Well, now it's time to go back.

If you live somewhere you can pick up ESPN, you'll be happy to know coverage of the $40,000 WSOP Anniversary tournament kicks off tonight. If you're a faithful reader (and if you're not, shame on you), you'll remember that PokerStars' own Greg Raymer and Isaac Haxton happened to be sitting at the final table of that event.

Now, we're all too aware that there are people out there who like to go in fresh. They avoid any internet coverage of the WSOP, stay as far from Vegas as they can, don't read Twitter, and lock themselves in a closet from June until late July. That's to say, we understand you don't want us to spoil this one for you.

If you'd like to read along as you watch tonight, we have full coverage. Pop along here, scroll down and enjoy.

Otherwise, just watch tonight and enjoy. Here's a preview from ESPN.

The two were locked for hours trying to determine who would collect the $1,891,012 first prize, but in the end Lunkin, who won the PokerStars RPT Moscow event only a few weeks ago, dealt the final blow when his aces held up against Haxton's flopped bottom pair and flush draw. Lunkin had bested 200 others, the world's top no-limit players among them, to grab the bracelet.

A litlle earlier his aces had been cracked when Haxton hit a five-outer on the river to regain the chip lead. But a double up soon after, then the winning aces hand, meant he took the crown - and his second WSOP bracelet to whoops of delight from his supporters on the rail.

Haxton, a renowned online and tournament player, had impressed with his play in this $40,000 buy-in event, staged in recognition of this being the 40th annual WSOP jamboree. He confirms his status even more, and will be a force to watch for the rest of the series.

The story tonight could have been so different, not just for Haxton, but also for Team PokerStars Pro Greg Raymer, who had been desperate to secure his second WSOP bracelet after winning the Main Event in 2004. The Fossilman came so close, but lost a huge all-in against Haxton - 5-5 v 9-9 - to send him tumbling to the rail, albeit with a $774,927 cash.

Team PokerStars Holland Pro Lex Veldhuis started the final table big in chips, but never got going, ending his day in seventh place for $277,940 when he walked his A-7 into Raymer's pocket kings.

Congratulations to Vitaly Lunkin on a superb performance.

All photos © Joe Giron, IMPDI

We introduced the chip at EPT Copenhagen - see its explanation here - and since then it has helped countless players around the world*.

But none could have been as high profile as this - Isaac Haxton was trailing heads up against Russia's Vitaly Lunkin and got all in on a board showing K-5-3-6.

Lunkin: [as][ad]
Haxton: [ks][10s]

Haxton was in a world of trouble and praying for his tournament life, needing another king or a ten.

"This would be an appropriate moment to use my one time," he said.

At that, all his supporters in the crowd started chanting: "One time, one time."

The PokerStars Blog One Time Chip did its magic, and a second ten landed on the river, shooting Haxton back into the heads-up lead.

The only downside of our chip is that he is not allowed to use the "One time" again for the rest of the event, according to our trademarked rules.

This heads-up battle is turning into a marathon, with the lead is chopping and changing all the time.

* Probably an exaggeration.

Stern went in fourth place for a $548,315 payout after getting on the wrong end of Haxton in two successive hands. First he open limped on the button and when Haxton - the short stack at the time - shoved, he called.

Stern: [5h][5c]
Haxton: [kc][7c]

The flop was [ac][6s][3c] opening up loads of doors for Haxton - and the turn of [9c] gave him the pot, doubling up to 6,530,000.

It left Stern perilously short on 1,450,000, and the next hand it was all over. This time Stern shoved with [qh][10c] and was called by Haxton with [as][kh]. No help for Stern and his tremendous run in the $40,000 no limit event was over.

That left the three survivors - Raymer, Haxton and Vitaly Lunkin - more or less neck-and-neck in chips:

Isaac Haxton, PokerStars player, 8,270,000
Greg Raymer, Team PokerStars Pro, 8,125,000
Vitaly Lunkin, 7,620,000

But then a monster, monster hand saw Haxton bust Raymer and take a huge chip lead over Russia's Lunkin. Raymer raised to 400,000 on the button, and Haxton re-raised to 1,250,000. Raymer was having none of it, and shoved for 8,105,000 in total. Haxton called.

Raymer: [5h][5d]
Haxton: [9d][9h]

The board ran out K-Q-10-3-3 and the Fossilman became extinct - signing his Fossil card protector as a souvenir for Haxton.

