The WPT World Championship is over and David Chiu is champion, completing an incredible comeback and a systematic dismantling of overwhelming favorite Gus Hansen. Chiu battled back from a 6-1 chip disadvantage during the heads-up match, frustrating the Great Dane at every step of the way and finally delivering the decisive blow with the help of a fortuitous river card.

In the climactic hand, Hansen raised to $750,000 pre-flop and Chiu flat-called on the button. The flop came A T 8 and Chiu checked to Hansen, who bet out $900,000. Chiu called again and the turn was the 5, leading the four-time WSOP bracelet winner to bet out $1.2 million. The Great Dane moved all-in for $8.675 million more.

Chiu stood and addressed the crowd. "I think this is it, boys," he said, before returning to his stack and counting out the call. After a minute or so of rumination he announced a call and turned up A 9 for top pair with the flush draw. Hansen had T 8 for two pair and needed to dodge any ace, nine, five or spade.

The crowd tensed in anticipation for the river card with the tournament on the line, and fifth street brought the A, sending an ecstactic Chiu into the crowd in celebration, where the new WPT Champion draped himself in a Chinese flag as his supporters went nuts.

For the victory, Chiu takes home $3,389,140, a brand-new WPT bracelet and a buy-in into next year's $25,000 WPT Season 7 Championship. Hansen earns $1,714,800 and a few months of sleepless nights. Congratulations to both finalists!

Gus Hansen raises to $775,000 and David Chiu re-raises to $1.9 million. Hansen makes the call and the flop comes J 6 3 and Chiu bets out $1.6 million. Hansen makes the call and the turn is the 6 and Chiu goes into the tank. Eventually he announces all-in for his last $5.175 million and a disgusted-looking Hansen lays down the hand.

Chip counts now have Hansen with $14.5 million and Chiu with $12.5 million.

Gus Hansen just won a decent pot off David Chiu. In the hand Hansen bet $750,000 from the button and Chiu called.

The flop came Q 7 2 and both players checked. The turn came 4 and Chiu checked but Hansen bet $900,000. Chiu called and the dealer flipped over 9 for the river. Chiu once again checked and Hansen went in for a $2.5 million bet. Chiu thought for a couple minutes but eventually laid it down. Hansen raked the nearly $4 million pot.

The break is over and the cards are back in the air with increased blinds and antes and the chip counts at $17.875 million for Gus Hansen and $9.4 million for David Chiu. Gogogogo!

We're on a tape-change break and the action will resume in ten minutes.

To tide you over, here is Tournament Director Jack McClelland's recent summation of Gus Hansen's elimination of Tommy Le: "Gus flopped set over set over top of Tommy Le to bust him and fill up the Chinese restaurant."

WHAT? 

Gus Hansen raises to $525,000 and David Chiu makes the call. The flop comes 8 8 6 and Chiu checks to Hansen, who bets out $635,000. Chiu calls it and the turn is the 5. Again Chiu checks to Hansen, who bets out $1,260,000. Chiu tanks, but again makes the call, and the river is the 2. Both players check and Chiu shows down A-5 for two pair. Hansen mucks and Chiu takes the pot.

The chip counts now have Hansen ahead with $17 million to Chiu's $10 million. 

David Chiu limps-in and Gus Hansen checks his option. The flop comes J 9 8 and Hansen checks to Chiu, who bets out $400,000. Hansen calls and the turn is the K. Both players check and the river is the 2. Hansen bets out $880,000 and Chiu goes into the tank.

Eventually, he makes the call and tells Hansen, "If you have the Q you win."

Hansen replies, "If you have the T you win."

Strangely, Chiu turns up 7 3 but that's good too. He takes down the pot and builds his stack to $8.5 million while Hansen is still on $19 million.

With David Chiu's recent double-up we've made it to level 26 which means blinds of $100,000/$200,000 and a $20,000 ante. Here's a look at the player's stacks as we start the level:

David Chiu raises to $505,000 and Gus Hansen moves all-in. Chiu gives the matter some thought before calling off his last $3,790,000 and Hansen tells him, "I have the only hand I've lost with today." He turns up 2 2 and Chiu is ahead with 5 5.

