PokerStars kicked off the tournament series in style with the $100,000 Super High Roller. The action was intense and there were even two re-buys; one by businessman and Big Game regular Bill Perkins, the other by Team PokerStars Pro Jonathan Duhamel. It worked out for Duhamel because he ended up in the top five that cashed. He also ended up having an incredible PCA in general, but, more on that in a bit.

Team PokerStars Pro Daniel Negreanu and last year's Main Event champion Galen Hall also cashed this huge event. Heads-up play ended up being Dan Shak against Team PokerStars Pro Viktor 'Isuldir1' Blom. Blom shipped the first-place prize of $1,254,000. Prior to this win, Blom had never appeared in a video interview before. However, in light of this huge live victory, he finally spoke.

Blom really proved that he has a presence in the live tournament circuit. And I finally got a better glance at what it is like to grind online. PokerStars Team Online's Randy Lew set up a grind station right by the media row and proceeded to set a Guinness World Record. He played almost 24,000 hands in eight hours and made a profit. It was insane to watch. He NEVER stood up in the entire eight hours.

Of Course the Main Event attracted a huge field of 1,072 players. Like bees to honey, poker players love the PCA. The final table ended up with quite a few online players. But, the winner was day trader John Dibella.

Meanwhile Team PokerStars Pro Jonathan Duhamel was leading the way in the $25,000 dollar High Roller. He played five events and final tabled four of them! And he shipped one of the $5,000 side events. He ended up besting the incredible High Roller field to get heads-up with Russian player Leonid Bilokur. Bilokur took down the event. But it was definitely a profitable trip for the 2010 WSOP Main Event winner.

Needless to say, even though I didn't get too much time in the sun, I had a ball. I treasure the opportunity to spend some quality time with the best players in the world. Hopefully next year, I get to go to the party!

As the clock ticked over into 2012, the Team PokerStars family was making their final preparations for the trip. Randy "nanonoko" Lew had record-setting reasons to come to the Bahamas, and his preflight tweet went like this: "My flight for the #PCA is tonight! World Record here I come!" But more on that in a bit.

Excitement flooded our stream as players continued to make their way down to the lower latitudes. Victor Ramdin doesn't tweet all that often, but this event certainly qualifies as a special occasion. "I am about to leave home for my most fav events of the year @PCABAHAMAS," Ramdin told us. "This is where my RUN GOOD usually starts. Can't wait to get there!!"

A resident of South Florida, Jason Mercier was just one short flight away from the PCA. "Leaving for Bahamas tomorrow," he tweeted. "Was hoping it was going to be 75 and sunny. Unlikely tho ... 100k on thursday #gobigorgohome#2012mashfest."

Oh the hash tags. He wasn't the only player pessimistic about the weather, either. Eugene Katchalov tempered his PCA excitement with a climatic tag in his first tweet from Paradise Island. "Just arrived to Bahamas, will be here until the 15th. First event is the 100k on the 5th, time to defend the title. #WeatherSucksAgain."

Even though his hometown is thousands of miles to the frigid north, Pat Pezzin is no stranger to the sandy shores of Atlantis. "Cab driver asked "First time in the Bahamas?" Nope its my 12th time, & 7th PCA. Time to make it count." No complaints about the weather from Pezzin, either.

Super High Roller

Fortunately, the "sucky" weather that some feared was short lived, and the sunshine was plentiful for the duration of the festival. First up on the schedule was the $100,000 Super High Roller, and 32 entries put a huge prize pool up for grabs.

The night before, ElkY and Eugene Katchalov prepared for battle with some sushi and socializing. "2 weeks without Poker, it's time to stop the streak with the 100k SHR," ElkY tweeted. "Workout and healthy dinner @nobu with @eugenekatchalovdone! #ready."

Katchalov had to field hundreds of congratulations after winning the Bluff Player of the Year award, but his 2012 started in a six-figure hole after an early exit from the Super High Roller. He tweeted: "Couldn't get much going today in the 100k and busted towards the end of the day. Many more tournaments left but will be hard to get even lol".

Well, lol indeed. His dining partner, ElkY, came into the day optimistic: "#PCA let's do it again! I never cashed in a buy in >25k#timeforchanges but feel amazing about 2012 already !#regularityiskey."

Unfortunately though, he too was eliminated on Day 1 to leave himself $100,000 lighter in the pockets. "Card dead all day to bust AJ vs J8... #ragingtilt but I guess I'm due to run good in the one million $ for one drop now lol." It's going to be an expensive year.

Jonathan Duhamel could only last for a couple levels of Day 1 before we found this tweet in our stream: "100k Tourney,went up to 280k from 250k starting stack, then 170k, then 215k, but then lost a huge flip AK vs QQ...thinking about if I reload."

He did indeed take a rebuy -- a very expensive one -- so he was suddenly stuck $200,000 on the day. A few minutes later, he confirmed: "Ok ok Im back, same table same seat #iwantmymoneyback."

Things went well from then on for Duhamel, though, and his end-of-day tweet went like this: "Finished Day 1 of Super High Roller with 729k, avg is 444k, 18 players left! 5 will be paid."

Soon enough, the field was reduced to eight, and Duhamel managed to stick around long enough to earn a paycheck to get back in the black. "In the money now in the 100k Event at PCA, yeah that was a good rebuy," he told his followers.

