Champ Ray Foley

(Kaelaine Minton reporting)

Play resumed after the break with

Level 30: Blinds 60k/120k with 10k antes.

Ray limped, Brandon raised to 300k, Ray moved all-in, and Brandon called. Ray showed A7 off and was badly dominated by Brandon's AQ off. Then the board came 8 8 5 6 5 resulting in a split pot.

Ray went to showdown with Brandon on three consecutive hands and all three times, Brandon showed down the best hand. Ray dropped down to ~4 million.

Don't count him out yet, though. Ray opened for 300k and Brandon shoved. Ray called, showing pocket Tens. Brandon held K9 off. A King hit the flop giving Brandon the lead. It looked like it was about to be over, then a Ten landed on the turn giving the lead back to Ray with a set. Brandon was drawing dead and Ray doubled up to over 8 million, leaving about 4 million for Brandon.

Brandon opened for 305k and Ray called. On the flop of J 9 3 rainbow, Ray checked, Brandon fired 450k, Ray shoved, and Brandon tanked. After a good bit of thought, Brandon made the call all-in, showing J7 for top pair. Ray rolled over QJ for top pair with superior kicker. the last two came T 5 and it is OVER!

Ray Foley finished in 1st place, earning $657,969 and his first WSOP bracelet.

Brandon Cantu just missed out on his second bracelet, finishing second for $403,951.

(Kaelaine Minton reporting)

Alex opened for 250k on the button and both blinds called to see the flop come Q 9 9. They checked around and the turn brought the J. It checked to Alex, who fired 400k. Ray mucked his small blind, but Wei called from the big. River was the T. Wei checked, Alex moved in, and Wei tossed his T 8 (straight) to the muck.

Alex is creeping ever closer to the 5 million chip mark. Everyone else is bunched in the 2.4-2.7 million range.

Brandon opened for 275k on the button and then Alex moved in from the small blind. He was caught looking the the wrong direction when Ray called all-in from the big blind on his left. Brandon got out of the way. Ray held pocket Jacks and was out in front of Alex's A3 off. The board came safe for Ray and he doubled up to over 5.1 million, claiming the chip lead. Alex took his place down around 2.2 million.

Brandon opened for 375k, then Alex moved all-in (deja vu?). This time Ray stayed out of it and Brandon called all-in, showing pocket Tens. Alex rolled over 86 off (can you say "tilt"?). The flop of K 8 5 gave Alex a little hope, but the last two came 9 J and Brandon doubled up to ~4.1 million. Alex was left with dregs...just 320k.

Alex got his last chips in after action folded to his small blind. Ray looked him up from the big blind, showing A4 off. Alex held J9 suited and would need help to survive. It was not to be, however, as the board ran out K 6 4 7 2 with none of Alex's suit.

Alex Jacob finished in 4th place, earning $190,857.

Brandon opened for 275k, Ray folded his small blind, then Wei called from the big. On the flop of K 4 3, Wei checked, Brandon fired 350k, Wei shoved, and Brandon snap-called. Wei tabled K9 suited for top pair, but was one pip short of Brandon's KT off (same pair, better kicker). The last two came 6 5 and Brandon's kicker played.

Wei Mu finished in 3rd place, earning $269,609.

Heads up play will begin with Brandon holding almost 7 million chips to Ray's 5.2 million. But first, they are taking twenty.

(Kaelaine Minton reporting)

It had to happen eventually. Brandon and Alex have been dancing around each other at this final table, but sooner or later, someone was going to get his toes stepped on.

Brandon raised to 230k and Alex called on his left. The flop came J 6 3 rainbow and Brandon checked. Alex bet 300k and Brandon called. Turn was a 2 and both checked. River was a Ten and the third spade on board. Brandon checked. Alex moved all-in. Brandon stood up to give it some thought, then called. Alex rolled over pocket Aces. Brandon uttered an expletive and vigorously mucked his hand, berating himself for making the call.

Alex doubled up to over 3.6 million and the chip lead while Brandon was dropped to ~2.3 million.

Jonathan opened for 210k utg and action folded around to Wei in the big blind. Wei tanked, then made the call. On the flop of A K J, Wei checked, Jonathan bet 265k, Wei shoved, and Jonathan called. Wei showed QT off for the flopped nuts. Jonathan had outs with his pocket Kings (middle set). He needed the board to pair to survive. The last two came 6 3, however, and Wei took the pot.

