Thursday, July 7, 2011 12:37 AM Local Time
| Phil Hellmuth | 13,095,000 | 1,970,000  |
| Brian Rast | 6,105,000 | -1,970,000  |
Thursday, July 7, 2011 12:36 AM Local Time
Hand #176
Phil Hellmuth had the button, and gave Brian Rast a walk.
Hand #177
Brian Rast had the button, and raised to 240,000. Phil Hellmuth defended, checked dark, and the flop was . Rast reached for chips, and Hellmuth instantly mucked.
Hand #178
Phil Hellmuth had the button, and limped in. Brian Rast checked, and the dealer fanned . Rast led for 180,000, Hellmuth called, and the turn was the .
Rast led again - this time for 410,000 - and Hellmuth put in a massive raise to 2 million. Rast stared down the statue-like Poker Brat, reached for chips, and made the call.
Wow.
The river was the , and Rast quickly checked. Without pause, Hellmuth assembled 3 million chips and shoved them forward. Rast went into the tank, re-sweated his cards, and glared at Hellmuth. His eyes darted from the pot to Hellmuth and back again. The Thunderdome was silent while Rast was in the tank - all that could be heard was a low murmur from the Orange section.
Rast eventually folded his cards, and the Hellmuth contingency erupted.
Thursday, July 7, 2011 12:28 AM Local Time
| Phil Hellmuth | 11,125,000 | 660,000 |
| Brian Rast | 8,075,000 | -660,000 |
Thursday, July 7, 2011 12:26 AM Local Time
Hand #172
Phil Hellmuth began with the button. He limped in from the button and Brian Rast raised to 400,000 from the big blind. Hellmuth folded.
Hand #173
Rast started this hand on the button. He raised to 240,000 and Hellmuth made the call. The flop came down . Hellmuth checked and Rast also checked.
The turn was the and both checked again.
The river was the and Hellmuth bet 180,000. Rast called. Hellmuth showed the and Rast mucked.
Hand #174
Hellmuth was on the button and had the chip lead with over 10.7 million in chips. He limped and Rast checked in the big blind to see the flop come down . Both checked.
The turn brought the and Rast checked. Hellmuth also checked to see the fall on the river. Both checked. Rast won the pot with the over Hellmuth's .
Hand #175
Rast was on the button and raised to 240,000. Hellmuth called and the flop came down with Hellmuth having checked in the dark. Rast bet 240,000 and Hellmuth called.
Fourth street was the after Hellmuth checked in the dark again. Rast checked.
The river was the and both players checked. "Queen," said Hellmuth and tabled the . Rast didn't look happy as he couldn't beat queen high and mucked his hand.
Thursday, July 7, 2011 12:20 AM Local Time
| Phil Hellmuth | 10,465,000 | 450,000 |
| Brian Rast | 8,735,000 | -450,000 |
Thursday, July 7, 2011 12:20 AM Local Time
Hand #168
Phil Hellmuth had the button, raised to 300,000, and won the pot.
Hand #169
Brian Rast had the button, and raised to 240,000. Phil Hellmuth three-bet to 900,000, and Rast released.
Hand #170
Phil Hellmuth had the button, and Brian Rast took a walk.
Hand #171
Brian Rast had the button, and raised to 240,000. Phil Hellmuth three-bet to 900,000, and Rast folded.
Thursday, July 7, 2011 12:19 AM Local Time
There's plenty of big names hanging out in the stands. Antonio Esfandiari, Dan Bilzerian, Andrew Robl, Dan Fleyshman, Sorel Mizzi are sitting over by Brian Rast's parents. Not too far away are Jean-Robert Bellande, Mike Matusow, Tom Dwan and Mike Carroll. All of them are here for the sweat and seated in the stands, where there isn't an empty seat in the house.
Thursday, July 7, 2011 12:15 AM Local Time
Hand #167
Brian Rast had the button, and raised to 240,000. Phil Hellmuth folded, and Rast won the first pot of heads-up play.
Thursday, July 7, 2011 12:15 AM Local Time
The cards are in the air for heads-up play. WIll it be Phil Hellmuth for number twelve or Brian Rast for number two? The World Series of Poker Thunderdome is jam-packed and the cash in on the table!
