2011 WSOP Payout Sees $782,000 Given to All 9 Players at Final Table

The 2011 World Series of Poker Main Event is down to just nine players and all of them have been given their first payout of $782,000.

With the new format of the World Series of Poker, players are sent home for three and a half months before returning to Las Vegas for the final table.

Many of the players prefer the old format, including Matt Giannetti who is a member of this year's November Nine.  Giannetti had this to say to NBC Sports,

I wish the final table was today. I mean, give me the sleep and not going out last night, and I wish the final table was today.

I feel like I'm super in the zone right now — I hope I don't lose my sharpness by then. I just feel really focused right now.

Giannetti may actually have the edge over some of these players since he resides in Vegas full time.

Ben Lamb spoke as well about having to come back in November,

When we get there, I feel like everyone's going to have a completely different mentality. They're going to have four months to think about how they're going to play and how they're going to play against every other player. They're going to have plans, and they might get there and not be able to stick to their plans because they're going to realize they're still playing for $8 million.

Having this long of a layoff is no benefit to any of these players.  Maybe players like Lamb will use the time to study their opponents more than others, but many of these players will play a different game come November.

I, for one, do not believe these players should have to take the time off and come back nearly four months later, but it is better for TV ratings and TV ratings control the game.

Here are the nine players and their chip counts:

With the Main Event underway, tune to Bleacher Report's Poker Page to stay updated on everything happening at the 2011 WSOP.

The Main Event at the WSOP is Down to the November Nine

After two weeks of play the November Nine is set for the Main Event at the World Series of Poker. That mean nine players have already guaranteed themselves large six-figure paydays, and have to four months before the opportunity to turn that into seven-figures. 

Here are the nine and their current chip counts:

I've got one name circled as the my favorite to win: Eoghan (pronounced Owen) O'Dea. Not only is he in second place in chips, but being in this position is what he was born to do. He is looking to become a second generation final table member. Eoghan is the son of well known Irish pro and 1998 bracelet winner Donnacha O’Dea. Donnacha twice made the final table at the WSOP's Main Event.

Given his father's poker career the he 26-year-old has perspective on what a bracelet means. However, his eyes are firmly on the paper prize. O'Dea: 

"When I was really young, it was definitely the bracelet. But now, it's about the money. It's a dream to win this event."

Not that O'Dea is hurting for money. He already has five cash finishes at this year's WSOP, and he has built a strong resume in his young career.

O’Dea has already amassed $732,511 in live earnings. This includes a second place finish at 2008 Ladbrokes Poker Million for $250,000, and a second at the 2009 WPT Marrakech for $378,227.

Eoghan O’Dea has also dominated online poker. Among other online victories he won the 2008 ECOOP III Main Event for $315,000.

O'Dea has been plodding along in this Main Event. He is making his gains hand-by-hand and not with the big score. Here is O'Dea on the subject from onlinepoker.net:

"I haven’t really had any all-in pre pots. I had two ‘flips the whole tournament; that was the closest for me being out. Nothing big. I haven’t played any huge pots. My whole tournament has more or less been like that. At the start, I had more than average, but never been a big stack and no crazy pots."

Chances are that at some point he is going to find himself in a crazy pot before this tournament is over, and when he does, I am betting on him to win it. A lot will happen between now and the time a Main Event bracelet is handed out, but when it is, I am betting on O'Dea to be the one wearing it.

With the Main Event underway, tune to Bleacher Report's Poker Page to stay updated on everything happening at the 2011 WSOP.

WSOP 2011 Results Recap November Nine

Anton Makiievskyi could become the youngest winner ever of the Main Event if he is able to overcome his short stack and win the 2011 Main Event when action continues in November.

Makiievskyi has been one of the chip leaders for nearly the entire tournament, but found himself limping into the final table.

He enters the final table as the lowest chip stack, and will need to put together a performance that would rival Joe Cada's at the final table.

Anything can happen and he is just a couple double ups away from being right up there with the chip leaders.

If he can shock the world and win he would become the youngest winner of all-time, but the chances are slim to none of that happening.

Here are the November Nine with chip counts:

WSOP 2011 Results Introduces the November Nine

The November Nine are set in stone and ready for the final table showdown.  For those unfamiliar with the World Series of Poker, these players will actually take four and a half months off before dueling at the final table in November.

The action is poised to be incredible as some poker pros dominate the final table. While some of these players won't be considered household names like Phil Ivey or Daniel Negreanu, they are still some of the best players in the world.

