Champ Ryan Hughes (ImageMasters)

Play continued into Level 24: Ante 7k, Bring-in 10k, Limits 30k/60k.

Ron was repeatedly surrendering his bring-ins to Ryan’s completions and raises. As his stack dwindled, Ron seemed to get more desperate.

On the final hand, they capped the betting on fourth where Ron had a pair of split Kings and Ryan was behind with split 7s. On 5^th, Ron paired his 3 giving him two pair and the lead. As the river card was delivered, Ron would need to pair up or be eliminated. Ryan looked at his river card and it was another 7, giving him the full house, the win, and his second WSOP bracelet.

Ryan Hughes finished in 1^st place, earning $183,368 and his second WSOP bracelet.

Ron Long finished in 2^nd place, earning $113,240.

Chip counts:

Break time.

Play resumed with Level 23: Ante 5k, Bring-in 5k, Limits 20k/40k.

Thomas got his last chips in against Ryan and they ran out the cards. Thomas made a pair of deuces and nothing else. Ryan caught a pair of 3s to scoop the pot and send Thomas home.

Thomas Hunt III finished in 3^rd place, earning $68,686.

Chip counts at the start of heads-up play:

In the first hand that went to the river, Ron made two (split) pair. Ryan mucked his hand and Ron took the pot.

In a later pot, Ryan made trip Jacks to take a pot from Ron.

Ron called Ryan to the river. Ron had an open pair of 6s and Ryan showed an open pair of 7s. At the river, Ron showed a 6 in the hole for trips to scoop the pot.

The next hand, Ron led the betting to the river with Ryan calling. Ron showed a pair of Aces and again scooped the pot.

Ron fired away on the next hand with Ryan calling until the river, when he mucked. Ron pulled another pot and has pulled even with Ryan.

The lead changed a couple of times, but at showdown, Ryan showed a full house and Ron mucked his hand. Ryan has retaken a 2-to-1 chip lead over Ron.

Play continued into 22: Ante 3k, Bring-in 5k, Limits 15k/30k.

Short-stacked Thomas Hunt has been all-in four times and managed to come away with half a pot each time to hang on.

Thomas and Alessio went to the river where Thomas showed two pair to beat Alessio’s one pair and missed low. Thomas chipped up to 125k.

Alessio then had a run-in with the chip leader, going to the river and ending up with no pair and an 876 low. Ryan made a pair of 7s and an 873 to scoop. Alessio was down to 150k.

Alessio got his last chips in on the river against Ryan Hughes, who had an open pair of Kings. Alessio had Aces in the hole and an open pair of 6s for two pair, but Ryan caught a third King on the river to take the pot.

Alessio Isaia finished in 4^th place, earning $50,122.

Latest chip counts:

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

Ryan led the whole way with Jonas calling. At the river, Ryan showed two pair. Jonas mucked and Ryan added another 100k to his stack.

Jonas Klausen surrender to Ryan on the next hand and then got involved with Ron Long, getting all-in on fifth. Jonas had four clubs and three to a low. Ron held a pair of 6s, three to a low, and three of Jonas’ clubs. As the cards ran out, Jonas caught a pair of offsuit 8s, missing the flush and the low. Ron paired up a Jack to made two pair and scoop.

Jonas Klausen finished in 5^th place, earning $39,355.

Ron went to the river with Ryan and came up with a better two pair to take the pot.

In three-way action, Tim D’Alessandro got all-in with a straight to the 8 and 76 low to scoop a pot from Joshua Feldman and Jonas Klausen.

Joshua Feldman was then all-in on fourth against Jonas Klausen, who had a split pair of Aces. Joshua had two pair, Jacks and 9s, but Jonas caught a King on the river to make a second pair and scoop.

Joshua Feldman finished in 7^th place, earning $23,019.

Jonas and Ryan fought over a pot all the way to the river. Jonas check-called Ryan on the river and Ryan showed Kings. Jonas mucked and Ryan was up to 540k and back in the chip lead.

Tim D’Alessandro got all-in on 5^th against Thomas Hunt III. Tim had rolled-up Tens and was ahead of Thomas’ Aces-up, but sixth street was a killer. Tim paired his 3 to make Tens-up, but Thomas caught another Ace for Aces-full. The only card that would save Tim was the case Ten on the river. Didn’t happen, though, and Tim was busted.

Tim D’Alessadro finished in 6^th place, earning $30,444.

The level came to an end and players opted for a 10-minute potty break.

As of the break, Ryan Hughes was the chip leader with 400k. Jonas Klausen was at 338,000.

Thomas Hunt III got his short-stack in on 3^rd against Alessio Isaia. Alessio made Kings-up on the river to take the lead, but when Thomas peeked at his river card, he found another Ace to make Aces-up and stay alive. He doubled up to ~60k.

Alessio then tangled with Ryan Hughes, who mucked on the river when Alessio showed a flush and 64 low. Alessio chipped up to 350k while Ryan dropped down to 250k.

David Sklansky has been bleeding chips all day. He finally got his last 10k into a pot against Tim D’Alessandro and Ryan Hughes, who continued to build a side pot. At the river, Tim had trip Aces for high and Ryan had a 75 low. David came up empty and headed for the door.

David Sklansky finished in 8^th place, earning $19,306.   His 25 year bracelet drought continues.

Jonas Klausen and Ryan Hughes went to the river where Jonas showed a wheel to scoop. He’s up to 455k and firmly in possession of the chip lead.

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

Mike Hefer went to 6^th with Alessio Isaia and raised all-in with his last chips. Alessio, who is showing 7 4 7 6 makes the call and announces “Full house” showing 742. Mike mucks and heads for the door.

Mike Hefer finished in 13^th place, earning $8,168.

David Brooker got his last chips in on 5^th against Ron Long. David had Ace-high with a low draw. Ron had already made a low and paired his 8 on the river. David missed his low and didn’t event pair.

David Brooker finished in 12^th place, earning $11,880.

Ryan Hughes led the betting to the river and Daniel Nicewander called all the way, getting his last chips in. Ryan showed two pair and Daniel couldn’t come up with a better hand or a low, and was busted.

Daniel Nicewander finished in 11^th place, earning $11,880.

Margaret Macre apparently misread her hand in a pot against Ron Long. On the river, she announced “full house”, but actually held two pair, Kings and Jacks. Ron produced a 7-high straight, good for the scooper. Margaret was left with only 30k in chips. Ron chipped up to 185k.

Ryan Hughes took a pot from James Richburg with trip 7s. James mucked his hand and was left with only 12k.

Margaret Macre got her last chips in against Joshua Feldman on 5^th. Margaret had two pair, 9s and 8s, and no low. Joshua made Aces up for a better high to scoop.

Margaret Macre finished in 10^th place, earning $15,593.

The final nine have moved to a single table, where one player will sit out each hand. They use a dealer button and move it around the table to identify the player who is dealt out.

James Richburg got his last chips in against Joshua Feldman and Alessio Isaia, who continued to build a side pot. At the river, Joshua had Aces-up for high, Alessio had an 87 for the low. James mucked his hand.

James Richburg finished in 9^th place, earning $15,593.

The final 8 are on a break until 4:15pm.

Day two of the $1,500 Stud Hi-Low 8-or-Better event ended with 13 final table hopefuls.  Phil Hellmuth finished in 33rd place, earning his record 66th WSOP cash.  Men 'the Master' Nguyen finished in 17th place, earning his 61st WSOP cash.  The remaining thirteen will get back to business at 3 p.m. PDT Saturday.

Official chip counts, table and seat assignments for the start of Day 3: