Eric Hershler has the button in the first hand of heads-up and after a long pause he calls $200,000. In the big blind, J.C. Tran raises $700,000 and after another pause, Hershler pauses, then calls. The flop comes A J 6 and Tran bets out $1,200,000 and after a lengthy period of reflection, Hershler re-raises all-in, showing J 6 for two pair against A 7 for Tran.

This is the tournament unless Tran can catch up on the turn or the river, and his first lifeline is the 4, falling short and leaving Tran needing an ace, seven or a four to stay alive. The river card is the 9 and Eric Hershler has defeated J.C. Tran heads-up to take down the 2007 Los Angeles Poker Classic!

For his victory, Hershler takes home $2,429,970 as well as a buy-in to the $25,000 WPT World Championship and a World Poker Tour ring/chipset combo that is the envy of all the ladies. Tran will take home $1,177,010 for his second place finish, along with the frustration of seeing his WPT dreams fall short yet again. Tough luck, J.C. and congratulations to both finalists!

The money is on the table and the heads-up competitors are ready to do battle. Here are the counts going into the heads-up match:

With the elimination of Jacobo Fernandez play has been paused for the presentation of $2.42 million in cold, hard, American dollars. Stay tuned for live updates once the theatrics have concluded.

Jacobo Fernandez has been eliminated! He was on the button and first to act when he announced all-in. J.C. gets out of the way. Eric is in the big blind and makes the call. Eric turns over a monster - A A! Fernandez is in trouble with J 2. The flop comes 2 A 8 and Fernandez still needs some serious help. The 5 hits the turn and Fernandez is drawing dead. Another deuce hits the river to fill up Eric's boat and Jacobo is eliminated in third place. He will take home $607,490.

Eric Hershel folds on the button and Jacobo Fernandez moves all-in from the small blind. J.C. Tran lays it down and Fernandez takes the blinds and antes.

J.C. Tran folds on the button and Eric Hershel folds in the small blind, giving short-stack Jacobo Fernandez a walk.

The latest in the counts:

We're back in action from the Commerce Casino. Live updates will resume shortly.

The players have been released for a short tape-change break.

Jacobo Fernandez raises to $1 million on the button and J.C. Tran gets out of the way in the small blind. Eric Hershler makes the call in the big blind and the flop comes A K 2. Hershler checks to Fernandez, who shoots out another $1 million. Heshler re-raises all-in for an additional $1,920,000 and the South Floridian is forced into another difficult decision. He tanks for a good five minutes before laying down the hand, and Hershler takes a huge pot, showing K-10 as he rakes the pot. Fernandez claims to have had K-3.

Eric Hershler is on the button and first to act. He announces all-in and the action is on Jacobo who folds. J.C. is faced with a $2.8 million call but opts to fold. Eric takes down the blinds and antes.

Eric Hershler folds and so does Jacobo Fernandez, giving J.C. Tran another walk in his big blind.

Here are the latest counts:

Jacobo Fernandez folds on the button and J.C. Tran raises to $900,000 from the small blind. Eric Hershler folds and Tran begins the rebuilding process.

Eric Hershler moves all-in from the button for $1,810,000 and J.C. Tran calls in the big blind with J T to Hershler's Q T. The flop comes A K 4 and Tran is drawing for a queen to bust his opponent. The turn is the 5 and the river is the J, giving Hershler the Broadway straight and doubling him through Tran again. Hershler is back in the game with over $4 million in front of him.

J.C. Tran folds on the button and Eric Hershler folds in the small blind, giving Jacobo Fernandez a walk.

J.C moves all-in from the small blind and gets an insta-call from Eric Hershler in the big blind. They turn over their hands and J.C. is behind with T 7 to Hershler's Q K. The flop comes J J 6, no help for Tran and the Q means J.C. is drawing dead. Hershler doubles to a little over two million.

Eric Hershler folds on the button and Jacobo Fernandez folds in the small blind. J.C. Tran adds to his mountainous stack.

J.C. is on the button and is first to act. He announces raise and makes it $1 million to go. Eric gets out of the way and the action is on Fernandez. After checking his cards he releases and J.C. rakes the pot.

Jacobo Fernandez raises to $800,000 from the button and J.C. Tran gets out of the way. Eric Hershler, down to his last $1.8 million in chips, lays it down and Fernandez takes the pot.

The action's on Eric and he folds and Fernandez calls from the small blind. J.C. checks his option and the flop comes 9 8 2. Jacobo bets out $600,000 and J.C. mucks.

J.C. Tran raises to $1 million from under the gun and ain't nobody wanna mess with ya boy. He takes down mad paper on the play and breaks the $10 million barrier, which almost makes him cool enough to hang with PokerListings.com.

Jacobo Fernandez leads out for $1 million and J.C. Tran announces all-in after a few minutes' thought. Eric Hershler once again cannot bring himself to get out of the way without drawing some attention, and Hershler folds before Fernandez immediately makes the call, showing 3 3 to Tran's Q J. The flop comes 8 8 7 and the turn is the K, leaving Fernandez needing to dodge a jack or queen to stay alive. The river is the 7, giving both players two pair with a king kicker to chop the pot, and with nothing accomplished the audience pulls themselves off the roof and prepares for more poker.

The latest counts courtesy of Linda Johnson:

With J.C. Tran in the only blind for this hand, Eric Hershler folds and Jacobo Fernandez calls on the button. Tran checks his option and the flop comes J 6 4. Tran checks and Fernandez moves all-in for $3,270,000. Tran thinks it over before folding, and Fernandez takes down the pot.

With the elimination of Paul Wasicka, this level has come to an end. The new blinds are $200,000/$400,000 with an ante of $50,000. Shuffle up and deal.

J.C. Tran raises to $600,000 from under the gun and the action folds around to Paul Wasicka, who moves all-in from the big blind for $1,220,000 more. Tran thinks for a second before making the call, showing 3 3 to Wasicka's A 7. The flop is a dream for Tran, coming K K 3 to give him the flopped full house and leaving Wasicka drawing for running aces or sevens to stay alive. The turn is the 6 and it's over for Kwikfish, who heads out of the pond in fourth place to the tune of a $455,615 payday.

J.C. opens the pot to $600k and gets no callers and takes down the blinds and antes.

Fresh out the oven:

Jacobo opens the pot to $600,000 and gets no callers, he takes down the blinds and antes.

It's folded all the way around to J.C. in the big blind who takes down the blinds and antes.

The action's on Eric Hershler and he calls the $240k. Jacobo gets out of the way and the action's on Paul in the big blind who checks his option. The flop comes 2 A K and Paul checks. Eric bets out $300,000 and Wasicka mucks.

J.C. Tran raises to $560,000 from the button and Eric Hershler fields a cry of "Be a man" from the audience before pausing for a century and then pushing all-in. Jacobo Fernandez takes his own sweet time contemplating the $1,450,000 wager before folding, and after Paul Wasicka gets out of the way Tran lays it down as well, giving Hershler the pot.

The action gets to Chau and he announces all-in for $960k total. After Paul gets out of the way J.C. Tran goes all-in over the top. As the chip leader Tran has everyone at the table covered. Hershler folds pocket sixes face-up and Chau and J.C. flip over their hands. Giang has 8 4 which will need to improve against Tran's A J. The Q 9 4 flop hits Chau huge giving him a pair of fours and the club flush draw. He's looking to dodge an ace or a jack that's not a club and it looks good after the 3 hits the turn. The A on the river though is death for Chau and he is outta here in 5th place. The recipient of a bad beat, Chau takes home $341,710. -3 A

J.C. Tran gets a walk on his big blind, thus continuing his reign of terror over the table. In other news, Paul Wasicka has now finished half of his dinner. GL, sir!

It's folded around to Fernandez who pops it to $600k. Chau folds his small blind and Wasicka concedes his big blind. Jacobo takes down the blinds and antes.

Paul Wasicka has just taken delivery of a tasty snack, and Chau Giang has stolen one of his French Fries. In lieu of poker excitement, we will now be reporting on the progress of Wasicka's meal. Actually, he has been told he's not allowed to eat at the table, and so must starve in addition to being slowly driven insane by rampant folding all around him.

The action's on Eric Hershler who, as usual, takes his time before announcing that he is all-in once again. He gets no action and takes down the blinds and antes.

Action folds to Eric Hershler, who moves all-in for $1,180,000 from the small blind. Jacobo Fernandez considers the offer but tactfully declines, and Hershler takes down the pot.

Jacobo Fernandez is under the gun and makes it $600,000 to go. It's folded around to Eric Hershler in the big blind who concedes the pot. Jacobo takes down the blinds and antes.

Action folds around to Paul Wasicka in the small blind, and he raises $600,000. J.C. Tran lays it down and Kwikfish takes the pot.

We're back from the latest tape change break and here are the current standings:

We're taking a quick break from the action so the tapes can be swapped out of the cameras.

Eric Hershler limps-in from the cut-off and Chau Giang folds in the small blind. Paul Wasicka checks his option in the big blind and the flop comes Q 3 3. Wascka checks to Hershler, who checks behind, and the turn is the T. Wasicka bets $300,000 and Hershler calls after his trademark eon of thought. The river is the J and Wasicka checks to Hershler, who shows jack-ten for two pair against Wasicka's K 3. Wasicka takes down the pot with trip threes.

Hot off the presses:

Paul Wasicka moves all-in for $1,250,000 from under the gun and the action folds around to Jacobo Fernandez, who ruminates from the small blind before deferring to Chau Giang, who folds in the big blind to give Wasicka the pot.

It's folded around to J.C. who makes it $600,000 to go. Eric mucks and the action's on Fernandez who makes the call. It's heads-up going to the flop which comes 2 6 2. Jacobo checks and J.C. announces all-in. Tran has Fernandez covered and his all-in is about $5.3 million. Fernandez quickly mucks and J.C. rakes in a big pot.

Chau Giang moves all-in for about $1,470,000 from the cut-off and the action folds around to Eric Hershler in the big blind. The Marathon Man ponders the call with his trademark fastidiousness, but as Giang stands with his tournament life hanging by a thread, Hershler eventually folds and Giang takes the pot, doubling up over two hands to about $2 million.

Chau Giang moves all-in on the button for about $980,000 and nobody wants to make the call. Giang increases his stack by about 50% just by taking down the blinds and antes.

Jacobo Fernandez raises to $600,000 on the button and the blinds fold, giving Fernandez the pot.

Gotta love the WPT for their supersonic blind levels at the TV final table. Blinds are now approximately as big as PokerListings.com's airplane note, so stay tuned for some action.

David Bach stuns the crowd by moving all-in for $205,000 on top of the blinds. Eric Hershler makes the call as does Jacobo Fernandez. Chau Giang joins the party. The flop comes 4 A T and it's checked to Eric Hershler who's last to act. Eric opts to check and the turn is the 2. It's checked around to Eric again and he immediately announces all-in. Jacobo and Chau both fold and Eric's pocket deuces are up against Bach's A 2. Eric's set is out in front and Bach needs an ace to stay alive. The river is the 3 and David Bach is our first elimination of the day. He will take home $257,425 for his trouble.

J.C. Tran raises to $400,000 from the cut-off and the action folds around. Tran takes down the blinds and antes.

Jacobo Fernandez raises it up and everyone folds, who'da thunk it?

Jacobo Fernandez raises to $240,000 and the action folds to David Bach in the big blind, and after ruminating for an extended period of time, Bach near-inexplicably folds. Fernandez takes the blinds and antes.

We truly love counting chips:

J.C. Tran gets a walk on his big blind.

J.C. Tran raises to $400,000 from under the gun and nobody's feeling it. Everyone folds and Tran takes home the blinds and antes.

Eric Hershler is on the button and it's folded all the way around to Jacobo in the small blind. He puts in a raise to $560k and the action's on Chau in the big blind. Eying his stack, Giang takes a few moments before mucking his cards and conceding the hand.

Jacobo Fernandez gets a walk in his big blind. Good times...

It's folded around to Jacobo and he throws in a raise $465,000. It's enough to take down the blinds and antes.

Eric Hershler raises to $600,000 and nobody takes the bait. Hershler takes the blinds and antes.

Chau Giang is on the button and after it's folded around to Jacobo in the cut-off he makes it $500,000 to go. Chau folds his button and Paul gives up his small blind. J.C. folds as well in the big blind and Fernandez takes down the blinds and antes.

J.C. Tran raises to $400,000 from under the gun and Eric "The Marathon Man" Hershler calls after taking his time to deliberate. The action folds around and we're heads-up going to the flop. The flop comes T 9 4 and Tran checks to Hershler with memories of yesterday's 10-9 fiasco racing through his head. Hershler checks behind and the turn is the 4. Tran decides to press the issue, betting $400,000 into Hershler, who lays it down, and Tran takes the pot.

Eric Hershler is on the button and after Paul, J.C. and David all fold he gets out of the way as well. The action's on Fernandez in the small blind and he makes it $560,000 to go. Chau is in the big blind and it's $400k more to him. He opts to fold though and Fernandez takes down the pot.

Chau Giang raises to $520,000 from under the gun and the action folds around to Jacobo Fernandez, who shows the A as he folds his hand. Giang takes down the blinds and antes.

Jacobo Ferndandez opens the pot to $420,000 and it's folded all the way around. Fernandez takes down the blinds and antes.

Eric Hershler calls from under the gun and the action folds around to J.C. Tran, who calls from the small blind. In the big blind, David Bach checks, and the flop comes Q 5 4. Tran bets out $300,000 and Bach lays it down, leaving only Hershler, who slowly and deliberately ponders his next move. Eventually, he announces a raise, and counts out an additional $700,000 for a cool million-dollar raw power move. Tran thinks for a moment before folding his hand, and Hershler takes down the pot, giving himself a round of applause to match the enthusiasm of his supporters in the crowd.

It's folded to Jacobo Fernandez who makes it $500,000 to go. Chau, Paul and J.C. all fold and Jacobo takes down the blinds and antes.

David Bach raises to $480,000 from second position and Chau Giang is all-in from the small blind for a total of $760,000. Paul Wasicka gets out of the way and Bach makes the call, showing A 9 to Giang's A K. The flop comes 6 6 6 and the turn is the Q, leaving Giang in a great position to double up and stay in the hunt. The river is the 7 and Giang has doubled through David Bach.

Here are the chip counts as of the last hand:

In the first hand of a new era of blind inflation, Paul Wasicka raises to $350,000 from under the gun and Eric Hershler once again gives the situation plenty of thought before laying it down on the button. Jacob Fernandez folds out of the small blind and Chau Giang goes into the tank in the big blind before making the call. The flop comes 7 4 3 and Giang checks to P-Dub, who moves all-in. Giang lays it down immediately and Wasicka takes the pot.

The price of poker has gone up to $80,000/$160,000 with an ante of $15,000.

It's folded to J.C. Tran who makes it $260,000. David and Eric both fold and the action's on Fernandez. He eventually folds his hand and Tran takes down the blinds and antes.

The action folds around to David Bach in the small blind and he lays it down, giving Eric Hershler a walk in the most exciting play in sports: the big blind walk.

It's folded around to Chau Giang who pushes in a massive stack and makes it $750,000 to go. It's folded to David Bach and he spends a bit of time thinking it over. Eventually folding, Chau takes down the blinds and antes.

David Bach open-shoves all-in from under the gun for his last $1.98 million and, predictably, nobody wants to match the wager. He takes down the blinds and antes with an advanced and very low-risk poker move.

It's folded around to J.C. who pops it to $260,000. The rest of the table gets out of the way and Tran takes down the blinds and antes.

J.C. Tran calls from second position and Jacobo Fernandez completes in the small blind. Chau Giang checks his option and the flop comes K 9 7 and the audience murmurs in amazement that we've actually seen a flop. Fernandez is first to act and he checks. Giang checks behind and Tran bets $200,000, prompting a call from Fernandez and a fold from Giang.

The turn brings the 5 and Fernandez checks again as the audience is amazed at the plethora of hearts. Tran wagers another $500,000 to appreciative gasps and Fernandez lays it down after a minute or two of thought. Tran takes down a substantial pot.

The latest in chip counts:

J.C. Tran raises to $260,000 from the cut-off and it's good to take down the blinds and antes, as the war of a thousand paper cuts continues.

Paul Wasicka raises to $250,000 in the cut-off and nobody can come out and play. He takes down the blinds and antes.

Paul Wasicka is on the button and it's folded around to Jacobo Fernandez who makes it $240,000 to go. The action's on Chau and he begins to count out chips but eventually folds. Paul and J.C. get out of the way as does David Bach in the big blind. Chau takes down the blinds and antes.

And that something is J.C. Tran getting a walk on his big blind, as the thrilling action continues from the Commerce Casino.

It's folded around to Chau who announces all-in and takes down the blinds and antes.

Action folds around to Jacobo Fernandez in the small blind, and Fernandez raises to $250,000. Chau Giang ruminates in the big blind before laying ti down and Fernadez takes down the blinds and antes.

Paul raises it up, making it $280,000 to go from early position. It's folded to David Bach who asks for a count of Paul's chips. Wasicka is sitting with about $2.4 million behind. David Bach announces all-in and it's folded back around to Paul. David's all-in is about $1.65 million. After spending a bit of time in the tank, Wasicka eventually folds his hand and Bach takes down the pot.

Action folds around to David Bach in the small blind, who thinks for a few minutes before moving all-in. Eric Hershler wants no part of it and Bach takes home the blinds and antes.

It's folded around to Chau Giang who pops it to $600,000. Paul and J.C. both get out of the way and after a bit of thought David Bach also folds. Chau takes down the blinds and antes.

Eric Hershler again raises to $300,000 and nobody is interested. Hershler again takes the blinds and antes.

Eric Hershler raises to $300,000 from the cut-off and nobody is willing to call. He takes down the blinds and antes.

Eric Hershler is on the button and it's folded around to Jacobo in the small blind. Chau says he wants a walk in the big blind but Fernandez reaches for chips and makes it $210,000 to go. Chau shows a deuce and mucks his hand. Jacobo shows K T as he rakes the pot.

J.C. Tran raises to $260,000 from the cut-off and can't get a caller. He takes down the blinds and antes.

Here are the latest chip counts:

Paul Wasicka raises to $250,000 from the cut-off and once again is the loneliest boy at the dance. He takes down the blinds and antes.

Paul Wasicka raises to $200,000 on the button and the blinds lay it down, giving Wasicka a few more chips to play with.

Chau is on the button and the action starts on David Bach. It's folded to Paul Wasicka in the small blind who completes the big blind and J.C. Tran checks his option. The flop comes J J 7 and both players check. The turn is the Q and after a check from Paul, Tran bets out $120k. Paul folds and Tran takes down the pot.

It''s folded around to Chau Giang who raises it to $750,000. The action's on Paul Wasicka who mucks. Chau takes down the blinds and antes.

It's folded around to J.C. who makes it $280,000 to go and when it gets to Eric Hershler on the button he eventually folds his hand. Everyone else gets out of the way and J.C. takes down the blinds and antes.

The blinds and antes have gone up and David Bach is on the button, it's folded around to J.C. who makes it $280,000. David fods and the action is on Eric Hershler who eventually announces raise. He puts in the $280k and pops in another $400,000. Jacobo gets out of the way and J.C. goes into the tank. "I can't beat two queens," says Tran as he mucks his hand.