It looked as if it might be going this way and indeed it has. Here's how the final hand played out!

Tran-Tastic JC!

Tran raised it up preflop to $215,000 and Nielsen called.

The flop fell 8 Q 2. Nielsen checked, Tran bet out $275,000 and Nielsen called.

The turn was the 4, and after Nielsen checked again, Tran now bet $900,000 only to find Nielsen shoving on him all-in.

Tran had him covered and made the call with K-Q, which was miles in front of Nielsen, who also had top pair, but unfortunately for him J-Q, with a slightly but crucially worse kicker.

The river blanked, meaning JC's hand was good for the pot and also meaning that with Rasmus Nielsen out in 2nd for $389,557, JC Tran is our CHAMPION, winning $631,170 and his first WSOP bracelet!

JC rushed over to high five his massive crew of followers. The best player never to have won a bracelet, as he is known in many fields, will no longer be called that, as he picks up his first piece of World Series gold and takes down one of the coveted gold WSOP bracelets.

Click here for a full interview with JC.

Nielsen might have entered the heads up with a chip advantage but though JC might have had fewer tournament chips, he has a bigger stack than Nielsen when it comes to experience at this stage of big competitions.

And boy, he is making it count!

Here are some of the hands that have seen JC overturn the chips deficit and move into the lead.

Tran Calling At Valuetown

Tran made it $215,000 on the button, called by Nielsen.

after a 3 3 6 flop, both players checked and the turned 8 prompted Nielsen to bet out $200,000. Tran quickly called.

The river was the 9 and Nielsen checked, only to face a $350,000 bet from Tran.

Nielsen grimaced at his decision but ultimately called, only to muck as Tran showed K-8 for a nicely played 2nd pair value bet.

Top Two Tran

Tran made it $215,000 on the button and Nielsen called.

After a flop of 2 A 6, JC led for $200,000 and Nielsen made the call.

The turn was the 9 and both players checked.

The river was the T. Nielsen bet out $425,000 and Tran called, showing down A-T for top two. A increasingly disconsolate looking Nielsen mucked as Tran raked in ANOTHER big pot.

After an hour of heads up play, Tran has turned the tables on Nielsen, turning the screw using all his flair and experience.

Here are the current chip counts, showing how Tran has turned things round at this stage.

An exciting hour's play has seen the event reduced to a final two participants, going at it mano a mano for the bracelet.

Here's the news from the felt as the tournament enters its final few gripping moments.

Nguyen Peters Out (OUT - 4th)

Peter Nguyen found himself pretty short and moved all-in from the button for $225,000. Rasmus Nielsen realised he would be doing this with a pretty wide range and called with K J.

His intuition proved correct as Nguyen flipped the behind, but live, hole cards of 9 7.

The flop looked to have Nguyen home and dry though as it popped out 7 7 4. Wowzer, trips for Nguyen and a double up all but assured.

The dealer went through the formality of sliding out the turn the K.

Well two pair for Nielsen, but still way behind Nguyen's trips. All over bar the singing, the dealer dealt the river, which was the K!!!!!

Wow, the famous suck, re-suck had taken another victim, Nguyen looks shell shocked but appreciates the applause from the crowd as he is eliminated in 4th spot, winning $233,734.

Conroy Counted Out (OUT - 3rd)

John Conroy popped it up to $175,000 on the button and the rampaging Nielsen, buoyed by knocking our Nguyen in such dramatic fashion re-raises all-in.

Conroy calls for his stack, showing A Q and it proves a good one as he has Nielsen dominated, his holding a weaker A 8.

Once the flop fell out 8 5 5 though, the tables had been turned and Nielsen found himself well in front, Conroy praying for a lady to dig him out of his hole.

It wasn't to be however as the turn and river came baby cards to leave Conroy the latest open mouthed victim of Nielsen who is doing a demolition job on the tournament at present.

John Conroy is OUT, eliminated in 3rd spot, winning $278,255.

The latest dramatic elimination leaves JC Tran heads up versus Nielsen. After a series of great results but near misses for Tran, can he close the deal here and pick up a bracelet, or can Nielsen keep his red hot streak going to blaze to the title?

It should be a fascinating heads up!

Nielsen currently has a 5:2 chip advantage over Tran.