Ben Lamb, the players who has run amock at this year's WSOP, is the headline player. Lamb enters the final table with four top 15 finishes before the Main Event and is the leader for Series Player of the Year.

The only amateur player in the field is Badih Bounahra, a 49-year old from Belize.

This year's final table also features a German player for the first time ever.  Pius Heinz has been on a good run at the Main Event and had to keep his poise down the stretch after losing a majority of the stretch.

Also in the field is 21-year old professional, Anton Makiievskyi, who would become the youngest player to win the event if he were to come away with a victory.

Here are the November Nine with chip counts:

With the Main Event underway, tune to Bleacher Report's Poker Page to stay updated on everything happening at the 2011 WSOP.

WSOP 2011 Results Down to November 9

Ben Lamb entered the 2011 Main Event in the running for WSOP Player of the Year and has absolutely dominated this year.

With him advancing to the November Nine, he now has five top 15 finishes and the chance to win his second bracelet of 2011.

He is the favorite to win WSOP Player of the Year now, but will still need to perform well oversees in the WSOP Europe.  Lamb will head across the pond with the lead on Phil Hellmuth and will look to capture his first Player of the Year crown.

However, his sights right now are on the November Nine. He reached his first Main Event final table and the 26-year old poker professional should be considered the favorite.

Lamb took the time to speak with ESPN after making the final table,

"Every poker player's dream is to be here, and to have all my success before and then be here still -- it's surreal," Lamb said. "This is one of the biggest heaters, if not the biggest heater, in poker, ever."

Lamb has been on fire as of late, but with poker it doesn't take much for the pendulum to swing the wrong way. Lamb will have to sit back for nearly five months and may end up overthinking things by the time he gets to the final table in November.  Either way, Lamb is set to become a millionaire off of this year's World Series of Poker.

Here are the November Nine with chip counts:

With the Main Event underway, tune to Bleacher Report's Poker Page to stay updated on everything happening at the 2011 WSOP.

WSOP is One Day Away From Determining the Final Table, but I Already Know Who Will Win

Eoghan—pronounced Owen—O'Dea is running hot at the 2011 World Series of Poker Main Event. With just one more day of, and 22 players left until the November Nine are determined O'Dea has the second most chips. O'Dea's 19 million chips are second only to Anton Makiievskyii's 21 million.  

And for O'Dea, being in this position is what he was born to do. He is looking to become a second generation final table member. Eoghan is the son of well known Irish pro and 1998 bracelet winner Donnacha O’Dea. Donnacha twice made the final table at the WSOP's Main Event.

Given his father's poker career the he 26-year-old has perspective on what a bracelet means. However, his eyes are firmly on the paper prize. O'Dea: 

"When I was really young, it was definitely the bracelet. But now, it's about the money. It's a dream to win this event."

Not that O'Dea is hurting for money. He already has five cash finishes at this year's WSOP, and he has built a strong resume in his young career.

O’Dea has already amassed $732,511 in live earnings. This includes a second place finish at 2008 Ladbrokes Poker Million for $250,000, and a second at the 2009 WPT Marrakech for $378,227.

Eoghan O’Dea has also dominated online poker. Among other online victories he won the 2008 ECOOP III Main Event for $315,000.

O'Dea has been plodding along in this Main Event. He is making his gains hand-by-hand and not with the big score. Here is O'Dea on the subject from onlinepoker.net:

"I haven’t really had any all-in pre pots. I had two ‘flips the whole tournament; that was the closest for me being out. Nothing big. I haven’t played any huge pots. My whole tournament has more or less been like that. At the start, I had more than average, but never been a big stack and no crazy pots."

Chances are that at some point he is going to find himself in a crazy pot before this tournament is over, and when he does, I am betting on him to win it. A lot will happen between now and the time a Main Event bracelet is handed out, but when it is, I am betting on O'Dea to be the one wearing it.

With the Main Event underway, tune to Bleacher Report's Poker Page to stay updated on everything happening at the 2011 WSOP.

WSOP Results Has This Young Ukrainian In the Lead

At 21 years old Anton Makiievskyii is barley old enough to get into the casinos to play in the World Series of Poker. And yet here he is. He is not only in the World Series of Poker's Main Event, but he has the a 2 million chips lead on the eve of the final day of play before the November Nine is determined. Needless to say, he is a good position to win the Main Event bracelet. And If the Ukrainian Makiievskyii does go onto win he will be the youngest champ in Main Event history.