Thursday, July 7, 2011 12:04 AM Local Time
Believe it or not, this is Phillip Hellmuth Jr.'s first career seven-figure score. Despite winning 11 World Series of Poker Bracelets, his largest cash to date was the $755,000 he earned for winning the 1989 Main Event. He only has three other cashes of half a million or more - he won a $1,500 no limit hold'em bracelet event in 2007 for $637,254, a $1,000 no limit hold'em bracelet event in 2006 for $631,863 and he received $500,000 for winning the NBC National Heads-Up Championship in 2005.
Seven figures is nice, but we're sure Hellmuth has his eyes on something more important - that elusive 12th bracelet.
Thursday, July 7, 2011 12:00 AM Local Time
| Phil Hellmuth | 10,015,000 | 7,770,000 |
| Brian Rast | 9,185,000 | 6,525,000 |
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 11:58 PM Local Time
The players are now on a short break so that the camera crews can setup for heads-up play.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 11:57 PM Local Time
Hand #163
Phil Hellmuth started the hand with the button. He folded and Minh Ly raised to 260,000 from the small blind. Brian Rast moved all in over the top and Ly folded.
Hand #164
Minh Ly had the button. He too folded the button and Brian Rast gave Phil Hellmuth a walk in the big blind.
Hand #165
Brian Rast had the button. He raised to 240,000 and won the pot.
Hand #166
Phil Hellmuth had the button. He raised to 280,000. Minh Ly was in the small blind and reraised all in for 1.925 million. Brian Rast folded in the big blind and then action was back on Hellmuth. He made the call after about a minute.
Ly held the and Hellmuth tabled the . The crowd rose to their feet and the flop was next.
The flop came down to give Hellmuth a pair of sixes. Ly picked up a gutshot straight draw. The turn was the , which added a pair of fives for Ly. The river completed the board with the and that was it. Ly was eliminated in third place for $665,763, leaving Hellmuth heads up with Rast.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 11:51 PM Local Time
| Brian Rast | 8,865,000 | -545,000 |
| Phil Hellmuth | 7,910,000 | 150,000 |
| Minh Ly | 2,425,000 | 395,000 |
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 11:50 PM Local Time
Hand #159
Brian Rast had the button. Phil Hellmuth completed from the small blind, Minh Ly raised to 360,000, and Hellmuth called. The flop fell down , and both players checked.
The turn was the , and both players checked again.
The river was the , the two checked again, and Hellmuth opened up for a pair of threes. They were good and he won the pot.
Hand #160
Phil Hellmuth had the button. Minh Ly raised to 360,000 from the small blind and won the pot.
Hand #161
Minh Ly had the button. Brian Rast raised to 280,000 from the small blind and won the hand.
Hand #162
Brian Rast had the button. He opened to 240,000, and Minh Ly defended his big blind. The dealer fanned , Ly checked, and Rast continued for 275,000. Ly moved all in, and Rast quickly folded.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 11:45 PM Local Time
| Brian Rast | 9,410,000 | -95,000 |
| Phil Hellmuth | 7,760,000 | 960,000 |
| Minh Ly | 2,030,000 | -865,000 |
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 11:42 PM Local Time
Hand #155
Minh Ly started things off with the button. Phil Hellmuth got a walk in the big blind.
Hand #156
Brian Rast was on the button to start this hand. He raised to 240,000. Minh Ly reraised in the big blind to 660,000. Rast folded and Ly won the pot.
Hand #157
Phil Hellmuth had the button. He folded and Minh Ly called from the small blind before Brian Rast checked in the big blind. The flop came down and Ly fired 175,000. Rast raised to 550,000. Ly folded and Rast won the pot.
Hand #158
Minh Ly had the button. He started things off with a raise to 240,000. Phil Hellmuth called from the big blind and the flop came down with Hellmuth having checked in the dark. Ly checked behind.
The turn was he and Hellmuth fired 300,000. Ly raised to 600,000 and instantly, Hellmuth moved all in. Ly folded and Hellmuth won the pot.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 11:34 PM Local Time
Level: 27
Blinds: 60000/120000
Ante: 30000
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 11:31 PM Local Time
Our very own Kristy Arnett meets up with Mori Eskandani of POKER PROductions to take you behind the scenes of the ESPN production for the 2011 WSOP. Check it out.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 11:27 PM Local Time
| Brian Rast | 9,505,000 | 470,000 |
| Phil Hellmuth | 6,800,000 | -655,000 |
| Minh Ly | 2,895,000 | 185,000 |