Event 3 Champ D. Singer (ImageMasters)

Singer Sews It Up

David Singer wins the bracelet in Event #3, $1,500 Pot Limit Hold'em, taking home a check for $214,131. Jacobo Fernandez finishes second, earning $136,643.

After a grueling heads up match, Singer finally bested Fernandez to add the first WSOP bracelet to his lengthy list of poker accomplishments. Let's just hope the bracelet matches all of his rings. This his second cash in this year's WSOP and his impressive 18th WSOP cash. Fernandez earned his second WSOP cash and by far his highest finish.

Singer took most of Fernandez' stack when David held A-K and flopped two pair. He finished him off the next hand when Singer pushed Jacobo all in with a board reading 3 5 7 6. Fernandez debated the call for a long time, reluctant to end the night, but eventually pushed his stack into the pot. Singer excitedly flipped his Q 4 for the straight, while Jacobo shook his head at his two pair, showing 7 3. The J on the river gave Singer the official W.

Taking Slow-Playing to a Whole New Level

These two might be here all night. The final table began ten hours ago, but neither seems to be getting tired. The spectators a getting a little bored, though. They seem to be jealous of all the raucous cheering going on at the Event #4 final table behind this one. We've seen hole cards once in the last hour or so, and Fernandez is exxxxtremly methodical about each of his decisions. Good poker, bad t.v. His focus has been paying off as he is now the chip leader by a good margin. But that doesn't seem to mean much in this heads up match. They both really want the bracelet.

Here are the chip counts as the players take a 20 minute break:

Jacobo Fernandez - $1,345,000

David Singer - $805,000

And Forth-and-Back

After passing the chip lead back and forth for the last hour, David Singer took a sizable lead. Jacobo Fernandez had been chipping away at Singer until one hand turned the tied. Singer raised to $48K from the SB, and Fernandez called. The flop came down 5 4 3. Fernandez check-called Singer's $70K bet. It was check-check after a 3 on the turn. Jacobo bet an aggressive $200,000 after the 7 on the river, and Singer called after a moment's deliberation. Fernandez knew he was beaten even before he saw held A-6 for the straight.

That hand gave Singer a $700K advantage over Fernandez, but Jacobo didn't throw in the towel. He's ground down Singer's stack over several hands and finally retook the chip lead by forcing Singer to fold hand after hand after committing lots of chips. Looks like Singer needs another dinner break.

Back from Dinner Back-and-Forth

The players have returned from dinner, and watching this one is bit like watching a tennis match. Fernandez and Singer are both playing aggressively, raising and reraising each other. But their chip stacks have remained pretty equal. Jacobo is trying to stay focused, keeping his back to the crowd that is pushing against the ropes around their table. Singer, on the other hand, is enjoying the attention, getting up between hands to chat with his supporters.

Fernandez has taken a momentary $10K chip lead, holding $1,080,000 to Singer's $1,070,000. This could be one brutal match.

Heads Up Action

Short-stack Greg Alston finally got out of the way to let David Singer and Jacobo Fernandez tear each other apart until there's only one player left standing (or sitting, I guess). Alston's J-J should have kept him alive against the 8-8 of Fernandez, but Jacobo caught an 8 on the turn for trips to send a shocked Alston packing. Alston finished 3rd for a prize of $82,725.

With ESPN cameras hovering over the final two, Fernandez and Singer have stepped up their aggressive play. Singer bled chips to Jacobo until he was down to only $320K. Almost on the ropes, Singer brought himself back into contention with a well-timed double up. The pair limped into the flop: 2 7 q. Fernandez checked, Singer bet $25K, and Jacobo made it $100K. Not looking happy about it, Singer shoved with K 2. His bottom pair held up against Jacobo's 3 8 flush draw when no more s appeared on the board.

Despite being locked in a heads up battle, the players chose to take their scheduled ninety minute dinner break. Food seems important to Singer, who insisted on dinner last night against the wishes of the rest of the players vying for the final nine spots. Before that break, David was the short stack, so Jacobo better watch out when Singer returns refueled. Play is scheduled to resume at 9:10 pm.

At dinner time, the chip counts are: Singer - $1.15 million, Fernandez - $1 million.

