Event #65: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em MAIN EVENT - World Championship

Just three contenders remain in the hunt for $8.8 million and a place in poker history as the 2018 World Series of Poker Main Event champion: Tony Miles, John Cynn and Michael Dyer.

Those three outlasted Aram Zobian, Nicolas Manion and 2009 Main Event champ Joe Cada on what proved to be a wild day in which the chip counts and final standings look nothing like where they started about seven hours earlier.

Whereas it looked like Dyer might run away with things a la Joe McKeehen in 2015 — he came in with about 40 percent of the chips in play — he's now been reduced to the short stack after a downhill slide that saw him bag just 26.2 million, good for only 16 big blinds.

Instead, it's Tony Miles who has risen from fourth place to finish the day with a sizable edge, racing out ahead of his final two competitors and bagging 238.9 million; about 60 percent of the total chips.

"It's indescribable," Miles said of bagging the lead with just three players remaining. "It's a dream come true. It's truly magical."

Cynn rounds out the field with 128.7 million.

Final Three Players

The story dominating headlines coming in, Cada's attempt to win an unprecedented two post-boom Main Event titles, ended about 30 hands into Day 9 at the hands of Miles. With five players left — Zobian fell victim to Dyer early on — Cada opened for 2.2 million under the gun at 500,000/1,000,000/150,000 and Miles three-bet it to 6.9 million on the button. Cada, who repeatedly showed a willingness to put his stack at risk leading into and during Day 9, shoved for 47.65 million.

Miles went into what looked to be a pained thinking process before he found the call button with ace-king. Cada rolled over pocket tens and the race was on. The hallmark of Cada's 2009 final-table run was his ability to win preflop all ins with pocket pairs, often times against bigger ones, but the flip wouldn't go his way. Miles flopped a king, much to the delight of a rail that ranked as easily the most raucous in the house.

"I didn't think that he would be shoving that wide," Miles said of the hand. "I thought that he would be flatting a lot of stronger hands just because of some things that I was taking into consideration. We are playing for a lot of money and there's a lot of pressure, so I just wanted to take my time and get the decision right."

After fading the turn and river, Miles suddenly found himself over 100 big blinds and within striking distance of Dyer. A lead that seemed insurmountable melted away when three players saw a king-four-three flop, with Miles holding a set of threes. He bet when checked to and Dyer raised to 14.3 million. He barreled again for 21.4 million on a five turn and then check-called a big bet of 27 million when the king paired on the river.

The stream would later show Dyer had flopped bottom two pair.

Dyer reclaimed his lead a bit later but then paid off two streets to Miles when the latter made aces full on a double-paired board and bet the river big. Dyer also got unlucky when he couldn't fade a flush draw that Manion jammed on the flop.

The start-of-day leader couldn't do anything with those chips though, following his fellow Michigan native Cada to the payout desk when he ran ace-ten into Cynn's kings.

That meant bagging time for the final three. There remains just over 50 minutes in Level 40 (800,000/1,600,000/200,000). The players will return at 5:30 p.m. local time on Saturday and play until the face that will adorn the next banner is the only one left.

Miles and his rowdy rail have positioned themselves for the party of a lifetime if he can finish the job.

"Those people are my heart," he said. "It means the world to me to be able to come out here and show them what we work so hard for all the time. My dad's always asked me, 'Why do you play tournaments? Why don't you just stick to cash games?' and I'm always telling him one day you could win life-changing money."

"It's a dream come true, I'm truly blessed and I'm honored to be here."

Miles still has two more opponents to get through, though, and the poker world's collective eyes will be trained on the final day of poker's biggest tournament on Saturday to see who emerges as champion.

Sarah Herring talked to Miles and Cynn after play.

Final Table Payouts Thus Far

Hand #223: John Cynn called in the small blind and Tony Miles raised to 5 million in the big blind. Cynn called.

The flop came    , Cynn check-called the bet of 6.6 million of Miles.

The turn brought them the  , Cynn checked again without any hesitation. Miles did the same.

The   on the river completed the board and they both checked again. Cynn tabled    for the flush which was good enough to make Miles muck his own hand.

Tony Miles	239,900,000	-11,800,000
John Cynn	103,500,000	12,200,000
Michael Dyer	26,400,000	-200,000
Nicolas Manion	24,000,000	-200,000

Hand #220: John Cynn opened to 3.8 million from the button and won the blinds and antes.

Hand #221: Tony Miles raised to 3.2 million from the button and collected the blinds and antes.

Hand #222: Tony Miles opened to 3.2 million from under the gun and John Cynn defended his big blind.

The flop came down     , Cynn checked, Miles bet 3.9 million and Cynn called. The turn was the  , both checked and   river completed the board. Cynn bet 5.6 million, Miles folded and Cynn won the pot.

Tony Miles	251,700,000	-5,300,000
John Cynn	91,300,000	11,300,000
Michael Dyer	26,600,000	-3,000,000
Nicolas Manion	24,200,000	-3,000,000

Hand #211: John Cynn called in the small blind and Tony Miles opted to check.

The flop came    , Cynn bet 1.8 million and Miles called.

The turn brought them the  , Cynn now checked. Miles bet 5.6 million and Cynn folded.

Hand #212: Cynn raised to 3.8 million from the button and picked up the blinds and antes.

Hand #213: Cynn raised to 3.8 million again but now from under the gun and got no action again.

Hand #214: Michael Dyer called in the small blind and Cynn raised to 4.5 million. Dyer shoved for 34.5 million. Cynn snap-folded.

Hand #215: Cynn completed his small blind and Miles raised to 5 million. Cynn called.

The flop came    , Cynn check-called the 6.6 million bet of Miles.

The turn brought them the  , Cynn checked again. Miles decided to now bet 8.9 million. Cynn folded.

Tony Miles	253,000,000	14,800,000
John Cynn	74,000,000	-14,100,000
Michael Dyer	39,600,000	2,700,000
Nicolas Manion	27,200,000	-3,400,000

Hand #203: John Cynn completed and Tony Miles checked. They checked down       until Cynn bet 3.7 million. Miles thought for awhile and called but couldn't beat   .

Hand #204: Miles shoved all in from the small blind and Nicolas Manion showed    and mucked.

Hand #205: Cynn raised to 3.2 million under the gun and won the pot.

Hand #206: Miles opened for 3.2 million and won the pot.

Hand #207: Cynn completed and Miles raised to 5 million. That won him the pot.

Tony Miles	242,800,000	1,700,000
John Cynn	85,500,000	5,100,000
Michael Dyer	36,700,000	-3,400,000
Nicolas Manion	28,800,000	-3,400,000

Hand #195: John Cynn limped from the small blind, Tony Miles raised to 6 million from the big blind and Cynn folded.

Hand #196: Tony Miles limped from the small blind, Nicolas Manion shoved for 34.2 million from the big blind and Miles folded.

Hand #197: Tony Miles raised to 3.2 million from the button and Michael Dyer called from the big blind.

The flop came down     and Dyer check-called 4.5 million from Miles. The turn was the  , Dyer checked and Miles bet 9 million. Dyer folded, giving Miles the pot.

Tony Miles	241,300,000	9,500,000
John Cynn	78,200,000	-2,200,000
Michael Dyer	38,700,000	-8,300,000
Nicolas Manion	35,600,000	1,000,000

Hand #190: Michael Dyer completed his small blind and John Cynn checked in the big blind.

The flop came    , Dyer bet 1.8 million and took the pot with that bet.

Hand #191: Cynn completed his small blind and Tony Miles checked.

The flop came     and both players checked.

The turn brought them the  , Cynn now bet 1.8 million and Miles called.

The   on the river completed the board. Cynn decided to continue with a bet of 4.9 million and Miles folded instantly.

Hand #192: Dyer raised to 3.2 million from under the gun and Nicolas Manion called in the big blind.

The flop came    , Manion shoved for 17.2 million. Dyer snap-called

Nicolas Manion:   
Michael Dyer:   

Manion was sitting on a flush draw and Dyer had flopped top pair with the queen in his hand.

The rest of the board was completed with the   on the turn to give Manion a flush.

The   on the river was just a formality and Manion doubled up.

Tony Miles	225,800,000	-4,800,000
John Cynn	75,800,000	2,000,000
Michael Dyer	49,800,000	-18,600,000
Nicolas Manion	42,400,000	21,400,000

Hand #183: Michael Dyer raised to 2.4 million on the button and Tony Miles three-bet to 9.2 million in the big blind. Dyer folded.

Hand #184: Dyer raised to 2.4 million from under the gun and Nic Manion called in the big blind.

The flop came     and Manion check-folded to the 2.175 million bet of Dyer.

Hand #185: Miles raised to 2.4 million on the button and Dyer called in the big blind.

The flop brought them the     on which they both checked through to the   on the turn. Dyer now bet 2.875 million and Miles called

The river completed the board with the  , Dyer continued with a bet of 5.325 million, and Miles called. Dyer showed    but was beaten by the    of Miles who had flopped a pair of sevens.

Tony Miles	217,775,000	14,600,000
Michael Dyer	77,300,000	-9,800,000
John Cynn	73,750,000	-1,200,000
Nicolas Manion	24,950,000	-3,600,000

Hand #175: Michael Dyer raised to 2.4 million from the button and Tony Miles called from the big blind.

The flop fell     and MIles check-called 2.175 million from Dyer, landing the   turn. Both checked, the   river completed the board, and both checked again. Miles showed    and Dyer mucked.

Hand #176: John Cynn raised to 2.9 million from the button and got no action.

Hand #177: Tony Miles raised to 2.6 million from the button and won the blinds and antes.

Tony Miles	203,375,000	7,375,000
Michael Dyer	85,300,000	-6,375,000
John Cynn	76,350,000	1,400,000
Nicolas Manion	28,750,000	-2,400,000