Perhaps the most compelling story at the final table of the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. is no more.

Vitaly Lunkin, who earlier this year won the Russian Poker Tour Main Event for $436,389 and then followed that up with a win in the $40,000 No-Limit Hold’em event here at the WSOP, has been eliminated.

It happened in a hand of Stud-8 with the boards reading:

Lunkin: (X)(X)2 4 8 8(X)

Sagstrom: (X)(X)7 5 A T(X)

Lunkin got the last of his chips into the pot on sixth street and Sagstrom called. Lunkin showed 5 8 in the hole for trip eights but unfortunately for him Sagstrom showed A A for trip aces.

Sagstrom hit the 9 on seventh street while Lunkin missed completely with the J.

Lunkin will receive $368,813 for coming in fourth place in the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. Don’t feel too bad for him, however, as that brings his 2009 WSOP cash haul up to $2.7 million. So sick!

Huck Seed, perhaps the most well-known player still in contention, has been eliminated. Seed’s elimination came during a round of Hold’em where Vitaly Lunkin limped, Sagstrom bet from the button, John Hanson called from the small blind and Huck Seed called all-in for his last 190,000 from the big blind.

Seed had a shot a quadrupling up as the dealer prepared to put down the flop. It came A T 4 and both Hanson and Lunkin checked to Sagstrom who bet. Hanson and Lunkin called and by this point a dejected Seed was starting to pack up his things.

The turn came Q and this time it was Lunkin who bet. Hanson and Sagstrom called. The river came 5 and everyone checked.

Lunkin showed 9 8 for a missed straight draw while Hanson showed A J for top-pair. That was enough as both Sagstrom and Seed mucked.

Seed will receive $276,610 for coming in fifth.

You might say he Lunk'ed it!

Lunkin Crippled!

The chances of Vitaly Lunkin winning both high-buyin events at the 2009 WSOP is becoming slimmer by the minute.

After losing a large pot to Erik Sagstrom during a round of Razz, Lunkin got into trouble against John Hanson during a round of Seven-Card Stud.

In the hand the boards looked like this seventh street (Sagstrom and David Bach were chased out by a Lunkin re-raise on third street):

Hanson: (X)(X)5 4 A 7(X)

Lunkin: (X)(X)5 A 7 J(X)

Lunkin bet fourth street, Hanson bet fifth street, sixth street and seventh street. Lunkin called only to have Hanson show him K J in the hole for the flush. Lunkin mucked and after the hand was down to just 800,000.

How the mighty have fallen...