Event 23 - $10,000 2-7 Draw Lowball Championship (No-Limit) - Live Updates

After a drawn-out period of heads-up play, Nick Schulman has eventually emerged victorious, although Player of the Year contender Ville Wahlbeck refused to give up without a fight.

Schulman had had Wahlbeck down to the felt several times, only for the pugnacious Finn to fight his way back into it.

Ultimately though, Schulman never lost his chip lead and won the crucial hand that saw him crowned champion.

Here it is - and it was a cracker.

E-Ville Draw for Wahlbeck

The hand saw Schulman open from the button to 75k, which exactly accorded with the pattern of play over the last 20 hands or so.

Wahlbeck however, chose this moment to spring into action, pumping it up to 250k. Schulman called...

Both players drew a card and once the action was back on Wahlbeck he moved all-in.

Schulman could have had a tough decision but seeing as he had drawn to the absolute nuts, there was no slowroll and he snap-called the shove!

Yes, Schulman flipped up an unbeatable 2-3-4-5-7 and the bracelet was his!

Later asked which card he had drawn to make the nuts he said this. "I can't say, it's too embarrassing!"

#img: ville-wahlbeck_31526.jpg:left: No 2nd bracelet for Wahlbeck but he heads the POY rankings. #

Well he won't be embarrassed of the result as he collects his first bracelet and $279,742 in winnings.

Congratulations Nick!

Nor should we forget Ville Wahlbeck, the Finn going top of the Player of the Year rankings with this result, as well as picking up $172,864.

Join us shortly for a re-cap of how the dramatic, star-studded final table played out.

Nick Schulman is an absolute animal. When three handed play began, Schulman was well behind Ville Wahlbeck and Steve Sung.

He didn't let his chip deficiency get in the way of him tearing the table apart. Schulman chipped up a little bit and then he focused his sights on Steve Sung.

Schulman #1

Nick Schulman made it 60,000 to go and Steve Sung made it a quarter million to go. Schulman moved all in for 800,000 total. Sung maintained a very cool exterior but who knows what was going on under that hoodie and sunglasses. Sung eventually mucked his hand and Nick was shipped the pot.

Schulman #2

Schulman continued his assault on the other two when he made it 60,000 to go. Steve Sung and Ville Wahlbeck both called. Sung and Walbeck each took a card while Schulman drew two.

Sung checked and Wahlbeck bet 80,000. Schulman must have liked what he drew because he made it 350,000 to go. Both Sung and Wahlbeck mucked and, all of a sudden, Nick Schulman was the new chip leader.

Schulman #3

Steve Sung had blown his chip lead and was down to just under 500,000 when he faced yet more aggression from Nick Schulman. Schulman made it 60,000 to go and Sung reraised it 170,000 to go.

Schulman insta-shoved and Sung went into the tank.

Eventually Sung called and stood pat. Now it was Schulman who needed some time to think. He stood up and leaned on the table trying to figure out his best course of action.

Schulman finally decided to go with his hand and stood pat as well.

Sung turned over T-8-5-4-3 and Schulman delivered the devastating news when he turned up T-7-5-4-3.

Heads Up

The heads up match kicked off with Nick Schulman holding about a 2-1 chip lead over Ville Wahlbeck.

On the one hand is Schulman who has never won a bracelet and desperately wants to. On the other hand is Ville Wahlbeck who just few days ago found out what it's like to win a bracelet and wants to feel what it's like all over again.

Three Lowballers are still hanging at the final table. John Juanda got pwned by Steve Sung during the last level while Ville Wahlbeck got a little spewy.

Welcome To Spew-Ville

Nick Schulman took a nice pot off Ville Wahlbeck and then came right back after him. Wahlbeck made it 45,000 to go and Schulman called. Schulman took one card while Wahlbeck took two. Schulman checked his draw cards and fired 80,000. Wahlbeck ended up making the call and mucked when Schulman showed 9-5-4-3-2.

Wahlbeck may have been in a rush to recover his lost chips. Steve Sung made it 48,000 to go and Wahlbeck called from the big blind.

Sung drew one and Wahlbeck took two. Sung checked and Ville bet 55,000. Sung tanked it before calling and turning up his K-T-6-4-2! Wahlbeck mucked and frustration swept over his face.

Juanda Stung

Steve Sung opened for 50,000 and John Juanda moved all in. Sung thought for what seemed like forever before calling the additional half million.

Both players stood pat. Juanda turned up 9-8-6-5-4 and Sung turned over just a better 9-5-4-3-2!

An incredible call by Steve Sung, but the announcers didn't seem too impressed. One of them suggested that they were surprised that Sung thought for so long and that it should have been an auto-call.