His success at this tournament even has him a little surprised. Makiievskyi:

"I just don't believe everything that's happening now."

I can't blame him for having a hard time believing it. One second you are just a face among a huge crowd of players with the same amount of chips and the next you are among a small group of 22 faces with a gigantic stack of chips that dwarfs everyone else. On top of that, Makiievskyi knows that no matter what happens, he has already made it far enough that he is guaranteed at least a six-figure payday.

Makiievskyi seems to know the enormity of his situation, while at the same time he is not losing focus on the goal at hand. Makiievskyi:

I understand that I may not have any other chances in life like this, but I don't feel it. I just play my game. I just push all-in when I need to push all-in."

It would be natural for a player as young as Makiievskyi to be a little tentative going all in as the stakes raise, However, with his six-figure payday already in the bag, a lead of two million in chips, and the ignorance of youth on his side, I expect this young poker star to keep playing loose and aggressive. He should definitely be considered on of the favorites to win the Main Event.

With the Main Event underway, tune to Bleacher Report's Poker Page to stay updated on everything happening at the 2011 WSOP.

Six Predictions for WSOP Final Table Participants

The Main Event at the World Series of Poker is about to whittle down to its most exclusive group: The November Nine. There are just 22 players left and just one day to knock that group down to nine. That fateful day will be at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas at 3 p.m. EST. The broadcast will begin on ESPN3 and at 8 p.m. EST before giving way to ESPN for a few hours of coverage.

In case you can't catch the coverage—don't worry. I'm about to tell you six players who will make up the November Nine.

Ben Lamb (14.6 million):

The 26-year-old Lamb is having one hell of a tournament. He already has a bracelet, and a second place finish. His performance has vaulted him into the lead of the Player of the Year race over Phil Hellmuth. He is almost seven million chips behind the current leader, but with the way Lamb is rolling, it would be foolish to pick anyone over him.

Anton Makiievskyi (21.0 million in chips):

Speaking of the current chip leader meet 21-year-old, Anton Makiievskyii. If the Ukranian Makiievskyii does go onto win he will be the youngest champ in Main Event history.

It will be interesting to see if he can keep his nerve as the stakes raise. Having over two million more chips than the next closest player should help.

Eoghan O'Dea (19.0 million):

Speaking of the next closest player we have Eoghan O'Dea. O'Dea is looking to become a second generation final table member. His father made two WSOP main event final tables during his career.

Phil Collins (13.8 million):

Collins can feel this one coming in the air tonight. Oh wait, wrong Phil Collins. This Phil Collins is a superior poker player. Spending his past few years earning more than $3 million in online poker. With that avenue all but vanquished he is dominating in the real world.

John Hewitt (13.2 million):

John Hewitt is more experienced at online poker than the real deal. However, he is coming into his own here, and this 23-year-old is going to be tough to beat.

Matt Giannetti (8.9 million):

This Las Vegas pro has extensive experience in tournaments and cash games, and both online and live. This is his first ever six-figure cash in live tournament play. But this 26-year-old has the chops to push that to a seven-figure cash.

With the Main Event underway, tune to Bleacher Report's Poker Page to stay updated on everything happening at the 2011 WSOP.

A Look at the Favorites as the WSOP is Almost Down to the Final Table

The Main Event at the World Series of Poker is cruising right along. There are just 22 players left and only one more day of play until the final table and November Nine are locked in. That final day of play begins at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas at 3 p.m. EST. The broadcast will begin on ESPN3 and at 8 p.m. EST before giving way to ESPN for a few hours of coverage.

With all of that in mind I have picked out a few players that should be considered the favorites to hold the bracelet when this competition concludes.

Ben Lamb (14.6 million):

The 26-year-old Lamb is having one hell of a tournament. He already has a bracelet, and a second place finish. His performance has vaulted him into the lead of the Player of the Year race over Phil Hellmuth. He is almost seven million chips behind the current leader, but with the way Lamb is rolling, it would be foolish to pick anyone over him.

Anton Makiievskyi (21.0 million in chips):

Speaking of the current chip leader meet 21-year-old, Anton Makiievskyii. If the Ukranian Makiievskyii does go onto win he will be the youngest champ in Main Event history. His success at this tournament even has him a little surprised. Makiievskyi:

"I just don't believe everything that's happening now. I understand that I may not have any other chances in life like this, but I don't feel it. I just play my game. I just push all-in when I need to push all-in."