Duhamel went on to finish fourth in the Super High Roller, but he recognized the good omen. "Lost a huuuuge flip to Viktor to finish 4th," he tweeted after busting. "Oh well good start to 2012 anyway, very happy with the way I played! Big year incoming."

Duhamel wasn't the only Team Pro at the final table. Daniel Negreanu finished as runner-up to Katchalov last year, and that result was on his mind as he took off for the Bahamas. "I'd take another second this year," he tweeted. Well, duh.

Despite some technology tilt, things went well on Day 1 for Kid Poker, and he finished the day with this tweet: "End day 1 of Super High Roller w 346k restart tmr at noon. Very happy with how I played. Blinds will be 3k-6k when we return." A day later, another promising update: "Final Table 8 left I have 1,230,000 resume 12pm EST. 1st place is 1.25 million and I want it. #DNegsgrind2012."

Negreanu worked his way into the money, but his run ended three spots shy of a repeat second-place finish. "Out in 5th my AK vs Blom's 88 lost the race." Fair enough, and Negreanu wasn't done playing poker for the day. "Jumping into the 5k PLO Turbo immediately. #DNegsgrind2012".

The Main Event

On Saturday, the $10,000 Main Event kicked off, and everybody had their sights set on the $2 million top prize. A few of them have never cashed a Main Event paycheck at Atlantis, and one of the surprise names on that list is Jason Mercier. Still, he was optimistic on his Day 1: "Table looks soft. Hoping this is my 1st time making day 2 in the pca main#fifthtimesthecharm". Duhamel was thinking along the same lines: "@JasonMercier thats my goal too, 0 for 3 in making day 2 at pca..#onestepatthetime". That hash tag thing is contagious.

Vanessa Selbst had no room for optimism in her early Main Event tweets. "Starting PCA day 1B at the feature table," she said, adding, "let's see if I can avoid bluffing off my chips!" She managed to double her starting stack up over 60,000 before her self-fulfilling prophecy sparked this follow-up tweet: "Lost a big one. Tried to run a huge bluff on some kid who just came to the table and didn't look like he wanted to fold. Silly me. 45k."

She wasn't the only one running bluffs, though, and Mercier would end up becoming a victim of his own foreshadowing, too. "Down to 16k," he tweeted early in the day. "Bluffed off bout half my stack. Woulda worked if he folded...#pleasedontcommentonthatstatementimonlykiddingaroundthanks."

#longesthashtagever.

The Team Pros would be whittled out of the field over the course of the grueling week, but one of them was still going strong with 25 players left. Barry Greenstein bagged up 106,000 chips after Day 1, though that shrunk to 102,000 after the second day. Things went well to start Day 3, though. "Early surge," he tweeted. "Won every hand I've played. Up to 180k. Average is 202k. We're just in the money with 160 left. 45BB."

He ended up mounting a big charge and cresting a half-million chips before things began to unravel toward the end of play. "Lost a two outer to Faraz when he hit an 8 on the river," he relayed. "64 left. Average is 505k. I have 360k. 36BB. Done for the day."

Greenstein struggled early on Day 4, too, tweeting his pessimism: "It's looking bleak. 45 left. Average is 715k. I have 120k. 8BB #PCA." The next tweet wasn't much cheerier: "I'm expecting to go out 38th. I think I've done that three times before in 10k events." He underestimated himself, but he would ultimately be unable to survive the fourth day. It was his elimination that reduced the field to three tables and ended play, and Greenstein was tweeting about it as he walked off the set. "Out 25th. Moved in from small blind with 10 7ss. Faraz called with A3o. I flopped a 7. He turned an Ace." #ggbarry.

Side Action

While the Main Event is everyone's dream title, the side action at the PCA has been equally intense. Nearly everyone who busted the Main went straight across the room to grab a new stack in a different event. As long as registration was still open, that is. After a disappointing Day 1 in the Main, ElkY got more bad news from the registration clerk. "Busting from PCA main event must be one of the worst day, and I run so bad I busted 10 mins after 5k late reg closed lol.#betterlucknextime."

Jason Mercier picked up his first cash of the new year by making the final table of the big $5,000 side event that drew 158 players. It was Duhamel who finally snapped off Mercier in a coin flip: "Out in 3rd. 44 < A9 vs duhamel. Good game and good luck to them heads up #ontothenextone."

Duhamel was the one doing the #mashing in that event, and we picked up the updates as things got serious: "3rd Final Table this week! 5th/8 in chips for now in the 5k Event#letsgoooo."

Soon, there were five players left, then four. Then Mercier fell, and it was heads-up for the win. More than a quarter-million dollars were up for grabs, and Duhamel did indeed snag the big prize. "Boom. Win it :-)"

Adrienne "talonchick" Rowsome knows her way around the felt and the Twitter machine, and she was fervently updating her deep run in the Omaha/Stud Hi-Lo event. Things were looking good as she bagged up the big stack after the first day, tweeting, "Chip leader (slight) headed into the last bit of #pca18 tomorrow. Seven players left, top 4 getting $$$." Within a few orbits, they were on the bubble, and she was still doing good work. "Five left and I coolered someone with my hidden 444," she said. "Up to 90k.#pca #bubbletime." And then, "Up to 124k on the bubble still....scoop-a-licious :)"

She was soon in the money in her first-ever PCA tournament, and at next glance, we saw her tweet, "Heads up!!!" The next tweet was the one we were waiting for, the self-explanatory, "I woooonnnnnnn #pca18."

