Take a good look at the young gentleman in this photograph. This is Harrison Gimbel, who became the youngest ever PokerStars Caribbean Adventure winner in January. With victory came respect and admiration from the poker world. Oh, and the small matter of $2.2 million. That's a lot of money for a 19-year-old. His reaction at the time? "I feel like a rock star," he said.

Well, as you likely know by now the PCA, held at the luxurious Atlantis resort in The Bahamas, is a yearly affair and gives you the chance to follow in Gimbel's golden footsteps and make millions for yourself.

Even though the 2011 festival next January may seem far off, there are plenty of ways for you to win your seat on PokerStars right now. And already many of you have done just that.

Harrison Gimbel

You can find full details about how to bag your seat on the PokerStars PCA page, but here is a summary to start you on your way...

The PCA Mega Path
Put your FPPs (Frequent Player Points) to work by using them to enter Mega Path satellites to win your trip of a lifetime to The Bahamas. Starting from just 5 FPPs, you can make your way through the rounds until you get to Round 9, where there are PCA prize packages up for grabs. You can also buy-in directly to any round at any time.

To register, open the PokerStars lobby and click 'Events' >> 'PCA'.

So far more than seven million FPPs (yes, you read that right) have been used by PokerStars players on the Mega Path.

There's only a month left until the Round 9 on August 29, so start planning your assault now.

Weekly $700 satellites
These are running each Sunday at 6pm (ET) and offer a great way of securing your package (which includes Main Event entry, accommodation and more). Team PokerStars Pro Jude Ainsworth has won his seat this way already.

Step 6
Enter the special $2,000 + $100 Step 6 qualifiers (again click on Events >> PCA in the PokerStars lobby).

Other routes to Bahamas glory will be announced soon, so keep an eye on the PCA page for more announcements.

Good luck, and we look forward to welcoming you to The Bahamas!

Even in the world of poker, you don't earn half a million bucks without working for it. And when today's $25,000 High Roller event at the 2010 PCA wrapped, these players were deep into their 26th hour at the table. What began at 4pm on Monday ended at 8.45pm on Thursday - and William Reynolds, from Sioux City, Iowa, emerged the victor, having high-rolled his way to a $576,240 purse.

"It was the most roller coaster of a ride I've ever been on," Reynolds said. "It looked like I was going to be the final table bubble. On day one, I was down to 5,800 chips. From there I won a race and it was all up from there."

William Reynolds, 2010 PCA High Roller champion

Few would argue that Reynolds had worked the hardest, and this was an object lesson in shifting gears at precisely the right time. He was the shortest of all of the last nine who played a gruelling session late last night, but found impeccable moments to get his chips in and earn the double ups in the right spots. With chips, he was suitably on the attack, applying pressure and chipping up until he got it heads up with last year's runner up, Will Molson.

"I feel great," Reynolds said. "I can't count the amount of times I was all in. I was ready to be on the beach and up in my hotel room."

The heads up duel - predictably dubbed the "Battle of Wills" - started with the players almost even in chips, and it's difficult to discern where either of them made anything even approaching a mistake. There were the expected swings this way and that, but it just so happened that Reynolds's continual force gradually wore Molson down. They eventually got it all in pre-flop: Reynolds had [ad][10d] when Molson had [kc][8d]. The board was ace high and we were done.

Heads up play

It wasn't all about the Wills, of course, and when we started a little after noon, there were eight players at the plate.

Seat 1: Adolfo Vaeza, Uruguay - 790,000
Seat 2: William Reynolds, USA - 482,000
Seat 3: Michiel Brummelhuis, Holland - 394,000
Seat 4: Dimitry Stelmak, Russia - 150,000
Seat 5: Will Molson, Canada - 669,000
Seat 6: Tobias Reinkemeier, Germany - 1,072,000
Seat 7: Lisa Hamilton, USA - 440,000
Seat 8: Matt Marafioti, Canada - 236,000

Even with the blinds wound back to the start of level 21, Dmitry Stelmak was in possession of a micro stack, the kind that had to be moved in as soon as possible. In the event, it was the second hand of the day. With action folded to him on the button, he found [kh][10h] and shoved for 150,000. Tobias Reinkemeier, the chip leader, picked him off with [ah][10c], and after a blank board Stelmak was on his way back to his room before many stragglers had even left theirs.

Dmitry Stelmak, first out

Matt Marafioti assumed the role of short stack, a position to which he had grown accustomed through a long, patient grind on day three. And he showed no urgency to change his tactics on the final table either, refusing to be drawn into the small skirmishes that broke out between Reinkemeier, Adolfo Vaeza, Molson, and a very active Lisa Hamilton.

But Marafioti finally found pocket sevens at the same time Reynolds found [ah][ks]. They got it all in. Reynolds, who had managed to double up his own short stack on countless occasions the night before, continued flipping good. An ace on the turn skewered Marafioti, and he was sent back to the high stakes online cash games with $87,465, or a couple of buy ins at the nosebleeds.

Bad news for Matt Marafioti

It was around this point that we saw our first major pot between big stacks. Indeed, it couldn't have been bigger: Molson and Reinkemeier were the daddies at the time they got all their chips in the middle with big draws. Each of them was open ended on a [jc][8d][td] flop: Molson had [kh][qh] but Reinkemeier was favourite with [kd][9d], an added flush draw.

But why follow a straightforward script? The rivered [as] gave Molson a broadway straight and a huge double up. He vaulted close to two million in chips - the most he had had since about this time last year and that match up with ElkY.

Will Molson seeks help from above

The willingness of the big stacks to lock antlers encouraged those with smaller holdings to do the same. Michiel Brummelhuis and Lisa Hamilton got it all in -- aces for the Dutchman against pocket nines for Hamilton. When a nine flopped, it looked as though Brummelhuis was going to be marched directly to the bad beat exchange. But then an ace rivered to leave Hamilton contorted into a shape gymnasts call "The Rivered Two Outer".

Lisa Hamilton contorts at a rivered two outer

This hijinks didn't stop there, and we went straight back to the Molson v Reinkemeier show. After Brummelhuis opened from the button, Molson three bet from the small blind and Reinkemeier shoved for 446,000 from the big. Brummelhuis' involvement was over, but Molson thought about calling, then did just that. But his [ah][jh] never caught up with Reinkemeier's [ad][kd] and the balance seemed to shift in favour of the German again.

It was, however, a false dawn for Reinkemeier. He had gone from chip leader to the man most picked on in less than three hours - but he didn't seem the type to chip down to a silent demise. When it came to it, the only thing awry was his timing. Reynolds opened in early position and Reinkemeier shoved with pocket eights. Reynolds, though, was hiding pocket kings and the executioner's axe fell swift and clean. Reinkemeier was out in sixth, the first player to earn a six-figure pay-day.

Reinkemeier makes his way out

Reynolds was now comfortable, while Brummelhuis and, in particular, Hamilton were the short stacks. When you're in that position and find pocket jacks in the big blind, there's as good a reason as any to squeeze when the two chip leaders go raise (Reynolds, button) and call (Molson, small blind). Hamilton re-raised and couldn't fold when Molson set her all in.

But Molson's [ac][qh] plus a [qc] on the turn sent Hamilton to the cash cage on a promise of $133,770. It was Hamilton's second major cash in the past year and he champion of the WSOP ladies event is now the highest grossing woman player at the PCA.

Lisa Hamilton, out in fifth

Last night's titanic struggle to make nine players into eight was hardest on the Dutchman Brummelhuis. He was a dominating chip leader at the time they went down to that pseudo final table, but many of the short-stack double ups were at his personal cost. It meant that when he came to the final table, his natural game was also hindered, and although he clung on though escalating blinds for as long as seemed decent, he perished in fourth.

Having had their fun, the poker gods didn't torment Brummelhuis too much longer. When he shoved the last of his stack in with [qs][9h], Reynolds had found another big hand: aces. Call, flop, turn, river, out.

The last moments of Brummelhuis' tournament

Throughout all this ridiculousness, Vaeza had looked on like a man who knew his A-B-Cs but had landed in the land of 今日は, ждали and här i år slutspurten. He had gone on a spectacular surge on day three, and had been remarkably solid throughout. But by the time they were three-handed, he found his monster stack diminished. He was in shove/fold territory for a long while. Until suddenly he wasn't.

Adolfo Vaeza in happy times

The critical hand came when Vaeza called a Reynolds raise in the big blind and all the money was destined to go in. Reynolds had nailed top-pair, top-kicker, while Vaeza was open-ended. This time, the draw did not get there, and Vaeza replicated his third-placed finish from the High Roller event at EPT London. Taking into account currency fluctuations, his $218,150 here is pretty similar to the prize he took on the other side of the Atlantic. This guy is a High Roller specialist, and long may it continue.

The end of the road for Vaeza

So began the battle of Wills. The 22-year-old Molson, from Montreal, against the 21-year-old Reynolds from Sioux City, Iowa. This was a close to a coin flip as any ace-king pocket pair showdown: each of these can play - and play very well indeed.

This time, it was the American who prevailed. "The smile is from ear to ear," Reynolds said.

This tournament is detailed gust-by-gust at the following links:

Day 1 wrap
Day 2 wrap
Day 3 wrap
Final table player profiles
Levels 21 and 22 updates
Levels 23 and 24 updates

And the critically bored could pass a couple of hours by running the output of our
Swedish, German, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese/Brazilian blogs through an online translator and seeing how similar it is to its original version, which appeared here about ten minutes before.

And so there we have it for another year. The adventure is over. Harrison Gimbel's glorious triumph in the Main Event made him $2.2 million richer, and maybe next year we'll see him trying to prise the High Roller's trophy from the hands of Reynolds.

No doubt your A.C.E. reporting team of Stephen Bartley, Howard Swains, Alex Villegas, Brad Willis and Simon Young will be here to find out. And our peerless photographers Joe Giron and Neil Stoddart will likely be wielding their © signs over their terrific snaps this time next year too.

The EPT now moves on to Deauville in France next week, while the newly-commissioned NAPT train will chug towards the Venetian in Las Vegas next month. Then it's all the fun of the LAPT with a trip to Punta del Este in Uruguay. PokerStars Blog will have coverage of them all.

Thanks for reading this week and goodnight from the Bahamas. Here's where we turn into Kalik-battered conch.

The winner

Live updates from Day 4, levels 23 and 24 of the $25,000 High Roller brought to you by Stephen Bartley, Howard Swains, Brad Willis.
Click refresh to see the latest updates below. Click through to the chip count page for the chip counts, updated regularly throughout the day.

Previous coverage: Day 1 wrap | Day 2 wrap | Day 3 wrap Levels 21 and 22

Blinds:
Level 23: 15,000-30,000 (3,000 ante)
Level 24: 20,000-40,000 (4,000 ante)

4:14pm: New level, new chip counts
We've moved up to a new level. Here's some approximate chip counts.

Vaeza: 560,000
Reynolds: 1,150,000
Brummelhuis: 650,000
Molson: 1,350,000
Hamilton: 550,000

Will Molson

Live updates from Day 4, levels 23 and 24 of the $25,000 High Roller brought to you by Stephen Bartley, Howard Swains, Brad Willis.
Click refresh to see the latest updates below. Click through to the chip count page for the chip counts, updated regularly throughout the day.

Previous coverage: Day 1 wrap | Day 2 wrap | Day 3 wrap Levels 21 and 22

Blinds:
Level 23: 15,000-30,000 (3,000 ante)
Level 24: 20,000-40,000 (4,000 ante)
Level 25: 25,000-50,000 (5,000 ante)
Level 26: 30,000-60,000 (5,000 ante)

8:44pm: Reynolds wraps it up
And it is over. William Reynolds is the 2010 PCA High Roller champion. Will Molson moved all-in pre-flop and Reynolds snap-called. Molson held [kc][8d] to Reynolds [ad][td]. The board ran out [5h][7h][9s][jh][ac]. Molson wins $322,075 for second place. Reynolds picks up $576,240. A full wrap up of the day is coming up.

8.30pm: Approximate chip counts
William Reynolds -- 3,000,000
Will Molson -- 1,200,000

8:29pm: Reynolds gets it back
It some lightning-fire betting, Reynolds made it 125,000, Molson moved all-in, and Reynolds snap-called with [7s][7d]. Molson held [ah][3h]. The board gave Molson a wheel draw, but his out didn't hit and Reynolds is back to a 3-1 chip lead.

Molson in trouble

8.22pm: Blinds up
End of the level means new blinds as we creep into level 26. Blinds are now 30,000-60,000 with a 5,000 ante.

8.18pm: Approximate chip counts
That hand swings the advantage in Will Molson's favour:
Will Molson -- 2,400,000
William Reynolds -- 2,000,000

8:17pm: Molson doubles through Reynolds
William Reynolds came in for his standard 110,000 raise and Molson almost immediately shoved all-in. "Do you have a hand?" Reynolds asked. He didn't wait long before announcing call.

Molson: [as][9c]
Reynolds: [ad][8h]

The flop brough two nines, nearly sealing the deal for Molson. He faded the runners and doubled up to 2.4 million. He now has a slight chip lead over William Reynolds for the first time since heads up play began.

Reynolds sees what he's up against

8.10pm: All in
This is the first all in declaration of the heads-up duel. Reynolds raises to 110,000 and Molson shoves for 1,100,000 approx. Quick fold.

8.09pm: Approximate chip counts
William Reynolds -- 3,100,000
Will Molson -- 1,100,000

8:08pm: Nearly 3-1
William Reynolds came in for a raise to 110,000 and Will Molson called. The players checked the flop and turn on a [8d][2d][jc][as] board. On the [9s] river, Reynolds bet 170,000 and Molson called. Reynolds held pocket tens for the win. Reynolds now has Molson almost 3-1 in chips.

8pm: Two to Reynolds, no showdown
Molson completes Reynolds' big blind and they see a [4c][3s][2s] flop. Molson bets 75,000, which Reynolds calls, and they both check the [10s] turn. The river is [2d] and Reynolds bets 165,000, which is enough to get rid of Molson.