"Maybe that's why I'm here and they're there," the commentator said.

"No kidding!" said PokerListings.

J.J. Ejected

John Juanda was only able to last a couple of more hands after the Sung debacle. Schulman made it 50,000 to go and Juanda moved all in for 169,000 more.

Schulman called and both players took one card. Juanda turned up 9-5-4-3 while Schulman turned up 8-5-3-2.

Juanda pulled a six to stay alive but Schulman bested him when he drew a seven to make a better 8-7-5-3-2.

More madness ensues. There is now a fifty-fifty chance that the person who wins this tournament will be a repeat bracelet offender. Both Ville Wahlbeck and Steve Sung are still hanging in and are nearly equally stacked now.

Ville Wahlbeck was up over 1 million in chips for much of the last level but he ended up giving away nearly a third of his stack. Wahlbeck, Sung, and John Juanda are all nearly evenly stacked with Schulman just a step behind.

Two more players were bounced. Vince Musso and Archie Karas headed off into the sunset during the last level. Just four players remain from the 96 that started.

Vince Minced

Ville Wahlbeck raised to 35,000 and Vince Musso shoved all in. Wahlbeck called and stood pat. Musso drew one but when Wahlbeck turned over 7-5-4-3-2 Musso didn't even need to bother looking at his hand.

Archie Bunkered

Archie Karas was down to 86,000 when he shoved it all in. Steve Sung called and both players stood pat. Karas turned up J-T-8-5-2 but Sung showed a better T-9-8-7-3. Karas will take home $53,783 for his fifth place finish.

The last time he went on a run he turned $50 into $40 million, now with a bankroll a thousand times bigger will he try for $40 billion?

The action continued during the last hour. Two eliminations came in the form of one Michael Binger and a David Benyamine.

Ville Wahlbeck refused to give up the chip lead for a long time but during the last level John Juanda turned up the heat and overtook the number one spot.

Sung Sprung

Steve Sung made it 33,000 to go and David Benyamine called. Each player drew one card. Sung checked to Benyamine who decided to fire 122,000.

Sung thought for quite a bit before making the call and turning over T-7-5-4-2. Benyamine had actually made a pair of sevens for a far worse hand.

The announcers speculated that perhaps Benyamine hadn't looked at his cards which is possible. But it's more likely that Benyamine just decided that he couldn't win by checking and decided to fire off a bluff at Sung.

Juanda Bangs Binger

Michael Binger pushed his last 56,000 into the middle and was called by John Juanda. Binger drew two but Juanda stood pat. Juanda turned over T-8-6-4-2 while Binger opened up 9-7-2.

Binger was still alive but needed to catch two good ones. Unfortunately neither card was a good one. A king and a nine had Binger headed to the payout line.

Sung Swonging

Just a few moments after David Benyamine doubled up Steve Sung, the two were back at it. This time Sung made it 32,000 to go and Benyamine pushed for 86,000 total. Sung stood pat and Benyamine drew one. Sung tabled J-8-7-3-2.

Benyamine turned over 9-6-5-4 and said something about him breaking a jack - a good decision if true.

Unfortunately, Benyamine paired his nine on the draw and was out in seventh place.

Welcome back to the 2-7 No Limit Draw Lowball Championship event. The ten that remained from last night returned today bright eyed and bushy tailed ready to go.

As we mentioned at the close of yesterday's play, two of the players left in the field are on the hunt for their second bracelet so far this year. Steve Sung and Ville Wahlbeck are both in contention for their number two of 2009.

It took only about twenty minutes before players started to drop. First it was Roland de Wolfe and just moments later Justin Smith was finished.

de Wolfe Exterminated

Ville Wahlbeck opened for 45,000 and Roland de Wolfe moved all in. Wahlbeck called and both players stood pat.

"Jack," said de Wolfe and turned over J-T-8-4-2.

Wahlbeck had a jack as well but his J-8-5-4-3- was just slightly better than de Wolfe's. Both players exchanged a somewhat awkward handshake and de Wolfe was off to collect his $19,871.

Smith Boosted

David Benyamine raised and Justin Smith reraised all in. Degenyamine made the call and both players drew one. Benyamine turned up 9-6-5-3 while Smith tabled his 9-7-4-2.

Benyamine turned over his card - the deuce of hearts. Smith was drawing dead but turned over his jack anyway.

Single Table

A debate was sparked once the players got down to eight. Ville Wahlbeck asked the dealer if they were going to combine to just one table. The dealer replied that he had been told to deal and the game carried on. A few minutes later someone brought up the issue again and the floor was called. A break was taken and a resolution reached, they were to combine to one table.

It's not the official final table yet - one more player will need to bust.