Champ Vitaly Lunkin (ImageMasters)

Vitaly Lunkin wins Event #27

After limping in, Kimes called the preflop raise of Lunkin who pushed it up to 600,000. After the flop fell J 2 4  both players checked. The turn came the 8  and Lunkin check-called an all-in from Kimes who knew he was in trouble when his 10 8  was at this point, bested by Lunkin's A J . No love for Kimes on the river and Brett Kimes has been ousted in second place and will earn $387,837.

Blinds are now 60,000/120,000 with an ante of 15,000.

Unlikely chopped pot saves Brett Kimes

Brett Kimes survived what would have been a crippling blow to his stack when the board showed five to the flush and the pot was split. Preflop Kimes raised it to 500,000 and Lunkin called. The flop brought the 5 6 9 and Kimes bet 1.1 million. Lunkin didn't take long to push his smaller stack all-in and Kimes was faced with a huge decision. The tournament staff offered to count Lunkin's chips and Kimes accepted finding out that Lunkin had 1.76 million left to call. After pondering the decision for at least two minutes, Kimes makes the call and tables the A 7  against the 7 8  of Lunkin. Kimes mumbled to himself "Such a bad call" and the dealer brought the 3 . Kimes' supporters started begging for another diamond, and shortly their wish came true as the dealer put the river card of Q  out. Kimes was obviously relieved.

Other heads-up action...

Limped pot preflop and the flop brings 4 Q 3 . Kimes check-calls a 175,000 bet from Lunkin and Kimes checks in the dark before the turn card 7  appears. Lunkin bets out 300,000 and Kime makes the call. The river brings the 7  and both players check it down. Kimes shows the 7 6  and Lunkin dumps his cards to the muck.

Firestone blows like a faulty tire

Once again in a limped preflop pot, the flop brought 6h10d9h. Lunkin checks and Firestone makes a bet of 200,000. Lunkin responds by pushing all-in and Firestone make the call. Firestone shows 10s3h and Lunkin shows the Js8s. The turn gives Lunkin even more outs in the form of the 5h and when the river shows the 7s Bobby Firestone is eliminated in third place and will take home $277,026.

Action slows to a crawl...

We've seen a lot of preflop raises and folds in the last hour. Viatly Lunkin continues to be the most active of the three.

In a limped plot, Vitaly and Bobby Firestone saw a flop of 2 4 Q  and Lunkin bet out and Firestone called. The turn showed the 5  and this time Vitaly check-called a bet from Firestone. The river was the A  and once again Vitaly check-called a bet from Firestone. Firestone showed A 3  for a straight, and Lunkin mucked his hand.

Firestone and Lunkin tangled again just a few hands later. With a raised preflop pot and the board reading 4 2 5  Lunkin check-raised Firestone to about 800,000. Firestone made the call and the turn brought the 10 . Both players checked. The river brings the 5  and Lunkin checks to Fireston who bets 700,000. Lunkin must have disliked his hand at this point, and decided to let it go.

Terrell sent home

Facing a prelop raise from oft-raiser Vitaly Lunkin, Kennth Terrell decides to push his stack to the middle. Lunkin makes the call and tables the J J . Terrel shows the A J  and is going to need a lot of luck to catch up. The board reads Q 6 4 K 2  and Terrell's hope for a bracelet has ended. Kenneth Terrell is eliminated in fourth place and will take home $232,702.

Blinds are now 40,000/80,000 with a 10,000 ante.

Alm is ousted

Richard Alm has been felted from the tournament in sixth place and will pocket $149,594. With nobody in the pot, Richard Alm pushes his chips to the middle only to be called by Boby Firestone from the small blind. Firestone tables the 7 7  and Alm shows the A 8 . No help comes for Alm, and this good natured player is done for the evening.

Brett Kimes raises preflop and gets one caller. The board shows K Q 6 4 9  and Kimes, who opens the action, checks in the dark on the flop and turn. Both players ultimately check it down on the river, and Kimes shows the ducks and his opponent mucks.

A few hands later Brett Himes open raises from the button. Trevor Donaldson pushes all-in and Bobby Firestone, next to act, pushes his stack all-in. Kimes ponders for a moment and decides to muck. Donaldson shows Big Slick and Firestone shows the Cowboys. Kimes, who just folded, mentions he also held an Ace and Donaldson looks dejected and begins to put on his coat. The board doesn't bring any help for Trevor Donaldson and he is eliminated in fifth place and has won $190,225.