On the next hand, Reynolds raises pre-flop, making it 110,000, and Molson calls. The flop is [ac][ad][6c] and Molson check-calls Reynolds' 75,000 stab. They check the [qd] turn and on the [8c] river, Molson checks, Reynolds bets 285,000 and Molson folds.

Will Molson

7.52pm: Approximate chip counts
William Reynolds -- 2,700,000
Will Molson -- 1,500,000

7.49pm: Update
Some pre-flop betting and some pre-flop folding. That's your first ten minutes of play back from the break.

7.39pm: Cards in the air
We're back from the break, fed and watered. Blinds are still 25,000-50,000 with a 5,000 ante for the remaining 41 minutes of this level.

7pm: Pause in play
Players are taking a 30 minute break midway through the level to allow the TV crew to eat after a long shift. Chip counts are as follows:

William Reynolds -- 2,600,000
Will Molson -- 1,570,000

6:46pm: First hand at the new level
On a raise to 120,000 from Molson, Reynolds called. The flop [ks][qc][5h], Reynolds checked and Molson did the same. The [3d] came on the turn. Reynolds bet 185,000 and Molson folded. There are only 80 or so big blinds left at the final table. Thing is, the guys are pretty evenly matched, so the big bets aren't coming right now.

6.45pm: We play on
Time is called on this level. Players have already agreed to delayed the dinner break so will play on. Blinds now increase to 25,000-50,000 with a 5,000 ante as we enter level 25.

6.40pm: Check check
A hand gets checked down on a board of [7h][6h][8c][5s][jh]. Williams Reynolds shows [ts][4h] for a straight, taking the pot.

6:34pm: Reynolds stays ahead
Molson completed from the small blind and Reynolds checked. The flop came [4s][4d][9s]. Reynolds checked, Molson bet 65,000, and Reynolds called. The [7c] on the turn brought checks from both players. The [3c] came on the turn and Reynolds bet 135,000. He got the call and his [9h][7h] was good for the win.

William Reynolds

6:29pm: Well that was weird
There was no action at all on the [th][5d][8c][jc][js] board. At showdown the players turned up a pair of black nines and a pair of red nines.The chop makes us think we'll be here until sometime this Sunday.

6.25pm: Approximate chip counts
William Reynolds -- 2,400,000
Will Molson -- 2,000,000

6:16pm: Reynolds outkicked
Reynolds raised to 85,000 pre-flop and Molson made the call. When the flop came down [js][kh][3h], Molson checked and Reynolds checked behind. The [9d] on the turn drew a 115,000 bet from Molson. Reynolds called. The river brought the [jc]. Molson checked this time and Reynolds put out a 150,000 bet. Molson raised to 420,000 and Reynolds called. Both players had a jack, but Reynolds eight kicker was no good against Molson's queen.

6:09pm: First hands of heads up goes to
On the first hand of heads-up play, it was a raise to 110,000 from Molson and a call fromo Reynolds. Both players checked the [th][2d][4h] flop. On the [9h] turn, Reynolds led for 165,000 and Molson called. The river came the [Ah]. Both players checked and the [js][ts] for Reynolds was better than Molson's nine.

Will Molson (left) and William Reynolds

6.07pm: Play resumes
Handshakes and hugs and we're playing again with 35 minutes remaining on the level.

5.55pm: Heads-up chips counts
William Reynolds -- 2,455,000
Will Molson -- 1,747,000

Players are taking a ten minute break before we rejoin the Battle of the Wills.

5.50pm: Adolfo Vaeza out in third earning $218,150
William Reynolds made it 90,000 pre-flop and Adolfo Vaeza called. They went to a flop of [4d][6h][ad] and Reynolds fired 90,000. Vaeza moved all in over the top and it was an insta-call from Reynolds.

Reynolds: [as][ks]
Vaeza: [3c][5c]

So, it was top pair, top kicker for Reynolds and Vaeza needed to fill an open-ended straight draw to stay alive. He didn't. The turn was [jh] and the river [5s]. Vaeza departs in third, the second time he's finished in that spot in High Roller events.

Goodbye to Vaeza

5:34pm: Approximate chip counts
Will Molson -- 2 million
William Reynolds -- 1.5 million
Adolfo Vaeza -- 700,000

5.30pm: Michiel Brummelhuis out in fourth, earning $154,350
Michiel Brummelhuis shoved under the gun for his last 350,000-odd. William Reynolds had the easiest decision of his tournament so far: he had woken up in the big blind with [ac][ah]. Brummelhuis' [qs][9h] needed a lot of help - and the flop of [10s][6d][3c] wasn't it. The turn, though, was great for Brummelhuis: [jd] and he had picked up eight outs for the unlikely double through. However, the [7d] river quashed his chances and he was gone.

Michiel Brummelhuis resigns himself to fourth place

5.25pm: Blinds up
Will Molson wins a small pot at the end of the level. We move now into level 24 and 20,000-40,000 blinds with a 4,000 ante.

The final four

5:15: From the files of The Blue Lagoon
William Reynolds raised to 70,000 and sent Will Molson back to his think-tank. When Molson emerged, he made it 171,000 from the small blind. Back to Reynolds who folded. This hand went nowhere, but gave us an opportunity to look at Reynolds a little more. It's made us decide he might be related to Christopher Atkins, the man made famous by his appearance opposite Brooke Shields in the 1980 film "The Blue Lagoon."

5:10pm: Molson gives up
Will Molson raised to 77,000 and William Reynolds re-raised to 192,000 out of the small blind. Michiel Brummelhuis got out of the way in the big blind. Molson assumed this thinking pose, then mucked.

5.06pm: Brummelhuis shoves
Michiel Brummelhuis just moved all in on the button for 330,000. Will Molson folded the small blind, Adolfo Vaeza did the same with the big.

5:04pm: Blind check-raising the blind
William Reynolds called from the small blind and Michiel Brummelhuis checked his option to the [7d][4s] [9c] flop. Reynolds checked, Brummelhuis bet 40,000, and Reynolds called. On the [8c] turn, Reynolds checked again, Brummelhuis bet 95,000, and Reynolds almost immediately announced all-in, Brummelhuis insta-mucked.

4.50pm: Break-time chip counts

Will Molson - 1,483,000
William Reynolds - 1,199,000
Adolfo Vaeza - 1,026,000
Michiel Brummelhuis - 488,000

Will Molson

4.45pm: Adolfo Vaeza moves all-in
Will Molson raised to 80,000 from the small blind and Adolfo Vaeza called from the, for a flop of [8c][jc][ks]. Molson bet another 90,000 before Vaeza moved all-in for 427,000. Molson called showing [ac][3c] for a flush draw, against Vaeza's [kh][8h] two pair.
The turn gave Molson a flush but filled Vaeza up, coming [kc]. That was that. A [3h] on the river and Vaeza doubles up. Players are now taking a 15 minute break.

4:39pm: Between the blinds
A battle of the blinds between William Reynolds and Michiel Brummelhuis ends when Brummelhuis bets 36,000 on a checked board showing [qs][6s][ah][4d][3d]. He'd made it 36,000 which prompted Reynolds to fold.

