Full Results and Final Table Summary
Gold Strike Photo Gallery

Here's a recap of the top 9 and their winnings:

I've gotten the photos added, including these two of our winner!

	Galen Kester and John Nieznanski, TD

	Galen Kester and his winning hand

The slow tango just turned into a fast dance.  Steven moved in with and was called by Galen with pocket fours.  A four on the flop gave Galen a set, but Steve had some outs to make a wheel.  No miracle for Steven, though.  Steven Hipes finishes in 2nd place, earning $60,179.

	Steven Hipes

Galen Kester is our champion, earning $101,212, plus the $10,200 entry to the final on January 19th, plus the dazzling gold and diamond WPO bracelet.

	Galen Kester

Almost, but not quite...

Steven moved all in again and was called.  Steven held and Galen held .  Galen led all the way on the board of , but the on the river brought Steven back from the brink with a split pot.

Steven moved all in with Q7 offsuit and got called by Galen who was ahead with KT offsuit, but a 7 came on the flop and a Q on the river gave Steven a double up to 62,000 in chips.

Huge pot!  On a flop of K6T with two spades, Steven moved all in.  Galen called and Steven had KJ offsuit, giving him top pair, but he was dominated by Galen's K6, for two pair.  The river brought another 6, filling Galen's boat, and he scooped the massive pot of 526,000.  There are only 564,000 chips in play, so Galen is sitting behind a huge lead.

Brian Mizok raised to 20,000 on the button and was called by Galen Kester, but Steven Hipes moved all in over the top.  Brian moved all in also, and Galen folded.  Brian had KJ offsuit and Steven had A8 offsuit.  The board brought Steven a straight: 764Q5 and the win.  Brian Mizok finishes in the 3rd place, earning $30,089.

	Brian Mizok

Our tournament director here at the Goldstrike, John "Niz" Nieznanski, is running a tight ship.  Players are back and play has resumed.  Interestingly, the top three chip leaders at the beginning of today are the three players still in the hunt.

Players are on an end-of-round 15 minute break, so we're taking this opportunity to get updated stack sizes (approximate):

Galen Kester  298,000
Steven Hipes  179,000
Brian Mizok        87,000

When play resumes, we will have 1000 antes, 3000/6000 blinds.

Wasting no time, Fred Sigur got all in against Steven Hipes.  Steven made the nut flush and Fred is our fourth place finisher, earning $16,412.   At least someone besides Galen won a pot.

	Fred Sigur

Galen-Force...

Liz raised to 16,000, Galen came over the top making it 33,000.  Liz contemplated for a while, then called.  On the flop of J84, Liz moved all in and was immediately called.  Galen had TT and was dominating Liz's 77.  There were only two cards that could extend Liz's day and they didn't show, so Liz Lieu finishes in 5th place, earning $12,309.  This table definitely lost some bling with Liz gone.

	Liz Lieu

Fred Sigur just got all in and was called by Steve Hipes in the big blind, since it was so close.  Fred held A3 offsuit and Steve had T5 offsuit.  Steve took the lead with a ten on the flop and advanced his lead with a five on the turn, but when the fourth club arrived on the river, the only player with a club was Fred, the .  But is it enough to give him the flush, the win, and a much needed double up.

Galen is chipping away at the table.  He raised Liz Lieu's big blind and she called the raise, but they both checked the board all the way down.  In the end, his KQ high beat her KT, and Galen adds more chips to his stack.

Now they're beating a path to the door.  Chris McCormack got all in with A6 offsuit and was called by Galen with AT of spades.  No help from the board and Chris McCormack is our 6th place finisher, earning $9,574.

	Chris McCormack

Liz Lieu got all in with JT clubs against Brian Mizok with pocket 6s.  The flop was 87K with one club and the 9 on the turn gave Liz the straight and the double up.

Galen made it 8,000 to go and Chris Trotter moved all in over the top for 14,000 more, which Galen called.  Chris had 99 again and Galen had J8 of hearts.  The Jack on the turn was the deal breaker for Chris and he finishes in 7th place, earning $6,839.

	Chris Trotter

The action is heating up.  Tony Boles moved all in and was called by Chris McCormack.  Tony had Q7 offsuit and Chris had A5 offsuit.  An Ace on the flop and another on the turn was the end of the story for Tony.  Tony Boles is our 8th place finisher, earning $5,471.

	Tony Boles

Fred Sigur just doubled up through Steven Hipes when his AK flopped a King against Steven's A4.

Chris - cross...

Chris McCormack raised from the cutoff and Chris Trotter moved all in from the big blind.  Chris T. had 99 and Chris M. had A7 hearts.  No help from the board and Chris Trotter doubles up through Chris McCormack.

Blinds are up to 2000/4000 now with a 1000 ante.

Chris McCormack raised from the big blind after Brian Mizok had limped in.  Brian called the raise and the flop was .  Chris moved all in and Brian called immediately.  Brian held for the flush draw with two overcards and Chris held the for top pair.  Two offsuit blanks fell, giving Chris the win and the double up.

Our first flop...and first departure.   After everyone folded to Galen in the small blind, he raised and was called by Joe in the big bling.  On a board of , Galen Kester bet and Joe Foley moved all in from the big blind.  Galen called quickly and showed for the open ended straight draw and flush draw.  Joe had the for top two pair.   The on the turn gave Galen a useless pair, then the on the river gave him the flush for the win.

Joe Foley is our 9th place finisher, earning $4,377. 

	Joe Foley

There's a first time for everything.  We made it through the fist hand without losing a player.  And the second...and the third...we haven't even seen a flop yet.  Looks like this group is not in a hurry to get out of here, so let's settle in for the battle royale this is shaping up to be.

Players have been announced and cards are in the air.  We have 22 minutes left at this level, which is 500 ante, 1500/3000 blinds.

We're almost ready to begin today's final table and it looks like a great one! First, let's recap what happened yesterday. The $2000 + $70 event began with 141 players. This event pays 18 places, so here are the money finishers from yesterday:

Our final table today includes a WSOP bracelet holder: Galen Kester, who won the $1500 Pot Limit Omaha event in 2001.  He also has two WPO championships: $500 Deuce-to-seven lowball in 2002 and $1,000 Pot Limit Omaha in 2003. 

Today's final table also features our first female. Liz Lieu, who has made quite a name for herself among the high stakes cash games, is also doing quite well at tournament play. Here's the rest of the final table she will be facing:

And of course, here's what they're playing for:

*First place includes a $10,200 entry to the championship on January 19th and the WPO bracelet.