As heads up play goes on, the trend so far has been for John Juanda to chip away and then for Stanislav Alekhin to get a big double up.  Juanda started the heads up play with a decent chip lead and was able to add to it until he had enough to take a shot at Alekhin and even if he lost be back where he started heads up play.

That scenario played out when the two got all in preflop with Alekhin’s AQ dominating Juanda’s A2.  The AQ was good enough for a double up that brought Juanda back down to around 4.4 million chips while doubling Stanislav back up to 2.8 million. 

The next double up was more costly for Juanda though, and turned the tables on the chip counts.  From the button Juanda raised to 100k (blinds 25k/50k) and Alekhim made it 300k to go.  Juanda called and on the T75 flop Stanislav led for 350k.  After taking a while to make a decision Juanda moved all in and Alekhin called.  Juanda had flopped top pair with his QT but Alekhin was sitting on an overpair with pocket jacks.  The jacks made a set on the river to end any hopes of a suckout for Juanda and put Alekhin (left) back in the chip lead with 4.6 million chips to Juanda’s 2.6 million

Back to the grind as the night wears on.  After the double double for Alekhin, he stayed hot and won a majority of the next ten hands, small to medium small pots, but enough of them to eat away at Juanda.

That made it John’s turn to get the double up, and he did.  Juanda made it 100k from the small blind and Stanislav raised to 300k.  Juanda called and the flop came TT4 making the action and flop eerily similar to one of Alekhin’s earlier double ups.  Stanislav led for 400k and Juanda wasted no time making the call.  With the 2 on the turn Stanislav put Juanda to the test with an all in bet, but there was no question for Juanda who immediately called with flopped trips, holding the AT.  Alekhin again had pocket jacks, but this time there was no jack on the turn for him and Juanda (right) was able to double through to even things up.

Both players are now in the mid 3 million chip range. Juanda finished the hand with roughly 3.4 million while Alekhin lost the all in but still has a slight chip lead with 3.8 million chips.

• October 2, 2008 -- Good Practice for November
• October 2, 2008 -- Turned Upside Down, But Still Evenish
• October 2, 2008 -- All Even On the Western Front
• October 2, 2008 -- Bengt Bounced, Juanda Gains Ground

The buzz around Ivan Demidov in the last 48 hours has been tremendous.  Ever since it became likely he would make the final table at the World Series of Poker Europe, presented by Betfair, people have been talking about the amazing, historical (poker history at least) accomplishment of making both WSOP Main Event final tables in the same year.

Could he possibly pull off the greatest poker feat of all time and win both?  How will his play here help and hinder him in the November final table?  Will his marketability skyrocket?  Well, the first question turns out to be a no, but it took almost 15 hours to find that out.  The other two questions are still up in the air and will likely be hotly debated and discussed in the month between this final table and the November table.

Demidov (left) had a shot here, holding the chip lead in 3 handed play but being up against two tough competitors that gave nothing up easy.  John Juanda ended up finishing Ivan off with pocket aces against Demidov’s QT that had a flush draw and a gutshot straight draw when the money went in on the turn.

In a battle of the blinds, which is not uncommon in 3-handed play, Juanda raised to 105k from the small blind and Demidov called the additional 65k.  On the 853 flop Juanda checked to the November Niner who bet 170k.  John called and then checked again after the J hit on the turn. 

Demidov fell right into Juanda’s trap when he bet 450k.  John raised all in over the top and Demidov found himself pot stuck with queen high but enough of a drawing hand that he had to get the rest of it in there.  The Poker Gods must have decided that Demidov had enough practice for his November table and the J hit on the river ending Demidov’s amazing run in 3rd place for £334,850.After eliminating Ivan, John Juanda now has the chip lead going into heads up play with the other Russian that has been such a force at this final table.  Stanislov Alekhin has done the lions share of the work today eliminating 5 of the 7 players that have busted out so far, but even with that impressive feather in his cap he still goes into heads up play at a significant disadvantage in the chips.

John Juanda’s 4.6 million chips give him almost twice the 2.6 million of Alekhin .

• October 3, 2008 -- Double Double
• October 2, 2008 -- Turned Upside Down, But Still Evenish
• October 2, 2008 -- All Even On the Western Front
• October 2, 2008 -- Bengt Bounced, Juanda Gains Ground

As the night wears on the crowd has that was overflowing has started to fall off a little bit.  In the section of seating just in front of the media are one group broke out their own deck of cards to play a few hands while keeping the corner of their eye on the final table action.  There have not been a whole lot of huge hands in the last bit (at the final table I mean, not at the game in the stands), but a few bluffs here and there and a lot of reraising to win pots. 

As the chips have moved around Ivan Demidov has went from the bottom to the top and Stanislov Alekhin from the top to the bottom with John Juanda (right) staying right in the middle of the Russians.  Though they have moved around places in the chip counts, they are still relatively even in chips with Demidov pulling away slightly at the expense of Alekhin. 

The most exciting thing recently was a set over set situation, but that was in the game in the stands.  Over at the final table Ivan Demidov showed down a bluff to get some ooh’s and ahh’s from the crowd and there has been some tension after a reraise or two, but no massive all in pots have developed recently.

Daniel Negreanu’s prediction of a 15 hour+ final table is working on becoming a confirmed forecast.  Players started at 1pm local time and play has been going on for 14 hours so far as Big Ben dings out 3am here in London.

Here’s where they stand:
Ivan Demidov - 2,949,000
John Juanda - 2,450,000
Stanislav Alekhin - 1,807,000

• October 2, 2008 -- Bengt Bounced, Juanda Gains Ground
• October 2, 2008 -- Kid Poker Felted
• October 2, 2008 -- Negreanu Scrapping, Juanda Doubles
• October 2, 2008 -- The Russians Are Coming!

Three handed play has tightened up as the chip counts a have fallen into a relative 3-way tie.  John Juanda went on a rush of cards and aggression to take the chip lead from Stanislav Alekhin before doubling up Ivan Demidov and bringing the chip counts all back to nuetral. 

Juanda had a shot at eliminating Demidov and going into heads up play with a significant chip lead, but Demidov was able to improve his hand and double up.  Demidov opened the pot, Juanda raised and Demidov then moved in.  Juanda called with the AJ and was a favorite over KT until the T43 flop came out.  Juanda didn’t catch up on the Q3 turn and river and Demidov (right) found himself back over 2 million chips.

Here is what the tournament director just announced as the chip counts:
Stanislav Alekhin - 2,630,000
John Juanda - 2,380,000
Ivan Demidov - 2,190,000

• October 3, 2008 -- Double Double
• October 2, 2008 -- Good Practice for November
• October 2, 2008 -- Turned Upside Down, But Still Evenish
• October 2, 2008 -- Bengt Bounced, Juanda Gains Ground

The domination of Stanislav Alekhin continues.  Bengt Sonnert has now been added to the growing list of players put down by Alekhin.  Sonnert’s elimination leaves only John Juanda and Ivan Demidov to contend with Alekhin and his massive chip lead.

Alekhin had raised to 70k and Sonnert (left) moved in for a total of 311k.  Stanislav called and for the umpteenth time today Alekhin had another player all in and trailing him with his A8 crushing Sonnert’s A5.  Again his dominating hand help up and Sonnert was sidelined in 4th place for £271,500.

After stopping by asking if he could rebuy a good natured Daniel Negreanu has headed up to the booth and will be participating in the commentating of the final table for the live stream that is avaiable through ESPN360 and Betfairs website.  Daniel’s class and true professionalism allow him to go from busting out to 5 minutes later coming back to take photos with fans and then goes from there to commentate the table he just busted from.

John Juanda was able to jump to over 2 million chips and leave Ivan Demidov as the short stack in 3 handed play with a good call on the river.  Juanda called from the small blind and Demidov raised from the big blind.  Juanda then came over the top for another raise and Ivan called.  The flop came K52 and both players checked.  WIth the A on the turn Demidov bet 202k when it was checked to him and John flat called to see the 8 on the river.  Again Juanda checked and Ivan bet 333k sending Juanda into the tank on the river.  After a while he called and Demidov showed his bluff with the QT.  The A9 for Juanda was good to take down the pot and push Juanda’s stack well above that of Ivan Demidov. 

After a short break the 3 remaining players will be back to play the 15k / 30k 4k ante level. 

Here are what the chip counts look like coming back from break:

Stanislav Alekhin - 4,143,000
John Juanda - 2,335,000
Ivan Demidov - 790,000

• October 2, 2008 -- Turned Upside Down, But Still Evenish
• October 2, 2008 -- Kid Poker Felted
• October 2, 2008 -- Negreanu Scrapping, Juanda Doubles
• October 2, 2008 -- The Russians Are Coming!