4:36pm: Lisa Hamilton eliminated in fifth place earning $133,770
William Reynolds opened to 70,000 which Will Molson called in the small blind. Lisa Hamilton was in the big blind and raised another 110,000 on top. Reynolds folded but Molson announced all-in. Hamilton called showing [jc][js] while Molson turned over [qh][ac]. The board came [8c][4h][6c][qc][ks]. The turn was the killer for Hamilton, the card that sends the WSOP Ladies event bracelet winner out in fifth place.

Players bid farewell to Lisa Hamilton

4.20pm: Who knows
It's difficult to guess what anyone had here, but here's how the hand played out. William Reynolds made up Michiel Brummelhuis' blind and they saw a flop of [6d][3c][ad] and both checked. The turn was [ac] and Reynolds check-called Brummelhuis' 45,000 bet. The river was [5d] and Reynolds led at it for 132,000. The optimistic prediction that this was an ace-five versus [kd] [qd] cooler did not come true: Brummelhuis folded.

4:14pm: New level, new chip counts
We've moved up to a new level. Here's some approximate chip counts.

Vaeza: 560,000
Reynolds: 1,150,000
Brummelhuis: 650,000
Molson: 1,350,000
Hamilton: 550,000

Will Molson

Live updates from Day 4, levels 23 and 24 of the $25,000 High Roller brought to you by Stephen Bartley, Howard Swains, Brad Willis.
Click refresh to see the latest updates below. Click through to the chip count page for the chip counts, updated regularly throughout the day.

Previous coverage: Day 1 wrap | Day 2 wrap | Day 3 wrap Levels 21 and 22

Blinds:
Level 23: 15,000-30,000 (3,000 ante)
Level 24: 20,000-40,000 (4,000 ante)

4:14pm: New level, new chip counts
We've moved up to a new level. Here's some approximate chip counts.

Vaeza: 560,000
Reynolds: 1,150,000
Brummelhuis: 650,000
Molson: 1,350,000
Hamilton: 550,000

Will Molson

Live updates from Day 4, levels 21 and 22 of the $25,000 High Roller brought to you by Stephen Bartley, Howard Swains, Brad Willis.
Click refresh to see the latest updates below. Click through to the chip count page for the chip counts, updated regularly throughout the day.

Previous coverage: Day 1 wrap | Day 2 wrap | Day 3 wrap

Blinds:
Level 22: 12,000-24,000 (2,000 ante)

4.12pm: Level done
That was the last action of the level and we've smoothly moved into level 23.

4.10pm: Hamilton squeezes
William Reynolds started this one off, raising to 56,000 from the cut off. Michiel Brummelhuis called from the button. Will Molson folded his small blind, but Lisa Hamilton found the squeeze play in the big blind and made it 206,000 to go. No thanks, said Reynolds, and folded. Brummelhuis took longer, but did the very same thing.

4:02pm: From outside the curtain
The High Roller final table is the last thing that will be televised here from the 2010 PCA. It currently is playing out surrounded by a giant black curtain. There are a couple of small side events finishing up outside, and a few straggling cash games. This is just about the end of this year's PCA. Meanwhile, a few players have set up some sort of odd game remeniscent of the fabled Lime Tossing done at the WSOP and around the world. This version involves a red five dollar chip and some unused chairs. Anything for action.

3:53pm: Reinkemeier out in sixth, earning $108,045
Tobias Reinkemeier's miserable day is done. After losing all those chips to Will Molson, he couldn't play his aggressive three-betting game with such precision and he was forced to shove pre-flop. His timing was off. After William Reynolds raised to 56,000 from mid position, Reinkemeier shoved for about 450,000. Reynolds snap-called and showed [kh][kd]. Reinkemeier had [8h][8c]. Although we know not to expect anything to hold until the very last card is revealed, this time it did. The flop came [jd][4c][7h], the turn was [ac] and the river was [qh]. Reinkemeier was sent out and Reynolds has more than a million.

Tobias Reinkemeier makes his way to the door...

...pausing only to bid Lisa Hamilton goodbye. (His other opponents did not get a kiss.)

3:45pm: From the blinds
On a flop of [jc][jh][2h] William Reynolds and Michiel Brummelhuis engaged in a battle of the blinds. Renolds made it 46,000 from the small which Brummelhuis called for a [ac] turn. Reynolds now made it 102,000 which Brummelhuis called again for a [8h] river card. Check this time from Reynolds before Brummelhuis moved all in for roughly 300,000. Reynolds folded, showing [ad][2d]. Brummelhuis took the chips showing [ks][4c].

3:27pm: A battle of Wills
William Reynolds and Will Molson see a flop of [4h][qh][ah]. Both check for a [qd] turn. Reynolds made it 104,000 which Molson called. On the [kd] river Reynolds made it another 232,000 to play. Molson removed his sunglasses and rubbed his head. He folded, reluctantly, showing [ac][th].

One of the Wills (in this case, the chip leading Molson)

3:28pm: Molson from the button
Will Molson opened for 58,000 on the button which Lisa Hamilton called from the big blind. "Just the call?" asked Molson before the saw a [kc][4s][4d] flop. They each checked the flop for a [ts] turn. Hamilton bet 55,000, enough to force Molson to fold.

3:16pm: Hamilton all-in
William Reynolds opened for 57,000 from under the gun. The action reached short stack Lisa Hamilton on the small blind who moved all-in for around 220,000 more. Reynolds thought about it, opted to fold.

3:10pm: Back in action
We're in action and playing higher now. We'll be at 12,000-24,000 (2,000 ante) for the next hour.

Level 21: 10,000-20,000 (2,000 ante)

2.45pm: Reynolds raises Reinkemeier; on break
On the last hand of the level, William Reynolds raised to 46,000 from the cut off and Tobias Reinkemeier called from the big blind. The flop was [9h][jh][8d] and they both checked. But there was some trapping going on it seemed, because when the [9d] turned, Reinkemeier bet 65,000 and Reynolds raised to 160,000 total. Reinkemeier flicked them into the muck, and allowed everyone to drift off on a 20-minute break. Action resumes at 3.05pm.

2:38pm: Help Haiti
Despite the silliness we're spouting here, we can't help but take a moment to think of the suffering going on not too far from here in Haiti. As you no doubt have heard, thousands upon thousands are feared dead there after a massive earthquake a couple of days ago. PokerStars and its players are reaching out to help. If you'd like to learn more about how you can help aid the suffering in Haiti, please see PokerStars sets up Haiti earthquake appeal.

2:37pm: Molson order a Kalik
There are no rules that require a man to drink a beer that shares his name. Plus, Kalik is a pretty darned good beer, so no reason to begrudge Will Molson for drinking a Kalik right now.

2:33pm: Calling it
Tobias Reinkemeier bet, Adolfo Vaeza moved all in and Reinkemeier called. As simple as that. Reinkemeier showed [qs][qd] to Vaeza's [jc][7c].

Vaeza began asking for stuff. "Eight, nine, ten," he said the dealer, in that way that any desperate player does when the need help.