Randy Lew Sets a World Record

Nobody played more hands of poker in the Imperial Ballroom than Randy "nanonoko" Lew. Staffers from Guinness World Records were on hand as Lew attempted to play more hands of online poker than anyone on record. "I'll be starting the World Record Attempt for most hands played in 8 hours while showing a profit soon!"

You can read much more about Lew's record-setting performance here on the PokerStarsBlog, and Lew took to Twitter again afterwards to spread some love.

"Thanks everyone for supporting me in setting a new Guinness World Record for poker! The support is what keeps me going so thank you again!"

Congratulations, Randy!

The former soldier, who was in the British Army for 23 years and served in Belfast, Armagh, the first Gulf War, Bosnia and the Falklands, was absolutely thrilled to be heading to the Bahamas. His total investment for his $15k trip was only 70 Frequent Player Points in a 10 FPP Mega-Path Round 1 Turbo rebuy tourney - just over a dollar's worth of buy-ins.

You might think that just getting to the PCA, accompanied by his wife Rita, would be enough for Steve, who now works as a heating engineer. But Steve managed to get even more value out of his 70 FPPs!! He worked his way through nearly four days of the tourney and managed to finish in 85th place, for $25,000.

At the time he qualified, Steve said: "I've never played anything as big as the PCA, WSOP, EPT etc. Poker is a hobby and I definitely couldn't afford to buy entries to these kind of tournaments. I'm absolutely delighted. I've always planned to play a big tourney and was going to play WSOP for my 50th birthday so this couldn't have come at a better time."

It was a final table perfect as a send-off for the 2012 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. There were no weak links, no one out of place, no anomalies in ability. Just eight great players in peak form meeting for one last day to decide the winner of the $25,000 High Roller.

As the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure was winding down around it; the last of the side events playing out, the cash games drying up and players packed and ready for flights home tomorrow, a glance through the line-up left little need to convince anyone that what we were going to get would be worth sticking around just a few hours longer for.

The High Roller final

There was chip leader Jason Koon, a bright talent with ambition in his soul; high roller extraordinaire Isaac Haxton with millions to his name; Team PokerStars Pro Jonathan Duhamel, in the form of his life; World Record holder Randy Lew, the short-stacked wonder; Michael Telker the young unknown; and Govert Metaal, the crafty veteran.

Team PokerStars Online's Randy Lew

But there was also Alex Bilokur, the poker-faced Ukrainian, who would quietly defy them all, taking down the high roller title, the trophy, Shamballa Jewels bracelet, everything; and that first prize of $1,134,930.

Bilokur wins

Bilokur outdid all expectation today to topple the seemingly unstoppable Duhamel. It's the first major title for Bilokur since he won a side event at EPT Germany in 2010. He has already shown flashes of talent and panache and today proved a worthy winner.

Bilokur mobbed

Bilokur moves his chips in

The heads-up session proved a tortuous struggle for supremacy. Duhamel started with a more than two-to-one chip lead which seemed like the prelude to his elevation to High Roller champion. But Bilokur doesn't look the type to throw in the towel. Instead he wound it tight and started flicking it at his opponent, taking small pots, then a big one, taking the advantage and pushing it home to win.

Heads-up at the final table

There's no denying though that the romantics were looking for a Duhamel double.
We may only be two weeks into the New Year but for Duhamel this can already go down as yet another career high. For the 24 year old, 2010 was his time. But with feet firmly on the ground, he made 2011 outstanding (see Deauville High Roller, London and Marrakech). Now 2012, just two weeks old, looks to be a continuation.

The in-form Jonathan Duhamel

First there was the $100,000 Super High Roller which started this year's PCA. Duhamel was eliminated from the event, but with the courage of his convictions quickly re-bought, going on to finish fourth to earn $313,600. A few days later he finished fifth in the $5,000 Turbo event for $17,990 (loose change for tips and gum) before going all the way in the $5,000 no-limit event, good for another $239,830.

Second placed Duhamel ends memorable PCA

Now he adds today's haul to that, making his earnings since Thursday last $1,205,370. If World Champions need vindication for their exploits Duhamel already had it.

It's also worth remembering the story behind Duhamel's arrival at the PCA. Just days before Christmas he was victim to a home invasion, being badly beaten and fearing for his life while money, and his prized World Series bracelet, was stolen. It was an event that put poker into trivial perspective, but poker may also have been a useful antidote. His recovery has been exemplary. His bracelet may be gone, but the talent that earns one is very much alive for all to see.

But today the plaudits are for Bilokur, who after hours of straight-faced concentration finally broke into a smile as his friends rushed the stage to congratulate him.

Duhamel heads-up

Bilokur heads-up

He had steered past some solid opposition; the likes of Koon, Haxton and Lew, eliminated across eight hours of play, all worthy of the highest accolades, and all would have been worthy winners of this, one of poker's most prestigious titles. The story of their day, and their departure, can be found in our live coverage page, as can their pay-outs.

Isaac Haxton

That brings the 2012 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure which now foregoes poker for a celebratory party to see the festivities off for another year. It proved as successful as it always was, appealing to the best nature of the game and to its best players, providing poker players, and fans, with the experience of a lifetime, one that we'll have another go at in 12 months from now.

Thanks to you everyone who has read the blog this week, for your support and your comments. The action stops here but starts again in two weeks when the European Poker Tour rolls into Deauville, France, for good food and temperatures that will suck the tan off your skin. It's going to be great.

