Hand #80: Joe Cada opened under the gun to 2.2 million. Michael Dyer defended big blind and they saw a flop. Dyer check-folded to a bet of 2.3 million.
Hand #81: Second to act, Tony Miles raised to 2.2 million. He took down the pot.
Hand #82: Cada completed for 500,000 more and folded to 3 million from John Cynn.
Hand #83: Nicolas Manion made it 2.2 million under the gun. Miles defended big blind and flopped. Miles check-called 2.3 million. The turn was the and Manion barreled again for 3.5 million. That got the job done.
Hand #78: Michael Dyer opened to 2 million from the cutoff and Tony Miles called from the big blind.
The flop came down and Miles check-called 1.475 million from Dyer. Both players checked the turn and the completed the board. Miles checked, Dyer bet 4.225 million and Miles called.
Dyer showed for a pair of nines, but Miles tabled for a pair of kings to win the pot.
Hand #79: Michael Dyer raised to 2 million from under the gun and Nicolas Manion called.
The flop came down and Manion checked to Dyer who continued for 1.675 million. Manion called, the turn was the , both checked, the river was the and both checked again.
Manion showed , Dyer mucked and Manion won the pot.
Hand #76: Tony Miles raised to 2.2 million from the hijack and Nicolas Manion called in the cutoff. Michael Dyer thee-bet to 6.95 million from the small blind. Miles folded immediately. Manion took a few extra seconds and then made the call.
The flop came , Dyer continued with a bet of 5,325 million and Manion gave up.
Hand #75: Action folded to the small blind, where Aram Zobian shoved all in for 17.35 million. Big blind Michael Dyer called fairly quickly with . Zobian had a dominated and needed help.
The flop brought nothing for Zobian besides a backdoor diamond chance. The ended those hopes so he needed a six. The river didn't do it, eliminating Zobian in sixth place less than 20 minutes into the penultimate day.
Hand #73: Michael Dyer raised to 2 million from the hijack and action folded to Tony Miles in the small blind. Miles three-bet to 7.8 million. Nic Manion folded his big blind and Dyer eventually folded as well.
Hand #74: Dyer raised again to 2 million but now from under the gun. John Cynn called in the cutoff.
The dealer spread out on the flop. Dyer continued with a bet of 1.675 million and Cynn called.
The turn brought them the , Dyer put in another continuation-bet of 3.85 million and Cynn called.
The river completed the board with the on which both players checked. Dyer scooped the pot with for the pocket pair of sevens.
One thing is certain about the winner of the 2018 World Series of Poker Main Event: it's going to be an American. All three non-American final table players busted out during the first stretch yesterday, leaving six hopefuls from the home nation vying for poker's ultimate reward, a place in the history books and the first place prize of $8,800,000 that will await the winner on Saturday, July 14.
Overwhelming chipleader after the first day is Michael Dyer, who will start the penultimate day with a staggering 156,500,000 in chips, more than two times as many chips as his nearest rival Nicolas Manion (72,250,000). Last year, Scott Blumstein found himself in a near equal position after Day 8, and if history bears any indication of what's about to transpire, Dyer is on a path to become poker's next world champion.
However, there's plenty of dangerous contenders left with enough chips to work with. John Cynn returns in third place with 61,550,000 and Tony Miles bagged up 57,500,000 after a late surge in the final level of the night. The shorter stacks going into the final day belong to Joe Cada (29,275,000) and Aram Zobian (16,700,000). For the 2009 world champion, the chance at an improbable repeat performance is still possible, and all eyes will be glued to the Michigan native when cards go back into the air.
Chipleader Michael Dyer
Play on the first Final Table day came to an end at the end of Level 37 with 70 hands in the books. Three players fell by the wayside on Day 8, and Antoine Labat was the first to go in Hand #16. Starting the day as the shortest stack, Labat found himself in a great position to double back into it holding pocket kings against pocket queens. However, a different fate awaited as the queen flopped to send Labat home in 9th ($1,000,000).
Artem Metalidi's tournament came to an end in the 37th hand of the final table. Holding pocket fives, Metalidi shoved all in from early position and Zobian reshoved king-queen of diamonds from the small blind. Metalidi flopped a set but Zobian caught a flush on the river to eliminate the Ukranian's hopes in 8th place ($1,200,000).
Alex Lynskey's final table was the stuff of nightmares. Going 0 for 47 at the final table, Lynskey's run came to an end with pocket sixes against Cynn's king-queen. Cynn flopped a gutshot and overcards, turned some counterfeit outs, and eventually completed the straight on the river to send the last non-American home in 7th ($1,000,000).
The six remaining players will line up as follows for the penultimate day.
Day 9 will recommence with Level 38 (500,000/1,000,000, with a 150,000-ante).
The cards will be back in the air at 5:30 p.m. local time. Players will come back in Level 38 with blinds at 500,000/1,000,000 and a running ante of 150,000. PokerNews.com is on the floor as the action unfolds, bringing you hand-for-hand updates directly live from the Amazon room in the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino.
The final table is broadcasted on a 30-minute delay on ESPN (in the United States) and ESPN affiliated networks (like Australia, Canada, United Kingdom), as well as on PokerGO in territories where ESPN does not broadcast.
flop. Dyer check-folded to a bet of 2.3 million.
flopped. Miles check-called 2.3 million. The turn was the 
and Manion barreled again for 3.5 million. That got the job done.
and Miles check-called 1.475 million from Dyer. Both players checked the 
turn and the 
completed the board. Miles checked, Dyer bet 4.225 million and Miles called.
for a pair of kings to win the pot.
and Manion checked to Dyer who continued for 1.675 million. Manion called, the turn was the 
, both checked, the river was the 
and both checked again. 
, Dyer mucked and Manion won the pot.
, Dyer continued with a bet of 5,325 million and Manion gave up.
. Zobian had a dominated 
and needed help. 
flop brought nothing for Zobian besides a backdoor diamond chance. The 
ended those hopes so he needed a six. The 
on the flop. Dyer continued with a bet of 1.675 million and Cynn called. 
on which both players checked. Dyer scooped the pot with 
for the pocket pair of sevens.