"Eight, nine, ten," he said again. The flop came [8c][9d][5c]. He'd just found a gutshot and a flush draw. Nothing from the [5d] but the [6c] on the river doubled up the Uruguayan.

Vaeza turned to the dealer. "I asked you for a ten!" he said.

Vaeza, calling it

2:29pm: Chip count update
Here are some rough estimates on the chip counts after that last hand.

Vaeza: 300,000
Reynolds: 500,000
Brummelhuis: 700,000
Molson: 1,300,000
Reinkemeier: 1,000,000
Hamilton: 400,000

2:25pm: Three bet, four bet, showdown
Michiel Brummelhuis raised to 47,000 from the button, Will Molson re-raised to 117,000 from the small blind, and Tobias Reinkemeier re-reaised all-in out of the big blind for 446,000 total. Brummelhuis got out of the way and left it to Molson to consider. He rubbed his hands together, took off his sunglasses, stared at his chips, laced his fingers, dropped his head to his hands, probably did some high-level math that we wouldn't understand, and then called.

Molson tanks

Here are the hands:

Molson: [ah][jh]
Reinkemeier: [ad][kd]

The board, [3h][3d][2d][6d][2c], gave the man from Germany the flush and the double-up.

2.16pm: No easy blind
Lisa Hamilton made it 51,000 from the button. Adolfo Vaeza announced all-in from the small blind and Hamilton passed.

2:09pm: From the blinds
William Reynolds opened for 51,000 with the action folded around to him in the small blind. Michiel Brummelhuis was in the big blind and called for a flop of [8s][ac][3c]. Reynolds then made it another 55,000 to play before Brummelhuis passed.

1:58pm: Ohhhhhh!, OOOOOOHHHHHHH!
And here's a hand that will definitely make the TV show.

Michiel Brummelhuis came in for a raise and Lisa Hamilton put him all in out of the big blind. Brummelhuis made the snap call with his aces. Hamilton only held pocket nines. The flop hit and "Ohhhhhhhhh!" there was the nine. With his tournament on the line, Brummelhuis needed one of the two remaining aces in the deck...and "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH!" there it was on the river.

Brummelhuis held 346,000 and doubled up.

Incidentally, if you have young children watching the EPT Live web cast, we're sorry about the profanity.

A high five for the re-suck

1:55pm: Molson not light
It started off as a straightforward small blind v big blind hand. Will Molson completed in the small blind but Tobias Reinkemeier topped it up with another 40,000 to play. Molson called for a flop of [jc][8d][td]. Molson checked before Reinkemeier bet 65,000. Molson paused. "Let's make it 180,000 total," he said, and pushed some chips in.
Reinkemeier then said he was all in. Molson called.

[kd][9d] for Reinkemeier, open ended straight draw, plus the flush draw, [kh][qh] for Molson, who was the at risk player, needing an ace or a nine. Both players shook hands.

Someone, probably more than one person actually, used the word sick, and we saw the turn.

The [th] changed nothing, except bring a chop possibility. But the [as] on the river gave Molson the straight, doubling him up.

Molson celebrates

1:48pm: Reynolds raising
Lisa Hamilton opened for 50,000 from the cut off. William Reynolds was in the small blind and raised to 106,000 total. "What you have left?" asked Hamilton. Something around 430,000 for Reynolds. Hamilton announced re-raised, getting an insta-fold in response.

1:47pm: Thief collared
Shortly after Matt Marafiotti's departure, Lisa Hamilton discovered her bottle of Fiji water had disappeared. She asked around, but couldn't figure out what happened. Well, scroll down to the photo a couple of posts back and you'll see what happened.

Since then, two admirers have brought her replacements. We're now going off to buy her a case of the stuff courtesy of the PokerStars Blog team.

1:46pm: All in, call, sweat, chop
Will Molson made it his customary 47,000 from early position and William Reynolds moved all in for about 380,000. Molson snap called and they exposed their near-identical hands. Molson: [ad][qs] Reynolds: [ac][qh] It was almost very, very cruel for Reynolds as the flop came all spades: [5s][js][2s]. That meant he had to fade another one on turn and river -- and did so successfully. They chopped it up.

1:45pm: Molson and Vaeza
Will Molson opened for 47,000 and was called by Adolfo Vaeza for a flop of [qc][js][7d]. Vaeza bet 55,000 which Molson called, then 100,000 on the [5h] turn card which Molson called, then another 100,000 on the [3s] river. Molson then moved all-in, steering his chips into the middle like a kid pushing a toy car. 415,000 in total. Vaeza took his time deciding but eventually folded.

1:32pm: Matt Marafioti eliminated in seventh place earning $87,465
The action was folded to Matt Marafioti who made it 45,000. William Reynolds moved all-in and Marafioti called showing [7s][7c] to Reynold's [ah][ks].
"It's the only hand I've had the entire day," said Marafioti as they waited for the board. [9c][4c][th], then the killer [ad] and the final [6s].

Matt Marafiotti, 7th place, $87,465, and comforted by Lisa Hamilton

1.15pm: Vaeza v Molson
Adolfo Vaeza limps from early position for the two hands in a row. On the first occasion, he attracts both blinds -- Tobias Reinkemeier and Lisa Hamilton -- to an all-heart flop and then bets out when it's checked to him. He wins. The second time isn't quite so successful: Will Molson, on the button, bumps it up to 67,000 and Vaeza folds.

The same two tangle on the next hand. Molson raised to 47,000 from the cut-off and Vaeza calls from the big blind. They both check the [jh][kd][3c] flop, but a bet from Molson on the [jc] turn takes it down.

1:14pm: Your final table
Here's what these folks look like.

1:05pm: Small skirmish in the blinds
Folded to Will Molson in the small blind, he opted to complete Tobias Reinkemeier's big. The German player checked his option and they saw a flop of [5h][kc][6s]. Molson checked, Reinkemeier bet 25,000, and Molson gave it up.

1:02pm: "I don't want to see it!"
Michiel Brummelhuis just got a walk in the big blind and went to muck his cards. His opponents encouraged him to look at what he held. "I don't want to see it!" he exclaimed. "It will tilt me if I had a big hand." He turned over the cards anyway to see a pocket pair of fours. It didn't tilt him, but we got the impression Brummelhuis would've liked a chance to play the pair.

1:01pm: Three to the flop
Three players saw a flop of [3s][9d][6s], paying the 41,000 that Will Molson asked them for when he'd raised pre-flop. Tobias Reinkemeier and Adolfo Vaeza had called and it was Vaeza betting, making it 50,000 to play. Molson passed but Reinkemeier fired back, making it 175,000 total, enough to take the lot.

12:52pm: Dmitry Stelmak eliminated in eighth place earning $66,885
The first all-in and the first elimination of the day. Short stack Dmitry Stelmak open shoved with [kh][th] for a little less than 150,000 and was called by Tobias Reinkemeier showing [ah][tc].

The flop came [ad][td][9d] giving everyone a little something, but on the [kc] Stelmak was left with just two outs. Neither came, a [jd] sending Stelmak to the rail.

Dmitry Stelmak, 8th place, $66,885



12:45pm: First blood to the lady
Lisa Hamilton takes the first pot of the final, making it 50,000 from under the gun and getting no takers.

12:42pm: Now we're playing
The final table players are now looking at their first cards. After unanimous consent from the players (and the sign-off from the tournament director, the table will now play 10,000-20,000 level for two hours before moving on to Level 22. The decision was made to offset the 4+ hours it took to get from nine players down to eight last night.

12:37pm: New specs
If you were following our reporting yesterday, you know that Michiel Brummelhuis broke his trademark sunglasses. Today he's shown up with a new pair that we, quite frankly, feel look much better on his face. We'll see if it does anything to his game.

12:20pm: Final table about to begin
After the ordinary TV set-up work, the final table is ready to begin. We have a table full of people set up and ready to report. Probably a few more minutes and we'll be underway.

Tobias Reinkemeier

After a titanic nine-handed struggle, lasting more than three hours, we eventually have our final eight to contest the 2010 PCA High Roller final table.

There are professional players from the online and live environments, plus High Rollers from the business world. It's a fascinating mix and will be an intriguing table.

Here are your contenders:

Seat 1: Adolfo Vaeza, 57, Montevideo, Uruguay - 790,000 chips

While most of the finalists spend all year traveling the poker circuit and/or grinding online, Adolfo Vaeza - who runs a construction company - has only ever traveled to three events. The twist is that he's made the final every time. He finished fourth in the High Roller event at the EPT stop in London last year, winning £141,000, and he came fifth in the €5,000 no limit hold 'em side event at the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo last season. That was worth €51,000. Now the 57-year-old father-of-four has done it again.

Seat 2: William Reynolds, 21, Sioux City, Iowa - 482,000 chips

William Reynolds has been playing poker since he was 16 and by the time he was 18 thought he might well be able to make a living at it. He decided to defer college for four months and see how poker worked out; after four months, he decided to take a year off; after a year, he decided to take off another year. He came to international attention when he came fourth at the EPT San Remo main event last season, winning €377,000. He also recently cashed in 13th place at the LAPT event in Playa Conchal, Costa Rica. Reynolds thrives online and has enjoyed good results - he won an event in 2007 for $205,000, came second in a $1,000 event on PokerStars in November in 2008 for $60,000 and fourth in the 2009 $5,000 SCOOP pot limit Omaha event for $87,000. He said: "This is a really prestigious event and it's awesome to be part of a field where you know everyone is very talented."

Seat 3: Michiel 'utreg' Brummelhuis, 26, Amsterdam, Netherlands - 394,000 chips

Michiel Brummelhuis started playing small limit hold 'em games online and grinded his way up to playing poker professionally. His success in cash games translated into tournament poker and he is now one of the biggest winners in Holland. His biggest online cash was $144,000 for winning the $1,000 WCOOP second chance tournament on PokerStars and $101,000 in another big Sunday tournament. He has also been successful in live events: his best result so far was winning the €1,000 freezeout at the Master Classics of Poker, earning €68,310. Brummelhuis also made the final of the 2009 WSOP $10,000 limit hold 'em event, finishing in seventh place.

Seat 4: Dimitry Stelmak, 24, Moscow, Russia - 150,000 chips

Dimitry Stelmak is a full time poker professional from Moscow who come to the PCA with a group of friends from Russia. Before playing poker, he was studying mathematics and science at the University of Moscow. His favorite poker game is pot limit Omaha high. He started playing five years ago online and four years ago went to his first live tournament. His best live result so far was last year when he chopped a $3,000 event at the Bellagio Cup, winning $104,095. He has also won a side event on the Russian Poker Tour, a $2,000 event with a 100 players. Last September he cashed at EPT Barcelona, coming 38th for €20,000. He also came 14th in a €2,000 side event.

Seat 5: Will "molswi47" Molson, 22, Montreal - 669,000 chips

Will Molson, a 22-year-old student from Montreal, clearly enjoys high rolling in the Bahamas. Last year, he finished second to Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier in this same $25,000 buy in event, earning $228,000. Since then, Molson has cashed at EPT London while taking a year out from college to travel and play poker. Molson goes into the final with 669,000 chips, a remarkable turnaround since the end of day two, when he had the fewest (60,000) of the remaining 24 players. He plays at PokerStars under the moniker "molswi47" and is a regular around the high stakes cash tables.

Seat 6: Tobias 'pokernoob999' Reinkemeier, 22, Germany - 1,072,000 chips

Tobias Reinkemeier has been having a highly successful time here at the PCA, where he has already recorded his biggest live cash to date ($52,000) for 46th place in the Main Event. Reinkemeier is widely considered in the German poker community to be one the country's best tournament players. He has played numerous EPT events and cashed in all three he has played this season, including 11th place at EPT London for £28,000. He has total live tournament winnings of $360,000. He also earned $168,750 for winning a $1,500 SCOOP heads-up event this year. Originally from Cuxhaven in Germany, Reinkemeier moved to Malta 18 months ago.

Seat 7: Lisa Hamilton, 38, Las Vegas, USA - 440,000 chips

Well-known as a high stakes live cash game player, Lisa Hamilton had never played a major live tournament until the World Series last year. However her decision to take part in the $1,000 ladies event paid off in emphatic fashion when she bested the 1,060-strong field to take the first place prize of $195,390. Despite this success, all her decisions to play live events still seem to be made on a whim - she only came to the PCA at the insistence of her good friend, the Team PokerStars Pro Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier. Originally from Honolulu in Hawaii, Hamilton moved to Las Vegas in 2005. As well as playing poker, Hamilton also spends time helping out with her family's clothing retail business.

Seat 8: Matt "ADZ124" Marafioti, 21, Toronto, Canada - 236,000 chips

Matt Marafioti is another player who has already made the money at this year's PCA - finishing 26th in the $1,500 no limit hold 'em freezeout on Sunday for $3,570. That is peanuts compared with the guaranteed $66,885 he'll win for making the final of the High Roller event. Although best known as a high stakes online cash game pro, Marafioti is now getting great results in live events and has cashed in the most recent four out of five that he's played. Last summer, he came 12th, winning $172,120, in the $40,000 anniversary event at the World Series and in July was runner-up to Christian Harder at the $5,000 Bellagio Cup in Las Vegas, winning $165,985. His total live tournament earnings now top $600,000. Marafioti is a SuperNova Elite on PokerStars and had so many Frequent Player Points he was recently able to trade them in for an Aston Martin. He almost got blinded out at the start of the High Roller event as he was still playing in the $5,000 event on the other side of the Imperial Ballroom.

There is nothing trivial about a $25,000 poker tournament. It is, by definition, big.

The size notwithstanding (we're told size doesn't matter, and we choose to believe it), there are several points of trivia worth noting about the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure High Roller tournament.

For instance, two women entered this field. Two women made the final table of nine. One made it to tomorrow's televised final fight.

Another: the biggest stack coming into Day 3 (Dario Minieri) didn't even finish in the money. The smallest stack coming into Day 3 (Will Molson) made the final table in third.

Can you take one more? How about this? On Day 2 it took around four hours to get from 52 players down to 24. Today it took us the around same amount of time to drop from nine players...to eight.

When that finally happened, we had the best trivia of all. High Roller chip leader Tobias Reinkemeier is already guaranteed more money in this event than he has ever won in a live poker tournament. Before now, his biggest live tourney cash was a $52,000...and that was in the PCA Main Event just a few days ago.

"I feel really really great. I've had so many deep cashes - 11th in London, 23rd in Barcelona, 46th here in the main event - but no final table," he said. "Now I've made it. It's an amazing feeling, especially as I am going in to the final as chip leader, with a big buy-in and a field so strong."

Midway through Day 2 of the 2010 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure High Roller event, Team PokerStars Pro Greg Raymer half-joked he would only have an edge on the field if he could get four or five-handed and be up against players who would be affected by the amount of money on the line. Then he looked around at the remaining players and realized that among this field the money really wasn't that big of a deal.

The buy-in should've been a clue. There are few poker tournaments in the world in which the seat alone costs $25,000. What's more, an event like this is awash with high stakes cash players, WSOP champions, and pros who spend their days thinking in terms of millions rather than thousands. Matters of finance hardly concern these folks.

And yet, as we head into the final table, there is a first prize of more than half a million dollars at stake and the remaining eight players will not rest until their chips are gone or their pockets are further bulging.

Here are the final eight:

Tobias Reinkemeier (Germany) 1,072,000
Adolfo Vaeza (Uruguay) 790,000
Will Molson (Canada) 669,000
William Reynolds (USA) 482,000
Lisa Hamilton (USA) 440,000
Michiel Brummelhuis (Netherlands) 394,000
Matt Marafioti (Canada) 236,000
Dmitry Stelmak (Russia) 150,000

If you have a keen eye (and read from the top down), you'll no doubt note that we almost had a final table made up of 25% women. Instead, Team PokerStars Pro Sandra Naujoks was the ninth place finisher, leaving 2009 WSOP Ladies Event champion Lisa Hamilton to battle some of the toughest players in the world.

Sanda Naujoks, Team PokerStars Pro Germany, 9th place

While the biggest paydays are still to come, there were some financial victories to report from Day 3. Raymer himself took 13th place for a tidy $46,305. Fellow WSOP champ Joe Cada finished two spots better for $51,540. Meanwhile, Carter Phillips, Isaac Baron, Shawn Buchanan, James Calderaro all finished among the PCA High Roller winners.

Greg Raymer gives an autographed fossil bounty

Cada accepts his fate

Now we are left with eight folks who are free to go to their rooms and roll around in piles of cash for the next 12 hours. After that, they are due back here under the TV lights to play for the title. We'd try to handicap the field for you, but for the fact that this game is crazy. And frankly, we can't tell spades from clubs anymore.

For now, you can check out the PCA High Roller chip counts, PCA High Roller winners, or any of the links below for our coverage from Day 3.

Angling for the final
Levels 12 and 13
Levels 14 and 15
Levels 16 and 17
Levels 18 and 19
Levels 20 and 21

Want to read it all in a different language? We've got that, too.

Swedish, German, Italian, Spanish and our Brazilian's Portuguese.

Thanks to our top photographers Joe Giron and Neil Stoddart who hold the © to all the photos you see here.

Now, because we neither have $25,000 in our pockets or a chance to win half a million tomorrow, we're off to check and see if we have enough of our per diem to share a cold one.

See you at noon ET Thursday.

Live updates from Day 3, levels 20 and 21 of the $25,000 High Roller brought to you by Howard Swains, Brad Willis, and Simon Young.
Click refresh to see the latest updates below. Click through to the chip count page for the chip counts, updated regularly throughout the day.

Previous coverage: Day 1 wrap | Levels 8 & 9 | Levels 10 & 11 | Levels 12 and 13 | Levels 14 and 15 | Levels 16 and 17 | Levels 18 and 19

Blinds:
Level 20: 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

Sandra Naujoks busted, final table set
Team PokerStars Pro Sandra Naujoks has busted in ninth place, meaning we now have our eight players to return to tomorrow's final table.

Tobias Reinkemeier had made it 45,000, and Naujoks moved all in for 267,000.

Sandra Naujoks moves all in

Reinkemeier called with a "well, I have to call" shrug, and the cards were turned over.

Naujoks: [as][9c]
Reinkemeier: [js][jd]

Naujoks needed a lot of help, and despite the [9s][kh][5c] flop offering her a couple more outs, the [3d] turn and [5d] river failed to hit any of them. She leaves with $56,955.

Sandra Naujoks makes her way out

We'll have a full wrap of today's marathon in a short while.

11:10pm: Race ends in...everyone still playing
Tobias Reinkenmeier came in for a raise to 45,000 and William Reynolds pushed all-in from the big blind for 234,000 total. Reinkemeier called in a shot. It was pocket eights for Reynolds versus Reinkenmeier's big slick. The ace-king missed five times and William Reynolds doubled.

11.05pm: Still here?
I'm not sure I am. The action continues, with stacks evening out again. Reynolds is still the man under most pressure, and Vaeza and Reinkemeier are at and around the chip lead of 800,000.

10.45pm: Another double up for Reynolds
Just when we thought this was all over, it wasn't. It was folded around to short-stacked William Reynolds on the small blind who moved all in for around 110,000. Michiel Brummelhuis called.

Reynolds: [ah][7d]
Brummelhuis: [qs][9d]

The flop was [4h][qh][5h], shooting Brummelhuis in to the lead. But then, like a dagger through the bloggers' hearts, the turn was [3h] filling up Reynolds' nut flush. The river was [jh].

We go on. And on.

Another double up for William Reynolds

10.35pm: Leader
This is our chip leader heading into level 21.

Adolfo Vaeza

Here are the counts:

1 Adolfo Vaeza - 811,000
2 Sandra Naujoks - 299,000
3 William Reynolds - 148,000
4 Michiel Brummelhuis - 582,000
5 Dmitry Stelmark - 279,000
6 Will Molson - 588,000
7 Tobias Reinkemeier - 750,000
8 Lisa Hamilton - 484,000
9 Matt Marafioti - 262,000

10.20pm: Reynolds back from the brink. Again
We've never been closer to a resolution, but William Reynolds has just doubled up to stay in the game. He shoved from the small blind with less than 100,000 remaining and Michiel Brummelhuis called from the big blind. "I've got an ace," said Reynolds, and showed [ac][3h]. "I've got a king," said Brummelhuis and showed [ks][4c]. The flop had Reynolds mentally packing his bag: it came [5h][kh][3d], putting Brummelhuis into the lead. The turn was [2d] which now gave Reynolds some more outs and the [3s] on the river was one of them.

William Reynolds doubles up through Michiel Brummelhuis

On we go.

10.15pm: One more for Hamilton
Tobias Reinkemeier makes it 40,000 and Lisa Hamilton calls. On the [5d][qd][kd] flop, Reinkemeier makes it 56,000, but Hamilton moves all in. Insta muck from the German.

10.05pm: It's going to be on my watch, isn't it
Something's got to give here, but as yet nothing is. Tobias Reinkemeier is doing what he's supposed to and raising a lot of pots, usually to 42,000. But the short stacks, particularly Lisa Hamilton, are doing their bidding too and shoving all in to make him fold. So we go on, and what was once an energetic relay of PokerStars Blog writers is becoming less enthusiastic. "It's going to be on my watch, isn't it," hinted a colleague earlier as he assumed the post beside the table.

Will Molson, Tobias Reinkemeier and Lisa Hamilton

9.45pm: Vaeza's takes a nice one
Adolfo Vaeza opens for 32,000, Dmitry Stelmak calls, as does Lisa Hamilton from the big blind. On the [5h][qh][6d] flop Hamilton checks, Vaeza makes it 40,000 and only Hamilton calls. On the [2s] turn Hamilton checks, Vaeza makes it 50,000 and Hamilton re-raises for another 80,000 on top. Vaeza moves all in and that sends Hamilton in to the tank. Eventually she folds and is now down to around 240,000. Vaeza is up to 790,000.

9:35pm: Level up, still going
It's been two hours and 45 minutes since Alex Brenes busted in tenth place. That's all we're saying. The laws of poker dictate, somebody has to bust eventually. It probably will not be chip leader Tobias Reinkenmeier.

Live updates from Day 3, levels 18 and 19 of the $25,000 High Roller brought to you by Howard Swains, Brad Willis, and Simon Young.
Click refresh to see the latest updates below. Click through to the chip count page for the chip counts, updated regularly throughout the day.

Previous coverage: Day 1 wrap | Levels 8 & 9 | Levels 10 & 11 | Levels 12 and 13

Blinds:
Level 18: 6,000-12,000 (1,000 ante)
Level 19: 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

9:31pm: Is this it? No.
And so you can tell, we've not been leaving the final nine much in the last half an hour, due entirely to the fact the bubble has not burst. For the past ten minutes or so, we thought that just might happen. It began when Tobias Reikenmeier uncharacteristically limped from the button into a pot. Matt Marafioti checked his option in the big blind. By the time they reached the river, the board read [js][[td][4d][2d][ks] and Marafioti bet 25,000. Reikenmeier put him all-in. Marafiotti slammed his remaining chips on the table in front of him and pretty much told the table he was holding deuce-four for the turned two pair. The clock ticked into the next level as Marafiotti talked himself through the hand. Finally, he folded and showed deuce-four. Reikenmeier did not show. We're now up to the next level

9.07pm: Naujoks v Brummelhuis
Sandra Naujoks makes it 35,000 from the button, and Michiel Brummelhuis calls from the big blind. On the [6d][5s][10s] flop Brummelhuis counts out 40,200 and moves it over the line. Naujoks wastes no time moving all in - and Brummelhuis is even quicker to fold.

9pm: Chip leader aggression
There was a chance we were looking at the end of the day - and the end of Dmitry Stelmak's tournament. But it wasn't either of those things. William Reynolds came in for a raise to 27,000 in the cut off and Michiel Brummelhuis called on the button. Stelmak squeezed from the small blind, making it 106,000 and Reynolds quickly folded. Brummelhuis was not so easily edged out and he now made it 300,000, which is more than Stelmak has in his stack. The Russian thought and thought and thought, checking clock, stacks, cards, etc., and ruefully shaking his head. Eventually he folded to fight another day, but he's now among the shorties.

8.38pm: Molson doubles
Will Molson doubles through Sandra Naujoks, who had called his 28,000 pre-flop bet. On the [6h][qd][jd] flop, Naujoks checked, Molson bet 42,000, Naujoks moved all in, and Molson called.

Molson: [as][qs]
Naujoks: [10h][jh]

The [5d] turn and [4d] river kept things the same. Molson was all in for a total of 281,000 and now moves up to more than 550,000.

8:30pm: Brummelhuis broken
Oh, no, he still has all his chips. No worries there. But upon return from his break, Brummelhuis's spirit was broken. The reason? Well, the Dutchman wears a pair of blue-framed fashionably-questionable sunglasses just about everywhere he goes. Minutes ago, those sunglasses broke and Brummelhuis's mood went with them.

"I'll probably bubble," he said.

"I think you should just leave," William Reynolds said.

The TD offered duct tape, but Brummelhuis just shook his head. This could end in tears.

810pm: Counts

The chip counts at the break are as follows:

1 Adolfo Vaeza - 496,000
2 Sandra Naujoks - 468,000
3 William Reynolds - 349,000
4 Michiel Brummelhuis - 860,000
5 Dmitry Stelmark - 433,000
6 Will Molson - 336,000
7 Tobias Reinkemeier - 711,000
8 Lisa Hamilton - 325,000
9 Matt Marafioti - 162,000

8.07pm: Level up
It's the end of another level and the players are taking a 15-minute break.

8.05pm: Hamilton doubles
Lisa Hamilton doubles through Tobias Reinkemeier. He had bet $25,000, she moved all for a total of $162,000, and after a dwell the German called.

Hamilton: [ac][qs]
Reinkemeier: [ah][10h]

The board ran safe for Hamilton, coming [js][jd][3c][2c][6d].

Tobias Reinkeimer and Lisa Hamilton

7.55pm: Still nine
We're so near but yet so far. The two short stacks, Matt Marafioti and Lisa Hamilton, are doing what they're supposed to do: shove and either double up or bust, but no one is taking them on. We're creeping towards the moment that a dinner break had been scheduled, although it seems likely they'll play until we lose one more.

7.25pm: Reynolds again!
It's another William Reynolds double up. This time it's folded around to him in the small blind and he shoves - insta call from chip leader Michiel Brummelhuis in the big blind.

Brummelhuis: [10d][10c]
Reynolds: [ah][qd]

The board ran [kh][5s][4d][3s][qc], so the dealer left it until the river to save Reynolds' neck.

William Reynolds celebrates doubling up to stay alive

7.20pm: Short stack double up
William Reynolds made his obligatory all in shove pre-flop, and feared the worst when Lisa Hamilton snap called. She had [qh][qc] and Reynolds comforted himself with the knowledge that: "I have an overcard." He showed [kh][js] and that overcard was good on a flop of [9h][kc][4h]. The turn and river were [jd] and [5c] and he doubles up, leaving Hamilton now in trouble on around about 100,000.

7.10pm: Redraw
Here's how they shape up as we wait to lose one more player:

1 Adolfo Vaeza
2 Sandra Naujoks, Team PokerStars Pro
3 William Reynolds
4 Michiel Brummelhuis
5 Dmitry Stelmark
6 Will Molson
7 Tobias Reinkemeier
8 Lisa Hamilton
9 Matt Marafioti

7.05pm: Brenes busted in tenth
Alex Brenes has busted in tenth, defending his big blind in customary fashion. It was folded around to Tobias Reinkemeier in the small blind who made it 32,000. Brenes announced he was all in, and after a count it was 126,000 more. He called.

Reinkemeier: [ad][9s]
Brenes: [kd][6h]

The board ran [6s][as][9c][9h][6d] - an emphatic full house for the German, and Brenes was out, receiving $56,995.

7pm: Return
We're back with nine players, and William Reynolds is a micro-stack.

William Reynolds