Champ Michael Rocco (ImageMasters)

After a break, play resumed with Level 23: Ante 5k, Bring-in 5k, Limits 20k/40k.

Al led all the way to 6^th with Michael calling. Al bet the river dark. After looking at his card, Michael raised and Al made the crying call. Michael showed a straight to take the pot.

On the next hand, Al was all-in on third. Al made a pair of 3s, but Michael rivered a pair of Kings and it is over!

Michael Rocco finished in 1^st place, earning $135,753 and his first WSOP bracelet.

Al ‘Sugar Bear’ Barbieri finished in 2^nd place, earning $83,210.

Play resumed with Level 22: Ante 3k, Bring-in 5k, Limits 15k/30k.

Michael fired on 5^th street showing 3 2 2 and after Al called, Rocco’s next card was another 2. Al pre-mucked before Michael could bet, flashing the other 2.

Michael has a 2-to-1 lead on Al with 760k to Al’s 380k.

Al and Michael went to the river and at showtime, Al held Aces-up, but Rocco showed a wheel to take the pot and leave Al with only 250k in chips.

Michael took another pot with trip 5s. Al was down to ~200k.

Al managed to win one pot with a dark bet on the river after raising 6^th street and getting called. Michael mucked after looking at his last card.

Michael has 883k. Al has 257k.

Play resumed, still in Level 21: Ante 3k, Bring-in 3k, Limits 12k/24k.

At the beginning of heads-up play, Al has 800k to Michael’s 345k.

Not a lot of hands are going past fifth street. Michael has made up a little ground on Al, climbing to 475k.

The players got to sixth with Al showing 4 9 T 8 and Michael showing 6 T A Q. Al fired a bet and Michael raised, the first aggressive move he made during the hand. Al called the raise and called another bet on the river. Michael showed a pair of Aces in the hole for trips. Al mucked his two pair.

Both picked up an open pair on sixth – Al had 8s and Michael had Queens. Michael showed a second pair, Aces, to take another pot. Michael was up to 645k, good for the chip lead.

Michael made trip Queens and beat Al out of another pot, extending his chip lead.

Al got a little back when he bet on sixth showing 7 A J J. Michael mucked and Al showed his pair of Ace in the hole to fill the boat.

Al surrendered the next two pots to bets from Michael on 6^th and 5^th.

Players took a 10 minute break at the end of level 21.

Michael caught a deuce on sixth to go with the pair of ducks in the hole to beat Al’s buried pair of Aces. Michael chipped up to 250k.

Al and Levon then went to the river, where Al bet dark. Levon folded after checked his last card.

Levon and Michael got to sixth with Levon showing A 4 2 2 and Michael showing 2 5 7 3. Levon bet the river, leaving himself with only 6k. Michael tanked, then made the call. Levon had not improved on the pair of ducks he had showing. Michael showed a buried pair of Jacks to take the pot.

Play continued into Level 21: Ante 3k, Bring-in 3k, Limits 12k/24k.

Levon tripled his stack up to 18k, but then got his last chips in against Michael, who ended with trip Queens.

Levon Torosyan finished in 3^rd place, earning $50,186.

The final two are now taking a 30-minute pseudo-dinner break. Play will resume at 7:50pm.

Play resumed with Level 20: Ante 2k, Bring-in 3k, Limits 10k/20k.

Players pushed the antes around the table for a while with Al getting more than his share. He took the chip lead back with 485k. Michael Rocco is still the short-stack with 280k.

Al and Levon went to the river again with Al coming out on top with two pair.

Michael and Levon took their turn at the dance with Michael leading all the way and Levon following. Michael showed a pair ofQueens in the hole to go with the one he caught on 5^th street and Levon mucked.

Al and Michael went to fifth where Michael bowed out. Al showed two split pair.

Al has again extended his lead – he’s sitting on 600k. Levon has 300k and Michael has 245k.

