Here are the remaining players' updated chip counts:
James Akenhead - 1,995,000
Aaron Coulthard - 1,510,000
Theo Tran - 1,420,000
Mike Ngo - 1,375,000
Melvin Jones - 1,280,000
Chris Ferguson - 1,235,000
Jeff Wiedenhoeft - 880,000
Joe Rutledge - 785,000
Grant Hinkle - 680,000
David Bach - 675,000
There has been a slight delay as we've relocated to the ESPN featured table. However, most of the players have been spotted in the area and play should commence within a few minutes.
On the very first hand since play resumed, Jeff Wiedenhoeft opened the pot for 125,000. Mike Ngo, in the small blind, was the only caller. Ngo checked the flop of , then called after Wiedenhoeft pushed all in for over 700,000 chips.
Wiedenhoeft:
Ngo:
Wiedenhoeft immediately started shaking his head. He came over to his family on the rail and said, "First final table and I screw up! I read my cards wrong. How do you make a final table at the World Series of Poker and misread your cards?"
The turn meant the only card that could help Wiedenhoeft on the river was a 9 for a chop. The river instead came and Wiedenhoeft was bounced, $52,021 richer for the experience.
Despite being beside himself for misreading his hand, Wiedenhoeft showed true grace and class and shook Ngo's hand after the river came down.
There was a great turnout from the crowd today. Every seat in the Milwaukee's Best Light final table area is taken. Support is fairly spread out amongst the players as well. Chris Ferguson notwithstanding, applause for each player is fairly equal.
We are ten hands in. Apart from the miscue with Wiedenhoeft misreading his hand, there hasn't been much action to speak of. In the few instances where we have seen a flop, players have been inclined to check. It hasn't helped that we have seen several highly coordinated boards. Some of the short stacks, like David Bach, will have to think about making a move, lest they get eaten alive by the blinds and antes.
Melvin Jones has the button in Seat #5. Joe Rutledge open-raises all in for 520,000 from middle position. All fold to Chris Ferguson in the big blind, who tanks for a minute before making the call. It's another race for Ferguson with his against Rutledge's . Ferguson can do no wrong the last few levels of this tournament and is rewarded again with a board of . Rutledge is sent to the rail to collect $83,127.