The Atlantis Resort

Now we're going to try catch the last few minutes of the free bar, toasting another successful PCA.

For 2012, it's goodnight and goodbye from Paradise Island.

All photography copyright Neil Stoddart.

Those online warriors get to play each other over the internet any time of day or night, 365 days a year if they so wish. So surely they would enjoy some time away from their computers here in the Bahamas?

Apparently not.

When PokerStars added the Battleship event, a form of heads-up but using laptops placed back-to-back, it became an instant hit. So now, instead of playing each other the internet, they can play each other face-to-face, er, over the internet.

Battleship has been around for a few PCAs now, and today 12 players forked out the $2,000 (+$100) buy-in to play heads-up matches. After it was all said and done, Ole Schemion won through four rounds to take the event and $9,000. Jan Mueller was runner-up for $7,000.

That is except for Joseph Levy who has become a familiar face in the Imperial Ballroom, not to mention everyone's new friend.

He certainly doesn't look like the type to be enamored by poker. Tall and thin, with long white hair and a face that could tell some stories, Levi has spent his life travelling, looking for things in life to love rather than hate, an ideal that led him to find his wife and family, and also poker.

"I've loved playing poker for many years," said Levy, taking his spot in the bleachers. It marks the end of a unique experience for Levy who won his seat to the PCA as part of PokerStars' Tenth Anniversary celebrations in the "Class of 2001" freeroll; a fairly exclusive event.

"There were only 96 players registered and 12 of them didn't play," said Levy. "I didn't even know it was for the PCA."

"We were all talking about how we all had old names," said Levy, pointing out that there were no numbers, modern slang or bravado. Levy's user name on PokerStars is 'Trousers'.

Joseph Levy (in grey), aka 'Trousers'

Levy went on to win it, landing in the Bahamas as a PokerStars online veteran, but a high stakes rookie. He made it through the first day but found it rough going on Day 2, finally moving in with pocket queens, only to run into pocket kings.

"I was disappointed," said Levy, "but only for five minutes."

Levy's trip here had been far from certain. First he had to get a new passport, replacing the one that was about to expire. Then he had to arrange flights and the paperwork, hassle that would tempt some to just take the money.

But even after a short time talking to Levy you sense this isn't really his style; the spirit of adventure strong in this citizen of the world, who would probably point to his upbringing to explain why he sees the world as one big place to make friends.

It's not hard to understand why.

Levy's parents had moved to Israel after the war from Bulgaria, where as Jews they were among a lucky few to escape the horrors of deportation. Levy's father was Professor Morris Levy, who went on to become a pioneer of open-heart surgery, performing the first heart transplant ever in Israel.

His family's history is a sensitive subject, far removed from the comparatively trivial world of poker, although perhaps you could point to Wanderlust as being an ideal attribute for poker players.

So far though Levy gets all he needs from just watching.

"I've played ten years of poker. I'm not great. I'm still a Bronze Star," said Levy before beaming: "I was Silver last year."

For Levy poker means a place to play tournaments for a few dollars on PokerStars. Walking into his local card room in Blackpool, England, was also a way to integrate into his adopted country.

To some, Blackpool might seem an odd place to settle, but it was on the coast, it was affordable and had enough charm for Levy to call it home in 1997. It also had a local card room.

"I knew no one, but I played backgammon so I looked around for a place to play. Then a friend said there was more money in poker."

Levy would play low stakes tournaments in deserted casinos, the type where staff would have to scour the roulette tables for enough players to play.

"I loved the atmosphere, the people, the excitement," said Levy, an atmosphere magnified so powerfully here, making this unlikely trip the experience of a lifetime. "I play every week on PokerStars for the past ten years," said Levy. "I never play the Sunday Million - but I will now. I'll try to qualify for other events as well."

For now though it's back into the bleachers where Levy, usually chatting to someone nearby, can watch the finale to another great PCA. A first visit for this now familiar face but certainly not the last.

As it happens, the same books are favorites in my family. In fact I read one to my sons just before I left. Obviously, I was nearing the edge of sappiness and had to refocus on poker for one more day.

And so back into the fray of the $25,000 High Roller I went. I focused. I took notes. And before I knew it, I was realizing Jonathan Duhamel's surname shares the same number of syllables with the word "dinosaur."

Then this happened.

With all apologies to the wonderful Jane Yolen and Mark Teague, I give you...

How Does a Duhamel Run Like a God?

How does a Duhamel run like a god?
Does he bet like a fool and play really odd?

Does he get in behind, no matter the cost?
Does he pay no attention and cry that he's lost?

Does he spew from his stack until he goes bust?
Does he fold to sure bluffs from folks he mistrusts?

Does he weep like a child when he goes broke?
Does he say raise, then say he misspoke?

Does a Duhamel CHOKE?

Noooooo.....

A Duhamel smiles when things go his way,
And hides the sly grin when he's making a play.

He makes the steel wheel to stay in the tourney,
And makes Isaac Haxton call for gurney.

His main event fails, but he crushes the sides,
And when times get tough, the dude still abides.

