Event #31: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em

Brett Shaffer just won his second World Series of Poker bracelet in Event #31: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em, and he defeated RJ Sullivan heads up to claim the first-place prize of $418,435. Shaffer won his first bracelet in a $1,500 no-limit holdem event at last year's WSOP.

The total amount of entries in this event reached 1,631, creating a prize pool of $2,201,850. The field was quite a bit smaller than last year when Jason Duval took it down, earning $521,202 by defeating a field of 2,115.

On the last hand of tonight's final table, Sullivan raised to 180,000 from the button and Shaffer pushed all in. Sullivan made the call, putting himself at risk.

Sullivan:   
Shaffer:   

Sullivan got it in with a bit of an advantage, but his lead melted on the flop of    . His rail started calling for a three, but he didn't find any help on the   turn or   river. Shaffer won the hand with trip deuces and Sullivan was eliminated from the tournament in second place.

Day 3 began with 15 hopefuls vying for WSOP gold. It took less than two levels of play to reach the final table, and Steven McNally became the final table bubble boy after just a few hands of 10-handed play.

Sullivan raised it up to 50,000 from middle position and McNally took a minute before pushing his stack all in from the big blind. Sullivan made the call with the bigger stack and McNally's tournament was at risk, though he was way ahead preflop.

Sullivan:   
McNally:   

McNally was safe and looking to double on the flop of     as well as the turn of the  , and his rail was excitedly anticipating his big double. But then, Sullivan spiked the   on the river and McNally's supporters erupted with a loud, "Ooohhh!" McNally was eliminated in 10th place and earned $23,317 for his run.

The final table was headlined by seasoned pro Matt Stout, who took the chip lead into the final day of play. Stout busted in third place when his four-bet shove was called by Sullivan.

Stout opened to 135,000 and Sullivan raised to 290,000. Stout moved all in and Sullivan called, putting Stout's tournament life on the line.

Stout:   
Sullivan:   

Stout was favored before the flop and was looking to score the double up, but then the dealer fanned out a board of      ; Sullivan paired his queen and it stood strong. Stout earned $170,247 for his effort.

Other eliminations from the final table included Peter Gould, who was eliminated in fourth place ($122,731), Aleksandr Gofman in fifth place ($89,835), Robert Schmidt in sixth place ($66,176), Rob Wazwaz in seventh place ($50,246), Jim Jakobsen in eighth place ($38,365), and Jason Vanstrom Finished in ninth place ($29,658).

Notables making the money but falling short of the final table spotlight were Eric Mizrachi, Jackie Glazier, Adam Levy, Nenad Medic, Vinny Pahuja, Erik Cajelais, Lauren Kling, and Ray Qartomy.

Thank you for following along with PokerNews and stay tuned for all the action of the 45th annual World Series of Poker. Congratulations once again to Brett Shaffer, the WSOP's latest bracelet winner.

Hand #140: RJ Sullivan opened to 160,000, Brett Shaffer three-bet to 400,000, Sullivan four-bet to 950,000, and Shaffer laid it down.

Hand #141 Shaffer opened to 190,000, and Sullivan folded.

Hand #142: Sullivan opened to 160,000, Shaffer three-bet to 525,000, and Sullivan folded.

Hand #143: Shaffer opened to 190,000, and Sullivan folded.

Hand #144: Shaffer got a walk.

We are going on a 20-minute break.

As we enter heads-up play, here are the chip stacks:

Brett Shaffer	4,105,000	-555,000
RJ Sullivan	3,240,000	1,290,000

Hand #125: RJ Sullivan and Brett Shaffer went to a flop for 60,000 each. The flop came down     and Shaffer bet 60,000. Sullivan made the call and the turn was the  . Both players checked to bring the river card of  . Shaffer bet 150,000 and won the pot.

Hand #126: Shaffer limped the small blind and Stout pushed 775,000 all in. Shaffer made the call.

Stout:   
Shaffer:   

The flop came down     giving Stout a full house. The turn and river of    changed nothing, though, and Stout earned the double.

Hand #127: Shaffer raised to 125,000 on the button and Sullivan called him. The flop was     and Shaffer won the pot with a bet of 125,000.

Hand #128: Stout raised to 135,000 from the button and won the blinds and antes.

Hand #129: Sullivan raised to 125,000 from his button and won the hand preflop.

Hand #115: RJ Sullivan got a walk in the big blind.

Hand #116: Matt Stout raised to 140,000 from the button and won the pot preflop.

Hand #117: Brett Shaffer raised to 155,000 from the small blind and Stout made the call. The flop was     and Shaffer checked. Stout checked and the turn card was the  . Both players checked to bring the   on the river and Shaffer led out for 155,000 to win the pot.

Hand #118: Stout raised to 150,000 from the small blind and Sullivan, sitting in the big blind, three-bet all in to win the hand.

Hand #119: Sullivan raised to 125,000 in the small blind and Shaffer called. The flop was dealt     and Sullivan wagered 85,000. Shaffer raised to 190,000 but Sullivan wanted nothing to do with it. Shaffer stacked up his newly-acquired chips.

Hand #105: Brett Shaffer limped in the small blind and Matt Stout checked his option in the big blind. The flop was    . Shaffer bet 60,000 and won the pot.

Hand #106: Shaffer raised his button to 125,000 and won the pot after RJ Sullivan flashed the   and threw away his hand.

Hand #107: Shaffer got a walk in the big blind.

Hand #108: Shaffer limped his small blind and Stout checked. The flop was dealt     and both players checked. The turn was the   and Shaffer bet 60,000, winning the pot.

Hand #109: Stout limped in the small blind and he and Sullivan went to a flop of    . Stout led out for 70,000. Sullivan called and the turn was the  . Stout checked, followed by Sullivan's check. The river was the   and Stout showed    to Sullivan's   . They chopped the pot.

Hand #95: Matt Stout and Peter Gould got it all in preflop and Stout held    to Gould's   . The board ran out       and Gould secured a much-needed double.

Hand #96: Brett Shaffer opened for 100,000 and won the pot.

Hand #97: Stout raised to 110,000 and Gould three-bet to 360,000. Stout pushed and Gould snap-called. Stout showed    and Gould held   . Gould started out behind, but by the time the board was dealt      , he had doubled up once again.

Hand #98: RJ Sullivan opened for 100,000 from the button and Shaffer called. The flop came down    . Shaffer checked and Sullivan bet out 130,000 to win the pot.

Hand #99: Sullivan raised to 100,000 and Shaffer called on the button. The flop was dealt     and Shaffer called Sullivan's continuation-bet of 110,000. The turn was the   and Shaffer bet 125,000 after Sullivan checked. Sullivan gave up and Shaffer won the pot.