Event #30: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em

It's been a long and gruelling day, and as a new day dawns over Vegas, Event #30 has come to an end.

21 players returned today and one by one they trudged off to the payout desk - all of them taking home a little something for their troubles, but we suspect none of them feeling as though they'd really achieved what they'd come in to do.

Except one.

Mike Ellis outlasted an incredible field of almost 2,400 players to take home the biggest win of his poker career. He first made his presence felt on the poker circuit back home in the UK when he took down the GUKPT Grand Final for £197,600 ($407,700) in late 2007. Since then he's added five WSOP cashes to his record, and now he gets to take home not only the biggest poker payday of his life but also his first WSOP bracelet.

The heads up battle between Ellis and his more than worthy opponent Christopher Gonzales was nothing short of epic, lasting almost three hours and seeing the chip lead change hands several times. Both players played stellar poker, and both deserved to win. In the end though, there can only be one winner, and this is Ellis' moment.

Many congratulations to Ellis and indeed all the other finalists. From PokerNews.com at the Rio, very early on a Saturday morning, it's over and out.

...Or what passes for it at the moment.

The relatively short-stacked Christopher Gonzales announced all in from the button, and Mike Ellis folded.

The heads up continues.

After that excitement, our players have reverted to extreme caginess. They are seeing a lot of flops, but nothing terribly exciting is happening on them.

For instance, our two heads-uponauts saw a limp/checked     flop. Chris Gonzales checked to Mike Ellis, who min-bet. Gonzales folded.

It is most heartening that these two gentlemen both so fervently want that precious gold bracelet - but at the same time this is not really a spectator sport. The few railers who remain are mostly sleeping now.

After that promising start to the level, everything's gone a bit slow again.

For example, just now Christopher Gonzales limped in on the button and Mike Ellis checked his option. They proceeded to check down the     flop and   turn, before Ellis bet the 160,000 minimum on the   river. Gonzales called, but mucked when Ellis showed him a   for two pair.

There's 20 minutes on the clock for it, but it might be a bit quicker than that.

Back soon.

Since then, play has tightened up considerably. Most notably the two players checked a       board all the way down, when Christopher Gonzales (out of position) turned over    for a straight - he had presumably hoped that Mike Ellis would at some point bet but was disappointed.

With the stacks still very deep - around 38 big blinds for Gonzales and around 52 for Ellis - we're just going to have to wait for two big hands if we want to see some serious action.

Chris Gonzales raised his button and then called the reraise to 500,000 from Mike Ellis. Ellis bet out another 500,000 on the     flop and Gonzales laid it down, to a murmur of approval from the now rather subdued and sleepy Ellis rail which now includes reigning Irish Open champion James Mitchell and British circuit pro Chaz Chattha.

Mike Ellis checked the     flop and Chris Gonzales bet 120,000. Ellis called and they proceeded to the turn.

Both players checked the   turn, but come the   river Ellis bet out 300,000. Gonzales decided to take it no further, and Ellis took the pot.

Our heads-upsers saw an     flop and Mike Ellis bet 325,000. Christopher Gonzales announced all in, Ellis called, and they were on their backs for Ellis' tournament life.

Gonzales:    for two pair

Ellis:    for trips

Turn:  

River:  

"Nice hand," said a dazed-looking Gonzales as he paid up. Ellis is now at 4 million and Gonzales at 6.7 million. The end could still be a long way off.

Christopher Gonzales opened for 275,000, and David Wilkinson announced all in. Gonzales, by now chip leader by a considerable margin, quietly announced call.

Gonzales:   

Wilkinson: behind, but very live with   

Board:      

Wilkinson flopped a flush draw and had picked up a double belly buster straight draw by the turn too, but none of his outs came in on the river. He shook hands and headed for the rail. He now has 254,996 things that might console him.