The first-ever World Series of Poker bracelet awarded on United States soil outside of Las Vegas, not to mention a $355,599 first-place prize, was bestowed upon Jonathan Hilton on Friday after he topped a 127-player field in the third annual WSOP National Championship.

The tournament—held at Harrah's New Orleans and comprised of 20 WSOP Circuit Main Event winners, 18 Casino Champions, 62 at-large qualifiers and 27 WSOP POY $10,000 buy-ins—marked the culmination of the 2012-2013 World Series of Poker Circuit season, which awarded 240 gold rings all across North America since August of 2012.

The final table of eight was an eclectic mix of personalities including four players who bought in for $10,000 (Brock Parker, Joe Tehan, Max Steinberg and Octo-Niner Jeremy Ausmus), three at-large qualifiers (Robert "Uncle Krunk" Panitch, Jonathan Hilton and Nicolas Vaca-Rondon), and a Main Event winner (Harrah's Cherokee champ Tim Bowman). Two-time WSOP bracelet winner Parker entered as the chip leader, while Hilton started fourth in chips.

It took about an hour for the first elimination of the day to occur as the first few all-in situations resulted in doubles. Then, in Level 21 (8,000/16,000/2,000) Ausmus, the 2012 WSOP Main Event fifth-place finisher who began the day second in chips but had since waned, raised to 33,000 in the cutoff and Panitch called on the button. After the blinds folded, the dealer fanned and Ausmus continued for 35,000. Panitch raised to 77,000, Ausmus thought for 30 seconds or so then moved all in for 480,000 and Panitch snap-called.

Ausmus:
Panitch:

Ausmus, who was the one at risk, held an open-ended straight draw but needed some help to double in order to overcome Panitch's big pocket pair. The turn didn't do it, and neither did the river. Ausmus was eliminated from the tournament in eighth place for $38,570.

After Colombian Vaca-Rondon bowed out in seventh place, a huge hand took place in Level 22 (10,000/20,000/3,000) that shook up the chip stacks. It began when Hilton opened for 40,000 under the gun and received a call from Panitch in the cutoff. Tehan then three-bet all in for 319,000, Steinberg called off for 248,000 from the small blind, Hilton folded and Panitch thought for about 45 seconds before calling to put both players at risk.

Panitch:
Steinberg:
Tehan:

The crowd and pretty much all of the players were on their feet in anticipation of the monster hand. Panitch's supporters were calling for an ace and to use his "one time," while Tehan watched the action with his hands on his head. After the dealer squared away the various pots, he burned and put out the flop—.

Steinberg came from behind to flop a set and was a heavy favorite to more than triple. Panitch's supporters then began calling for a king to give their man Broadway, but that was unlikely considering Tehan held two of them. The turn opened up some more options for Panitch to score the double elimination as a nine would also give him a straight, but the river was no help to him. Steinberg's set held to give him a huge triple, while Tehan took down the side pot of 142,000. Little good it did him though as Tehan was eliminated in sixth place on the very next hand.

After Bowman was eliminated in fifth place, Parker's bid at his third bracelet was cut short.

It happened when Steinberg opened for to 55,000 on the button and Parker, whose stack had dwindled, moved all in for 350,000 in the big blind. Steinberg tank-called and the cards were turned up.

Parker:
Steinberg:

Parker was behind, and Steinberg increased his lead when the dealer fanned . Parker needed running cards to make a wheel, and the was one of them. The two-time bracelet winner was left with three outs—the was no good—to stay alive, but the was not what he needed. Parker exited in fourth place for $114,008.

After 62-year-old Panitch, who hails from Northbrook, Illinois, fell in third place after the dinner break, Steinberg took 2.195 million into heads-up play against Hilton's 1.615 million.

It was a back-and-forth affair, but thanks to a double Hilton was able to take the chip lead. The rest, as they say, is history.

That does it for our coverage from the National Championship at Harrah's New Orleans, but the PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be back in less than a week to cover all of the 62 events from the 2013 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It was a back-and-forth heads-up battle, but Jonathan Hilton has emerged victorious while denying Max Steinberg his second World Series of Poker bracelet.

In the final hand, Hilton opened for 85,000 on the button and then called when Steinberg three-bet to 240,000. The flop saw Steinberg bet 275,000 and Hilton call, bringing about the turn. Steinberg paused for a moment before announcing that he was all in and Hilton snap-called.

Hilton:
Steinberg:

Hilton got it in good with two pair, but Steinberg held an open-ended straight draw. The railbirds were very vocal for their respective man as everyone seemed to know this would be the determining hand. Either Hilton would clinch victory or he would be crippled. The dealer burned one last time and put out the , the last card of the 2013 National Championship. Steinberg was gracious in defeat and shook Hilton's hand before exiting in second place, good for $219,799.

Jonathan Hilton	3,810,000	1,810,000
Max Steinberg	0	-1,810,000

Jonathan Hilton opened for 85,000 and then moved all in when Max Steinberg three-bet to 240,000. Steinberg folded.

Jonathan Hilton	2,000,000	140,000
Max Steinberg	1,810,000	-140,000

Max Steinberg raised to 85,000 on the button, Jonathan Hilton called, and the dealer fanned . Hilton quickly checked, Steinberg continued for 80,000, and Hilton called.

The turn was the , Hilton knuckled again, and Steinberg tossed out another 185,000. Hilton called.

The completed the board, Hilton checked once again, and Steinberg emptied the chamber, firing a third and final bullet worth 450,000. Hilton tanked for 30 seconds or so, then folded.

Max Steinberg	1,950,000	340,000
Jonathan Hilton	1,860,000	-340,000

Max Steinberg opened for 85,000 on the button and then called when Jonathan Hilton three-bet to 210,000. The flop seemed innocent enough, but then action exploded when Hilton led for 200,000 only to have Steinberg move all in. Hilton thought for about 15 seconds before calling off for 895,000 total.

Hilton:
Steinberg:

It was a good call by Hilton as his tens were good, but Steinberg could still win with either a jack or queen.

"No sides," Hilton's supports shouted from the rail, urging the dealer to deliver an ace, deuce, or tre on the turn. "No mashed potatoes, bro. No sides!"

Those shouts got a little louder on the turn, and then morphed into cheers when the river gave their man a double and the chip lead.

Jonathan Hilton	2,200,000	1,140,000
Max Steinberg	1,610,000	-1,140,000

Jonathan Hilton raised to 80,000 on the button, Max Steinberg defended, and the flop fell . Steinberg led out, firing 90,000, Hilton called, and the turn brought the .

Steinberg slowed down, checking to Hilton who knuckled behind.

The completed the board, Steinberg checked again, and Hilton tossed out 135,000. Steinberg thought for a moment, then flicked his cards into the muck.

Max Steinberg	2,750,000	-190,000
Jonathan Hilton	1,060,000	190,000

Jonathan Hilton opened for 90,000 and Max Steinberg called, bringing about a flop of . Steinberg then check-called a bet of 90,000 before check-calling a bet of 135,000 on the turn. Steinberg checked for a third time on the river, and Hilton fired for a third time. Steinberg quickly called the 265,000 bet, and he was correct to do so as his bested Hilton's .

Max Steinberg	2,940,000	340,000
Jonathan Hilton	870,000	-340,000

Max Steinberg opened to 120,000 on the button, Jonathan Hilton three-bet to 200,000, and Steinberg quickly called.

The dealer fanned , Hilton led out for 185,000, and Steinberg folded.

A few hands later, Hilton raised to 85,000 on the button, Max Steinberg called, and the dealer fanned . Steinberg check-called 95,000 from Hilton, and the turn brought the . Both players checked.

The completed the board, Weinberg led out for a bet, and Hilton folded.

Max Steinberg	2,600,000	345,000
Jonathan Hilton	1,210,000	-345,000

Max Steinberg opened the button for 70,000 and Jonathan Hilton defended. The latter player check-called a bet of 80,000 on the flop, and then both players checked the turn. Hilton took a stab at the pot for 150,000 on the river, but gave it up when Steinberg raised to 415,000.

Max Steinberg	2,255,000	300,000
Jonathan Hilton	1,555,000	-300,000

After a couple meaningless heads-up pots, Jonathan Hilton opened for 70,000 on the button only to have Max Steinberg three-bet to 240,000. Not to be outdone, Hilton pushed back for 420,000 total and Steinberg released his hand.

"Ball all day," Hilton's rail shouted, as they've been prone to do pretty much every time he's won a pot here today.

Max Steinberg	1,955,000	-240,000
Jonathan Hilton	1,855,000	240,000

The final two players are now on a short break as the ESPN crew prepares to film heads-up play.

Max Steinberg	2,195,000	-80,000
Jonathan Hilton	1,615,000	490,000

It's been a heck of a week for Robert "Uncle Krunk" Panitch. The 62-year-old from Northbrook, Illinois, who earned his way into the National Championship as an at-large qualifier, had a deep run in the Harrah's New Orleans $1,675 Main Event, ultimately finishing in 16th place. Now, he has a third-place finish in the National Championship and $156,743 to brag about. Not too shabby for Uncle Krunk, whose previous best cash was for $18,010.

In what would be his last hand, Jonathan Hilton opened for 60,000 from the button and Panitch called from the small blind. Max Steinberg came along from the big and three players saw a flop of . Panitch wasted little time in leading out for 100,000, Steinberg quickly folded and Hilton opted to raise to 250,000. Panitch immediately moved all in for about 450,000 total and Hilton called.

Hilton:
Panitch:

Hilton was ahead with a pair of aces, but Panitch was drawing live to clubs. The rail was cheering for the man they call "Uncle Krunk," but it'd be in vain as the blanked on the turn followed by the river. Panitch gave a gracious exit interview to ESPN and then took his leave from the National Championship stage.

Robert Panitch

0

-420,000

Jonathan Hilton raised to 60,000 on the button, Max Steinberg three-bet to 180,000 out of the big blind, and Hilton folded.

Two hands later, Steinberg limped in on the button, Robert "Uncle Krunk" Panitch checked in the big blind, and both players checked on a flop of .

The pair knuckled when the turned as well, and the completed the board. Panitch checked a third time, Steinberg fired out 70,000, and Panitch immediately called.

Panitch showed for a pair of sixes, but Steinberg had him out-kicked with .

Max Steinberg	2,275,000	300,000
Jonathan Hilton	1,125,000	-225,000
Robert Panitch	420,000	-70,000

Max Steinberg raised to 95,000 from the small blind and Jonathan Hilton and Jonathan Hilton defended from the big blind. The flop saw Steinberg continue for 130,000, but he couldn't shake Hilton. After the dealer burned and turned the , Steinberg bet 325,000 and once again Hilton called.

When the river completed the board, Steinberg moved all in for roughly 900,000 and Hilton slowly flicked his cards to the dealer.

Max Steinberg	1,975,000	550,000
Jonathan Hilton	1,350,000	-550,000

Jonathan Hilton raised to 60,000 on the button, Max Steinberg three-bet to 240,00 out of the big blind, and Hilton tanked before four-bet shoving. Steinberg snap-mucked.

Jonathan Hilton	1,900,000	285,000
Max Steinberg	1,425,000	-270,000

Max Steinberg limped from the small blind and Jonathan Hilton checked his option from the big, bringing about a flop of . Steinberg check-called a bet of 60,000 and then checked the turn. Hilton took the opportunity to bet 85,000, and Steinberg thought for about a minute before check-raising to 280,000. Hilton folded.

Max Steinberg	1,695,000	175,000
Jonathan Hilton	1,615,000	-175,000

Max Steinberg had the button, and raised to 65,000. Jonathan Hilton three-bet to 160,000 from the small blind, Robert Panitch quickly folded, and Steinberg called.

The dealer fanned , Hilton led out for 155,000, and Steinberg called.

The turn was a repeat four - the - and Hilton fired another bullet worth 290,000. Steinberg thought for 45 seconds or so, then folded.

Jonathan Hilton	1,790,000	265,000
Max Steinberg	1,520,000	-240,000

Robert Panitch opened for 65,000 on the button and received to calls. Two checks on the flop saw Panitch bet 100,000, Max Steinberg call from the small blind and Jonathan Hilton fold the big. Both players then checked the turn as well as the river. Steinberg tabled the for two pair and it was good as the man known as "Uncle Krunk" mucked his hand.

Max Steinberg	1,760,000	200,000
Jonathan Hilton	1,525,000	-65,000
Robert Panitch	490,000	-165,000

Jonathan Hilton had the button, and raised to 60,000. Max Steinberg defended his big blind then checked when the flop fell . Hilton flipped forward 65,000, Steinberg called, and the turn brought a third seven - the .

Steinberg knuckled again, Hilton checked behind, and the completed the board. The two checked again.

Steinberg tabled for effectively ace-high, and took down the pot.

Jonathan Hilton	1,590,000	-130,000
Max Steinberg	1,560,000	130,000

The dinner break is over. We're not sure where all of the players went for dinner, but we do know Max Steinberg headed just down the street to Mother's, a famed New Orleans eatery, with his identical twin brother. How do we know? Let's just say it's a popular place among members of the media, tournament staff, etc.

Anyway, cards are back in the air here at Harrah's New Orleans.