$10,000 No-Limit Hold'em MAIN EVENT - World Championship (Event #73)

The 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event final table began on Sunday evening with nine players remaining from the second largest Main Event field ever of 8,569 players. Hossein Ensan started well out in front with a sizeable chip lead and Garry Gates was comfortably in second place.

After a tad more than three hours of play tonight, Ensan remains chip leader. Gates is still in second but made the biggest move today. He won 11 of the 56 hands today, tied with Ensan. While Ensan only added about 31,000,000 to his chip-leading stack, Gates increased his stack by about 73% with the 72,400,000 he accumulated today. Between the two of them, they hold about 75% of the chips in play.

"It's a crazy dynamic," said Gates of the final table. "I'm staring at the chip counts now and to think Hossein and I have what we have, the bottom three guys are kind of strapped in that way.

"I'm excited to go back and watch the show but it felt like everyone played pretty snug for the most part. I didn't see anyone get out of line and that was probably partially due to the top two stacks being as big as they are. I think the dynamic should, in theory, stay the same early on tomorrow. But anything can happen."

Gates shook off some early nerves before finding his comfort zone when the final table began.

"It was crazy, just crazy. I felt comfortable when we were lined up. When Jack (Effel) was doing the announcements, I did feel some nerves early on. Handling my chips, initially, I could feel my hands [shaking]. After about half an hour, I settled in and I feel comfortable out there.

"It also helps when you're just making hands left and right. I jokingly called this the World Series of having it because I've had it and if you're gonna run good in a poker tournament, this is the one. I feel like today was a very successful day."

Here is how the players stack up after the first 56 hands of the final table:

There is 28:08 remaining in Level 38 (600,000/1,200,000, with a 1,200,000-big blind ante).

The first to depart from the final table was Milos Skrbic. On the sixth hand of the night, and sitting eighth in chips at the time, Skrbic was in the big blind and when Gates set him all in from the small blind, Skrbic called all in for 17 big blinds with ace-jack. While he usually would be ahead in this spot, he was actually dominated by Gates' ace-queen. No help came for Skrbic and the Serbian was out in ninth place for $1,000,000.

Just a few hands later, Timothy Su raised all in from under the gun for about 18 big blinds and Ensan looked him with ace-jack. Su was slightly ahead with pocket threes, but the runout gave Ensan jacks full of fives to end Su's Main Event in eighth place for $1,250,000.

The next elimination was also scored by Ensan. One the 32nd hand of the night, Ensan min-raised from the cutoff and the English player Nick Marchington made a stand for his remaining 12 big blinds with ace-seven. Ensan had the goods with pocket kings and held up, ending Marchington's run in seventh place for $1,525,000.

Play was initially scheduled to end for the night when six players was reached, but the decision was made to keep it going a little while longer.

Zhen Cai, who began the final table third in chips, was very active in his attempt to chip up, but ultimately was eliminated in sixth place. With a raise and a call before him, Cai picked up ace-king in the big blind and committed his stack of about 24 big blinds. Ensan had opened the pot and folded, but Kevin Maahs called with pocket nines. Cai flopped a Broadway draw but couldn't get there, finishing in sixth place for $1,850,000.

Results and Remaining Payouts

There were several interesting hands among the 56 played today, but perhaps the most debated was Hand #45. Alex Livingston opened with a raise from under the gun and Dario Sammartino called from the cutoff. Gates was in the big blind and put in a large three-bet with pocket tens. Both opponents folded, but Livingston threw two queens into the muck, much to the surprise of the TV-watching audience, and to Gates when he learned of it later.

"I think having a hand every single time, you get that kind of respect I guess. I'm fortunate in that spot. You need those kinds of hands to work in your favor to get through this thing. I felt fortunate hearing he folded queens there."

At this stage, just five candidates remain in contention for a $10 million prize. They'll continue to play Monday at 6:30 p.m. local time with just over 28 minutes remaining at 600,000/1,200,000/1,200,000. The original plan called for playing down to three players, but that will likely change with just five returning.

Whatever winds up happening, Gates said he isn't worried. Even if he's next out, he said it's already a win and a dream come true.

"I've been picking my spots right now and I feel like I've been playing some of the best poker I've played," he said. "So, let's see what happens."

PokerNews will make sure that you rejoin the action and follow it through to the next day's conclusion whatever happens as we bring live and complete coverage of the 2019 World Series of Poker.

Hand #54: Kevin Maahs raised to 2,600,000 from under the gun and won the pot uncontested.

Hand #55: Zhen Cai raised to 3,100,000 from under the gun and got no action.

Hossein Ensan	210,100,000	-600,000
Garry Gates	171,700,000	0
Alex Livingston	45,800,000	0
Kevin Maahs	34,200,000	600,000
Zhen Cai	29,900,000	3,000,000
Dario Sammartino	23,100,000	-3,000,000

Hand #47: Alex Livingston completed the blind and Hossein Ensan made it 6.2 million. Livingston gave it up.

Hand #48: Dario Sammartino got a walk.

Hand #49: Zhen Cai made it 2.6 million first to act and Kevin Maahs defended big blind. They checked to the turn on      and Maahs bet 2.1 million. Cai gave it up.

Hand #50: Maahs completed the blind and Cai checked his option, bringing a     flop. Maahs check-folded to 1.7 million.

Hossein Ensan	205,900,000	600,000
Garry Gates	174,700,000	0
Alex Livingston	50,000,000	-1,200,000
Kevin Maahs	36,200,000	2,000,000
Dario Sammartino	26,100,000	0
Zhen Cai	21,900,000	-1,400,000

Hand #42: Alex Livingston opened to 2,800,000 on the button and Hossein Ensan three-bet to 8,500,000. Livingston quickly folded and Ensan scooped the pot.

Hand #43: Zhen Cai made it 2,600,000 to go from under the gun and Kevin Maahs jammed all in from the big blind for 33,200,000. Cai folded and Maahs raked in the pot.

Hand #44: Ensan raised to 2,800,000 from the cutoff, picking up a call from Cai in the big blind. The flop fell     and Cai checked over to Ensan, who tossed in a continuation bet of 3,000,000. Cai called and the   followed on the turn.

Once Cai checked the second street in a row, Ensan fired a bet of 7,000,000 and that forced a fold from Cai.

Hossein Ensan	205,300,000	12,800,000
Garry Gates	169,700,000	0
Alex Livingston	50,000,000	-2,800,000
Kevin Maahs	37,000,000	2,600,000
Dario Sammartino	28,900,000	-3,000,000
Zhen Cai	23,900,000	-9,600,000

Hand #39: Dario Sammartino raised to 2,600,000 from the button and won the pot uncontested.

Hand #40: Kevin Maahs raised to 2,600,000 from the button, Zhen Cai three-bet to 7,700,000 from the small blind and Maahs called after a few moments.

The flop was     and after about 90 seconds Cai shoved for 28,100,000. After about two minutes, Maahs folded.

Hossein Ensan	192,500,000	0
Garry Gates	152,300,000	-2,400,000
Alex Livingston	55,200,000	0
Zhen Cai	45,900,000	7,700,000
Kevin Maahs	37,000,000	-8,300,000
Dario Sammartino	31,900,000	3,000,000

Hand #33: Garry Gates raised to 2.7 million first to act. He won the pot.

Hand #34: Alex Livingston opened for 2.8 million and Dario Sammartino called a couple of seats over. On the button, Kevin Maahs made it 6.6 million. Livingston folded and Sammartino conceded as well.

Hand #35: Zhen Cai raised to 4 million on the button and took the pot.

Hossein Ensan	195,500,000	0
Garry Gates	154,700,000	0
Kevin Maahs	47,700,000	8,000,000
Alex Livingston	42,800,000	-5,200,000
Zhen Cai	42,200,000	0
Dario Sammartino	31,900,000	-2,800,000

Hand #29: Alex Livingston limped in from the small blind and Hossein Ensan checked his option from the big blind. On the     flop, Livingston check-called a bet of 1,200,000 and the   followed on the turn. Both players checked the   river and Livingston won the pot with the   .

Hand #30: Garry Gates opened to 3,500,000 from the cutoff and picked up a call by Ensan in the small blind, Nick Marchington in the big blind reluctantly folded. On the     flop, Ensan checked and Gates continued for 3,300,000. Ensan called and the   turn was checked by him once more, this time Gates checked back.

After the   river, both checked once more and Ensan tabled the    for a pair of deuces. Gates had that beat with    and his rail started chants as Gates reduced the gap to Ensan at the top of the counts to 22 big blinds.

Hand #31: Garry Gates raised to 2,800,000 from the hijack and won the pot uncontested.

Hossein Ensan	178,500,000	-10,400,000
Garry Gates	154,700,000	12,200,000
Alex Livingston	48,000,000	3,600,000
Zhen Cai	42,200,000	0
Kevin Maahs	42,100,000	0
Dario Sammartino	35,300,000	-2,400,000
Nick Marchington	14,000,000	-3,000,000

Hand #27: Dario Sammartino opened for 2.4 million in the cutoff. He won the pot.

Hand #28: Kevin Maahs raised to 2.2 million in the cutoff. Zhen Cai three-bet to 6.8 million on the button. Maahs shoved all in for 32.8 million and took down the pot after about 15 seconds.

He showed   .

Players then went on a 15-minute break.

Hossein Ensan	188,900,000	0
Garry Gates	142,500,000	-2,500,000
Alex Livingston	44,400,000	-2,000,000
Zhen Cai	42,200,000	-7,300,000
Kevin Maahs	42,100,000	9,300,000
Dario Sammartino	37,700,000	2,500,000
Nick Marchington	17,000,000	0

Hand #21: First to act, Hossein Ensan raised to 2,200,000 and Kevin Maahs three-bet to 5,500,000 from the cutoff. Ensan gave it some thought and tossed in calling chips to see the     flop. Ensan checked and Maahs cut out a bet of 9,800,000, nearly half of his remaining stack.

Ensan folded and Maahs scooped the pot without a showdown.

Hand #22: Zhen Cai made it 2,800,000 to go from the cutoff and Garry Gates three-bet to 7,200,000 on the button. Cai sent his cards into the muck and the Gates rail erupted in applause.

Hand #23: Cai opened to 2,500,000 in the hijack and scooped the blinds and antes.

Hossein Ensan	200,400,000	-8,000,000
Garry Gates	145,000,000	4,800,000
Alex Livingston	46,400,000	-2,500,000
Dario Sammartino	37,700,000	0
Kevin Maahs	35,300,000	8,000,000
Zhen Cai	35,000,000	-300,000
Nick Marchington	15,000,000	-2,000,000

Hand #17: Zhen Cai raised to 2,300,000 from middle position, Alex Livingston three-bet to 6,400,000 from the cutoff and Cai folded after some time mulling it over.

Hand #18; Hossein Ensan raised to 2,000,000 from the cutoff and Kevin Maahs called from the big blind.

The flop was    , Maahs checked, Ensan continued for 2,500,000 and Maahs called.

The turn was the  , Maahs checked, Ensan bet 6,500,000 and Maahs thought for about three minutes before he folded.

Hossein Ensan	205,000,000	6,000,000
Garry Gates	142,200,000	0
Alex Livingston	48,900,000	4,800,000
Zhen Cai	37,800,000	-2,300,000
Dario Sammartino	36,100,000	-2,500,000
Kevin Maahs	27,800,000	-5,500,000
Nick Marchington	17,000,000	-500,000