The flop comes K J 7, changing nothing. The turn is the 7 and Hansen picks up some outs for the chop. The river is the Q (did the dealer forget to burn?) and Chiu miraculously wins his pot to double through Hansen.  

Gus Hansen and David Chiu are now heads-up and with more than $5 million on the line we're sure to see some fireworks. Or not. Stay tuned...

As we wait for heads-up play, some guy from the WPT has just stood up and announced "major technical difficulties." Also, apparently Gus Hansen is "very sad." So there's that. 

Here are some chip counts to tide you over as we wait: 

Former NFL place-kicker John Roveto open-shoves all-in from the button for $1.985 million and Gus Hansen moves all-in over the top from the small blind. David Chiu appears to consider his options for a minute or so before laying it down and Roveto turns up K K to Hansen's A T.

Nobody in the house believes the kings will hold, and after the flop comes J 9 8 it's all but a foregone conclusion that Hansen will win the hand. The turn is the 6 but you all know what's coming on the river: the 7, giving Hansen the straight and ending Roveto's day. He's out in third place and will take $923,355 back to Soldier Field.

We're now on a quick break as we prepare for heads-up play. Stay tuned for chip counts coming momentarily.

Here are the chip counts for the remaining three players:

In the biggest hand of this tournament so far, Gus Hansen has eliminated his biggest competition - Canadian Cory Carroll.

Hansen bet $480,000 pre-flop and Carroll re-raises to $1.6 million. Hansen thinks for a couple minutes and then makes the call.

The flop comes Q J 6 and Carroll checks and Hansen moves in. The Great Dane opts to move all-in which forces Carroll to make the important decision of his poker career.

After thinking for a long time Carroll asks, "Are you on a big draw, Gus?"

Hansen doesn't say a word and Carroll goes back into the tank. Several minutes later Carroll calls and the audience is on the tip of their toes as the players flip over their cards.

Gus Hansen: 7 5

Cory Carroll: A J

Carroll is in the lead with his pair of jacks ace-kicker. The dealer peels the Q for the turn and Carroll just needs to fade a diamond on the river to take control of this tournament

The river comes... 3!

Hansen busts Carroll and with nearly $20 million to his stack looks nearly unbeatable. 

Gus Hansen raises to $415,000 and Tommy Le makes the call in the big blind. The flop comes Q T 5 and both players check. The turn is the 4 and Le moves all-in for $615,000. Hansen snap calls and turns up T T while Le is behind with the brutal 5 5 for a lower set. The river card is the 3 and Le can't hit his one outer. The baby Bapester is gone in fifth place and takes home $395,725 for his efforts.

Gus Hansen raises to $415,000 and Cory Carroll makes the call on the button before Jeff King moves all-in for $1.44 million more from the small blind. Hansen ruminates for a few minutes before making the call and Carroll gets out of the way, folding out with a wry grin upon his face.

King has A Q and is ahead of Hansen's T 9. The flop comes 8 6 4 and Hansen picks up the gutshot straight draw. The turn is the K and Hansen loses some outs, but no worries: the T comes on the river and Hansen makes a pair of tens, busting King in 6th place. The monarch takes $263,815 back to the castle.

Jeff King open-shoves all-in for his last $960,000 from the button and Gus Hansen mulls things over in the big blind. "I think I'm supposed to call with this hand," he says, and asks for a count. The count comes through and Hansen decides, "My mama told me I should call." He matches the wager and shows 2 2 to King's K J.

It's a race situation and King takes the lead when the flop comes K J 8. The turn is the 9, the river the 3 and King wins the pot to double through Hansen. 

We've reached the end of the level and the blinds are moving on up.

The players have introduced and Layla Kayleigh has made her spiel in front of a blue screen projection of the Bellagio fountains. Mike and Vince have thrown in their two cents and the game is afoot from the final table. We begin with fifteen minutes left in Level 24. Game on!

This is the big one, ladies and gentlemen: the one you've been waiting for all your lives! It's the final table of the World Poker Tour's Season 6 World Championship, featuring Gus Hansen, David Chiu, Cory Carroll and, uh...Gus Hansen! Action will begin in a half hour officially and about an hour unofficially, so tune in to PokerListings.com in about thirty minutes for live updates from the most exclusive team in WPT coverage!

Here are the seating positions and chip counts as we prepare to get underway: