Harrah's Atlantic City - Live Updates

Eric Buchman moves all-in from the small blind and John Racener makes the call in the big blind, showing A♣ K♥ to Buchman's A♥ 9♣. The flop comes A♠ K♠ 7♥ and the turn is the Q♦. The river card is the 9♦ and John Racener has won this event, returning to the tournament that kick-started his career a year ago to take down his first major win as a professional the day after his 22nd birthday.

For the win, the Floridian with the wacky hair takes home $379,392, a WSOPC ring and an entry into the $10,000 WSOP Main Event in July. Second-place Eric Buchman earns $208,666 for his efforts. Congratulations to both finalist, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

John Racener raises to $180,000 and Eric Buchman calls in the big blind. The flop comes K♠ J♦ 8♣ and Buchman checks. Racener bets $310,000 and Buchman immediately moves all-in. Racener ponders the situation for a few minutes and then calls for his tournament life, showing K♥ 6♦ for top pair while Buchman is behind with J♥ 6♥. The turn is the 5♦ and the river the T♣ and Racener doubles through Buchman and takes over the chip lead.

John Racener raises to $180,000 and Eric Buchman makes the call. The flop comes 8♠ 7♦ 7♣ and Racener makes it $280,000 to go. Buchman folds and Racener takes the pot.

Heads-up play begins without a break at this final table, with Eric Buchman holding an approximate 2-1 chip lead on John Racener. Onward!

Feming Chan ships it for his last $75,000 and Eric Buchman and John Racener both call. The flop comes A♠ T♣ 9♠ and both players check. The turn is the 4♦ and both players check agian. The river is the 9♥ and both players check a third time. Racener has K-9 for a pair of nines and Chan has K-8 and can't beat it. The 2006 WSOPC Atlantic City fourth-place finisher is out in third place this time around, earning $106,704 for his efforts in this event.

Feming Chan calls from the small blind and Eric Buchman adds $150,000 to the pot in the big blind. Chan announces a re-raise and moves all-in. Buchman calls for his last $1,370,000 and shows J♦ J♥ while Chan is behind with A♠ T♣. The flop comes K♠ 7♥ 3♠ and the turn is the 5♦. The river is the 4♦ and the jacks hold up, giving the pot to Buchman and doubling him through Chan, who is left crippled on the hand.

The players have returned and the cards are back in the air with 33 minutes remaining in the current level. Game on!

As the surviving three players stand in a corner of the room discussing a deal, here are the current chip counts so you know what we're dealing with here:

Eric Buchman	$1,675,000
Feming Chan	$1,660,000
John Racener	$1,550,000

 

John Racener limps in from the small blind and Joseph Brooks checks his option in the big blind. The flop comes T♥ 6♠ 3♥ and Racener bets out $85,000 and Brooks announces a raise, making it an additional $140,000 to go. Racener announces a re-raise and Brooks moves all-in.

Racener calls with A♥ A♦ while Brooks has T♠ 5♠ for top pair. The turn is the Q♣ and Brooks needs a ten or five. The river is the 8♥ and Racener's aces hold up, sending Joey the B to the rail in fourth place for an $82,992 score.

Players have taken a five-minute break to come to terms with the new three-handed situation.

Joseph Brooks limps in from the small blind and Feming Chan raises another $150,000 from the big blind. Brooks lays it down and Chan takes the pot.

On the second hand back from break, Patrick Fee moves all-in again for $410,000 and John Racener moves all-in over the top. Action folds around and Fee turns up A♦ 9♥ to Racener's K♥ Q♥. The flop comes A♥ 8♣ 2♥ and the drunken louts in the pro-Fee camp scream their approval.

The river is the Q♣ and Racener picks up a pair of queens as well as a heart-flush draw. The river card is the J♥ and Racener gets there, sending the louts into spasms of shock and prompting a mass exodus from the gallery as seemingly 75% of the field was here to show their support for our fifth-place finisher, Thomas Patrick "Bernie" Fee. Fee collects $71,136 for his efforts.

Patrick Fee open-shoves on the first hand back from break and gets no callers. He takes down the blinds and antes.

The cards are back in the air from Harrah's Atlantic City for another two-hour level. Tournament director John Arthur has just announced that we'll play for one hour before taking a dinner break and then resuming the level.

Feming Chan raises to $140,000 from under the gun and Joseph Brooks moves all-in over the top for another $400,000 from the big blind. Chan lays down A♥ T♥ and Joey the B shows pocket kings as he rakes the pot.

We've reached the end of the level and players will take a 15-minute break.

John Racener raises to $110,000 on the button and Feming Chan makes the call in the big blind. The flop comes A♠ J♦ 9♦ and both players check. The turn is the 8♦ and Chan checks to Racener, who checks behind once more. The river is the J♥ and both players check. Chan shows an eight and takes down the pot.

Eric Buchman moves all-in and gets no callers. He takes down the blinds and antes.

Joseph Brooks moves all-in and Feming Chan makes the call, turning up K♦ J♣ to Brooks' Q♦ 6♥. The flop comes Q♥ T♣ 5♣ and Brooks pairs his queen while Chan picks up an open-ended straight draw. The turn is the 6♣ and Brooks makes two pair while Chan now picks up a flush draw. The river card is the 6♠ and as one of many drunken louts in the audience screams his approval, Joey the B doubles-up with a full house to stay alive.

Eric Buchman raises and Patrick Fee moves all-in over the top. Action folds around and Buchman makes the call, turning up K♣ 5♠ to Fee's A♠ 3♥. The flop comes Q♥ J♦ 4♦ and the turn is the 7♦. The river is the 2♣ and Fee doubles through Buchman to bring his stack to $400,000.

Feming Chan raises to $140,000 from the small blind and Eric Buchman makes the call. The flop comes K♣ J♠ 4♦ and Chan bets out $205,000. Buchman lays it down and Chan takes the pot.

Eric Buchman raises and Feming Chan makes the call in the big blind. The flop comes Q♥ J♠ 7♠ and Chan checks. Buchman bets out $185,000 and Chan mucks, giving Buchman the pot.

Eric Buchman moves all-in and nobody wants to dance. He takes down the blinds and antes.

Eric Buchman and David Fox get all-in pre-flop, Buchman with Q♠ J♣ and Fox with A♦ A♥. The flop is death to Fox, coming T♦ 9♦ 8♥ and flopping Buchman the nut straight. The turn is the Q♥ and the river the 2♥ and Fox sees his aces cracked in a brutal beat that sends the good "doctor" to the rail in sixth place. Fox earns $59,280 and a tragedy of a bad beat story to tide him over during the holidays.

Eric Buchman raises and Patrick Fee moves all-in over the top. Buchman makes the call and shows A♦ K♣ while Fee has A♠ K♠. The board comes K♥ J♦ T♣ 7♥ T♥ and the players chop the pot.

Joseph Brooks raises from under the gun and the action folds around to David Fox, who moves all-in over the top for an additional $205,000 from the button. After a few minutes' thought Brooks makes the call and is way behind with K♦ Q♣ to Fox's A♠ Q♦. The flop comes 8♥ 7♠ 2♦ and the turn is the 4♥. The river card is the 6♠ and Fox doubles through Joey the B, who is left in bad shape with only about $250,000 to his name.

Feming Chan limps from the small blind and Eric Buchman checks his option in the big blind. The flop comes 7♦ 7♥ 5♦ and Chan bets out. Buchman folds and Chan takes the pot.

Adrian Velez moves all-in from the hijack and Eric Buchman comes over the top all-in from the cut-off. Action folds around and Velez turns up A♣ T♣ to Buchman's A♦ Q♥. The flop comes 9♥ 8♣ 6♦ and the turn is the Q♦. The river is the K♠ and Adrian Velez has been eliminated in seventh place. The Queens native earns $47,424 for his efforts in South Jersey.

Patrick Fee open-shoves and true to historic precedent, everyone folds. Fee takes down the blinds and antes.

John Racener raises on the button and Feming Chan moves all-in from the big blind. Racener thinks for a moment before laying it down and Chan shows big slick as he rakes the pot.

Adrian Velez open-shoves from the cut-off. Nobody calls.

Patrick Fee open-shoves from under the gun. No callers.

Feming Chan shoves all-in from the button and gets no callers.

Patrick Fee keeps moving all-in and nobody wants to call. He shoved from the hijack and got no takers, but we have no idea how much the all-in was for because in New Jersey they don't tell you these things.

Joseph Brooks limps in the small blind and Mike Nelson raises from the small blind. Brooks moves all-in and Nelson makes the call. Brooks has A♣ 9♠ while Nelson has A♠ Q♥. The flop comes A♥ 9♦ 3♠ and Brooks flops two pair. The turn is the 8♠ and the river the 4♠ and after a moment of madcap counting, it is confirmed that Brooks has Nelson covered and the young Rock Tavern, N.Y. native is eliminated in eighth place for a $35,568 haul.

The suck-out sickness continues...

Adrian Velez raises from the hijack and David Fox moves all-in from the button for another $190,000. The blinds fold out and the action is back on Velez, who ruminates for a few minutes before laying it down. Fox takes the pot.

By the way, we're as frustrated as you are with the lack of specific numbers for each player's raise. Apparently the ruling here at Harrah's Atlantic City is unless a player at the table asks to be told the amount of the raise, the floorman will not give it. Something about the appearance of a large stack of chips being more important/intimidating than an actual number amount. Poppycock!

Mike Nelson moves all-in for his last $360,000 and nobody wants to play. Nelson takes down the blinds and antes.

Patrick Fee open-shoves all-in from middle position and nobody calls. "Bernie" takes down the blinds and antes.

John Racener raises to $120,000 and Feming Chan calls in the big blind. The flop comes J♦ 8♥ 4♣ and Chan bets out $230,000. Racener gives the matter some thought before laying it down. Chan takes the pot.

David Fox raises to $120,000 from the hijack and Joseph Brooks goes all-in from the small blind for another $270,000. Fox lays it down and Joey the B takes the pot.

Patrick Fee moves all-in from middle position but gets no callers.

On the second hand of the day, Sam Skolnik moves all-in for his last $70,000 and is called by Eric Buchman and David Fox. The flop comes K♠ 8♣ 7♦ and Buchman bets out. Fox folds and Skolnik has K♥ 3♣ while Buchman has 9♠ 8♥. The turn is the 6♠ and the river the 5♣, giving Buchman the runner-runner straight and sending Skolnik to the rail. Uncle Sam is out in ninth place and will take home $23,712 for his efforts.

After long and sometimes endearingly bad introductions for each player, we are under way from Harrah's Atlantic City. We'll play two levels before taking dinner and then play through the night to determine a champion. Stay tuned as we race to the $379,392 first prize!

We're midway through the player introductions and action should begin in about 10 minutes.

Tournament director John Arthur has decided to play two-hour levels at the final table while rolling back the blinds to Level 19 in order to give the field a bit more play.

Stay tuned for updates as the action gets rolling.

Here are the seating positions and chip counts for the final table:

Seat 1	Adrian Velez	$755,000
Seat 2	Eric Buchman	$870,000
Seat 3	David Fox	$535,000
Seat 4	Patrick Fee	$255,000
Seat 5	John Racener	$780,000
Seat 6	Joseph Brooks	$450,000
Seat 7	James "Mike" Nelson	$470,000
Seat 8	Feming Chan	$690,000
Seat 9	Sam Skolnik	$80,000

It's final-table time from Harrah's Atlantic City as the final nine survivors return to the tables a mere 9.5 hours after Vincent Procopio finally gave up the ghost and allowed these weary players some rest. We're almost in push-fold mode for most of the players at this table, so don't blink: yesterday's marathon day could beget a crapshoot Day 3 at the WSOPC - provided the terrible suck-out disease doesn't rear its ugly head yet again.

Action is slated to begin in four minutes but it won't. Keep your eye on PokerListings.com for details and for comprehensive coverage when we finally do get under way.