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March 28, 2024

Live Updates: World Series of Poker Main Event final table surfaces after 18 hours

Canadian Jonathan Duhamel has the chip lead and Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi is still in

WSOP Final Table

Justin M. Bowen

Chips are shown as players receive their cards during a hand on the final day of the World Series of Poker Main Event. Play started at Noon Saturday and after 15 hours, 10 players still remained.

Updated Sunday, July 18, 2010 | 5:49 a.m.

WSOP Final Table

The final table of the 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event plays down from 10 to nine players on the last day of competition in July. The Launch slideshow »

Chip Counts

  • Jonathan Duhamel — 65,975,000
  • John Dolan — 46,250,000
  • Joseph Cheong — 23,525,000
  • John Racener — 19,050,000
  • Jason Senti — 16,700,000
  • Filippo Candio — 16,400,000
  • Michael Mizrachi — 14,450,000
  • Soi Nguyen — 9,650,000
  • Jason Senti — 7,625,000
  • Brandon Steven — 0
  • Pascal LeFrancois — 0
  • Adam Levy — 0
  • Duy Le — 0
  • Hasan Habib — 0
  • Matt Affleck — 0
  • Benjamin Statz — 0
  • David Baker — 0
  • Scott Clements — 0
  • Michiel Sijpkens — 0
  • Patrick Eskandar — 0
  • Redmond Lee — 0
  • William Thorson — 0
  • Robert Pisano — 0
  • Ronnie Bardah — 0
  • Mads Wissing — 0
  • Matthew Bucaric — 0
  • Johnny Lodden — 0

Introducing your 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event final table

No one wanted to be the last player left out of the World Series of Poker Main Event final table.

Unfortunately for Brandon Steven, it had to happen sometime. And after nearly 18 hours of play, Steven exited when he lost an all-in to Matthew Jarvis with Ace-King against pocket Queens.

The November Nine is now set after two weeks of play at the Rio. Canadian Jonathan Duhamel will have the chip lead with approximately 55 million chips. He’s followed by poker pros John Dolan, Joseph Cheong and John Racener. Italian Filippo Candio will be in fifth at the final table followed by the most well-known professional remaining, Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi.

The final table will be rounded out by California amateur Soi Nguyen and Minnesota pro Jason Senti.

All nine players will receive an $811,823 payout this morning. That’s ninth place money. Each of the other eight spots have at least a slight pay jump.

But there will be plenty of time to think about that before the nine players meet again in four months. Tonight was about celebrating those who outlasted the 7,310 other players who started in the tournament.

The search for poker’s next champion has been trimmed significantly.

Still at 10 players, nine seems far away

Action has been scarce in the Amazon Room as the World Series of Poker Main Event enters its 17th continuous hour of play.

None of the 10 remaining players are playing many hands, because no one wants to bubble the November Nine final table. The two most recent all-in confrontations did little to change the landscape of the tournament.

Right before the last break, Italian Filippo Candio put all of his 6 million chips in, only to be called by John Racener. Candio held pocket Aces against Racener's Ace-King. The aces survived an uneventful board. Although Candio doubled up in the hand, Racener still has plenty of chips.

Earlier, Brandon Steven and Matthew Jarvis found all their chips in the middle and flipped up their hands. Both had Ace-King and they chopped the pot. That's a fairly good representation of how slow things are moving here at the Rio.

More than three hours of 10-handed play have passed

A lot of things seem to change after playing poker for 15 hours.

That can be evidenced here at the Rio, where play started at Noon and is still going strong at 3:40 AM. Since getting down 10 players and needing only one more elimination to make the November Nine, three hours have passed.

Except for the bookends, the chip counts have changed drastically. Jonathan Duhamel is still on top and Brandon Steven is still at the bottom. John Dolan, who started the day with only 2 million chips, is all the way up to 45 million after winning a couple big pots.

Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi has also gone from in trouble to in good shape. Mizrachi now stands in fifth, his highest position all day, with 17 million chips.

Maybe the November Nine will be decided within the next few minutes. Or maybe not.

Pascal LeFrancois comes in 11th

Pascal LeFrancois stormed out of the Amazon Room at the Rio and slammed the door. This was the ending to what once looked like a promising day.

LeFrancois, who won his first World Series of Poker bracelet earlier this summer, finished in 11th when he got all in against Joseph Cheong. LeFrancios held an inferior Queen-Jack against Cheong's pocket Kings. Nothing funky happened and Cheong took out LeFrancois.

