There were 1,914 players who exchanged $1.500 at the registration desk for 4,500 tournament chips when Event #44: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em began on Saturday. Now, just 15 of those players are still in contention for the gold WSOP bracelet and the top prize of $478,102.
It's the final day of this event, and Brandon Ageloff will have the honor of being the only player with over one million chips (1,007,000) when action resumes at 1 p.m. He has a very slim lead over Ray Foley who has 993,000. At these blind levels, the difference is less than a big blind.
Jason Johnson was the chip leader going into Day 2 of this event, and he continued to maintain a large stack throughout the day, bagging up the third-most chips with 779,000. Jordan Morgan, Vinny Pahuja, and Roberto Romanello are other familiar names among the final 15.
All players are now guaranteed $21,575 for their deep run in this event, and those who make the final table of nine players will make at least $35,063.
Follow the action here on the PokerNews live reporting blog to stay up to date on the path to your next WSOP bracelet winner.
Vinny Pahuja opened to 35,000, Ray Foley called one seat to Pahuja's left, and Justin Conley put his last 52,000 in the middle. Both Pahuja and Conley slid out calling chips and Conley's tourney life was on the line.
The flop came and both players checked to the on the turn. Pahuja led out for 50,000 and Foley folded.
Pahuja:
Conley:
The river was a blank and Conley hit the rail in 15th place, good for $21,575.
It was a battle of the blinds when Alexander Zeligman pushed all in from the small blind and Vinny Pahuja made the call in the big blind.
Zeligman:
Pahuja:
The flop was good for Pahuja as he hit his ace on the board. The turn and river secured his lead when they ran out , then . The recently-crippled Pahuja now has a workable stack and he finally took his backpack off and has decided he may be staying a while. Meanwhile, Zeligman was eliminated from the tournament in 14th place and will earn $21,575 for his result.
Vinny Pahuja was crippled, then won two straight all-in pots against Ray Foley before he was busted by Evan McNiff.
In his first double-up, Pahuja had his backpack on and was barely seated in his chair went he put his last 50,000 chips in the middle. Ray Foley made the call and the two players went heads-up to a flop.
Pahuja:
Foley:
The board ran out and Pahuja's finished with two pair to stay alive.
In Pahuja's second double-up, he moved all in under the gun preflop and was called once again by Foley.
Pahuja:
Foley:
The board ran out and Pahuja again came from behind after hitting a pair on the turn to score the double-up.
A couple hands later, Pahuja got his stack all in preflop against chip leader, Evan McNiff.
Pahuja:
McNiff:
According to McNiff, the board ran out nine-high and Pahuja was busted in 12th place, taking home $27,337 for his effort.
It was going to take a cooler to get the next player out of this tournament, and we found it.
Brandon Ageloff, the chip leader at the beginning of this day, raised to 51,000 from under the gun and faced a three-bet to 115,000 from Jordan Morgan in middle position. Ageloff called and the dealer slid out for a flop.
Ageloff check-called a bet of 90,000 from Morgan, and the turn came . Ageloff checked and Morgan bet out 155,000. Ageloff pushed all in and Morgan snap-called.
Ageloff:
Morgan:
Ageloff was in trouble with the turned trip nines. Morgan had flopped top set and improved to a full house on the turn. The river card was the and Ageloff's chips were pushed across the table to Morgan - the biggest pot of the tournament thus far. Despite having the chip advantage coming into play on this final day, Ageloff has been eliminated in 10th place and will collect $27,337.
Hand #6: Michael "Maddog" Anselm pushed all in from under the gun and Bryan Dillon shoved his stack over the top in middle position. All of the other players got out of the way to let the two battle it out.
Anselm:
Dillon:
Anselm was at risk and found no help on the flop of . The turn of missed him; Anselm needed a nine on the river to survive. The final card was the and Anselm was eliminated in ninth place for $35,063.
Hand #7: Evan McNiff opened to 50,000 on the button and Joseph Iarussi called from the small blind. The dealer laid down a flop of , Iarussi led out for 80,000 and McNiff folded.
Hand #8: Ryan Spittles moved all in for 196,000, and Jason Johnson called from the cutoff, putting Spittles at risk.
Spittles:
Johnson:
Spittles was ahead and looking good for the double up. The dealer rolled out a flop and Johnson took the lead with his pair of tens. The turn and river did not help Spittles and he was eliminated in eighth place.
Hand #33: Joseph Iarussi opened to 65,000 under the gun, Evan McNiff called from the big blind, and the two went heads-up to a flop.
McNiff check-called a bet of 165,000 from Iarussi and the fell on the turn. McNiff check-shoved a bet of 300,000 from Iarussi, who made the call, putting his tournament life on the line.
McNiff:
Iarussi:
Iarussi was in big trouble and needed help to survive. The river did not help Iasurri and he busted in 7th place.
and both players checked to the 
on the turn. Pahuja led out for 50,000 and Foley folded.
board. The turn and river secured his lead when they ran out 
, then 
. The recently-crippled Pahuja now has a workable stack and he finally took his backpack off and has decided he may be staying a while. Meanwhile, Zeligman was eliminated from the tournament in 14th place and will earn $21,575 for his result.
and Romanello was eliminated with the lesser pair in 13th place for $21,575.
and McNiff's full house sent Wilds out in 11th place, earning $27,337.
. The turn of 
flop and Johnson took the lead with his pair of tens. The turn and river 
did not help Spittles and he was eliminated in eighth place.
fell on the turn. McNiff check-shoved a bet of 300,000 from Iarussi, who made the call, putting his tournament life on the line.
