 5,000 B: 7,000 C: 25,000, Omaha: 13,000/25,000, Hold’em: 13,000/25,000

Players Remaining: 4 of 803

Chip Counts:
Tommy Hang – 1,800,000
James Schaaf – 570,000
Phil Hellmuth – 135,000
Esther Rossi – 85,000

Eliminations: None

Big Hands:

Phil Hellmuth Doubles Twice

Phil Hellmuth received a burst of cheers and applause from the teeming masses that have gathered at the rail to sweat him as he battles his way to another World Series of Poker bracelet.  Hellmuth doubled and re-doubled his stack in two key hands, prompting the thunderous outburst.

In the hold’em round, James Schaaf raised from the small blind and Phil Hellmuth reraised from the big blind.  Schaaf reraised to put Hellmuth all in, and Hellmuth called.  Schaaf turned over 94, an underdog to Hellmuth’s 88.  The board ran out KQQQ6, and Phil Hellmuth continued to stay alive.

Several hands later, Hellmuth found his tournament life at stake again.  This time Hellmuth got it all in during the razz round, but his opponent again was James Schaaf.  Despite receiving two double up hands within twenty minutes, Hellmuth remained the tournament short stack.

Esther Rossi Crippled by Tommy Hang

Despite being second in chips before tangling with Tommy Hang, Esther Rossi continued to battle after losing a large pot to Hang who now has a commanding chip lead over his opponents.  Hang made an ace-high flush in the stud eight-or-better round that left Rossi's stack destroyed.  She finished the hand with less than 100,000 in chips, and for the first time in four-handed play Phil Hellmuth was not the shortest stack at the table.

Blinds/Antes: Stud - A: 5,000 B: 5,000 C: 20,000 , Razz - A: 5,000 B: 5,000 C: 20,000, Stud 8 - A: 5,000 B: 5,000 C: 20,000, Omaha: 10,000/20,000, Hold’em: 10,000/20,000

Players Remaining: 4 of 803

Chip Counts:
James Schaaf – 930,000
Tommy Hang – 845,000
Esther Rossi – 440,000
Phil Hellmuth – 115,000

Eliminations:
Jason Dollinger Eliminated in 5th Place ($54,804)

Big Hands:

Jason Dollinger Eliminated in 5th Place ($54,804)

In the stud round, Jason Dollinger completed showing the K and was raised by Tommy Hang, the chip leader, showing the 9.  Dollinger reraised and Hang made the call.  The two eventually got it all in on fifth street and at the showdown Dollinger showed one pair, fours, against Hang’s three-of-a-kind, sevens.  Dollinger earned $54,804 for his 5th place finish.

New Chip Leader at Break

After a few hands of stud eight-or-better, the remaining four players took a 20 minute break.  Just before the break, James Schaaf overtook Tommy Hang as the tournament chip leader thanks in part to two pots with the undisputed crowd favorite, Phil Hellmuth.  Hellmuth lost both to Schaaf and went into the break as the short stack with less than 150,000 in chips.

Play resumed just before the stroke of midnight.

Blinds/Antes: Stud - A: 3,000 B: 5,000 C: 15,000 , Razz - A: 3,000 B: 5,000 C: 15,000, Stud 8 - A: 3,000 B: 5,000 C: 15,000, Omaha: 8,000/15,000, Hold’em: 8,000/15,000

Players Remaining: 6 of 803

Chip Counts:
Tommy Hang – 680,000
Phil Hellmuth – 400,000
James Schaaf – 392,000
Jason Dollinger – 346,000
Sam Silverman – 310,000
Esther Rossi  - 166,000

Eliminations:
Matt Grapenthien Eliminated in 8th Place ($27,511)
Victor Ramdin Eliminated in 7th Place ($32,992)

Big Hands:

Matt Grapenthien Eliminated in 8th Place($27,511)

The final table saw its first elimination during the Omaha eight-or-better round.  Matt Grapenthien limped in pre-flop and Tommy Hang completed from the small blind.  Victor Ramdin checked his big blind option and the three players saw a flop of AKQ.  The action checked around, and the dealer put down the A on the turn.  Again Hang and Ramdin checked, but this time Grapentien put out a bet.  Hang check-raised, prompting Ramdin to fold.  Grapenthien made the call and turned over AJ63 for trip aces.  Hang flipped over KK82 for a full house, kings full of aces.  Grapenthien failed to fill up on the river, and he was eliminated in 8th place for a cash prize of $27,511.

Large Crowd Gathers for Phil Hellmuth

A large crowd of spectators has gathered around the final table in the Amazon Room to watch Phil Hellmuth attempt to win his 12th World Series of Poker title.  A special section has been designated for several members of Hellmuth’s extended family who have joined the crowd to cheer for Hellmuth.

Victor Ramdin Eliminated in 7^th Place ($32,992)

Victor Ramdin became the 7th place finisher during the stud round.  James Schaaf finished him off when his two pair, tens and deuces, overtook Ramdin's nines.  Ramdin earned $32,992 for his finish.

Blinds/Antes: Stud - A: 3000 B: 3000 C: 12000 , Razz - A: 3000 B: 3000 C: 12000, Stud 8 - A: 3000 B: 3000 C: 12000, Omaha: 6000/12000, Hold’em: 6000/12000

Players Remaining: 8 of 803

Chip Leaders:
Tommy Hang - 680,000
Phil Hellmuth - 400,000
James Schaaf - 392,000
Jason Dollinger - 346,000
Sam Silverman - 310,000
Victor Ramdin - 166,000
Esther Rossi - 78,000
Matt Grapenthien - 46,000

Eliminations:
Lonnie Heimowitz Eliminated in 10th Place ($22,031)
Edward Brogdon Eliminated in 9th Place ($22,031)

Big Hands:

Lonnie Heimowitz Eliminated in 10th Place ($22,031)

During the Omaha eight-or-better round, Lonnie Heimowitz got it all in pre-flop with AQ76 against Victor Ramdin’s JJ43.  The flop came AKQ, giving two pair to Heimowitz and a flush draw to Ramdin.  The 10 on the turn was a blank for Ramdin, but the 5 on the river completed his flush.  Heimowitz was eliminated in 10th place, earning $22,031 for his efforts.

Final Table Bubble Played Nine-Handed

As the players sweat the bubble for the final table, the remaining nine players will be combining into one nine-handed table.  When another player has been eliminated, the remaining eight final tablists will take a one hour dinner break.

Edward Brogdon Eliminated in 9th Place ($22,031)

Not long after combining into one nine-handed table, Edward Brogdon became the final table bubble boy after being eliminated by current chip leader Tommy Hang.  Brogdon and Hang got it all in pre-flop, with 106 for Hang and 77 for Brogdon.  The final board read KQ432, and Brogdon earned $22,031 for his “unlucky” 9th place finish.

Storylines:

Final Table Set

With the elimination of Edward Brogdon (9th) right before the dinner break, the final eight players prepared for the final table. Here was what the final table (eight-handed) looked like as the players left for dinner:

Seat 1 - James Schaaf - 392,000
Seat 2 - Matt Grapenthien - 46,000
Seat 3 - Sam Silverman - 310,000
Seat 4 - Phil Hellmuth - 400,000
Seat 5 - Jason Dollinger - 346,000
Seat 6 - Tommy Hang - 680,000
Seat 7 - Victor Ramdin - 78,000
Seat 8 - Esther Rossi - 166,000

Players Remaining: 13 of 803

Chip Leaders:
Phil Hellmuth - 440000
Matt Grapenthien - 373000
Tommy Hang - 370000
Sam Silverman - 250000
Jason Dollinger - 235000
James Schaaf - 200000
Victor Ramdin - 200000
Esther Rossi - 143000
Edward Brogdon - 112000
Phillip Penn Sr. – 105000

As final table time approaches, players seem to be playing more cautiously.  Several of the tournament’s smallest stacks were already eliminated during the previous two rounds.  The last hour saw no eliminations.  Players spent 20 minutes of the hour on a break.