It will be interesting to see if he can keep his nerve as the stakes raise. Having over two million more chips than the next closest player should help.

Eoghan O'Dea (19.0 million):

Speaking of the next closest player we have Eoghan O'Dea. O'Dea is looking to become a second generation final table member. His father made two WSOP main event final tables during his career.

Given his father's poker career the he 26-year-old has perspective on what a bracelet means. However, his eyes are firmly on the paper prize. O'Dea: 

"When I was really young, it was definitely the bracelet. But now, it's about the money. It's a dream to win this event."

Not that O'Dea is hurting for money. He already has five cash finishes.

With the Main Event underway, tune to Bleacher Report's Poker Page to stay updated on everything happening at the 2011 WSOP.

Ben Lamb is arguably the biggest name at the World Series of Poker right now.

He is a former bracelet winner and he is the leader of this years WSOP Player of the Year candidacy.

Today was not the best day that we have seen out of him, but all signs point to him still being the most dangerous player in the tournament, and I expect that he will be the most dangerous player at the final table.

The November Nine will be decided soon, and November will be here much sooner than you think.

Is Lamb the favorite to win another bracelet?

What makes Lamb special in my opinion is the confidence that he desplays. He knows that he can beat you on any given hand, and that is exactly how he plays.

Be it calling a bluff, or throwing out his own bluff, he just knows what he is doing.

It’s almost as if he can see into your mind, and he knows that his is better than yours.

Confidence is key in poker, but overconfidence can be deadly.

I think Ben Lamb understands that concept very well.

He became a professional in 2004 and has since then been taking confident, albeit reckless steps up the leaderboards in the world of poker.

As far as the 2011 World Series of Poker is concerned Lamb is playing a little bit below average, but to be honest I don’t see him having much of a problem to get back up.

I can all but guarantee you that Lamb will be at the final table and that he will be a very strong contender that can take it all the way to the end.

Will he win the 2011 World Series of Poker?

I’m not sure of that answer, but I won’t be betting against him.

http://www.pokernews.com/live-reporting/2011-world-series-of-poker/event-58-no-limit-hold-em-championship/day7/chips.12615.htm

Can the 2011 World Series of Poker really be nearing its end?

Yes, but to be fair the end is not really the end.

Don’t fret; just let me explain what is going on.

A few years ago the powers that be that run the World Series of Poker decided that they needed to do something to increase ratings and anticipation around their main event final table.

The move to christen the “November nine” was made, and since then we have been anxiously anticipating the few months of downtime between the qualifying rounds of the tournament and the final table.

Credit where credit is due, they really did their homework.

Who’s ready for the final table!?

I’m sure you are, but just who exactly could we be watching come November? Will it be the usual big names, or will a few sleepers sneak in the mix?

One name that you need to keep an eye on is Anton Makievskyi. He currently leads the pack with 21 million.

James Guill of Poker News Global breaks down Makievskyi's rise to the top of the stack.

After starting with 3.3 million in chips, he was knocked down to 1.6 million before going on the run of his poker career. He chipped up to over 4 million before knocking out Guillaume Darcourt. Darcourt shoved for his last 1.5 million with {J-Diamonds}{10-Diamonds} and Makievskyi  called with pocket nines. The board fell eight-high and Makiievskyi was up to 6 million.

From there he steadily chipped up to 10 million in chips before taking down the largest pot of the tournament. Makiievskyi raised to 400,000 preflop and Christopher Moore called. The flop fell {K-Spades}{J-Clubs}{J-Hearts} and Makiievskyi bet 400,000. Moore then put in a raise to 1.1 million and Makiievskyi countered with a three-bet to 2.8 million. Moore shipped his stack of around 12 million total and Makiievskyi insta-called. Makiievskyi turned over {K-Diamonds}{J-Spades} for a flopped full house. Moore turned over {A-Hearts}{J-Diamonds} and could still win if an ace fell. The turn and river both brought baby cards and the 20 million pot propelled Makiievskyi into the chip lead. He finished the day with just over 21 million in chips.

Anton Makievskyi is the guy I am going to be keeping my eye on, and he is someone I can almost guarantee will be at the final table.

He seems to have the proper balance between taking risks, and playing smart.

With the chip lead at 21 million, I think he has enough time to hang on to what he has without losing to much.

