Level: 24

Limits: 20,000-40,000 with a 5,000 ante

Players Remaining: 2 out of 246

Average Chip Count: 922,500

Chip Counts:

Seat 1: David Chiu – 1,080,000
Seat 8: Scott Seiver – 820,000

Players Eliminated:

3rd: Freddie Ellis – $59,127

Live Updates:

Freddie Ellis Eliminated in Third Place ($59,127)

David Chiu completed and both Freddie Ellis and Scott Seiver called. All three players checked fourth street and then Ellis bet out on fifth street. Chiu raised and Seiver folded. Ellis called and then Chiu bet again on sixth street.

Ellis called all in for 25,000 and he was drawing dead with a pair of nines to the full house held by Chiu, fives over sevens. Ellis was eliminated in third place and Chiu would take a stack worth 1,080,000 into the heads-up final against Seiver (820,000).

Level: 22

Limits: 12,000-24,000 with a 3,000 ante

Players Remaining: 4 out of 246

Average Chip Count: 461,250

Chip Counts:

Seat 1: David Chiu – 165,000
Seat 2: Michael Mizrachi – 212,000
Seat 3: Freddie Ellis – 520,000
Seat 8: Scott Seiver – 885,000

Players Eliminated:

7th: Matthew Ashton – $18,266
6th: Gary Benson – $24,003
5th: Frank Kassela – $31,978

Live Updates:

Matthew Ashton Eliminated in Seventh Place ($18,266)

Scott Seiver completed and Freddie Ellis called. Matthew Ashton called all in for 17,000 and then Seiver opened the action again on fourth street. Ellis called and on fifth street it was Ellis who bet. Seiver called and the action reversed once again on sixth street. Seiver bet first but Ellis raised to 48,000 Seiver called and then both live players checked on seventh street.

Ellis showed the winning hand of (52) 57510 (9) and Seiver mucked. Ashton could only muster two pair and that was behind the trip fives of Ellis. Ashton was out in seventh place and Ellis was close to 500,000.

Gary Benson Eliminated in Sixth Place ($24,003)

Freddie Ellis completed and Gary Benson raised. Ellis called and on fourth street Ellis bet. Benson called all in for 4,000 and he was already behind the trip tens of Ellis when they revealed their first four cards. Benson wasn’t able to catch Ellis’ (107) 1010QK (5). Benson was out in sixth place and Ellis continued to build his stack.

Frank Kassela Eliminated in Fifth Place ($31,978)

Frank Kassela completed and Scott Seiver raised. Kassela called and then checked on fourth street. Seiver bet and Kassela called. Kassela bet 24,000 on fifth street and Seiver called. Kassela moved all in for 13,000 on sixth street and Seiver called once more. Here is how things looked after seventh street.

Seiver: (1010) 5675 (A)
Kassela: (AQ) 6963 (7)

Kassela was eliminated in fifth place thanks to Seiver’s two pair and Seiver was over 900,000 after the hand.

The final table of Event No. 23 ($2,500 Seven-Card Stud) has begun, and Card Player will be posting level-by-level updates with all major hands, current chip counts, and prize payouts.

With the elimination of Helmut Koch in ninth place ($11,008), the eight-handed final table is now set. Play will begins in Level 21 with limits of 10,000-20,000 with a 2,000 ante, and action will continue until a winner is determined. Play may be extended an additional day if it takes more than 10 levels to reach a winner as noted on the official structure sheet. With cards now back in the air, here is a look at the final table and how these players stack up:

Seat 1: David Chiu – 313,000
Seat 2: Michael Mizrachi – 320,000
Seat 3: Freddie Ellis – 85,000
Seat 4: Adam Friedman – 60,000
Seat 5: Gary Benson – 365,000
Seat 6: Matthew Ashton – 240,000
Seat 7: Frank Kassela – 180,000
Seat 8: Scott Seiver – 260,000

While only 8 remain, this event attracted a field of 246 players, creating a total prize pool of $559,650, and the top 32 players made the money. Here is a look at the final table payouts:

1st Place: $145,520
2nd Place: $89,980
3rd Place: $59,127
4th Place: $43,188
5th Place: $31,978
6th Place: $24,003
7th Place: $18,266
8th Place: $14,086

Be sure to check back with Card Player at the conclusion of each level for regular updates with all major hands, current chip counts, and prize payouts.