We remain five-handed in Event 49, the second-last $1,500 No Limit Hold'em tournament of the season. Rasmus Nielsen is currently the man, dominating the proceedings and taking a massive chip lead over the rest of the field.

Here's how the last hour played out on the final table soundstage:

Nielsen Takes Lead!

Rasmus Nielsen raises to $110,000 from late position and J.C. Tran makes the call in the big blind. The flop comes J 9 6 and Tran check-calls Nielsen's $165,000 wager. The turn is the K and Tran again check-calls, this time to the tune of $400,000. The river is the 6 and Tran checks once more.

Nielsen thinks before betting $1 million and Tran deliberates some before making the call. Nielsen turns up a pocket pair of nines and Tran can't beat the boat. He mucks and Nielsen rakes a giant pot.

Conroy Shoves!

From the button, John Conroy raises and is called by Peter Nguyen in the big blind. The flop comes 9 6 2 and Nguyen bets out $175,000. Conroy moves all-in for $400,000 and after some thought Nguyen lays it down, giving Conroy the pot.

Conroy Shoves Again!

On the next hand, Conroy raises from the cut-off and Nguyen makes the call in the small blind. The flop comes A A 7 and Nguyen checks to Conroy, who moves all-in, putting Nguyen to a decision for his last $510,000. Eventually, Nguyen lays it down and Conroy takes another pot.

UPDATE: Pelton Plastered!

Joe Pelton open-shoves on the button for his last $320,000 and J.C. Tran makes the call in the big blind, showing K J to Pelton's Q 6. The flop comes 7 6 2 and Pelton takes the lead, but after the turn is the 8 the river is the K and Tran rivers a better pair. Pelton is eliminated in fifth place and takes home $191,068.

Chip Counts!

Here are the current chip counts, courtesy www.worldseriesofpoker.com:

We're down to five-handed play at the final table of Event 49, the penultimate $1,500 No Limit Hold'em tournament after the second hour of action under the ESPN mood lighting. Here's how it all has played out to this juncture:

Hoog Achacka'd (7th)

A short-stacked Jesper Hoog moves all-in from middle position for his last $222,000 and is called by Peter Nguyen on the button. Hoog turns up K 7 and Nguyen has A K. The board comes T 2 2 J 9 and Hoog can't dredge up the suckout. He's eliminated in seventh place, taking $113,157 as he goes.

Siu Settled Out Of Court (6th)

Vancouverite Chad Siu ships his last $210,000 all-in from middle position and Joe Pelton calls on the button, showing A 9 to Siu's A K. Siu looks to be in great shape to double up, but after the flop comes T 7 4 and the turn the 3, the flop changes everything with the 9, giving Pelton the two-outer and consigning Siu to the rail in sixth. He'll take home $150,257.

Conroy Doubles!

Action folds around to Joe Pelton, who completes in the small blind. John Conroy checks his option in the big blind and the flop comes A J 9. Pelton leads out for $70,000 and Conroy moves all-in over the top for his last $420,000.

Pelton makes the call with A 5 and Conroy is behind, holding J T. The turn is the Q and the river the 8, however, giving Conroy the straight and doubling him through Pelton.

Chip Counts!

Here are the current chip counts, courtesy www.worldseriesofpoker.com:

The final table of Event 49, the penultimate $1,500 No Limit Hold'em touranment of the 2008 World Series, is underway from the floor of the Amazon Room at the Rio, and in the first hour of play we've already had two eliminations.

Here's how the action has played out thus far as we play out this donkament:

Kohnen O'Brien'd (9th)

John Conroy raises to $86,000 and Christoph Kohnen moves all-in over the top for his last $174,000 from the small blind. Conroy makes the call, holding K J to Kohnen's A J, and the German looks primed for a double-up.

The flop comes Q 9 9 and after the turn is the 3 the river is the T, giving Conroy the gutshot straight and eliminating Kohnen in ninth place. He'll earn $58,248 for his time.

Kalb Krunched (8th)

Rasmus Nielsen raises to $80,000 and Robert Kalb moves all-in for his last $355,000. Nielsen makes the call, holding A Q to Kalb's A 9. The board comes A K 6 T 4 and Kalb is eliminated in eighth place. He'll take $85,331 for his efforts.

Chip Counts!

Here are the chip counts for the surviving seven players: