John Juanda has just won this tournament, defeating Stanislav Alekhin in heads-up play to claim his fourth WSOP bracelet after a record-setting, nearly 22-hour final table!

The Full Tilt pro found himself behind Alekhin chip-wise late in the 28th level of the tournament, but that changed after he doubled through his Russian adversary while all-in with K 6 to Alekhin's 4 3 on a K Q 7 flop.

Juanda needed to dodge clubs and runners to stay alive, and after the board finished 9 4, he'd doubled up, bringing his stack up to $6.6 million and crippling Alekhin, who was left with only $600,000 after the hand.

Juanda Does It!

A few hands later, Alekhin open-shoves all-in and Juanda peeks down at his cards, gives the matter a bit of thought and then shrugs. "OK; I call."

Victory!

He turns up K 6 and finds himself behind Alekhin's A 9. Juanda needs to improve to win the tournament and improve he does as the flop comes 6 6 2, giving him trips and a stranglehold on the tournament.

The turn card is the Q and Alekhin is drawing dead. The case six on the river gives Juanda quads and thus the tournament, clinching him his fourth WSOP bracelet and first since 2003.

He'll also take home £868,800 for his efforts, while Alekhin earns £533,950 as a tidy consolation prize. Both players share the honor of having lasted out the longest final table since the dawn of man.

Congratulations to both finalists and to Harrah's, Betfair Poker and World Series staff for an incredible second World Series of Poker Europe!

We're well into Hour 20 at the Betfair Poker World Series of Poker Europe Main Event final table and John Juanda and Stanislav Alekhin continue their titanic struggle for WSOP glory from the Casino at the Empire in London, with the last hour having accomplished almost literally nothing.

The streets outside are sunny and crowded once more and inside only the hardiest of the throngs of spectators who packed the bleachers remain, some staring blank-faced at the TV monitors above the table and the rest stealing sleep, their chins against their chests as they await some sort of absolution.

The logistics of running a 20-hour final table are mammoth. Every half-hour or so a cadre of suits huddles in a corner, wondering aloud about overtime and coffee runs, replacement camera crews and airline change fees.

Talent sits asleep in chairs and on couches scattered throughout the media areas, they too waiting the inevitable resolution. The dealers rotate in and out of the box and the floormen sit weary on the sidelines, no longer bothering to describe anything but the most spectacular action.

Tournament director Jack Effel, whose vaunted structure we've praised repeatedly for the languor with which its blinds advance, watches the action, barely bothering to conceal his yawns and no doubt wondering if perhaps this structure might have evolved into his Frankenstein.

And meanwhile, Juanda and Alekhin sit in silence at the table, Juanda tapping the table for a check as he scarfs a snack, Alekhin motionless beneath the hood of his sweatshirt, his movements disconcertingly mechanical and forbidding.

Nothing has happened in the last hour of play. Juanda still holds $3.9 million to Alekhin's $3.2 million. The two combatants shuffle chips between their rival stacks with little accomplished but the passage of time. 

And media members, their minds numbed by hours of checks, raises, folds and calls, hopped up on Coca-Cola and gummy bears, dispense with the traditional hand-by-hand reporting as delirium threatens to mutiny. 

The night goes on.

Nineteen hours after the beginning of play at 1 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, John Juanda and Stanislav Alekhin remain locked in what is quickly (all right, not so quickly) becoming one of the epic heads-up battles of all time.

We've just passed the 400th hand of this final table, meaning we've played 158 hands heads-up since Ivan Demidov's elimination. We're told that in 2005 a Razz final table at the World Series of Poker went 16 hours of actual play, and even allowing for our two-hour dinner break, that means we're getting close to history.

Just minutes ago, Juanda found himself on the brink of elimination. Down to his last $850,000, the Full Tilt pro got all-in holding A K against Alekhin's K J and watched the flop come J 4 4 to give the Russian pro the lead.

Juanda was left needing an ace or running cards to double and after the turn was the Q he was halfway there. The river was the T and Juanda made the broadway straight, doubling up to over $1.7 million and removing himself from the danger zone.

Juanda Regains the Lead!

Just minutes ago, Alekhin raised to $150,000 pre-flop and Juanda made the call. The flop came A 6 4 and both players checked. The turn brought the 2 and Juanda bet out $275,000. Alekhin made the call and the river card was the T.

Juanda fires out $475,000 and Alekhin immediately puts him all-in. 

"What? Again?" Juanda stands, looking distressed. He paces for a few seconds before finally announcing,  "All right, I call."

Alekhin pauses momentarily, waiting for Juanda to show his hand, but is forced to turn up Q-2 for bottom pair. Juanda, satisfied, slams down A-6 for aces up and takes down the pot, doubling up to $3,850,000.

Alekhin, meanwhile, has $3,370,000.

It's 10 past seven in the morning here in London as we enter Hour 18 of the final table at the Betfair Poker 2008 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event, and this is now the longest WSOP final table in history.

John Juanda and Stanislav Alekhin have sat in for more than 355 hands, eclipsing the record set by Andy Bloch and Chip Reese on the final day of the inaugural $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. tournament at the 2006 World Series.

Meanwhile, Mike "The Mouth" Matusow has made his entrance, professing to have slept for 24 hours and to have woken up at 3:30 a.m. ready for action. That makes one of us. He's now doing the wave.

Meanwhile x 2, everyone else here - media, Harrah's reps, ESPN producers asleep in their chairs - have been or are in the process of changing their flights home. This is a marathon, folks, and it's going to take a cooler to end the proceedings.

Meanwhile x 3, on the tables, Stanislav Alekhin has taken the lead in this heads-up battle. The Russian has won a couple of big pots, which we'll outline below:

First Hand

Juanda raises from the button to $100,000 and Alekhin makes the call. The flop comes Q 9 6 and Alekhin checks to Juanda, who bets out $105,000. Alekhin raises to $285,000 and Juanda makes the call.

The turn is the 6 and Alekhin bets out $375,000. Juanda flat-calls and the river is the 7, prompting a $725,000 wager from Alekhin. Juanda insta-mucks and his opponent turns up 8 5 for the straight as he rakes the pot.

Second Hand

Alekhin raises to $100,000 and Juanda repops to $325,000. Alekhin makes the call and the flop comes K 4 2. Juanda leads out for $365,000 and Alekhin makes the call. The turn is the T and Juanda bets out $480,000.

Alekhin goes into the tank for a few minutes before making a large reraise. Juanda mucks before Alekhin can announce the amount, and his rival takes another massive pot.

Moons over My Chip Counts

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

Heads-up play between John Juanda and Stanislav Alekhin continues almost 17 hours after play began yesterday afternoon, neither player seemingly able to strike that fatal blow, despite having plenty of opportunity.

Juanda has seen his lead erased and, in fact, eclipsed by Alekhin, who had the Full Tilt pro on the ropes until Juanda managed to finagle a timely double-up.

Here's the story:

Alekhin Doubles!

Juanda raises to $100,000 and Alekhin makes it $300,000 to go. Juanda makes the call and the flop comes T 7 5. Alekhin bets out $350,000 and Juanda ruminates for a few minutes before announcing all-in and putting Alekhin to a decision for his tournament life.

As it turns out, it's an easy decision for the Russian, who makes the quick call with pocket jacks for the overpair to Juanda's Q T for top pair. The turn is the J and Alekhin turns a set, meaning he'll double through Juanda to bump his stack up to $4.67 million.

Juanda Doubles Back!

Alekhin continues to build his lead, taking Juanda to under the $2 million mark before the following hand takes place:

Juanda opens for $100,000 and Alekhin again makes it $300,000 to go. Juanda calls and the flop comes T T 4. Alekhin bets out $400,000 and Juanda makes a quick call. The turn is the 2 and Alekhin puts Juanda all-in.

The American pro instantly calls, tabling A T for trips against Alekhin's pocket jacks. The river is the 4 and Juanda takes the pot to double back up to $3.4 million. He's since taken a number of small pots to retake the chip lead.

Taking Care of Chip Counts

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

We've reached the end of the 25th level of the Betfair Poker 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event and nothing has been accomplished during heads-up play between John Juanda and Stanislav Alekhin.

Juanda took a commanding lead in the match, but Alekhin managed to battle back with a timely double-up, as related below:

Juanda Extends Lead

Juanda raised to $80,000 on the button and Alekhin reraised to $240,000. Juanda made the call and the flop came 5 3 2. Alekhin bet out $280,000 and Juanda made the call. The turn was the 6 and Alekhin checked.

Juanda checked as well and the river was the 2, prompting both players to check once more. Alekhin showed a queen for queen-high, but Juanda had 7-6 for a pair of sixes and took down the pot.

Alekhin Doubles

Juanda opened for $80,000 and Alekhin made it $260,000 to go. Juanda put him all-in and Alekhin made the call, showing A Q to Juanda's A 2. The flop came T 9 8 and Alekhin flopped some insurance, and after the board finished A 5 Alekhin doubled up to $2,850,000 while Juanda is back down to $4,420,000.

And the beast goes on ...

After 14 1/2 hours of final-table play at the Main Event of the 2008 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event (presented by Betfair Poker), we're down to heads-up action between John Juanda and Stanislav Alekhin.

Ivan Demidov's downfall came after a pair of climactic hands with Juanda. The first saw the Muscovite raise to $95,000 pre-flop and get a call from the Full Tilt pro. The flop came J 6 2, and Juanda check-raised Demidov's $135,000 bet to $300,000.

Demidov made the call and the turn brought the T and a $475,000 bet from Juanda. Demidov tanked before making the call and the river card was the T. Both players checked the river and Juanda turned up Q J for two pair to take the pot.

Demidov Dunzo (Third)

Then Demidov called a $105,000 raise from John Juanda in the big blind and saw the flop come 8 5 3. Juanda checks in the small blind and Demidov bets out $170,000. The American pro makes the call and the turn is the J.

Juanda checks and Demidov bets out $450,000. Juanda check-raises him all-in and the Russian makes the call, tabling Q T for the flush and straight draws. Juanda has A A and is ahead, leaving Demidov needing to improve to stay alive.

The river card, however, is the J and Juanda's aces-up is good to take the pot. Demidov is eliminated in third place and takes £344,850 for his time.

Billie Jean Is Not My Chip Count

Here are the chip counts as heads-up play begins:

We've reached the end of Level 24 of the 2008 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event, still presented by Betfair Poker, and we head to break with nothing major having been accomplished in the last hour of play. Our final three opponents have been swapping chips around the table and despite a healthy amount of reraising, we've seen no all-ins called and very few pots brought to showdown.

Here's how the last hour played out:

A Civil Action!

The two Russian players at this final table have tended to avoid playing big pots with each other, with both Ivan Demidov and Stanislav Alekhin folding to each other's reraises with regularity. 

However, after Alekhin raises to $70,000 in a recent hand, Demidov makes the call and the two countrymen see a flop come 3 3 2. Demidov checks to Alekhin; he checks behind. The turn is the T and Demidov again checks.

Alekhin bets out $110,000 and his rival makes the call. The river is the 7 and Demidov checks a third time. Alekhin bets $150,000 and Demidov again makes the call, tabling J-T. Alekhin has a ten himself, but is outkicked, and Demidov takes the pot.

The Bluff's the Stuff!

Demidov raises on the button and John Juanda makes it $250,000 to go in the big blind. Demidov, after some thought, makes it $649,000 total to go and Juanda is again sent into the tank by his young Russian opponent.

After some serious thinking, Juanda lays it down and Demidov turns up T-7 offsuit as he rakes the pot. Good times.

Who's That Chip Count?

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

The first hour of three-handed play has come to an end with John Juanda having just relinquished a chip lead he'd stolen from Stanislav Alekhin early in the 24th level at this, the 2008 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event final table presented by Betfair Poker.

Here's how the last hour played out:

Juanda Takes Chip Lead!

John Juanda raises to $70,000 on the button and Stanislav Alekhin calls in the big blind. The flop comes 8 7 6 and Alekhin checks to Juanda, who bets out $110,000. Alekhin again calls and the turn is the 4.

This time, the Russian bets out $230,000, but his American counterpart matches the wager and the river card is the 7. Alekhin bets out $500,000 and Juanda, after some thought, moves all-in over the top.

Now it's Alekhin who backs off, conceding the pot and the chip lead to Juanda, who builds his stack up to $3.5 million after the hand.

Juanda Loses Chip Lead

Ivan Demidov raises to $70,000 on the button and Juanda reraises to $215,000. Demidov thinks for a few moments before moving all-in over the top, and that puts Juanda in the tank.

The Full Tilt pro ruminates for about five minutes before seeming to make up his mind. He double-checks his cards, rubs his hands together and exhales before shipping a matching wager into the middle and making the call.

Demidov turns up K T and is behind Juanda's A J with his tournament life on the line. The flop, however, changes matters when it comes T 4 3 to give Demidov a pair of tens. The board finishes out Q 3 and Juanda can't execute the resuck, instead doubling Demidov to keep play three-handed.

Lean on Chip Counts!

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

We're down to three finalists in the Main Event of the Betfair Poker 2008 World Series of Poker Europe after another hour of play in the Casino at the Empire in Leicester Square, London. Perennial fan favorite Daniel Negreanu and Swedish icon "Bada" Bengt Sonert are the unlucky two to hit the rail, with John Juanda facing off against his two Russian adversaries in pursuit of a WSOPE title.

Here's how the last hour played out:

"Barry Negragnu" Bustified! (Fifth)

After juking and jiving and feinting at being all-in throughout the first hour of Level 23, Daniel Negreanu calls all-in from the big blind after Stanislav Alekhin makes a sufficient-sized raise out of the small blind.

Alehkin has J J while Negreanu is left needing to improve, holding A 9. The flop comes K 8 6 and Alekhin retains the lead. The turn is the 3 and the river the 6 and that there world-famous Barry Negragnu is sent packing, out in fifth place and earning £217,200 for his efforts. 

Pot for Juanda!

John Juanda raises to $70,000 and sees Ivan Demidov re-up to $202,000 from the small blind. The flop comes K J J and both players check. The turn is the A and both players check again. The river is the 7 and the combatants check a third time. Juanda turns up K Q and takes down the pot.

Sonnert Decomposed! (Fourth)

Alekhin makes a raise from the button to $70,000 and Bengt Sonnert moves all-in over the top for another $311,000. Alekhin makes the call, tabling A 8, and Sonnert is behind with A 5. 

The flop comes K T 8 and Sonnert's fortunes take a big hit, leaving him needing running cards to stay alive. The turn is the 3 and that about does it; Sonnert is drawing dead and is eliminated in fourth place. He'll take £271,500 for his time.

God Only Knows What I'd Be Without Chip Counts

Here are the chip counts for our final three players: