Tuesday, June 14, 2011 4:28 PM Local Time
Coming into the extra Day 4 needed for this event, Foster Hays was leading the final six competitors and looking to snatch himself a piece of World Series of Poker gold jewelry. Hays battled, eliminating Robert Koss in sixth place, Allan Le in fourth place and Jeffrey Lavelle in third place before being pitted against Casey Kelton heads up.
When Hays and Kelton got heads up, Hays held a massive chip lead. Kelton fought back to take the lead in the match, but Hays never got too far behind. When the final hand came up, the two players were so close in chips that it took a second and third count of the stacks to make sure Hays had Kelton covered. In the end he did and walked away victorious with the $735,400 first-place prize and his first WSOP gold bracelet.
Congratulations to all the winners and especially to Foster Hays, winner of Event #18: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em! Be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews for all of the on-going coverage live from the 2011 WSOP.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 4:20 PM Local Time
From the button, Foster Hays raised to 500,000. Casey Kelton reraised to 1.5 million from the big blind and Hays made the call, bringing the players to the flop. Kelton was up first and fired 1.5 million. Hays studied for some time and then put in a raise to 3.6 million, leaving himself with 2.195 million behind. Kelton studied for a few minutes and then moved all in. Hays quickly called.
Hays:
Kelton:
Kelton needed to hit an ace on the turn or river in order to win the hand, but couldn't do so after the and hit the felt. It took the tournament staff a few minutes to get exact count correct before it was determined that Hays did indeed have Kelton covered and had won the tournament. Kelton earned $454,920 for his runner-up finish.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 4:06 PM Local Time
From the button, Casey Kelton raised to 500,000. Foster Hays made the call from the big blind and the flop came down . Hays led out for 630,000 and Kelton raised to 1.5 million. Hays folded and Kelton won the pot.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 4:01 PM Local Time
Both players checked the to see the land on the turn. Both players checked again and the river completed the board with the . Casey Kelton fired 500,000 and Foster Hays called.
Kelton showed the for just king high and Hays bested him with the for ace high.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 3:59 PM Local Time
Level: 33
Blinds: 100000/200000
Ante: 30000
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 3:37 PM Local Time
The players are now on a 20-minute break.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 3:36 PM Local Time
In the final hand before the break, Foster Hays has taken back the chip lead against Casey Kelton.
Kelton raised to 425,000 from the button and Hays called before both players checked the flop of . Hays then led out for 550,000 after the turn of the , but Kelton raised to 1.2 million. Hays called, then he checked his option on the river of the .
Kelton fired out another bet of 1.2 million and Hays called. "Nice call," said Kelton, throwing his hand into the muck after Hays tabled .
| Foster Hays | 8,110,000 | 2,930,000  |
| Casey Kelton | 6,090,000 | -2,930,000  |
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 3:30 PM Local Time
| Casey Kelton | 9,020,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Foster Hays | 5,180,000 | -1,000,000 |
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 3:29 PM Local Time
From the button, Foster Hays limped in. Casey Kelton raised to 425,000 from the big blind and Hays made the call to see the flop. Kelton checked and Hays bet 450,000. Kelton check-raised to 1.2 million and Hays folded.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 3:25 PM Local Time
From the button, Foster Hays raised to 400,000. Casey Kelton reraised to 1.2 million from the big blind and Hays called. The flop came down and both players checked slowly.
The turn was the and both players checked again, each acting very slowly. The river card was the and Kelton fired 1.2 million. Hays took his time and then moved all in. Kelton snap-called and tabled the . Hays mucked his hand.
Kelton was all in on the river for 2.81 million and now has the chip lead with 8.02 million in chips to Hays' 6.18 million.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 3:19 PM Local Time
The jovial atmosphere around this final table has been replaced with a respectful silence as Foster Hays and Casey Kelton continue to wage war in this WSOP Event #18 heads-up encounter.
Earlier, Hays raised to 400,000 from the button before Kelton reraised to 1.2 million from the big blind. Hays, folded and two hands later, Hays came in with another raise to 400,000 from the button before Kelton again reraised to 1.2 million.
This time, Hays shot back with a four-bet to 3.4 million. Kelton folded and Hays flashed before picking up the pot. Kelton is now down to four million while Hays is up to 10.2 million.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 3:11 PM Local Time
Since the double-up, Casey Kelton is now beginning to fight back against the aggression of Foster Hays and is back up to 5.1 million in chips, while Hays is down 9.1 million.
Earlier, Hays raised to 400,000 from the button but folded after Kelton returned fire with a reraise of 1.2 million. Then in the next hand, Kelton raised to 420,000 but he folded after Hays reraised to 1,080,000.
Two hands after that, Kelton limped in from the button, only to see Hays raise to 490,000 out of the big blind. Kelton called and then Hays checked his option after the flop of . Kelton opened for 550,000 and Hays mucked his hand.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 3:05 PM Local Time
Foster Hays raised to 400,000 from the button before the flop, only to see Casey Kelton reraise all-in for 2.25 million. Hays snap-called, tabling which dominated Kelsey's .
"Come on Foster!" cried Hays' family from the rail. The cheers soon turned to stunned silence after the flop of , which gave Kelton the wheel.
"Pair the board, dealer!" yelled another railbird. Nothing doing - the turn and river bricked out , and we're here for just a little while longer.
| Foster Hays | 9,600,000 | -2,500,000 |
| Casey Kelton | 4,600,000 | 2,500,000 |
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 2:59 PM Local Time
Casey Kelton is beginning to feel the pressure, now down to 2.1 million after losing two more pots to Foster Hays in this heads-up battle.
Earlier,Kelton limped in from the button and Hays checked before the dealer spread the flop of ; Hays led out for 220,000 after the flop and Kelton folded, then Hays folded on his button in the very next hand before Kelton raised to 420,000 after that.
Hays called, then both players checked the flop of before Hays led out for 750,000 on the turn of the . Kelton folded and Hays is now up to 12.1 million in chips.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 2:51 PM Local Time
Casey Kelton made it 420,000 to go from the button and Foster Hays three-bet to 1.05 million from the big blind. Kelton made the call to create a two-million-plus chip pot going to the flop.
The flop came down and Hays fired 1.275 million. Kelton folded and Hays scooped the chips.
Kelton dropped to 2.68 million while Hays increased his lead and now has 11.52 million.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 2:49 PM Local Time
Casey Kelton raised to 420,000 from the button before Foster Hays reraised to 1.05 million from the big blind. Hays won the hand as Kelton folded.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 2:49 PM Local Time
Foster Hays made it 400,000 to go from the button and Casey Kelton reraised to 1.16 million from the big blind. Hays folded and Kelton won the pot.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 2:47 PM Local Time
From the button, Foster Hays raised to 320,000 and Casey Kelton called from the big blind. The flop came down and Kelton fired 500,000 to win the pot.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 2:32 PM Local Time
Level: 32
Blinds: 80000/160000
Ante: 20000
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 2:32 PM Local Time
From the button, Foster Hays raised to 300,000. Casey Kelton reraised to 1.2 million from the big blind and won the pot.
Two hands later, Hays raised to 300,000 from the button and Kelton called to see the flop. Both players checked and the turn was the . Kelton fired 300,000 and took it down.