It had been a sensational run for Raymer, who came so close to picking up his second bracelet after winning the world championship back in 2004. While he'll be devastated to have got so close, his third place prize of $774,927 should go some way to dulling the pain.

Straight after being knocked out, he moved a few yards away to the Champions Invitational event where he had been blinded away, and promptly busted from there, too.

While three came back after a dinner break to re-fuel, Team PokerStars Pro Greg Raymer decided to play on... on the neighbouring Champions Invitational event, where he stayed for an orbit or two to keep his chip stack alive.

The Fossilman, who says he will sign and hand over his card-protector fossil to whoever knocks him out of the $40K (if anyone), currently holds the chip lead with 8,385,000, thanks in no small part to flopping a wheel against Daniel Stern. Raymer held [2d][5d] and was loving the [as][4c][3s] flop, more so when Stern called off his flop and river bets.

PokerStars player Haxton is the one currently with a bloody nose, bottom of the four players with 3,245,000. He lost a chunk when he raised Stern's limp and Lunkin's call to one million and had to fold to Vitaly Lunkin's all-in reply.

In fact, the only player of the four not to have got into any dramas so far today is Lunkin, a WSOP bracelet winner who also polished off the PokerStars RPT Moscow tournament a few weeks ago.

At the start of level 28 they're facing blinds of 80,000-160,000 (20,000), meaning it shouldn't be too long before someone receives a whopping right hook on the chin and is knocked out.

Chip stacks:
Greg Raymer, Team PokerStars Pro, 8,385,000
Vitaly Lunkin, 7,410,000
Daniel Stern, 4,975,000
Isaac Haxton, PokerStars player, 3,245,000

Haxton is no stranger to final tables: he finished runner up in the 2007 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure for $861,000, came second in the PokerStars EPT London high roller last year, and has three other WSOP final table cashes to his name. In his short career he has put together $1.4 million in tournament winnings - and if he holds on here for a few more hours he'll at least double that.

The hand against Bonomo was something of a cooler. Bonomo raised to 255,000 and Haxton disguised his pocket aces with a flat call from the small blind. Raymer came along from the big blind as well, and they saw a flop of [10d][9h][3h]. Haxton bet 300,000, Raymer got out of the way, and Bonomo moved all in for 2,775,000 with [jd][jc].

He got the bad news when Haxton insta called with the rockets, and nothing changed on the turn or river, sending Bonomo to the rail with the consolation of a $413,166 pay day.

*********

Congratulations to Team PokerStars Germany Pro Sebastian Ruthenberg, who just missed out on a final table when he busted in tenth place in the $1,500 Omaha Hi/Lo 8 or Better event, cashing $16,829.

This result takes his tournament winnings to over the $3 million mark, a fantastic achievement for the young pro, who won the PokerStars Barcelona EPT last September.

Veldhuis had found himself short for the first time since the 201 players first sat down on Thursday - and found what he thought was the right time push. Raymer had bet 200,000 and the Dutchman moved all in from the small blind for his last 1,265,000 with [ad][7d]. His timing could not have been worse - Raymer insta-called with [kd][ks]. The [jh][6c][2c][qc][10s] brought not surprises.

While Veldhuis finished in seventh, Alec Torelli busted soon after in sixth for $329,730, when his [ah][2h] was outgunned by PokerStars player Isaac Haxton's [as][10d], and remained so on the Q-J-8-Q-5 board. That sent Haxton up to around 4.6 million, in third spot behind Raymer and Russia's Vitaly Lunkin.

Since then, Haxton has picked up enough blinds and antes to take him to 5,200,000 - and then he and Raymer tangled in a pot that the New Yorker was lucky to chop, when his A-Q was up against Raymer's 7-8 on a board showing 9-7-7-9 - then the 9 on the river evened things up.

Latest chip counts, level 26, blinds 50,000-100,000 (10,000). Five players left:

Greg Raymer, Team PokerStars Pro, 7,740,000
Vitaly Lunkin, 5,660,000
Isaac Haxton, Pokerstars player, 5,200,000
Justin Bonomo, 4,865,000
Daniel Stern, 2,200,000
Alec Torelli, $329,730
Lex Veldhuis, Team PokerStars Holland Pro, $277,940
Noah Schwartz, $246,834
Ted Forrest, $230,317

Raymer had just lost a big pot when he doubled up Justin Bonomo, but then this happened: Haxton raised to 225,000 and Raymer made the call, putting on his trademark glasses. The flop came [9s][6h][5s], Haxton checked, then moved all for 2,560,000 when Raymer bet 400,000. Call...