To carry his winnings, he'll need a strong camel.
Very well played, young master Duhamel

Meanwhile, Marie Frick's eyes don't leave the man's forehead. Her hand is clutched tightly around the stub of the deck. Nothing on her body is moving until the man does something. She does all this knowing that just as soon as Mr. Thinker comes to a decision, she will be able to take a break from dealing. To look at her, you might wonder how she could remain so poised. It's all I can do to not call the clock on the guy from the rail. Finally, he mucks (tankers always fold, or so goes the axiom) and gets up to take his break. Frick pushes the pot, gathers the cards, and steps away from the table.

She's toned, that much is clear, but how much so is hard to tell under the standard issue dealer shirt.

"I work out eight times a week," she reveals when I ask.

I should be clear about this: I don't go around asking good-looking women about their workout habits. It's frowned upon by PCA managers (and, for what it's worth, a woman who answers to "Mrs. Willis" back home). Today, however, it's my job.

This morning, Frick won her age division (25-29 years old) in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5k race here in the Bahamas. She was part of a big crowd of people who got up at the crack of dawn this morning and ran from Nassau, over the bridge, and on to Paradise Island.

A personal note here: I do a fair bit of running myself, and since I've been at the PCA this year, I've run several times. One of those times was over the bridge and back. I'm happy to be alive to tell you that bridge is a steep one, and the fact that I didn't vomit over its side on the way back home is a testament to...well, the fact I didn't eat breakfast before I left, I guess. Point being, it's quite steep.

"I didn't think it was that bad," Frick says to me. Because, of course, Saturdays are the days the world has picked to make me feel old and decrepit. Fricks says the worst thing about her run this morning was the humidity.

That's the point I start asking her how serious she is about this whole running thing.

"Actually, I'm a kickboxer," she says.

As I take a step back, the Danish lady from Copenhagen explains that her eight weekly workouts are split evenly between kickboxing and running. She considers herself a kickboxer with a running hobby.

So, while everyone else in the Bahamas was sleeping off the rum drinks, while all the other dealers were massaging each other's necks and dreaming about getting through the last day of the PCA, Frick was strapping on her running shoes, winning her division in the 5k, and then getting cleaned up for an entire day of dealing. For fun.

"I had heard about it before," she explains. "I like running, and it was for a good cause."

Before long, the break is over and Frick is getting pushed to the next table. It's occurs to me to tell the players there to be careful, but decide against it. On this last tired day of the PCA, it might liven things up if somebody got kicked in the head by a 20-something kickboxer/runner/poker dealer.

There are 152 poker tables and 1,672 chairs in this room. There is a television stage, TV back stage area, tournament staff area and media row. Across every wall are PokerStars branding banners and TV screens for tournament clocks. There are hundreds of yards of rails and, for today at least, nine huge country flags that stand proudly next to the World Cup of Poker tournament area.

By 6am tomorrow, all this will be gone. It will be as if someone flicked a magic switch and the whole lot just disappeared.

Truth is, from the moment the last card is dealt tonight, and the last cheers of victory fade away towards the nearest bar, a small army of men and women get to work. Within hours, the TV set will be gone, the tables and chairs packed away, the branding dismantled.

Seeing the Imperial Ballroom empty after working the PCA for ten days is sobering; even for a PokerStars blogger. A year or so ago one of our absent-minded team came down the morning after the PCA had finished to try and find his jumper. Who would be daft enough to need a jumper in the Caribbean? I'm glad you asked. But I won't tell tales and reveal his name. Anyway, the point is his jumper was still in the Imperial Ballroom. It was resting on the back of an empty chair, the only piece of furniture left in an otherwise empty 50,000 square-foot ballroom.

So here's what will be happening while players are at the PokerStars party tonight, and no doubt scattered around various bars and clubs afterwards. For starters, everything in the Imperial must be gone by 6am tomorrow. Add to that the branding in the 'rotunda' and hallways, as well as back-office equipment, and the huge satellite truck that is beaming today's high roller webcast around the world.

Once loaded, there will be 60 pallets heaving with the guts of a world-class poker tournament. By tomorrow night all of those pallets will have been piled carefully into six crates and passed on to a freight handling agent here on the Bahamas. Then it will be shipped out by plane or boat to various worldwide locations for storage.

Before that, every single item will have been sorted, coded and added to a complicated-look inventory sheet. The reason for that, of course, is that when this whole circus comes back next year, it will be easier to unpack and set up. In fact, the brains behind events like this are already planning for 2013.

So spare a thought for the poor souls who will be breaking down the PCA long after most players and visitors are already headed home. At least the good news for them, according to my man with a clipboard, is that it is three times quicker to break down an event than it is to set it up.

When we left last night the final table area was a mass of dislodged chairs, empty drink cups and the debris of a memorable final table. Today it's back to being a spotless amphitheatre, beautifully lit, neat and orderly. No half empty bottles of Hennessy here.

The same goes for the players, neatly washed and pressed for the day ahead, with the reward at the end of it a first prize of $1,134,930 and a shot at making that party before the free bar closes. This is the last day of the PCA and most want to see it out in style.

Talking of style, Isaac Haxton looks like he always does, a bit like a rock star since he chopped his long hair, an act that doesn't seem to have had any Samson-like effect. Wearing sunglasses and a t-shirt, Haxton bends low to look at his cards, elbows on the table.

Isaac Haxton, with Leonid Bilokur on his left

A seat along is Leonid Bilokur, looking like a man who hasn't spoken a word all week. Randy Lew looks much the same. He tends to let his cards (or his clicking finger) do the talking but, here as the short stack, he may not have much left to say.

