Event #44: $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em

After 3 days of all ins, bad beats and aces on the river, Sandeep Pulusani took down Event #44: $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em for his first gold bracelet and $592,684. Pulusani started the day fourth in chips and remained relatively quiet. Even though he started heads up play with an 8:1 chip deficit, his game took on a new dimension and he dominated play throughout the battle until he claimed victory.

The road to the final table was littered with notables making the money including: Randy Lew (113th), Lauren Kling (112th), Sorel Mizzi (90th), Barth Hanson (88th), Eddy Sabat (39th) and Matt Marafioti (23rd).

It took about five hours to narrow the field from the 22 players that started the day to the official final table of nine. All eyes were on Jason Mercier when play began, as he chipped up early and was building a healthy stack. He ended up being eliminated 16th in one of the most memorable hands of the tournament. All the money went in on the turn when Mercier had a full house only to see it bettered when an ace fell on the river.

Just 12 hands into the final table, the first player, Phillippe Vert, was eliminated in 9th place, when for the second time during the day, a two-outer ace came on the river for a huge pot. The next player to go was Pedro Rios in 8th place. Rios spent the whole day as a short stack but had some double ups in key places to get to the final table.

Nam Le was eliminated in 7th place when a true cooler hand transpired. Action folded around to Le in the small blind who woke up to find kings and Niall Farrell looked down at aces from the big. Farrell was also responsible for the elimination of Mark Teltscher in 6th place, when Teltscher's two overs couldn't win a coin flip against the pair of Farrell.

The Day 1 chipleader, Zo Karim, was our 5th-place finisher. Karim accumulated a lot of chips early but wasn't able to get momentum on his side later in the day, when it really mattered. Martin Hanowski lost a flip to Niall Farrell for over 2/3 of the chips in play and left him with less than 10 big blinds. That would set him up for a 4th-place finish just a few hands later.

Michael Rocco was the big stack for most of the day heading into the final table but he never seemed to get anything going while on the main stage. He was eliminated in 3rd place when his sixes failed to improve against Farrell's kings. The final elimination of the night came when Niall Farrell lost a few key all ins and Pulusani paired his kicker on an ace versus ace hand.

Now that Pulusani has claimed his bracelet, our coverage here is complete. Keep your browser on PokerNews.com for all the latest news and tournament coverage from the 2013 World Series of Poker. Good night from Las Vegas!

Hand #179- Sandeep Pulusani raised to 200,000, and Niall Farrell reraised it to 500,000. Pulusani then four bet it to one million exactly, and Farrell moved all in. Pulusani quickly folded, and Farrell retook the chip lead.

Hand #180- Farrell made it 200,000, and Pulusani reraised to 500,000. Farrell asked Pulusani how much he had behind, and when he got the number, four million, Farrell moved all in. Pulusani called.

Farrell:   
Pulusani:   

Pulusani was well out in front, but short of an ace coming, the flop was as bad as he could see, coming    . According to the PokerNews odds calculator, Farrell was actually the favorite now, as he would win 54% of the time. Farrell could catch an ace, five, or heart to win the hand, but the turn was the  . Pulusani was looking to fade it one more time, and the river brought the other black jack, the  .

After winning that hand, Pulusani has a huge lead of eight million chips.

Sandeep Pulusani	8,000,000	2,800,000
Niall Farrell	1,600,000	-2,800,000

Hand #172- Sandeep Pulusani gets a walk in the big blind.

Hand #173- Pulusani made it 200,000 to go on the button, and Farrell repopped it to 480,000. Pulusani moved all in for 2.6 million, and Farrell immediately asked for a count. When he got it, he made the call.

Farrell:   
Pulusani:   

The flop came    , and Pulusani stayed out in front. The   on the turn meant that Farrell could only win with a king or a queen. The river was paint, but it was one of the only cards that wouldn't help him, as the   came.

The stacks were broken down, and Pulusani jumped up to 5.2 million, while Farrell dropped to 4.4 million.

Sandeep Pulusani	5,200,000	2,800,000
Niall Farrell	4,400,000	-2,800,000

We have just started level 31, and it will be the last one of the night. If a winner isn't decided in an hour, the two will come back tomorrow to play out to a winner then.

Hand #161- Sandeep Pulusani raised to 160,000 from the button, and Niall Farrell reraised it to 380,000. Pulusani folded, and Farrell took down the pot.

Hand #162- Farrell made it 160,000 to go, and Pulusani made it 400,000 from the big blind. Farrell folded.

Hand #163- Pulusani raised to 160,000, and Farrell made the call. The flop ran down    , and both players checked. The   hit the turn, and Farrell tossed out 160,000. Pulusani folded, and the pot went Harrell's way.

Hand #164- Farrell made it 160,000 to go from the button, and Pulusani made the call. The flop came    , and Pulusani checked to Farrell, who bet 160,000. Pulusani folded, and Farrell took it down.

Hand #165- Pulusani made it 160,000, and Farrell called.     was the flop, and both players checked. The turn was the  , and Farrell fired out 160,000. Pulusani made it 400,000 to go, and Farrell folded.

Hand #151- Sandeep Pulusani raised to 160,000, and Niall Farrell made the call. The flop came down    , and Farrell fired out 160,000. Pulusani fired out a raise of 500,000, and it was back to Farrell. He thought for about 30 seconds before moving all in, and Pulusani immediately folded.

Hand #152- Farrell folded his hand, giving Pulusani a walk.

Hand #153- Pulusani made it 160,000 to go from the button, and Farrell made the call. The flop came    , and Farrell checked to Pulusani, who fired out 160,000. Farrell tagged along to see the  , and both players checked. The   hit the river, and Farrell checked one more time. Pulusani bet out 450,000, and Farrell quickly folded.

Hand #154- Farrell raised to 160,000, and Pulusani reraised to 400,000. Farrell folded his hand, and Pulusani took down another one.

Hand #155- Pulusani made it 160,000 to go, and he took down the pot.

The players have decided to take a quick five minute break to use the facilities.

Hand #141- Sandeep Pulusani made it 160,000 to go, and Niall Farrell moved all in. Pulusani folded his hand, and Farrell collected the pot.

Hand #142- Farrell made it 160,000 from the button, and Pulusani moved all in. Farrell folded, and Pulusani took down the hand.

Hand #143- Pulusani made it 160,000 to go, and he took down the blinds and antes.

Hand #144- Farrell changed it up and called from the button this time, and Pulusani raised it to 240,000. Farrell folded, and Pulusani took down the pot.

Hand #145- Pulusani made it 160,000 to go, and Farrell made the call from the big blind. The flop ran down    , and Farrell check folded to a bet of 160,000 from Pulusani.

Niall Farrell	7,000,000	-400,000
Sandeep Pulusani	2,600,000	400,000

Hand #132- Sandeep Pulusani raised to 120,000 on the button, and Niall Farrell reraised it to 275,000. Pulusani moved all in, and Farrell quickly folded his hand.

Hand #133- Farrell made it 160,000 to go from the button, and Pulusani made the call. The flop came down    , and Pulusani checked to Farrell, who bet out 145,000. Pulusani folded his hand, and the pot was pushed to Farrell.

Hand #134- Pulusani made it 160,000 to go from the button, and Farrell called from the big blind. The dealer fanned out a flop of    , and Farrell checked to Pulusani, who bet out 160,000. Farrell tossed in the call, and the turn brought the  . Farrell checked again, and this time, Pulusani fired out 300,000. Farrell folded his hand, and he took down another pot.

Hand #135- Farrell made it 160,000 to go from the button, and Pulusani moved all in, Farrell folded, and another pot was sent over to his opponent.

Hand #136- Pulusani made it 160,000 from the button, and Farrell folded.

Niall Farrell	7,300,000	-400,000
Sandeep Pulusani	2,300,000	400,000

Hand #126: Sandeep Pulusani raised 120,000 and Niall Farrell called. Farrell checked out on the     flop.

Hand #127: Farrell raised to 120,000 and Pulusani reraised to 280,000. Farrell folded and Pulusani raked the pot.

Hand #128: Pulusani raised to 120,000 and Farrell folded.

Hand #129: Farrell raised to 120,000 and Pulusani moved all in prompting Farrell to fold.

Hand #130: Pulusani raised to 120,000 and Farrell called. Farrell check-called Pulusani's bet of 120,000 on     flop. Both players checked the   turn. Farrell checked   river and Pulusani checked behind. Farrell showed    for trip tens and the pot.

Hand #131: Farrell raised to 120,000 and Pulusani folded.