LeFrancois carried the chip lead for a while this afternoon. But after 12 hours of play, he joins the other 16 players who busted today on the outside looking in.

LeFrancois wins $635,011. Only one more player will be left out from the November Nine final table. The players are taking their new seats around the ESPN featured table.

Another break in the books, 11 back for a shot at glory

The players are settling back in their seats after a 20-minute break, but shouldn't get too comfortable.

As soon as one more player busts and the field is trimmed to 10, the Main Event will consolidate to one table. Although it will be the only table left in play, it does not count as the official final table.

The official final table features only nine players and will be contested in November in the Penn And Teller Theater. Tonight there will be no moving from the ESPN set.

Play has slowed down recently, perhaps because all the remaining players realize what's at stake. Brandon Steven, a car dealership owner from Wichita, Kan., will likely be the next player to risk all his chips and go all-in. Steven is down to about 3 million with the blinds at 150,000-300,000 with a 40,000 ante.

Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi is the only well-known pro left in the field. He has 7.8 million chips, which is ahead of only Steven.

Duy Le gone in 12th; Adam Levy in 11th

And the bad beats continue.

Duy Le, a poker pro from San Francisco, found himself all-in with Ace-Queen against John Dolan's King-6. It looked like a good chance for Le to double up until the flop.

It ran out King-Jack-4 to give Dolan a pair of Kings and a lead he held on to. Le gets $500,165 for his 12th place finish. His elimination means the final money jump of the night has occurred.

The last three players to get knocked out will win $635,011. The rest will be paid out $811,823, ninth place money, until the final table in November when they play for the rest.

Shortly after Le's exit, one of the last recognizable pros also was sent home. Adam Levy couldn't overcome running into John Duhamel's pocket Aces and finishes in 11th.

Hasan Habib exits in 13th place

For days, Hasan Habib simply hung around.

Habib, a poker veteran and one-time bracelet winner, has nursed a below average chip stack for at least the last three days in the World Series of Poker Main Event but always made timely double-ups to stay alive. He did that enough to earn a $500,165 payday, but nothing more.

Habib is the latest casualty after John Racener took him out with Ace-King of clubs against Ace-9 of diamonds . The flop was a dramatic one — 10 of clubs, 9 of clubs, three of spades — that gave Habib the lead with a pair of 9s but Racener a flush draw.

The turn came a 10 and the river an Ace to give Racener a higher two pair, Aces and 10s, than Habib's Aces and 9s. Habib was gracious as he shook hands and left the ESPN stage. Although it hurts not to make the November Nine, Habib clearly did all he could to make it this far.

Matt Affleck knocked out in brutal fashion

The two biggest hands of the day have involved pocket Aces losing.

The first happened when Filippo Candio hit two cards in a row to make a straight with 7-5 versus Joseph Cheong's Aces. The second one just happened and it was even more devastating.

Matt Affleck, who was fifth in chips, got all-in after the turn on a 10-9-7-Q board with pocket Aces. Jonathan Duhamel called with an inferior hand, pocket Jacks, but had a draw to a straight on the river.

An 8 landed on the river to knock Affleck out short of the final table and give Duhamel nearly 50 million chips. Affleck has lasted deep in the Main Event two years in a row, finishing in 80th last year and 14th this year. But he's understandably devastated as he walks to the payout window to collect $500,165.

Play resumes after dinner break

The 15 remaining players in the Main Event are settling into their seats after a 90-minute dinner break and preparing for some of the most important moments of their lives.

Nine of these men will end their night by making the most prestigious final table in poker. The other six will have quite a consolation prize, $500,000-$635,000 in prize money.

It shouldn't take too long to see fireworks as five of the players have chip stacks of 5 million or less. Headlining that bunch are Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi and Hasan Habib, the two most well-known names left in the field.

Two players who appear to be strong favorites to make the "November Nine" final table are Matthew Jarvis and Jonathan Duhamel. Although they are about tied with each other, they have a major lead on the rest of the pack.

But this is poker. A fortune of chips can turn into nothing in the span of a couple hands. Let's see what swings the nightcap brings.

Matthew Jarvis takes out Benjamin Statz

In a quest to win the World Series of Poker Main Event, it always helps to catch fire near the end.

Right now, the man doing that is Matthew Jarvis. He jumped to the chip lead after knocking out Benjamin Statz moments ago.

Jarvis called Statz's all-in with King-Queen. Statz showed Ace-Five. The flop was very helpful for Jarvis — Queen-King-King. That left Statz helpless and he cashed out for $396,967 in 16th place.

The remaining 15 players will all get at least $500,165.

David Baker finishes in 17th

Another established pro has bowed out of the Main Event.

David Baker, who has nearly $1 million career earnings in the World Series of Poker, fell victim to Jonathan Duhamel. On a flop of Queen-2-4 with two spades, Baker went all in with Jack-7 of spades. Duhamel called with pocket Kings and they held up.

Duhamel and two other players, Pascal LeFrancois and Matthew Jarvis, are all very close in chips at the top of the board. The crazy part? Duhamel, LeFrancois and Jarvis are all from Canada.

The only other international player remaining is Filippo Candio from Italy, who currently sits fifth in chips. No players from Las Vegas remain in the field.

Scott Clements' run comes to an end

The World Series of Poker's most accomplished player to make it to the final two tables has been eliminated.

Scott Clements, the only player in the final 18 with two World Series of Poker bracelets, pushed all his chips in with Ace-Queen. Unfortunately for him, Canadian student Matthew Jarvis called with Ace-King.

The board did nothing to change Jarvis' lead and Clement leaves in 18th with $396,967. Even with the money, Clements frowned and put his head down as he walked off the ESPN set.

To come this far and miss the final table can be devastating. Jarvis is now one of the chip leaders.

Michiel Sijpkens exits in 19th

The World Series of Poker Main Event is re-drawing seats for the final two tables.

Eighteen players remain after poker pro John Racener recently took out Dutch player Michiel Sijpkens. Racener's King-Queen was able to beat Sijpken's pocket Jacks.

At this point, everyone is guaranteed at least $396,967. But a lot more money is on the line, as the final nine each make at least $811,823. Nine more players will be eliminated tonight, until the final table emerges.

Italian Filippo Candio is in the lead with 26 million chips, followed closely by Racener and Pascal LeFrancois. Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi has slipped to 15th with 5.4 million chips.

Money jump on the horizon

Play has slowed down significantly here at the Rio during the last hour or so.

There's good reason for that. After Patrick Eskandar went out in 20th place, the Main Event is down to 19 players. This is significant because 19th receives $317,161, while 18th will jump nearly $80,000 with a prize of $396,967.

No one wants to lose $80,000 out of simple impatience. Veteran poker pro Hasan Habib currently has the shortest stack with less than 3 million. He's gone all-in about four times since the last break ended 15 minutes ago and never found any callers.

It might take a very big hand to eliminate the next player.

Filippo Candio hits two miracle cards to become chip leader

Joseph Cheong is standing over his chip stack looking dazed — and no one can blame him.

Cheong, who was the chip leader, was an 85 percent favorite to win nearly 20 million more chips when his pocket Aces were up against Filippo Candio's 7-5 of spades on a flop of 5-6-6. Candio called Cheong's all-in

Knowing he made a bad play, Candio hid in disgust as the hands were revealed. That didn't last long. He jumped out of hiding and ran around the ESPN featured table when the turn and river came an 8 and a 4, respectively, giving him a runner-runner straight.

David Baker, a player at the table, tweeted afterward it was "one of the most disgusting hands I've ever seen."

While chips were still being shipped to Candio, the Main Event lost another player on one of the outside tables. Short-stacked Patrick Eskandar's Ace-7 suited ran into Soi Nguyen's King-Queen on a Q-9-10-10-K board.

Redmond Lee slips out in 21st

After an hour with no eliminations, England's Redmond Lee became the next player to go home from the World Series of Poker Main Event.

Down to only 2 million in chips, Lee went all-in with pocket 4s and was up against Michiel Sijpkens' pocket 10s. No bad beats here, as Sijpkens took the pot.

Sijpkens is up to the top nine in chips. He's a 21-year old student from the Netherlands and only remaining player who could beat Joe Cada's record as the youngest player to ever win the Main Event.

John Racener knocks out William Thorson

Another professional is out of the Main Event, as Swedish pro William Thorson just fell victim to John Racener on the ESPN secondary table.

Thorson picked a bad time to make a move in attempt to pick up chips. Thorson raised all-in with Jack-10 of diamonds after a series of players called before the flop. Racener made an easy call of Thorson's all-in with pocket Kings.

