And the $2,500 event is over!! Duncan 'Pumper' Bell is the winner ahead of Steve Merrifield. He takes home over $600,000 for his 1st place finish. In a fast and frenetic battle, with the lead swapping over multiple times, Bell eventually triumphed in a total cooler hand which you can read about below.

A Cold Finish

Merrifield raises to $155,000 and Bell calls. The flop is an uninspiring 6 8 2, and Bell bets $150,000. Merrifield raises to $500,000 and Bell moves all-in with Merrifield quickly calling.

Merrifield: T T

Bell: A A

No tens appear with the turn coming 4 and river J meaning Vancouver native Duncan Bell become the $2,500 NLHE event winner!

Alarm Bells Ringing

Duncan Bell raises to $175,000 from the button, Merrifield makes the call and then donk-leads out for $270,000 on the 8 5 2 flop. Bell calls, and then another $475,000 on the 4 turn when Merrifield fires again.

The river is the 9 and Merrfield bets $1,000,000. Bell again calls quickly but folds when he discovers his opponent has hit the river with K 9. This swings the chip lead over to Merrifield for the first time during the HU.

Back And Forth

Merrifield raises to $175,000 from the button and Bell makes the call and leads out on the 9 4 7 flop, Merrifield calls before raising all-in on the 4 turn. Bell calls with A 9, with his opponent only able to show 5 5. The river is the T and Bell regains the chip lead.

In what must be the fastest final table of the WSOP so far, we are now already heads-up in this $2,500 event. Unlike the other events, these players have been quite content in playing big pots instead of the smallball that most players tend to prefer in this position..

Hanks Very Much

Having been crippled earlier by Merrfield, Brent Hanks moved all-in for his short stack but was called this time by his nemesis. Hanks showed A 2, and was in poor shape against A T, neither hit the board, but the ten kicker played, leaving four players remaining.

Merry March

After Duncan Bell's earlier rush of eliminating players, it's now Steve Merrfield's turn. He raised to $100,000 preflop and Shawn Buchanan moved all-in with A K, Merrfield calling with 9 9, the board was no help for big slick, running out 7 8 6 2 5. Merrfield's straight was good and Buchanan was out.

Dourden Done!

Merrfield raised the button once more, this time Nathan Dourden moved in once more, Steve Merrfield again making the call with A 9, Dourden showing K 8. The flop helped both players, coming K A J, but then Dourden raised into the lead when he hit the 8.

Merrfield needed to hit an ace, jack or nine to stop Dourden from doubling up yet again. The river was the last of these three, coming 9 making a better two pair and putting us heads up after barely two hours of play.