Next along is Jonathan Duhamel, sitting low against the oversized table. He looks ready to strike; ready to seal off an amazing PCA for the former world champion who has played five, cashed in four and (so far) won one.

Jonathan Duhamel

Nicolas Fierro looks like he's gradually easing into the afternoon, sipping from a can of sugar free Red Bull, given to him by his girlfriend on the rail, the camera following him at all times and zooming in when he gave her a kiss. Finding the whole scene a little absurd, he made his way back to his chair alongside Jason Koon in seat six.

Much like yesterday, Jason Koon looks full of energy, coiled ready to strike and win what would be his first major title. He's the chip leader and may be for a while yet.

Jason Koon

Next to Koon, Telker looks either tired, or like he's plotting something. Second shortest in chips, his options are limited but he doesn't look pressured by it. For that matter neither does Govert Metaal, third shortest in chips, in seat eight.

Metaal may be the veteran at the table but he's proved time and again an ability to compete successfully in high roller events, finishing fifth here last year after a patient, considered performance, which he looks set to repeat here.

"Cocktails to the feature table", says Robbie Thompson. Things are about to get interesting.

Indeed, we know that fact, and now many more, but we can't reveal the specifics, or we'll be fired, and maybe physically removed from the rom. This live coverage of the $25,000 High Roller really puts a crimp in how we work. There are gorillas all over this resort just ready to pounce on us for revealing the details of this final table before it's aired live.

And so we won't. We can't. We have families who expect us to come home tomorrow. And most of them expect us to come home with jobs and without broken legs. That's a challenge under normal conditions, but today it's even worse.

And so, we can tell you only this. One hundred forty-one people started this tournament. Seven of them started this tournament twice (re-entry tournaments are all the rage with the kids these days). These guys are left.

Leading them at the start of the day is Jason Koon with 1,646,000 chips.Within a few blinds of Koon is Team PokerStars Pro Jonathan Duhamel, with 1,530,000. They're joined by Team Online's Randy Lew, and some of the best high rollers in the world, Isaac Haxton, Nico Fierro, Govert Metaal, Leonid Bilokur, and Michael Telker.

Wait, was that an all-in? Can't tellya.

In around 40 minutes, you will begin to see live coverage here on this blog and on PokerStars.tv. Until then, we're mum. There are gorillas in the mist, and they are just looking for a reason to pound us.

Stick with us for semi-live coverage throughout the afternoon and a full wrap-up at night's end.

From a field of 75 runners yesterday, it has been a long road for these ten to reach Day 2. Today's contenders include Lauren Kling, who placed second in last year's event and is a serious player with several large cashes to her credit. She leads the pack today with a large stack, but Kathy Saraf is very close behind her, along with Claudia Csongei.

Kathy doubled her stack in a pivotal all-in hand against Vanessa Selbst when Vanessa flopped a straight and Kathy made a full-house on the turn. Csongei is a satellite player from Hungary who is playing in her first live tournament. Some notables in the field today include Alexis Gilbard, a poker commentator with several cashes to her name, and Bree Goldman. Another interesting player to note is Anne Marie Lachapelle, a micro limit qualifier whose biggest cash so far was for $150. She has played for fun for several years but never in a live tournament. She is currently nursing a small stack and holding her own.

Play resumes in less than an hour today and the final table will soon be set. There is much anticipation at this point, as the final table will include the unfortunate ninth place finisher who will finish on the bubble with no cash. Here are the pay-outs for those that make the money today:

1. $25,460
2. $16,010
3. $9,460
4. $6,910
5. $5,090
6. $3,640
7. $3,270
8. $2,910

"I'm overwhelmed. It feels so surreal, and I can't believe it's happening," he said. "I'm sure it will hit me tomorrow."

They aren't the words we normally hear from a PokerStars Caribbean Adventure champion. In the minds of almost every past PCA title-holder, it was only a matter of time before they had multi-million-dollar bankrolls. In other words, most of the previous champions here considered it their job to win. Dibella just considered it fun.

Dibella is a 43-year-old day trader from New York who likes to dabble in poker. Until today, his largest live cash was $16,000 at a previous PCA. Today, after a heads-up deal with professional Kyle Julius, Dibella won the 2012 main event title and $1,775,000.

Asked about how this compared to his normal work life, Dibella said, "I made more doing this, but I'm not going to call myself a professional."

Still, for the moment, he was the envy of the hundreds of professional players. Many of them had put up the $10,000 buy-in on their own. Dibella won a $1,000 live satellite. He turned it into one of poker's most coveted titles. Now, cameras were in his face. A microphone was at his mouth. Daniel Negreanu, one of the most famous poker players in the world, was waiting in the wings to talk to him.

With the interview over, Dibella allowed himself a moment some would call "amateur," but a lot of other people would call "human." Dibella turned to the live TV cameras and his family watching from home.

"Baby, I did it," he said into the lens. "I love you and the kids!"

It wasn't just another day at the office.

It was joy.

***

More than a week ago, this tournament began with 1,072 players. Today, eight sat down in a battle for the title. Almost all of them were pros. Some of them had major poker tournament final tables on their resumes. One of them was becoming a piece of PCA history. All of them had the $2 million first prize in their sights.

There are days you wake up and you can't lose. There are days you wake up and can't win. On one of the most important poker days of his life, Ruben Visser woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Though he started with more than four million chips, he was the first to leave the table with none. Bled down to half of his starting stack, he doubled up Mark Drover with an out-kicked ace, and then lost a race with pocket sixes to Kyle Julius' [ah][qd]. Bing, bang, boom, Visser was gone for $156,400.