Jonathan Markham finished in 6th place, earning $114,514.

Alex opened for 200k and Tyler shoved from the big blind for 575k. Alex called, putting a pained look on Tyler's face. The reason became obvious when he tabled his hand: J2 suited. Alex held pocket 9s and was way ahead. The board came T 7 6 3 Q, never giving Tyler any hint of help.

Tyler Spalding finished in 5th place, earning $143,421.

Play continued into

Level 29: Blinds 50k/100k with 10k antes.

(Kaelaine Minton reporting)

Four players took a flop on the cheap: J 9 7 rainbow. It was checked around to Brandon on the button, who bet 150k. Both blinds opted out, but Chairud made the call. Turn was an 8 and both players checked. River was a King and Chairud checked. Brandon bet 200k and got the call. He tabled J8 suited for two pair. Chairud mucked and Brandon pulled another pot.

Yet another four-way limped pot yielded a flop of K 4 2. The blinds checked to Chairud, (utg+1) who bet 150k. Brandon (cutoff) and Wei (bb) called. Turn was a Queen and Wei again checked to Chairud, who fired 300k this time, getting called in two spots. River was another Queen and Wei shoved. Chairud and Brandon surrendered and Wei picked up a nice pot without a showdown.

Chairud min-raised utg, Tyler called, then Alex moved in for ~800k. Chairud called and Tyler opted out. Alex held pocket Jacks and was ahead of Chairud's QJ suited. The flop came K Q J giving Chairud two pair but improving Alex to a set. The last two came 8 5 and Alex took the pot, chipping up to almost 1.9 million.

Chairud Vangchailued finished in 7th place, earning $96,355.

Time for another break. Chip counts:

Play resumed following the break with

Level 28: Blinds 40k/80k with 10k antes.

(Kaelaine Minton reporting)

Brandon Cantu has been running over the table since dinner, growing his stack to over 3 million without a showdown.

Alex opened for 125k and Chairud called from the small blind. On the flop of A T 5, Chairud fired 200k and Alex called. Turn was the 4 and it was checked around. River was the 9 and Chairud fired 175k. Alex tanked for a bit, then made the crying call. Chairud rolled over A K for top pair. Alex mucked his hand.

Play continued into

Level 27: Blinds 30k/60k with 5k antes.

Tyler opened for 150k two off the button and Ray hit it to the tune of 425k straight from the small blind. Tyler shoved and Ray called, showing pocket 8s. Tyler held pocket Kings and was way out in front. The board came J T T 9 4 and Tyler doubled up to almost 2 million. Ray was left with ~1.8 million.

Three players found themselves all-in pre-flop. Jonathan led with pocket Kings, Richard held pocket 4s, and Tyler, who was the initial aggressor, was in a world-o-hurt with KQ suited. The flop gave Tyler a little hope when it came J T 3 giving him an open-ended draw, but the last two came 2 7 and Jonathan tripled up. Richard took the side pot.

On a flop of A 7 4, Richard got his chips in the middle and called by Brandon. Richard held K T (no pair, no draw) and was surprisingly ahead of Brandon's J T with King-high, but Brandon had the flush draw. It was over quickly as the 2 hit the turn completing Brandon's flush.

Richard Lutes finished in 8th place, earning $85,608.

Seven players remain. Brandon is well out in front with over 4 million chips. Tyler is second with just under 2 million.

(Kaelaine Minton reporting)

Play resumed following dinner with

Level 26: Blinds 25k/50k with 5k antes.

Chip counts as of dinner:

Alex opened for 125k up front and Ray popped it on up to 350k.  Alex released his hand and Ray has established his post-dinner dominance.

In a battle of the blinds, Chairud completed the small, then Tyler kicked it up another 150k from the big.  Chariud made the call to see the flop come A A 5.  Chairud checked, Tyler moved all-in.  Chairud insta-called all-in, showing A8 off for trips.   Tyler rolled over pocket Kings in disgust.  The last two came 7 T and Chairud doubled to ~1.7 million.

(Kaelaine Minton reporting)

Shortly after Patrick O'Connor's demise, level 25 came to an end and the final eight players headed out for a one-hour dinner break. Play will resume at about 9:20pm.