In a recent hand Vitaly Lunkin (active in many pots) limped from the big blind and saw the flop with Brett Kimes. After a flop of 5 7 2  Kimes checked and Vitaly bet around 60k to which Kime made the call. The turn brought the A  and both players checked. The Q  fell on the river and Brett opens with a 175,000 bet. Vitaly thinks for a short bit and decides to lay it down.

Players have been on dinner break for the last hour or so. Play is to resume in the next few minutes.

Shultz busts

Barry Shultz has been busted from the tournament in seventh place and will earn $112,657 for his time. Barry Schultz rasises preflop and Bobby Firestone reraises all-in. Schultz makes the call showing pockets 4s. Firestone, apparently caught trying to make a play, tables the A 2 . The flop keeps Schultz in the lead when it shows 8 J 5 . On the river the A  comes giving Firestone the lead, but allowing a heart flush possibility for Schultz. The rivcer bricks the 4 , and Schultz is busted. After the hand, Firestone commented that everytime Schultz  raised and then was reraised, he chose to fold. Apparently that was going through his mind when making a move with the A2.

Three players sent to the rail in the last hour

Tony Gargano has been eliminated in tenth place worth $36,568. Gargano pushed his chips to the middle from the small blind when action was folded around to him. Vitatly Lunkin called from the big blind and Gargano's Q 2  would need some help against the A J  of Lunkin. No help at all for Gargano and by the turn he was out.

Philip Yeh has also been eliminated. Yeh's ninth place finish will earn him $57,990. Again, present chip leader, Vitatly Lunkin  calls the preflop all-in of Yeh who tables the A9 vs the AJ of Lunkin. No outs on the board for Yeh, and he is done in ninth place.

Facing limited options due to his short stack status, Robert Brown pushes everything to the middle with the Q J  after a raise from Trevor Donaldson prelfop. Donaldson makes the call and flips the AQ which has Brown dominated. Again the board would bring no help for the weaker hand, and Robert 'Don't Call Me Bobby' Brown is eliminated in eighth place. (Nickname courtesy Poker Pages' tournament staff. No royalties required).

Yeh loses chips, gains chips, and then loses chips

After getting involved with Bobby Firestone and losing some chips in a previous hand, Philip Yeh made a river bet that forced Firestone to the decision. After giving it some thought Fireston tossed his cards to the muck and Yeh was able to take down a nice sized pot.

A few hands later Yeah reraised Kenneth Terrel preflop from the button. Action folded back around to Terrel who pushed himself all-in. Yeh showed the QQ and Terrell the AA. Yeh wouldn't get any help,  Terrell would scoop a nice pot. This hand left Yeh with about 400,000 in chips.

Seating assignments for the final ten:

Philip Yeh - 1,360,000
Jeffrey Brown - 310,000
Tony Gargano - 285,000
Vitaly Lunkin - 1,030,000
Trevor Donaldson - 265,000
Barry Schultz - 1,340,000
Kenneth Terrell - 650,000
Richard Alm - 500,000
Bobby Firestone - 920,000
Brett Kimes - 1,500,000

A lot of jockeying for position.

There haven't been a ton of showdowns in the last hour. Both large stacks (Barry Schultz and Philip Yeh) seem to be content to wait for their spot.

Three more hit the rail. Tables consolidate.

Jordan Smith has been eliminated in 11th place. Facing an opening raise from Bobby Firestone, Jordan Smith pushed all-in from the big blind. Firestone calls and tables the pocket 8s and must feel good when he sees the A5 of Smith. No help for Smith and he has been felted taking him $36,567.

Also hitting the rail was Bashar Ramahi who will also take home $36,567 for his time and efforts.His pockets 6s weren't going to upset the Ladies of Brett Kimes, and Ramahi joins the ranks of the busted.

In thirteenth place Carl Jermoe has been ousted. On a board reading 2 A Q 10 J and action checked to the river and no opening round raises, Barry Schultz makes a pot-sized bet, and Jerome pushes all-in for his last 600,000+ in chips. Schultz makes a quick cal and tables a K for Broadway while Jerome was only able to muster two-pair. Carl Jerome has been busted in thirteenth place and will earn $36,567.

The two tables have now consolidated to one. We will need to bust one more player, however, before we are at an 'offical final table' with nine players.