Meanwhile, David Bernstein, a man who was able to qualify for this event just by virtue of a free PokerStars promotion, managed to hold on to seventh place. Selected at random just a couple of weeks ago from a pool of applicants, Bernstein's UKASH freeroll took him all the way to the final table. Today, short-stacked at 1.5 million million, Bernstein got it all in with pocket fours, but ran right into John Dibella's pocket aces. That situation almost never ends well, and this time was no exception. Nonetheless, Bernstein's seventh-place finish earned him $260,000. In the world of freerolls, that's a good result.

Of the eight people who made the final table today, only one of them had seen a PCA final before. Three years ago in 2009, Anthony Gregg finished runner up to Poorya Nazari for $1.7 million. Now 25 years old, Gregg is the only person in PCA history to make two final tables. Though he had a championship in mind and might have settled happily for another runner-up finish, Gregg's day ended in sixth place when he shoved his last fifteen big blinds into the middle with [as][ts] and Xuan Lui woke up in the blinds with [ad][qc]. With no help on board, Gregg was out in sixth for $364,000.

Mark Drover was the next to go. He had started the final table with barely more than a million chips, so making it as far as five-handed was an accomplishment in itself. That was where it ended however when he found [kh][js], shoved over Faraz Jaka's pocket sixes, got a call, and missed. For a $468,000 payday, he can't be disappointed. After all, he qualified for $700 in a PokerStars steps tourney.

To that point in the tournament, it seemed as if poker's indignities and fate's malevolence had decided to take a vacation during this final table. But that never happens, does it? There is always one great suckout that reminds us life isn't fair. In this case it came when Faraz Jaka got his pocket jacks up against John Dibella's pocket fours. There wasn't a person in the audience who didn't see the four before it had even hit the felt. Jaka couldn't find a jack on the turn and river, and Dibella doubled to more than 10 million.

Justice is a funny thing, though. Within ten minutes of having his jacks cracked by fours, Jaka came back and won nearly four million of his chips back from Dibella, cracking aces with [kd][qs] all-in pre-flop. It wasn't an even trade, but it was close enough for Jaka. And anyway, Jaka was on his way to sticking a fork in the dreams of all the people who hoped to see a woman win the PCA.

Xuan Liu went deeper in the PCA main event than any other woman in history. Last year, Ana Marquez placed tenth. After a dinner break at the PCA, Liu was poised to double up against Faraz Jaka when she got [ad][7d] all in against Jaka's [ah][6d]. Jaka flopped two pair, Liu never caught up, and she was gone. In addition to the female PCA record, she also earned $600,000.

If Jaka thought that victory would be a foundation on which he could build a championship run, he didn't think it for long. Only a few minutes passed before he got [kh][jd] all-in against Kyle Julius' [ad][ks]. The board ran out [7d][ac][ks][9h][8h]. It left Jaka hobbled at the table, and though he would double up once through Dibella, he eventually had to watch as Julius' [ks][tc] outran [as][js]. Just like that, the man who had been chip leader on three out of five nights of this tournament was gone in third place for $755,000.

With Jaka gone, it was business time. After a short break to discuss the specifics, Julius and Dibella decided to cut a deal. Their counts weren't dramatically different, so it was $1.5 million for each. They left $275,000 and the championship title on the table for the winner.

From there, Dibella opened up an early lead and never looked back. It finally ended when Julius raised to 825,000 with [9d][6s]. Dibella came along with [5c][6c]. On a flop of [ac][qh][3c], Dibella check-called Julius' 725,000. Both men checked the [8d] turn. When the [tc] hit on the river, Dibella led for a million. When Julius bluffed all-in, it was all over. Julius had to be content with his $1.5 million in cash.

That only left John Dibella--amateur, day trader, satellite winner, family man, and 2012 PCA champion--to hoist the trophy.

We hope you have enjoyed our expanded PCA coverage this year for the main event. Please join us back here tomorrow for live updates, features, and interviews from the final table of the $25,000 High Roller and the finale of the PokerStars World Cup of Poker.

Until then, once again let's offer big congratulations to John Dibella the 2012 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure main event champion.

Main event final table photography © Neil Stoddart

You shouldn't be reading this. At least not yet. No, it's not because we're breaking some 40 minute rule that embargoes the results of the high roller until the live stream has finished streaming. It's because we expected the 56 remaining returning players to take all night, playing down to eight. After all, last year they played into level 20 and had to stop for the night, exhausted and with 12 players left.

But poker doesn't always follow a schedule or a routine. Within half a level we'd lost seven players this afternoon. A level later seven more had gone. We were down to four tables soon enough but the steady flow of eliminated never ebbed, even when the tournament director, whose job it is to know these things, predicted it was going to clam up.

The high roller event in full swing

But it didn't, not even at the bubble, and tonight, with the clock striking 9.20pm, the last player of the day was eliminated, leaving a final eight, led by Jason Koon with 1,646,000 chips.

Finishing ahead: Jason Koon

Koon was swept into an early lead, sending various players to the rail to cement his advantage. The funny, always positive and courteous type, Koon impressed today without much stench of ego. It will be his biggest final table and he'll tackle it with aplomb.

Behind Koon by just 116,000 chips is Team PokerStars Pro Jonathan Duhamel, bagging up 1,530,000.

On course for title two: Jonathan Duhamel

To say Duhamel is having a stellar PCA would be a gross understatement. The Canadian has played five events at the PCA and reached the final table in four of them; that includes winning the $5,000 side event. He's playing like a man with something to prove, as some former World Champions do. If Duhamel needed vindication (he didn't) he has it now. He may as well go on and win the whole thing.

At the opposite end of the chip count table is Team PokerStars Online's Randy Lew. A World Record holder from earlier in the week, Lew arrived to play today as the short stack. Then his stack skyrocketed before easing off. Soon Lew was fighting a rear-guard all day and tomorrow will return as the short stack once more.

Randy Lew has them right where he wants them...

But before he's written off remember this: When Lew reached the final table in Macau in the last weekend in November (his first time playing on the APPT), he was also the short stack. If you're not familiar with how that turned out, Lew won it. Don't write him off just yet.

Ahead of Lew will be Michael Telker and Govert Metaal.

The Dutchman Metaal is something of a high roller specialist having finished fifth in this event 12 months ago.

Same again for Govert Metaal

Isaac Haxton, himself no slouch, will also return. A player of infinite talent who is unlikely to allow his stack, half the size of Koon's to be a hindrance.

In his natural environment: Isaac Haxton

Leonid Bilokur (quiet and stern looking) and Nicolas Fierro (quiet and thoughtful looking) complete the line-up, each with more than a million chips.

Learned: Leonid Bilokur

On fire: Nicolas Fierro

Here's how they'll line up:

Jason Koon -- 1,646,000
Jonathan Duhamel, Team PokerStars Pro -- 1,530,000
Nicolas Fierro -- 1,181,000
Leonid Bilokur -- 1,139,000
Isaac Haxton -- 762,000
Govert Metaal -- 545,000
Michael Telker -- 397,000
Randy Lew, Team PokerStars Online -- 197,000

A last word for the ninth-place finisher who brought the day to a close.

Nick Yunis had been one of the leaders as the likes of Barry Greenstein, Ville Wahlbeck, Jennifer Harman, Mike McDonald, Galen Hall and Elio Fox were eliminated, and should have been a welcome addition to the final.

A player passionate about his game, Yunis started the day as chip leader, lost the lead, then pulled most of it back to give the appearance of all being fine.

But, never afraid to take on the big stacks, Yunis clashed repeatedly with Jonathan Duhamel, using the determination you'd expect from a man who, after being eliminated from the high roller on day one, forced his way back in via satellite, before returning today as chip leader.

One last re-buy?: Nick Yunis

That resolve had not faded tonight when he took on Duhamel in a make-or-break pot, the type that can make a champion. Yunis grabbed it but Duhamel won it. The final table will be less interesting without him.

To find out the finer details of all that took place today, check out the links below. You can also find details of prize money on the relevant tabs on our live coverage page.

From 56 to 8 as high rollers return
The astonishing rise of Randy Lew
Who wants to be a millionaire?
Seats open here there and everywhere
Seeing is believing
Duhamel mauls Perkins and Wahlbeck on way to a million
Quiet bubble pop
The business end of the high roller event

It leaves one more day of play for the high roller and for the entire PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. Like the main event today, the final table of the High Roller event begins at 12 noon (we're told that it will be more likely 1pm) tomorrow, broadcast live on PokerStars.tv albeit with a 40-minute delay.

You've seen the line-up; you've seen what's at stake. Only a exceptional finale would do for such a noteworthy poker festival. These guys are unlikely to disappoint.

Meanwhile there's still more poker going on here with the World Cup of Poker, with Rick Dacey reporting, on the WCP VIII page. Just give yourself time to get to grips with the rules.

Until then, it's goodnight from Atlantis.

All photography © Joe Giron/www.joegironphotography.com

The winner of today's event will take home $25,460 and a trophy, along with memories to last a lifetime. For instance, there is the story about Johanna Nordberg and how she found herself here today. Her husband, pro Björn Nordberg wanted her to learn the game so he posted her entry fee for today's tournament as a Christmas present. Johanna had never played a live event before today and normally plays micro limit tournaments on PokerStars. She has played the game mainly for fun and has never been serious enough about it to learn the nuances of betting and strategy. But today changed all that. She got an in-depth training session sitting on the left of Erika Moutinho (29th place in the 2010 WSOP Ladies Event) and Fatima Moreira De Melo.

When we talked earlier today she was struggling and told me that she had had some really good hands but none of them were panning out. She joked that maybe some bad hands was what she needed. A little before the break, her chip stack had improved and she was still in holding her own against some of the toughest competition anywhere. She must have started getting some of those bad hands because she is one of the remaining 39 players still in at the dinner break. Some of the players who have exited today include Fatima Moriera De Melo, Liv Boeree, and Erika Moutinho.

And then there's the story of Liv Boeree's exit and the prop bet that ensued. She and Vanessa Rousso agreed to a last longer bet that guaranteed the loser would sing the Star Spangled Banner over the intercom system before the end of the PCA. Details to come on this. All I can tell you now is that Liv didn't look very happy when she was telling the media folks about it.

Play is now resuming after the dinner break and now seems to be a good time to announce the pay-outs for today's tournament.

1. $25,460
2. $16,010
3. $9,460
4. $6,910
5. $5,090
6. $3,640
7. $3,270
8. $2,910