Eric Buchman Eliminaed in 2nd Place ($171,855)

Stud 8

Eric Buchman started heads-up play with a chip deficit and John Monnette managed to further widen the gap during the initial Stud portion of the final match. Buchman was short by the time Stud-8 rolled around and got it all in on fourth street in this last hand of the night.

Buchman: Q 2 10 J 8 6 6
Monnette: 3 2 A J J K 8

Monnette paired jacks on fifth street while Buchman paired sixes on the river and without a low hand, Eric Buchman was eliminated in 2nd Place ($171,855). John Monnette grabbed the gold bracelet and the $278,144 grand prize for winning Event #23.

Michele Limongi Eliminated in 3rd Place ($109,425)
Limit Hold’em

Erich Buchman button-raised, Michele Limongi three-bet the small blind, John Monnette four-bet the big blind, Buchman folded and Limongi called.

The flop came Q 9 3, Limongi checked, Monnette bet and Limongi called.

The turn was the 8, Limongi moved all in and Monnette called. Monnette turned over A A for the best hand while Limongi was drawing dead with A 2. Michele Limongi was eliminated in 3rd place ($109,425) while John Monnette took a big chip lead against Eric Buchman going into heads-up play.

NOTE: Sixty minute levels with games changing every eight hands.

Limits: 30,000-60,000

Triple Draw 2-7 – Hold’em – Omaha 8:
Blinds: 15,000-30,000

Razz – Stud – Stud 8:
Ante: 7,000
Bring In: 10,000
Completion: 30,000

Players Remaining: 4 out of 489

Average Chip Count: 916,875

Chip Counts:

1. John Monnette – 2,100,000
2. Michele Limongi – 815,000
3. Eric Buchman – 590,000
4. Brent Hanks – 236,000

Eliminations:

5th. Desmond Portano – $57,692

Desmond Portano Eliminated in 5th Place ($57,692)
Razz

Desmond Portano was all in on third street against John Monnette.

Portano: Q 4 3 8 6 8 10
Monnette: 10 3 7 5 2 5 5

Portano made a 10 – 8 – 6 – 4 – 3 low but was beat by Monnnette’s 10 – 7 – 5 – 3 – 2. Desmond Portano was eliminated in 5th place ($57,692).

Be sure to check back hourly for level-by-level updates of this final table.

NOTE: Sixty minute levels with games changing every eight hands.

Limits: 20,000-40,000

Triple Draw 2-7 – Hold’em – Omaha 8:
Blinds: 10,000-20,000

Razz – Stud – Stud 8:
Ante: 5,000
Bring In: 5,000
Completion: 20,000

Players Remaining: 6 out of 489

Average Chip Count: 611,250

Chip Counts:

1. Eric Buchman – 1,015,000
2. Michele Limongi – 935,000
3. John Monnette – 825,000
4. John Juanda – 545,000
5. Desmond Portano – 155,000
6. Brent Hanks – 155,000

Eliminations:

7th. Adam Kornuth – $32,373
8th. John Racener – $24,797

Brent Hanks Doubles Through Eric Buchman

Brent Hanks completed with A, Eric Buchman raised with J, Hanks reraised and Buchman called.

Hanks: A 3 A 4 Q 4
Buchman: J 6 J 4 Q 10

Hanks got the rest of his chips in on fourth street with split aces against Buchman’s split jacks. Hanks double-paired on sixth street while Buchman failed to improve. Brent Hanks doubled up to over 200,000 to stay alive.

John Racener Eliminated in 8th Place ($24,797)
Stud 8

Racener: A 3 6 K K
Buchman: J 7 A 8 2

John Racener was all in on fifth street with a pair of kings against Erich Buchman’s flush draw. Buchman hit the flush on sixth street with the 5, and although Racener double-paired the 3 on sixth, he bricked the river and was the first to go, eliminated in 8th place ($24,797).

Adam Kornuth Eliminated in 7th Place ($32,373)

No-Limit Hold’em

Michele Limongi limped in before the flop, Adam Kornuth shoved for 265,000 from the small blind and Limongi called.

Kornuth turned over 8 8 but was behind Limongi’s 1010.

The board came 7 4 2 7 J, no help for Adam Kornuth wo was eliminated in 7th place ($32,373).

Be sure to check back hourly for level-by-level updates of this final table.

There are only 25 players still in the hunt for the gold bracelet in the $2,500 8-game mix, searching for the top prize worth $278,144.

Notables still remaining include Rami Boukai, Shawn Buchanan, John Monnette, Eric Buchman, John Racener, Ylon Schwartz, Adam Geyer, Max Pescatori and John Juanda. The overnight chip leader is Racener with 363,300.

It promises to be a long day, but tournament officials hope we can crown a champion before the scheduled ten levels have elapsed.

Here is a look at the chip counts at the end of play:

Be sure to check back for full level-by-level live updates from the final table.