Down to Three

Russ Harriman's vocal cheering section didn't translate into chips, and Harriman busted in 5th, earning $55,474. Robert Lipkin finished 4th, taking home $67,640.

With only 85K left, Harriman had to move in sooner or later, and sooner seemed like a good idea when he was dealt pocket Queens. Greg Alston calles with A-J. Harriman's ladies don't hold up when the flop brings an Ace. Alston gives a cheer, and Harriman shakes hands and leaves the table with class.

After Harriman's exit, play slows down and tension builds as the final four play quietly and conservatively for a while. That is, until David Singer raises from the button and SB Robert Lipkin (who looks like he could be Singer's younger brother) reraises all in with 5 7. Holding pocket Jacks, Singer insta-calls. The 2 T Q flop gives Singer a shot at a backdoor straight or flush but is no help to Lipkin. The turn and river change nothing, and Singer ends Lipkin's day.

Jacobo Fernandez and David Singer are battling for the chip lead, and Greg Alston is way behind.

King Overthrown, Tehan Also Deposed

Zachary "Carter" King was eliminated in 7th place, earning $34,063. Joe Tehan took 6th for $43, 796.

Just a few hands after doubling through monster stack Jacobo Fernandez, Carter King called Greg Alston's reraise all in. Holding A 8, King was not pleased to see Alston's A A. Two s on the flop gave King a shot at a backdoor flush, but the turn was not a , and Carter King's reign was over.

Joe Tehan returned from the break extremely low on chips and went back on break after only a few hands. He was all in with J-T against David Singer's pocket 9s. The flop fell 2 Q A, giving Tehan a gut-shot straight draw. The 8 on the turn gave him two extra outs, but the brick on the river sent him home in 7th.

It's "Bean" Rough for Glen and Al

Glen Bean and Al Barbieri were eliminiated in short succession. Bean exited in 9th place for a pay day of $19,464, and Al Barbieri took home 8th and $26,764.

BB Glen Bean called Zachary King's $24K pre-flop raise with his remaining $21K. Bean's J 8 was behind King's A Q, but Glen still announced that he was going to win this one. The 3 8 9 paired his 8 and seemed to agree with his predicition...until the river, that is. The Ace on the river made Bean the first player to check out of the final table.

A few hands later, it looked like Greg Alston would join Bean on his way to the parking lot. Alston was all in with pocket Jacks against Al Barbieri's Q-Q, but a Jack on the turn had Alston leaping with excitement.

Barbieri just grimaced, but after doubling up David Singer and Alston, Al's stack was looking pretty sad. With only $50K left, he got his money in with K-6 off and was called by Singer's A-Q off. The 2 9 A 4 T board sent Barbieri home in 8th place.  This is his third WSOP cash.

Jacobo Fernandez is still the dominant chip leader, finally hitting the $1 million mark.

Playing 5k/10k blinds: Al Barbieri limped in, then Joe Tehan min-raised to 20k from the small blind. Al made the call and the flop came K Q 6 . Joe checked, Al bet 40k, and Joe check-raised to 102k. All took a while to consider his action, then made the call to see the turn, which was the 4 . Joe checked again and Al insta-shoved all-in for 153k. Joe released his hand and Al showed pocket Aces, with the . Al chipped up to ~380k while Joe's stack was hacked down to ~250k.

Gerg Alston raised and David Singer made the call. Flop came Q 5 3 rainbow. Greg fired 70k and David announced all-in, which was just a call as he had less than 70k. David's AQ for top pair had Greg's pocket Jacks crushed. David doubled up to ~160k.

Soon after, David raised to 22k utg and Al Barbieri called from the button. On the Q 3 2 David fired 40k and Al called. Turn was the 8 and David again moved all in. Al made the call, showing KQ off for top pair. David rolled over pocket Aces to take another double up (river was another Ace, just for the over-kill).

Joe took a pot from Russel to get some of his chips back and Greg got some of his chips back from David later on.

Carter got all in against Russell and his pocket Jacks held up against Russell's pocket 9s to double-up Carter and keep him alive and keep the player count at nine.

Jacobo Fernandez in currently out in front with about 600k.

Final table action got going a bit after 2pm. Although there was a lot of raising going on, there was not a lot of calling. After almost an hour of play, they are still 9-handed.

Here's a reminder who's playing with their seats and starting chip counts: