Event #52: $25,000 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed

Event #52: $25,000 No-Limit Hold'em (Six Handed) is one of the premiere events at the 44th annual World Series of Poker, and whoever reigned victorious after Day 3 would not only gain over $1.2 million and a gold bracelet, but also respect from their peers for outlasting one of the toughest fields of the series. In the end, it was Steve Sung besting Phil Galfond heads up for the title. Sung now has over $4.6 million in career tournament earnings to go along with two career WSOP gold bracelets. Galfond, who was looking for number two as well, will have to settle for the $744,841 second-place prize.

The third and final day began with 18 players, and leading the way was German Max Lehmanski. With the bubble bursting at the conclusion of Day 2, there were a flurry of early eliminations, and with exits from Christian Harder, Fabian Quoss, Marvin Rettenmaier, David "Bakes" Baker, Igor Kurganov, Todd Terry, Kevin Eyster, and others, play quickly reached an unofficial final table of seven. There, the chip lead was exchanged by Sung, Dani Stern, and Phil Galfond. After nearly two-and-a-half hours, Shannon Shorr called all in with an ace-high flush draw against Galfond, who had flopped top pair. The turn and river both produced bricks, and the official final table was set.

After nursing a short stack for hours, Richard Lyndaker exited in sixth place. Lehmanski followed him out the door right before dinner break, busting in fifth place when he three-bet shoved with two sixes. Galfond, the original raiser, snapped it off with aces, and held.

After the dinner break, Galfond extended his chip lead, while Brit Stephen Chidwick started to slip. He was then eliminated in fourth place by Stern, despite getting his chips in with a dominating hand. Chidwick was in great shape to double with two sixes against Stern's two fives, but the river was a five, and Chidwick was off to the cage to collect over $350,000.

Three-handed play lasted 26 hands, and while Sung snatched the chip lead away from Galfond and started to pull away, Stern got shorter and shorter. He moved all in with ace-five over a raise from Galfond, who instantly called with two queens. The queens held, and the only two bracelet winners at the final table were suddenly heads up.

Galfond battled back to regain the chip lead, and then the two played in an epic pot at the end of Level 28. On a queen-high, rainbow board, after check-raising to over a million on the flop, Galfond led out for a massive, 2.5 million-chip pot. Sung clicked it back, raising to five million, and Galfond nearly shoved with four-high. He thought better of it, and Sung showed a ten for a pair of tens. We will never know what Sung would've done had Galfond moved all in - Sung only had around 1.77 million behind - but after the hand, Sung said he would've called.

Eight hands later, it was over. Galfond three-bet shoved with king-queen, Sung snap-called with jack-ten, and Sung flopped bottom two against Galfond's top pair. The turn and river were both bricks, and Sung was crowned the champion.

Congratulations are in order for Sung, a now two-time WSOP bracelet winner. We'd like to thank you for following the coverage of this event, and we hope to see you again for ongoing coverage through the Main Event. Good night from Vegas!

Hand #121: Phil Galfond raised to 200,000, Steve Sung three-bet, and Galfond folded.

Hand #122: Sung raised to 250,000, and Galfond folded.

Hand #123: Unknown action.

Hand #124: Sung raised to 225,000, Galfond called, and the flop fell    . Galfond checked, Sung immediately bet 250,000, and Galfond called. The turn was the  , Galfond checked again, and Sung flung out another 400,000. Galfond called.

The   completed the board, Galfond checked a third and final time, and Sung fired a third and final bullet worth 1.225 million. Galfond grimaced at the sight of the bet, then turned his attention to Sung. He finally called, then mucked when Sung showed    for a full house.

Hand #118: Steve Sung raised to 200,000 on the button, Phil Galfond defended, and the flop came    . Galfond check-called a bet, and the turn was the  . Galfond checked again, Sung fired out 600,000, and Galfond folded.

Hand #119: Galfond gave Sung a walk.

Hand #120: Sung raised to 250,000, Galfond called, and the flop fell    . Galfond checked, Sung continued for 300,000, and Galfond check-raised to 1,075,000. Sung called.

The turn was the  , Galfond tanked for two minutes before sliding out 1.25 million, and Sung clicked it back, min-raising to 2.5 million. Galfond asked for a count, Sung cut down his stacks to show that he had 1.775 million behind, and Galfond tanked for nearly seven minutes before folding.

Sung showed   .

Hand #110: Steve Sung raised to 200,000 on the button, Phil Galfond three-bet to 575,000, and Sung folded.

Hand #111: Galfond limped in, Sung raised, and Galfond called. The flop fell    , and Sung check-folded to a bet from Galfond.

Hand #112: Sung raised, and Galfond folded.

Hand #113: Galfond raised to 200,000, Sung three-bet, and Galfond folded.

Hand #114: Sung raised and won the pot.

Hand #115: Sung received a walk.

Hand #116: Sung won with a bet on the flop.

Hand #117: Galfond limped in, Sung raised to 400,000, Galfond re-raised to 1,050,000, and Sung called. The flop fell    , both players checked, and the turn brought the  . Sung checked, Galfond fired out 875,000, and Sung called.

The  , Sung quickly checked, and Galfond checked behind. Galfond showed    for a pair of sevens, winning the biggest pot of heads-up play.

Hand #105: Phil Galfond raised to 225,000, Steve Sung called, and the flop fell    . Sung checked, Galfond continued for 250,000, and Sung instantly check-raised to 700,000. Galfond tank-folded.

Hand #106: Galfond received a walk.

Hand #107: Galfond limped in on the button, Sung raised to 350,000, and Galfond folded.

Hand #108: The announcer opted to leave the table, and we caught up with the action on a board of     . Galfond led out for a bet, Sung called, and the river was the  . Galfond led out for 575,000, Sung called, and Galfond tabled    for two pair. Sung mucked.

Hand #109: Galfond raised to 225,000, Sung called, and the flop fell    . Both players checked, the turn was the  , and Sung stood up to fling forward 200,000. Galfond called. The   completed the board, Sung immediately bet 600,000, and Galfond snap-called. Galfond showed    for a rivered straight, and Sung mucked.

Hand #95: Steve Sung received a walk.

Hand #96: Sung raised to 250,000, Phil Galfond called, and Galfond check-folded to a bet on the flop.

Hand #97: Galfond raised on the button, and Sung folded.

Hand #98: Sung called on the button, Galfond raised to 350,000, and Sung called. The dealer spread    , Galfond checked, Sung fired out 450,000, and Galfond folded.

Hand #99: Galfond raised 225,000, Sung called, and the flop came    . Sung check-called a bet of 275,000, and Sung checked right before the   completed the board. Galfond checked behind, the   completed the board, and Sung checked a third time. Galfond checked behind, then mucked when Sung showed   .

Hand #100: Sung raised to 225,000, then immediately folded when Galfond put out a three-bet.

Hand #101: Sung received a walk.

Hand #102: Galfond received a walk.

Hand #103: Galfond raised to 225,000, Sung instantly three-bet to 600,000, and Galfond folded.

Hand #104: Sung called on the button, Galfond checked, and Galfond check-folded to a bet on a flop of    .

Hand #90: Steve Sung raised to 200,000 on the button, Phil Galfond called, and the flop fell    . Galfond checked, Sung fired out 300,000, and Galfond called. The turn was the  , both players checked, and the river was the  . The action went check-check, and Galfond won with    for a pair of jacks.

Hand #91: Galfond raised to 225,000, and won the pot.

Hand #92: Sung raised to 200,000, and Galfond folded.

Hand #93: Galfond called, Sung checked, and the flop fell    . Both players checked, Sung led out for 150,000, and Galfond folded.

Hand #94: Sung raised to 200,000, Galfond called, and the flop was    . Galfond checked, Sung tossed out another 200,000, and Galfond called. The turn was the  , Galfond checked again, and Sung tossed out five white T100,000 chips. Galfond called.

The   completed the board, Galfond instantly checked, Sung checked behind, and Galfond won with    for a pair of kings.

Hand #78: Steve Sung check-raised on the flop after calling a preflop raise. Phil Galfond called.

Hand #79: Sung had the button and raised to 170,000. Galfond called then checked when the flop fell    . Sung fired out 225,000, Galfond called, and the turn was the  . Galfond check-folded to a bet of 600,000.

Hand #80: Galfond raised to 175,000, and won the pot.

Hand #81: Sung raised to 160,000, Galfond called, and the dealer fanned    . Both players checked, and the turn was the  . Galfond checked, Sung bet 200,000, and Galfond folded.

Hand #82: Galfond raised to 175,000, and won the pot.

Hand #83: Galfond limped in on the button, Sung checked, and the flop came    . Sung check-folded to a bet of 105,000.

Hand #84: Sung raised to 160,000 on the button, Galfond defended, and then check-folded to a bet on a flop of    .

Hand #85: Galfond raised to 175,000, Sung called, and the flop came    . Sung check-called 225,000, the turn was the  , both players checked, and the   completed the board. The two checked again, and Sung won with    for two pair.

Hand #86: Sung raised to 160,000, winning the pot.

Hand #87: Galfond raised to 175,000, Sung called, and the dealer fanned    . Sung checked, Galfond continued for 225,000, and Sung folded.

Hand #88: Galfond received a walk.

Hand #89: Galfond limped in on the button, Sung checked, and the flop came    . The pair checked. The turn was the  , the two checked again, and the river was the  . Sung checked, Galfond flicked out 100,000, and Sung folded.