Event #19: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship

David Baker is presently posing for his winner's picture. The grin under his white cap is a mile wide. And for good reason. He has bested one of the most formidable fields in WSOP history to take down Event No. 19, the $10,000 Deuce-to-Seven Draw Lowball Championship (No-Limit).

"You better smile," just advised a friend of Baker's from the side of the stage. "That's going on a banner out in the hall." His friend was alluding to the possibility that Baker could win the 2010 WSOP Player of the Year and thus have his visage hung on a large banner along with other POYs.

Indeed, Baker is definitely in serious contention in the WSOP POY race, having finished sixth in an event with another especially tough field, the $50K Player's Championship (Event No. 2) earlier in the Series.

It was a tough final table, culminating a tough three days of play. Baker held the chip lead at the start of play today, and remained on top for most of the afternoon and evening. Most impressively, Baker knocked out five of his six opponents -- as well as Daniel Negreanu in eighth -- to take the title.

Congratulations to David Baker, Event No. 19 champion!

We've seen a couple more all-in-no-call hands during the last few minutes. They've reached the end of Level 25, and there's going to be a short pause for a chip color-up.

Here are the current counts:

David Baker -- 2,435,000

Eric Cloutier -- 595,000

After a few raise-and-fold hands, Eric Cloutier raised to 110,000 from the small blind/button, and David Baker called. Both drew one, and both checked.

Baker showed      , and Cloutier      , grabbing a few chips.

On the next hand after being crippled by Eric Cloutier, George Danzer went all in dark from the button with his last 37,000, Cloutier folded, and Baker called the tiny raise from the big blind. Baker drew two cards, and Danzer one.

Baker had    , picked up a  , but then also drew a   for a pair of treys. Danzer had     , but unfortunately for him drew a   to make a higher pair, and he's out.

We're heads up!

John Juanda pushed his last 152,000 in the middle from under the gun, and it folded around to David Baker who instantly called from the big blind.

Baker took one card, and Juanda two. Baker tabled     , and picked up a   to make a 10. Juanda spread his three cards --     -- and showed the two aces he was throwing away. He turned over the first drawn card -- the   -- meaning the   he also picked up was of no matter.

Juanda is out, yet another knockout by Baker. Baker is now up to 2.13 million with three players left -- more than two-thirds of the chips in play.

The table folded around to David Baker who raised to 90,000 from the small blind, and John Juanda called from the BB. Baker stood pat, while Juanda drew two cards.

Baker bet 120,000, and Juanda thought for a while before calling. Baker showed      . Juanda showed a couple of cards -- a   and a   -- before mucking his hand.

Baker is now way up to 1.7 million, while Juanda has 400,000.

With that last hand of Level 24, John Juanda takes an ever-so-slight lead over David Baker.

John Juanda -- 1,058,000

David Baker -- 1,045,000

Eric Cloutier -- 565,000

George Danzer -- 367,000

George Danzer raised to 65,000 from under the gun, and it folded around to John Juanda who shoved all in from the big blind for 511,000. Danzer made the call.

Juanda discarded one, and Danzer stood pat, tabling      . Juanda spread his first four --      -- and squeezed the new one: an  . Juanda not only survived, but catapults up close to the chip lead with more than a million. Meanwhile, Danzer slips to 367,000, fourth of four as we head to the break.

George Danzer just won another hand, prompting another song from his jovial cheering section. As the song concluded, English speakers on the other side of the stage asked what they were singing.

"It's German, no one understands," was the reply.

"But what's the translation?"

"George can stay and everyone else go home." Laughter all around.

A short while after that, David "Bakes" Baker won a small pot, and the Germans broke into another song:

"Bakes is awesome, in his stupid dreams! Bakes is awsome, in his stupid dreams!"

Again, laughter all around, and a wide grin from Baker. He has good reason to smile -- he's chipped back up to 800,000 and into the lead.

John Juanda raised to 72,000 from the small blind, and when George Danzer called from the big blind, his fans reacted with a little bit of pre-celebration sounding noise.

Both players drew one card. Juanda looked as his cards, then asked "What was the draw?" He was referring to having missed how many Danzer had requested. We didn't hear whether he got an answer, though it appeared he did.

Both players ended up checking, Juanda showed      , and Danzer mucked. Juanda explained to Danzer afterwards that he only asked because he had been distracted by the cheering, and all seem satisfied.

Except Danzer's fans, of course, who had to postpone their next celebration.

Juanda seems to be concentrating just fine, generally speaking. Slowly but surely, Juanda has accumulated chips over the last few orbits to move up to 625,000. Danzer is still the leader with 825,000.