Although Thorson did improve to a flush draw after the flop of A-6-2, Racener held on to win a huge pot. Thorson receives $317,161 for his finish in 22nd place.

Robert Pisano finishes in 23rd place

Robert Pisano's run through the World Series of Poker Main Event has ended.

The Las Vegas pro was down to barely two big blinds when he went all-in with Jack-9, only to be called by Pascal LeFrancois' Queen-8. The board ran out Q-10-2-2-J to give LeFrancois the pot.

Pisano earned $317,161. That's the same amount the next four finishers will earn as there is no pay jump until 19th, which is good for $396,967.

LeFrancois is holding steady at fourth in chips. Canadian Jonathan Duhamel has recently won a number of pots to sneak into second in chips.

Ronnie Bardah out in 24th

Some refer to it as the best feeling in hold'em poker — when you hold pocket Aces and are up against Ace-King before the flop.

Filippo Candio would agree right now. Candio continued his climb up the chip count list when he eliminated Ronnie Bardah with pocket Aces. Bardah held the dominated Ace-King.

Candio now trails only Joseph Cheong, Soi Nguyen and Matt Affleck in the Main Event. Bardah takes home $317,161 for his 24th place finish.

Mads Wissing exits in 25th

Moments after Matthew Bucaric met his demise, a loud gasp came from the other side of the room.

It was the sound of Mads Wissing from Copenhagen, Denmark, getting extremely unlucky. Wissing faced off against Swedish pro William Thorson in a small blind vs. big blind encounter.

Wissing was able to get all his chips with the best hand, 10-8, on a 10-3-6 board for top pair. Thorson was committed to making the call after he led out with a bet on the flop. Problem was he only had Jack-3 for bottom pair.

But Thorson's prospects turned from dim to golden when a Jack hit the turn to give him two pair. He takes out Wissing, who like Bucaric, earns $317,161.

Matthew Bucaric out in 26th place

Nothing like a little excitement to wake up the crowd at the ESPN featured table near the beginning of the day

Matthew Bucaric from Brentwood, Tenn., was down to about 2 million chips and declared all-in on a flop of 7-J-8 with two hearts. Italian Filippo Candio called. Candio showed 6-8 of hearts for middle pair and a flush draw. Bucaric had pocket 9s for the best hand at the moment with a pair and straight draw.

The turn card was not kind to Bucaric as it fell the 3 of hearts, giving Candio a flush. He held on to his lead on the river and Bucaric leaves Las Vegas with $317,161.

Cards in the air for the final time this summer

The 27 men remaining in the Amazon Room at the Rio have done almost nothing but play poker for the past four days.

They’ve spent 60 hours total on the felt thinking through every move since the World Series of Poker Main Event started last week. Since the field merged after multiple starting days Monday, these guys have played about 10 hours per day.

And today will be their longest session yet as the Main Event will play down to nine players regardless of how long that takes. A number of factors make this annually the longest day at the World Series of Poker Main Event.

1) The pay jumps are significant. Consider the next player eliminated will receive $317,161 for 27th place. Not bad by any means, but 10th place will get more than double that with $635,011.

2) Chip stacks are still large. The average is around 7 million, which equates to around 60 big blinds. In other words, no one has to be inpatient in getting all their chips into the middle.

3) The glory is probably the most important factor. Everyone wants to be poker’s world champion. The $8.9 million, the prized Main Event bracelet and the responsibility of being poker’s ambassador is something everyone in this field aspires to.

A lot of great stories remain in the field. Taking center stage in ESPN’s coverage and most spectators’ attention is Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi, who is the biggest name poker pro left in the Main Event.

Other pros left include Scott Clements, Pascal LeFrancois and David Baker.

Soi Nguyen, a Vietnamese amateur, is virtually tied for the chip lead despite only playing in four live tournaments ever. Jason Senti, a former software engineer from Minnesota, is in fourth.

The first elimination just occurred in only the second hand of the day. One of the most dangerous players in the field is gone.

Johnny Lodden, a Norwegian pro who was short-stacked, pushed all-in with pocket 8s. They didn’t hold against Matt Affleck’s Ace-10 and now 26 remain.

Stay tuned to lasvegassun.com for updates throughout the day when players are eliminated.

Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer for live updates from the Main Event.

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