Before the heads-up battle the players chose to make a deal, and Ernest Bennett was declared the tournament winner. He's posing for photos right now with his World Series of Poker bracelet, and Tony Korfman finishes as our runner-up.
As he's been doing all day, Ernest Bennett raised on the button to 300,000 and Rod Clarida moved all-in. His was dominated by Bennett's and the board brought not help. Rod Clarida wins $142,147 for finishing in 3rd place.
It looked like Tony Korfman would be our 3rd-place finisher when he moved in with K-10 and was called by Ernest Bennett with A-8. The board read when the hit on the river, making a wheel on the board and chopping the pot between the two.
In the small blind Ed Smith moved all-in for 420,000 and Ernest Bennett quickly called with . Smith held and the flop gave Smith a straight draw and Bennett a flush draw. The on the turn paired Bennett and the on the river made his flush, which was good enough to eliminate Smith in 4th place. He takes home 95,907 for his efforts the last three days.
The very next hand Ed Smith doubled up through Tony Korfman, when Smith's dominated Korfman's . Both players flopped a pair but neither improved from there and Smith is now up to 575K.
Tony Korfman, who doubled up when Ed Smith raised to 300,000 and Korfman moved all-in for 825K in the big blind. Smith called with , but once again a player in the blinds found Aces. This time Korfman's bullets held up on the board and that boosted his stack up to 1,800,000, while Smith was left with just 300K.
Under the gun Thomas Catanzaro raised to 140,000 and Tony Korfman called in the big blind. The flop came , Korfman checked and Catanzaro moved all-in. Korfman called and showed , Catanzaro had and needed help to stay alive. But the on the turn and on the river didn't supply that help, and Catanzaro collects $65,080 for finishing in fifth place.
The chips are becoming more evenly distributed among the five remaining players. Any player who doubles up will be the chip leader. The blinds just increased and there's 110,000 in the pot before a card is dealt. Something's gotta give.