2008 World Series of Poker

Daniel Negreanu surged during the final level to move into contention

Official Final Table Chip Counts Released

With the chips tallied and recorded, David Baker will return to the final table of Event #20, $2,000 Limit Hold'em, with the slightest of edges over Ugur Marangoz. Baker has 409,000 to Marangoz's 402,000, but most eyes will be upon third-place Danial Negreanu, who will return with a very playable 308,000 stack.

The overnight chip counts:

David Baker 409,000
Ugur Marangoz 402,000
Daniel Negreanu 308,000
Greg Wohletz 301,000
Richard Li 195,000
Derek Lerner 133,000
Fu Wong 67,000
Hien Tran 58,000
Jeremy Kottler 47,000

PokerNews.com's Live Reporting crew will be on hand to report the big hands and the bustouts when this one restarts on Thursday afternoon.

Event 20: $2,000 Limit Hold'em, End of Day 2

What started as an interesting conglomeration of big-name pros and well-known limit instructors and cash-game players ended in a bloodbath. As the day wore on, big name after big name headed for the exits (or the HORSE event), including Justin "Looshle" Pechie, Alex Kravchenko, Shannon Shorr, JC Tran, John "The Razor" Phan, Matt Hawrilenko, Amnon Filippi and Phil Hellmuth, who exited just short of the money.

Bubbling out of this event was Mike Patrick, a veteran ESPN sportscaster who has covered the NFL and NCAA football and basketball. In the end, he'll have to settle for his impressive ESPN pay rather than a payout here.

Among the players who cashed during Day 2 were Mike Schneider, appropriately a limit hold'em instructor on CardRunners, Atlantic City regular Eric Buchman, and Matt Matros.

As night fell, one of the only recognizable faces left in the event was Daniel Negreanu, who traded the chip lead with several other players throughout Day 2 action. With around 19 players remaining, Negreanu lost a lot of chips, falling as low as 36,000. Slowly, though, Negreanu climbed back into the game, finishing the day at 308,000 -- third in chips.

Another player with a ton of chips throughout Day 2 may be more famous by who he's related to. It's Hien Tran, brother of all-star poker player JC Tran. This may be Hien's coming out party, and the makings of another winning clan along the lines of the Mizrachis or the Brunsons. He'll have his work cut out for him, though, as he starts the final table with only 58,000.

Here are the final table players and chip counts.

1. David Baker 409,000
2. Jeremy Kottler 47,000
3. Hien Tran 58,000
4. Ugur Marangoz 402,000
5. Fu Wong 67,000
6. Gregory Wohletz 301,000
7. Daniel Negreanu 308,000
8. Derek Lerner 133,000
9. Richard Li 195,000

Daniel Makowsky Eliminated in 10th ($12,230)

Under the gun, Daniel Makowsky went all in for his last 15,000. Hien Tran called from the cutoff and Gregory Wohletz called from the big blind. They checked down a board of . "Flush!" said Makowsky confidently as he tripled up.

A few hands later, he got all in again preflop versus Derek Lerner. Makowsky had versus Lerner's . The board ran out and the river finished off Makowsky in 10th place.

Nothing Significant

There haven't been any significant pots in these first few hands following the break. It's only a matter of time before one of the short stacks makes a move.

Shuffle Up and Deal!

Break Time

The players have managed to squeeze in one final break of the night.

Negreanu Climbs Back ... Again

Derek Lerner raised on the button and Daniel Negreanu reraised in the small blind. Lerner called.

The flop was and Negreanu bet. Lerner called.

The turn was . Negreanu bet and Lerner called.

The river was . Negreanu checked. Lerner bet and Negreanu called.

Negreanu showed for the win. "My favorite hand," he said with a laugh. He's back up to 190,000.