The fun, laid-back atmosphere of the Main Event near Buzio's is nearly at an end, as the tables are breaking rapidly. Everyone, including three brothers, two twins, two girlfriends and one diehard Philly resident, will move into the more tense tournament environment in Amazon. Farewell!
When the tournament staff announced the prize pool and payouts, we just happened to be standing beside Teddy "The Iceman" Monroe. As soon as he heard, "Nine million..." he turned his head over his shoulder towards us and grinned widely.
"That's what I'm talkin' about, baby! Change the world!" he said, still beaming.
"The numbers are in. They are official," said Tournament Director Jack Effel. Indeed they are. The green box that has been covering the "Entrants" portion of the tournament clock for the last four days is gone. Everyone who had an over/under bet, check your tickets.
The total number of entrants for the 2008 Main Event of the World Series of Poker is 6,844. Those players generated a prize pool of $64,333,600. That means 666 players will make the money (that number drew a murmur and some boos from those players assembled in the Amazon Room currently). 666th place will earn $21,320.
The top prize for the Main Event is $9,119,517. "Good luck to all you guys," said Effel. "We'll see one of you in November for $9 million and a gold bracelet."
Shannon Elizabeth
Shannon Elizabeth raised it from under the gun to 1,000 and the big blind made the call.
The flop arrived and both players checked. The turn brought the and again it was checked. The river landed the and Elizabeth fired out 1,500 which her opponent called.
Elizabeth tabled for a rivered full house to take down the pot and climb back above 9,000 chips.
Shortly after that last hand won by Layne Flack, Antonio Esfandiari got a player with pocket queens to put all his chips in the middle on a flop of . Esfandiari showed for the straight, and the board blanked out for his opponent who hit the rail.
Michael DeMichele raised to 750 from early position and only the small blind player called. The flop came before DeMichele continued his aggression with a 1,300 bet. His opponent check-raised up to 3,700, a bet that DeMichele called.
The turn came before before the small blind player moved all in. DeMichele made the call all in holding for two pair and was ahead of his opponent's . The river came to help DeMichele double up to 25,000.
Just as the ESPN cameras arrived to table Green 11, Jean-Robert Bellande got into a hand that will likely win him some broadcast time on the network.
Preflop, Bellande opened with a raise to 1,000, and the player in the small blind re-raised him to 3,000. Bellande made the call and the two men went to the flop heads up.
It rolled out . The small blind moved all in for 5,200, and Bellande made the call, flipping up . His middle set was ahead as his opponent tabled , drawing to two outs or some runner-runner straight cards.
The turn slammed the door on the all-in player's tournament life though. The ripped off, making Bellande the unbeatable quadruple tens. He sends his opponent to the rail under the lights of the ESPN cameras, raking in a pot and chipping his way up to 48,400.
and both players checked. The turn brought the 
and again it was checked. The river landed the 
and Elizabeth fired out 1,500 which her opponent called.
for a rivered full house to take down the pot and climb back above 9,000 chips.
and En held 
.
for the straight, and the board blanked out for his opponent who hit the rail.
before DeMichele continued his aggression with a 1,300 bet. His opponent check-raised up to 3,700, a bet that DeMichele called.
. The small blind moved all in for 5,200, and Bellande made the call, flipping up 
ripped off, making Bellande the unbeatable quadruple tens. He sends his opponent to the rail under the lights of the ESPN cameras, raking in a pot and chipping his way up to 48,400.