Michael and Levon again went to the river where Levon fired one last time showing 7 8 A A and Michael called, showing J T Q 9. Levon rolled over A98 for Aces full; Michael mucked.

Al and Levon checked down the river and Al showed a pair of Queens. Levon mucked his hand.

Al and Michael went to the river with Al firing again on 7^th. Michael made the call showing a split pair of Aces. Michael mucked his split pair of Kings and Al pulled another pot.

Al is up to 860k. Michael is down to 160k and Levon is now the short stack with 120k.

Play resumed after the break with Level 19: Ante 2k, Bring-in 2k, Limits 8k/16k.

Al and Max traded the lead back and forth to the river, where Sugar Bear fired a bet in the dark. Max looked at his card, said ‘Nice Hand’ and mucked. Al pulled the pot.

Giacomo got his last chips in against Michael. Giacomo’s split Tens were no match for Michael’s pair of Aces. Then Michael caught another Ace on sixth for trips – Giacomo was drawing dead.

Giacomo D’Agostino finished in 5^th place, earning $28,083.

Max Troy got his last chips in on sixth against Levon. Max had an open pair of Aces and not much else. Levon had pocket 4s to go with the 4 he caught on fourth street giving him trips and a nice lead. To add salt to Max’s wound, Levon paired his King on the river to make the full house. Max’s hand never improved and he was finished.

Max Troy finished in 4^th place, earning $37,184.

Al and Levon went to the river where Al showed a set of Kings to drag another pot, chipping up to 700k.

At sixth street, Al had an open pair of 8s. Michael was showing 9 5 J 8 with three spades. Al check-called Michael’s river bet and showed a pair of 7s to go with his 8s. Michael showed QT to complete his straight and win the pot.

Levon continues to fire away and has taken enough chips from Al to move into the chip lead:

End of level and players are taking 5.

Danny and Giacomo got involved in a pot with Danny getting all-in on fifth. At the river, he held Jacks-up to double up to ~64k.

Giacomo opened a pot and got action from Levon and Max. Levon raised on fourth and Max dropped out. At the river, Giacomo showed a pair of Aces, but Levon held two pair to take the pot.

Jeffrey and Max went to the river with Jeffrey getting all in on sixth. When they turned up their cards, Jeffrey showed a pair of Aces in the hole, but Max had rolled-up sevens. Jeffrey improved to two pair, but it was not enough and he was busted.

Jeffrey Siegal finished in 8th place, earning $14,401.

Then Andre got all in against Al who held trip fours. Andre couldn't catch up and was busted.

Andre Boyer finished in 7th place, earning $16,642.

Danny then got all in against Al who had a pair of ducks. Danny was ahead with a pair of 6s. Then Sugar Bear caught a third duck on fifth to take the lead. Danny couldn't catch up and was busted.

Danny Kalpakis finished in 6th place, earning $21,842.

End of level and players were send on a 20 minute break.  Play will resume at 5:20pm.

Cards were in the air about 3:10pm. ~40 minutes remain in Level 17: Ante 1k, Bring-in 2k, Limits 5k/10k.

Al took a pot from Michael with a better two-pair hand. Then Michael took a pot from Jeffrey with a pair of Jacks in the hole. Then Danny got all his chips in on third against Levon. His pair of Queens were in trouble against Levon's pair of Aces, but Danny caught another Queen and a couple of Jacks to make a full house and double up.

Play continued into Level 18: Ante 1,500, Bring-in 2k, Limits, 6k/12k.

Al, Levon, and Max got into a pot and Al was leading the whole way. Levon folded on fifth, but Max hung with him to the river. Al showed Aces-up and Max mucked. Sugar Bear pulled another pot.

Max then got his last chips in on 6th with a pair of 6s against Al, who held Ace-high. Al caught a King on the river to make a bigger pair, but Max caught a second pair to double up.

End of Day 2 chip counts and payout information: