Event #73: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em MAIN EVENT - World Championship

At 5:30 p.m. local time, the final table of the 2017 World Series of Poker Main Event got underway. Nine hopefuls started, with a plan for six players to bag and tag, seeing three players exit on the first of three final table days.

Fan favorite John Hesp, who began the day second in chips, made his presence known right out of the gate. In the very first hand of play, Hesp opened the cutoff and called Antoine Saout's three-bet out of the small blind. He then min-raised Saout's continuation bet and showed a bluff as Saout folded. Hesp raised his arms in the air and cheered, his opponents at the table cheered with him, as did the crowd that went wild with such a fierce start from the Englishman.

Three hands later, the crowd would get even louder as the first all-in and call happened. Ben Lamb shoved with ace-nine suited out of the big blind against Jack Sinclair who had opened his button. Sinclair called with ace-queen and the board stayed clear of nines, flushes and straights. Lamb was the first one out, in the fourth hand of play. After a 3rd place finish in 2011 ($4,021,138), Lamb added a 9th place finish in 2017, scoring an even $1,000,000.

The John Hesp show continued after Lamb's departure, with the amicable Brit being the center of attention. Hesp took over the chip lead for a moment, but it was the double-ups for Saout (ten-nine against the king-eight of Sinclair) and Dan Ott (ace-jack to Blumstein's queen-ten on a jack-high board) that got the crowd really going.

As Pollak started to move up in the ranks, the biggest pot of the tournament would be played between the only two players who still topped him. Hesp and Blumstein, the two biggest stacks at the final table, clashed - and they clashed hard. Blumstein opened the hand from under the gun for 2.2 million and Hesp called from the big blind. Both players checked on ace-seven-five rainbow and an off-suit ten hit the turn. Hesp checked again and Blumstein bet 3 million. Hesp check-raised to 7 million and saw Blumstein three-bet to 17 million. Hesp shot up out of his chair, then moved all in. Blumstein snap called, making it the biggest pot of the tournament. Hesp had top two pair with ace-ten suited but was drawing dead against the top set of aces of Blumstein. The meaningless three of clubs hit the river and Hesp lost the 156 million pot, left with just 24 million. Blumstein was still stacking chips when the next hand was over.

While Hesp had lost the chip lead and had doubled his nearest opponent, he was by no means the shortest player after that. He still had more chips than Bryan Piccioli, Saout, and Sinclair, as play continued. After Saout got a shove through and Hesp lost another pot, Sinclair would end up next on the rail. He shoved with king-jack suited right into the aces of Piccioli. The flop brought a king to keep Sinclair hopeful, but the turn and river bricked to see Sinclair exit in 8th place, for a payout worth $1,200,000.

Play continued for 35 more minutes, but no players were eliminated. Just as the clock hit 11 p.m., the tournament organizers called for the bags to come out and play was halted for the day. Instead of the original plan of playing down to six players, the wrapping up began with seven still players remaining. They will return to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Friday at 5:30 p.m.

After play was over, we caught up with Bryan Piccioli. He talked about what he did in preparation for the final table, and broke down his thoughts on today's play, including the big knockout of Jack Sinclair with aces.

"Obviously I wanted to do some studying up," Piccioli said. "I didn't do as much as I had hoped to I guess. I was super focused on making sure all my friends and family were able to get out here and making sure they were settled in. I wasn't sweating it super hard obviously this is the main event but I mean I've played big ones before and this honestly isn't too different. I'm very comfortable with my position at the table."

He continued, "I had a few close spots where I made some tight folds I'm sure people saw on the stream but with my stack and being kind of short but having other stacks that were shorter than me. So yeah I basically had enough to keep me out of trouble. Then Jack (Sinclair) moved in and obviously when you see a guy all in in front of you you always dream to look down at aces and that happened. The flop was a bit scary could have been scarier but I'll take it."

Scott Blumstein heads into the second day of the final table as the overwhelming chip leader and was asked what was going through his mind. "A lot of thoughts, and a lot of nothing. It's overwhelming. I didn't expect tonight to go as well as it did. That hand was pretty brutal for John. He had two pair on the driest board and I was lucky enough to have top set. I accumulated around 80 million chips, how I could be upset with that?"

Blumstein had quite the celebration when he got involved in the big pot with Hesp and he explained his reaction. "It was nice knowing he was probably drawing dead. In poker, not very often do you get to celebrate when the chips get in the middle. It was nice playing a big pot with aces, and if I was going to play a big pot with John, it was going to be with top set.

"We didn't even knock out the amount of people we were supposed to. I'm not going to be counting any chickens before they hatch, you can't in this game."

Blumstein was not getting too far ahead of himself looking towards the next couple days and what could be a big pay day for him. "Having a big stack is obviously imperative and I'm just excited I can come back tomorrow and play my game," he said.

The Biggest Hands of Day 8 of the 2017 World Series of Poker Main Event

Hand #75: Dan Ott raised to 2.7 million from under the gun and Scott Blumstein three-bet to 6.6 million from the hijack. Ott paused for a moment and then called.

The flop came     and Ott checked. Blumstein bet 4.5 million and Ott called.

The turn was the  . Ott checked for a second time and Blumstein bet 7 million this time. Ott wasted no time and called.

The river was the   and Ott checked again. Blumstein thought for a moment and moved all in, putting Ott to the test for his last 16,350,000 chips. Ott went into the tank for about a minute and then folded.

Scott Blumstein	178,300,000	21,100,000
Benjamin Pollak	77,525,000	-200,000
Bryan Piccioli	35,750,000	-1,400,000
John Hesp	22,475,000	-200,000
Dan Ott	16,350,000	-18,300,000
Damian Salas	15,625,000	-800,000
Antoine Saout	14,550,000	-200,000

Hand #65: Dan Ott raised to 2.7 million from the cutoff but could not pick up any action as he took down the pot preflop.

Hand #66: The action folded to John Hesp in the cutoff who raised it up to 2.5 million. Benjamin Pollak called from the big blind and the flop came    . Both players checked to the   on the turn and Pollak led out for 2.2 million. Hesp called and the river brought the  . Both players checked and Hesp tabled   , which was good enough to earn him the pot.

Hand #67: Ott raised to 2.7 million from middle position and Pollak three-bet to 7,150,000 in the small blind. Damian Salas folded the big blind and Ott laid his hand down as well, sending the pot to Pollak.

Hand #68: Scott Blumstein raised to 2.5 million from the hijack and the action was folded to Bryan Piccioli in the big blind. He briefly thought about his decision but tossed his cards away as well.

Hand #69: Blumstein raised again from middle position to 2.7 million and Ott defended his big blind. The flop came     and both players checked to the   on the turn. Both players checked again and the   fell on the river. Ott led out for 3.5 million and Blumstein mucked his hand.

Scott Blumstein	155,500,000	-1,100,000
Benjamin Pollak	78,625,000	-700,000
Dan Ott	36,250,000	4,200,000
Bryan Piccioli	34,950,000	-2,800,000
Damian Salas	21,325,000	-2,800,000
John Hesp	19,575,000	6,000,000
Antoine Saout	14,350,000	-2,800,000

Hand #61: Antoine Saout moved all in for 14,350,000 from the hijack and everyone folded, sending the blinds and antes his way.

Hand #62: John Hesp raised to 2.5 million from under the gun and Dan Ott defended his big blind. The flop came     and both players checked to the   on the turn. Ott led out for 3 million and Hesp folded.

Hand #63: Benjamin Pollak raised to 2.6 million from late position and Hesp defended his big blind. The flop came    . Both players checked to the   on the turn, and Hesp checked again. Pollak bet 2.4 million and Hesp folded.

Scott Blumstein	156,600,000	-2,000,000
Benjamin Pollak	79,325,000	4,000,000
Dan Ott	32,050,000	3,300,000
Damian Salas	24,125,000	-1,400,000
Bryan Piccioli	18,950,000	-2,400,000
Antoine Saout	17,150,000	2,600,000
Jack Sinclair	15,800,000	-600,000
John Hesp	13,575,000	-6,500,000

Hand #48: Action folded all the way around the table and Scott Blumstein got a walk, sending the blinds and antes to the overwhelming chip leader.

Hand #49: Damian Salas raised it up to 2.3 million from middle position and John Hesp called on the button. The flop came     and Salas led out for 2.5 million. Hesp folded.

Hand #50: Action folded to Hesp in the cutoff and he raised to 2.5 million. The button and blinds decided to pass and Hesp took down the pot.

Hand #51: Blumstein raised to 2.3 million from the cutoff and picked up the blinds and antes, adding to his massive stack.

Hand #52: Dan Ott raised to 2.2 million from early position and got no action, raking in the blinds and antes.

Scott Blumstein	159,200,000	3,150,000
Benjamin Pollak	70,625,000	-2,250,000
Dan Ott	30,250,000	1,950,000
Bryan Piccioli	24,350,000	-750,000
John Hesp	23,375,000	-850,000
Antoine Saout	17,850,000	-2,250,000
Jack Sinclair	17,500,000	-2,250,000
Damian Salas	17,425,000	3,250,000

Hand #44: John Hesp raised it up to 3 million from middle position, and Benjamin Pollak called on the button. Both the blinds folded, and Hesp and Pollak saw a flop of    . Hesp bet 3 million, and Pollak quickly called. The   hit the turn, and Hesp bet 3 million again. Pollak again called, and the   hit the river. Hesp checked this time, and Pollak didn't take long to bet 10 million. Hesp thought about it for nearly three minutes before calling, and Pollak showed    for a rivered straight. Jack Effel announced that Hesp showed ace-ten, and Pollak scooped a big pot.

Hand #45: Hesp raised it up to 2.5 million, and Scott Blumstein called next to act. It folded to Jack Sinclair on the button and he shoved for his final 12,350,000, and it folded back to Hesp, who laid it down. Blumstein was next, and he thought for about a minute before releasing his hand, giving Sinclair the pot.

Hand #46: Action folded around to Bryan Piccioli in the small blind, and he limped in after eyeballing Dan Ott's stack. Ott then raised it up to 2.8 million, and Piccioli released his hand, giving Ott the pot.

Hand #47: Blumstein raised it up to 2.2 million from under the gun, and it folded around to Hesp in the big blind. He called, and they went heads up to a flop of    . Both players checked, and the   hit the turn. Hesp tapped the felt again, and Blumstein fired 3 million. Hesp check-raised to 7 million, and Blumstein didn't take long to reraise to 17 million. Hesp shot up out of his chair, then moved all in. Blumstein snap called, making it the biggest pot of the tournament.

Blumstein:   
Hesp:   

Blumstein and his rail went crazy when the cards were flipped, as Hesp was drawing dead with his two pair to the top set of Blumstein. The meaningless river was the  , and Blumstein scored a massive double up to 156,050,000, while Hesp tumbled down to 24,225,000.

Scott Blumstein	156,050,000	75,625,000
Benjamin Pollak	72,875,000	18,450,000
Dan Ott	28,300,000	950,000
Bryan Piccioli	25,100,000	-2,750,000
John Hesp	24,225,000	-99,425,000
Antoine Saout	20,100,000	-750,000
Jack Sinclair	19,750,000	6,600,000
Damian Salas	14,175,000	-2,100,000

Play has resume once again here in the Brasilia room. There is one hour left in the 500,000-1,000,000 level.

Hand #35: Benjamin Pollak raised to 3.5 million from the small blind and Jack Sinclair defended his big blind. The flop came    . Pollak bet 3.1 million and Sinclair folded.

Hand #36: Scott Blumstein raised it up to 2.3 million from the hijack and Antoine Saout moved all in for 18,250,000 from the cutoff. Blumstein asked for a count but decided to fold.

Hand #37: Blumstein raised to 2.3 million from late position and action folded to Bryan Piccioli in the big blind. He tanked for about half a minute before deciding to fold, sending the blinds and antes to Blumstein.

Hand #38: Pollak raised to 2.3 million from the hijack and Dan Ott defended his big blind. The flop came    . Ott checked and Pollak bet 2.4 million. Ott called. The turn was the   and Ott checked again. Pollak bet 5.5 million this time and Ott decided to fold.

John Hesp	132,750,000	-600,000
Scott Blumstein	79,825,000	-200,000
Benjamin Pollak	38,825,000	10,500,000
Dan Ott	31,250,000	-5,300,000
Bryan Piccioli	28,450,000	-2,100,000
Antoine Saout	22,950,000	4,400,000
Jack Sinclair	14,900,000	-4,600,000
Damian Salas	11,625,000	-2,100,000

Ben Lamb opens up after his ninth-place finish.