Some other notable names to keep your eye on are Ben Lamb and Phil Collins.

http://espn.go.com/sports/fantasy/blog/_/name/poker/id/6751790

The pot that the players are fighting for in the 2011 World Series of Poker is currently at $8.7 million.

That’s a whole lot of money for playing a card game, and that is exactly why I think so many people love the sport of poker.

Dare I ask what you would do with $8.7 million?

Well, unfortunately it’s not that easy because there is a whole room of people watching you, a whole table full of competitors trying to beat you, and millions more watching on TV.

Talk about a pressure packed situation.

Talk about earning your money…

Day 7 over the World Series of Poker is in the books and 22 players are still left in the tournament, and they are all trying to get a piece of that $8.7 million pie.

It kind of sounds like the NFL lockout eh?

Close, except in this instance there is actual entertainment, and something being played.

Mason Levinson of Bloomberg writes more about the action at the tables:

Still alive is Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Ben Lamb, who already has a win and a second-place finish at the 58-event World Series this year. Lamb has 14.7 million in chips, which ranks fifth.

Ireland’s Eoghan O’Dea, 26, is second with 19.5 million in chips, followed by 29-year-old Canadian Khoa Nguyen (about 16.4 million) and 21-year-old Russian Andrey Pateychuk (about 16.2 million).

The event continues today and is scheduled to play down to nine. Those players will join the final table Nov. 5-7 to crown a champion.

The November nine is quickly approaching and these last few hands are going to be the ones that determine who is a big winner, and who go home a loser.

With the Main Event underway, tune to Bleacher Report's Poker Page to stay updated on everything happening at the 2011 WSOP.

WSOP Results Have Two Men Emerging as Favorites to Make the Final Table

On the eve of Day Seven of the World Series of Poker we have whittled the field down to just 57 players. The final table is far from set. The person with the fewest amount of chips could hit a run of luck to make, and the person with the most chips may make a bad play and bust out. However, that is not likely. 

And at this point, two players—barring a horrible run of bad cards—are looking like virtual locks to make the final table. They are Ryan Lenaghan and Ben Lamb.

Ryan Lenaghan leads the way with 12.8 million in chips. He is the only player that holds more than eight digits worth of chips. Although Ben Lamb is close with 9.9 million in chips. Both of these guys are solid pros, and they aren't likely to blow this kind of cushion. Just look at the margin they have on the player's chasing them:

Matt Gianetti (7.9 million in chips), Bryan Devonshire (5.9 million), Nicolas Fierro (3.8 million), J.P. Kelly (3.7 million), Per Linde (3.7 million), Tom Koral (3.3 million), Lars Bonding (3.3 million), Sam Barnhart (3.1 million), David Sands (2.7 million), Andrew Brokos (2.5 million), Tony Hachem (2.2 million), Erick Lindgren (2.1 million), David Bach (2.0 million), Steve Brecher (1.8 million), Frank Sinopoli (1.1 million), Ruben Visser (1.0 million), John Esposito (1.0 million), Minh Nguyen (1.0 million) and Sebastian Ruthenberg (890,000).

And while Ben Lamb may be trailing Lenaghan, he has to be considered the favorite at this point.

Ben Lamb is having an amazing run of success at the World Series of Poker. With a bracelet already under his belt at this year's event, several other finishes in the money, and now his placement in the last 57 of the Main Event, he is leading the WSOP Player of the Year race.

As for Lenaghan you have to like his chances. Although one need look no further than how he accumulated so many chips to see that everything can turn on one hand.

Lenaghan was involved in one of the more interesting plays and the largest pot of the tournament.

Lenaghan opened the pot to 110,000 with the blinds at 25,000/50,000 and a 5,000 ante as he was going head-to-head with the man who was at that point leading the way in chips, Brian Follain. 

On this hand, Follian took the bait and raised to 355,000. The two took turns raising the stakes until Lenaghan was all-in.

Follain than when into deep deliberation, and after five minutes of nervous pacing and contemplation, he called. Lenaghan turned over pocket jacks and Follian an A-Q, and that meant 8 million in chips resided on the flip.

Nothing is ever a sure thing in poker, but at this point, Lenaghan and Lamb making the final table appears to be a good money play.

With the Main Event underway, tune to Bleacher Report's Poker Page to stay updated on everything happening at the 2011 WSOP.

Ben Lamb Currently Sits in Second at the 2011 WSOP Main Event

Ben Lamb is having an amazing run of success at the World Series of Poker. With a bracelet already under his belt at this year's event, several other finishes in the money, and now his placement in the last 57 of the Main Event, he is leading the WSOP Player of the Year race.

Lamb hasn't just made it to the final 57 either—he is excelling. He is currently second in chip count at 9.9 million. So what is the secret to his success, and what makes him tick?

Let's go to the best source for info on a single guy: his friends. Here is a quote from his friend Jason Mercier from this ESPN article: 

Off the felt, Ben's a real nice guy. He's a lot of fun to hang out with and I enjoy partying with him. I'd say that five of my 10 worst hangovers have been partying with Ben.

When asked about his hard partying ways, Lamb played innocent before admitting their may be some truth to it. Lamb:

I mean, I don't know where I get the rep from. I live in Las Vegas and everyone parties. They just tend to have more fun when they party with me. I don't like to half-ass the partying.

So, is the secret to his success found at the bottom of the bottle? Let's ask Lamb:

I haven't drunk in two months.

Lamb elaborated on his process of not drinking:

Soon as I bust the main event, I'll be the drunkest guy in Vegas, but I said I wasn't going to drink for the summer. I play cash primarily. It's not about drinking at the cash games so much as, if your friends are going out drinking, there's incentive to leave. WSOP time is a big chance to play in good games, so I made the bet to not drink for the two months. It's kind of strange to have all this success and not drink. I won the bracelet and went to bed.

And all of this success, and the fact he remembers it, is giving him confidence. And as he says, confidence is key to any poker player. Lamb:

If your plays are working, you'll have an air of confidence other players will notice. You'll be more confident when you put in a big bluff or people will see you winning and not want to play against you. If you have the kind of image I currently have, you can utilize it to get a little more respect. I think it's pretty important. Phil Hellmuth has a great image. People play so bad against him. I think it contributes to his success. I think it's contributing to my success.

Lamb is keeping his success all in perspective, and the benefits of sobriety. Lamb:

I mean, yeah, the lack of alcohol has helped. It's not the only thing. Obviously luck is involved, and I've been playing every day, been really dedicated. I spend my off hours with the girlfriend. Not drinking has definitely made me more dedicated. I feel like I play better because of it.

Yeah, it is amazing how much better you can be at something when it is actually what you want to be doing.

With the Main Event underway, tune to Bleacher Report's Poker Page to stay updated on everything happening at the 2011 WSOP.

WSOP Results Find Ryan Lenaghan with a Big Chip Lead

The Main Event at the World Series of Poker is slowly but surely narrowing down its field. There are just 57 players left to take part in Day Seven.

Ryan Lenaghan leads the way with 12.8 million in chips. He is the only player that holds more than eight digits worth of chips. Although Ben Lamb is close with 9.9 million in chips. 

Check out some of the other notable survivors for Day Seven Matt Gianetti (7.9 million in chips), Bryan Devonshire (5.9 million), Nicolas Fierro (3.8 million), J.P. Kelly (3.7 million), Per Linde (3.7 million), Tom Koral (3.3 million), Lars Bonding (3.3 million), Sam Barnhart (3.1 million), David Sands (2.7 million), Andrew Brokos (2.5 million), Tony Hachem (2.2 million), Erick Lindgren (2.1 million), David Bach (2.0 million), Steve Brecher (1.8 million), Frank Sinopoli (1.1 million), Ruben Visser (1.0 million), John Esposito (1.0 million), Minh Nguyen (1.0 million) and Sebastian Ruthenberg (890,000).

Leader Lenaghan was involved in one of the more interesting plays and the largest pot of the tournament. 

He opened the pot to 110,000 with the blinds at 25,000/50,000 and a 5,000 ante. Brian Follain took the bait and raised to 355,000. The two took turns raising the stakes until Lenaghan was all-in.

Follain than when into deep deliberation, and after five minutes of nervous pacing and contemplation, he called. Lenaghan turned over pocket jacks and Follian an A-Q, and that meant 8 million in chips resided on the flip. Lenaghan had the luck on this one. Lenaghan:

I definitely wasn't trying to flip for that many chips. It was just a spot that I thought he could have a lot of hands and try to make a play on me because of our history. I just went with it and worked out well. I got lucky, I guess, a little bit.

And with that luck Lenaghan is soaring towards the final table. he just needs to hope he has at least a little luck left. 

With the Main Event underway, tune to Bleacher Report's Poker Page to stay updated on everything happening at the 2011 WSOP.