Just shy of 3:30 a.m. Las Vegas time, the epic heads up battle between Shawn “sbuck21″ Buchanan and Craig “craigthedeac” Boyd finally ended, sending Buchanan to the second round of the $1.5K limit hold’em shoot and Boyd walking quickly toward the doors of the Brasillia Room.

At different points in the match each player was down to his just over two big bets, meaning each spent time as the dominating chip leader.

The limits had increased all the way to 1.5K/3K (each player started with 4.5K) by the time Boyd was all in with his A3 against Buchanan’s Q8. The board was not friendly to Boyd this time, it came J7687 and sent him to the rail.

Just a short time before Buchanan had been all in before the flop holding Q5 to Boyd’s Q7. The board ran out 74{3}6J to give Buchanan a straight and double him up to around 16K at the time.

Later Buchanan caught up to Boyd’s KT on the turn with his J5. Boyd made a bet that was called by Buchanan on the T54 flop. The rest of Buchanan’s chips went in after the J fell on the turn. The river was the 9.

Boyd also had his share of good fortune throughout the match.

Buchanan had a commanding chip lead over Boyd when this hand happened. The two bet heavily pre-flop and on the flop, and after the turn the board read Q729. The two got it all in and the hands were tabled:

Buchanan: 97
Boyd: KQ

Craig needed a non-club king or a queen or deuce to escape elimination. The 2 on the river was gold for Boyd, who doubled up and escaped elimination.

Later the board read AT97 on the turn when Boyd led out for the 2K bet. Buchanan raised to 4K and Boyd quickly made it 6K. The river was the K. Buchanan bet and Boyd called. Boyd showed J8 for a turned straight while Buchanan showed his A7 for a turned two pair.

Other matches:

Table 227
Matt “mattster24″ Sterling defeated Gavin Griffin heads up. On the final hand Sterling held KQ against Griffin’s pocket jacks. The board was just ten high, but three diamonds gave Matt the winning flush.

Table 166
Kevin “ImALucSac” MacPhee couldn’t seal the deal against his opponent. MacPhee was crippled when he bet on every street with just a pair of sixes for third pair on the board. His opponent called him down with Q8 on the 86293 board and won the pot. The final hand the two got it all in pre-flop, Kevin holding K8 and his opponent QT. The 876 flop paired MacPhee, but the Q on the river put his opponent ahead. The river blanked and Kevin was eliminated.

Table 228
Brock “t soprano” Parker was very short with just 8K at one point but battled back. Parker took a hit when his opponent called him with pocket sixes on an 89T8J board. Brock couldn’t believe his opponent called, but never gave up. After a short break, Parker doubled up without a showdown and took the chip-lead a few hands later. On the final hand Brock raised from the button and his opponent three-bet. Parker called and the flop fell 932. Brock’s opponent check raised him and Parker called. The turn was the 4 and Brock called a bet from his opponent. The river was the 7 and Parker’s opponent led  out again. Brock raised him all-in and he called. Parker tabled 72 for two pair and his opponent tabled QQ and hit the rail.

Table 241
Mike “goleafsgoeh” Leah was in control of his heads up match on Table 241. Leah lost a few pots, but was able to chip right back up afterwards. On the last hand Leah forced his opponent all in after a K95 flop. Leah’s A4 was trailing his opponent’s J9, but the A on the turn changed everything. The A gave Leah trips for kicks and also won him the watch.

Jim Geary advanced earlier in the night after a long heads-up match.

• June 27, 2009 -- Billirakis Among Day One Leaders
• June 27, 2009 -- Too Cold for Table 72
• June 27, 2009 -- Shootout Scoots Along
• June 28, 2009 -- Shawn Gone