We are closing in now in the search to find the winner of this $1,500 NLHE event. Grant Hinkle has been the dominant chip leader for the last few hours and it looks like the race for 3rd place is between the multi braceleted Chris and young hit squad superstar James Akenhead.

Jesus Can't Rise Again (3rd)

Chris Ferguson has worked wonders with his short stack, winning a series of allins to get to 3 million chips or so.

Losing a key pot against James Akenhead, holding a flush draw and gutshot versus James' slow played Aces knocked him back down again and when he shoved on the button for $825,000, James quickly called with A T.

Jesus Can Not Dodge Bullets Baby!

He gave a mini fist pump as Chris tabled the dominated K T.

The crowd were going wild, as they have done every time Ferguson has had all his chips in the middle. One fan was especially vocal.

"Hit a King. Do it on the river. Make him scream!!!" he bellowed in partisan fashion.

The dealer dealt the cards out slowly and the tension grew.

Q 8 A!

James' fans roared their approval as the Ace came, leaving Ferguson needing a Jack or some running cards to stay in it...

Turn: 3 A blank rolled off the bat to leave James holding the advantage and finally a further blank 3 appeared on the river, giving Ferguson no more chances and there were no screams from James to the disappointment of Ferguson's vocal contingent.

Chris Ferguson is OUT, eliminated in 3rd spot, winning $388,287.

Chris has won an amazing number of allins today but finally, his luck ran out, the Full Tilt Pro putting in an immense performance once more, finishing just short of adding to his tally of bracelets

Bracelet Business

This leaves British playerJames Akenhead at a 7:4 disadvantage heads up against American Grant Hinkle as the race to win the second bracelet of the series hots up!

Here are the exact heads up chip counts, courtesy of worldseriesofpoker.com

Grant Hinkle - 7,595,000
James Akenhead - 4,235,000

The Heads Up has started with the players swapping several pots.

James took down the most recent when he turned trips with 6 2 on a Q K 6 6 board, James betting the turn, being raised by Hinkle before both players checked the river.

Time For Mike To Ngo (5th)

On the very first hand after the break, Hinkle pops it up to $325,000 from the small blind. However Ngo in the big blind now quietly announces allin for $1,500,000 or so and after a long pause Hinkle makes the call for what is a giant three million chip pot.

Ngo : A K
Hinkle: A J

High Up The Bad Beat Scale!

A bit of a cooler in the blinds, but Ngo looks ready to double up with his dominating hand.

The flop comes 3 Q 5, bringing no help to either player and keeping Ngo's dominant big slick on top.

The turn falls the 8 and Ngo's supporters cheer their man on with gusto as he prepares to double.

River: J !

A dramatic final card as Hinkle spikes the jack he needed to send the unlucky Ngo crashing out and his stunned supporters reach out to console him.

Mike Ngo is OUT, eliminated in 5th spot, winning $268,154.

Sigh, variance!

Jesus Cross!

Hinkle cuts out a raise to $250,000, only to find Theo Tran shoving behind for $1,500,000. Ferguson goes through his usual quiet routine of cupping his jaw in his hands and thinking, before he too raises his stack ALLIN!

Hinkle ducks out of the way and we find ourselves in a race situation as Ferguson tables 8 8 and Tran shows A K.

A flop of 3 J T gave Tran a few more outs to hit and he turned the K to hit the lead, with TPTK and the nut flush draw.

Only one card in the deck could save Jesus now, but the 6 was not the 8 he required, and for once Jesus' miraculous ability to win coin flips deserted him, leaving him crippled after that hand.

As the most celebrated name at the final table, Chris is probably the best supported player here and his vocal railbirds seemed most displeased at watching their idol lose this pot.

Tran's Not The Man (4th)

The dominant chip leader Hinkle raises on the button to $250,000 and Theo Tran flat calls from the small blind.

The flop falls A 4 K and once Tran checked, Hinkle bet out $350,000. Tran called.

The turn fell the A and again Tran checked. Once again Hinkle was in no mood to slow down, betting out $700,000 in chips this time. Again, Tran made the call.

The river was the 4 and Tran checked for a third time, only for Hinkle to set him in!!

Tran Is Late Again

He called, showing A Q, but Hinkle had outflopped him, holding A 4 for a mighty full house that sent Tran spiralling off to the rail.

Theo Tran is OUT, eliminated in 4th spot for $327,148