Raymer: [6c][6d]
Haxton: [jh][jd]

The Fossilman was a mile ahead with a set of sixes, and needed to dodge one of two remaining jacks. The turn was [5h] and the river [kd], giving him a huge double up and the chip lead with 5.7 million. Haxton, who first learnt to play poker five years ago, slips down to 3,825,000.

Forrest busted in ninth for $230,317 when his [10h][jd] failed to overtake Noah Schwartz' [3s][3c] on a 9-K-2-8-4 board. Soon after, Schwartz himself busted for $246,834 when his [ah][kd] ran into Greg Raymer's pocket aces.

Chips in level 25, blinds 40,000-80,000 (10,000). Seven players left:

Greg Raymer, Team PokerStars Pro, 6,410,000
Vitaly Lunkin, 4,340,000
Justin Bonomo, 3,795,000
Isaac Haxton, Pokerstars player, 3,405,000
Daniel Stern, 3,115,000
Lex Veldhuis, Team PokerStars Holland Pro, 1,660,000
Alec Torelli, 1,555,000
Noah Schwartz, $246,834
Ted Forrest, $230,317

************

Past world champions are now gathering and being presented to the crowd for the start of the first Champions Invitational, playing a two-day freeroll for ultimate bragging rights, and a restored 1970 red Corvette. It's currently on display in the Rio - a fine machine, but one, I suspect, Greg Raymer, would have trouble being comfortable in.

Not that it's a major issue right now - he'll be blinded off in the Invitational while he continues the hunt for his second bracelet in the $40,000 event.

We're well represented in this star-studded event. Along with Raymer (2004), we have two other Team PokerStars Pro past world champions in Joe Hachem (2005) and Chris Moneymaker (2003), as well as Friend of PokerStars Tom McEvoy (1983).

The table is awash with talent. We have Team PokerStars Pros Greg Raymer, the 2004 Main Event champion now on his sixth WSOP final table, Lex Veldhuis, the Dutch player who wanted everyone to know "the Europeans are here", and PokerStars player Isaac Haxton, who came second at the PCA two year ago for $861,789. Haxton is a philosophy graduate from New York - who said poker was not a thinking man's game?

Raymer is clearly the crowd favourite - as the players were introduced by tournament director Jack Effel, it was the Fossilman who got by the far the biggest cheer. He's being backed by the general poker community, too, which sees a victory for him as being a another big step in cementing the reputation of the game.

That's not to take anything away from the other players, who all seem to have pockets of support in the stands. Veldhuis has some colorful and attractive backing in the shape of his girlfriend Evelyn Ng, and fellow Team PokerStars Pro Maridu Mayrinck from Brazil. The online star, who goes under the name of 'RaSZi' has banked more than $100,000 in live tournaments to date, but he'll be a far richer man by the end of today.

After shuffle up and deal the early stages have been tight - we did not see a flop for several orbits, although Daniel Stern moved all in to pick up the blinds and antes, starting today at 30,000-60,000 (5,000).

Here are the chip counts at the start of play, level 24:

Isaac Haxton, Pokerstars player, 5,820,000
Vitaly Lunkin, 4,565
Lex Veldhuis, Team PokerStars Holland Pro, 3,525,000
Greg Raymer, Team PokerStars Pro, 3,345,000
Alec Torelli, 2,755,000
Daniel Stern, 1,590,000
Justin Bonomo, 1,530,000
Noah Schwartz, 666,000
Ted Forrest, 425,000

*******

During all the excitement of the $40,000 final table, and the general madness of the $1,000 event, we'll be keeping a close watch on Team PokerStars Germany Pro Sebastian Ruthenberg, currently in the final 13 of the $1,500 Omaha Hi/Low 8 or Better and looking good for a final table place.

And what a day it will be for PokerStars. Two of the $40,000 event final tablists are Team PokerStars Pros: Greg Raymer, the 2004 WSOP Champion, and Lex 'RaSZi' Veldhuis, the online specialist from Holland. While Raymer will get all the attention, Veldhuis will be happy to remain under the radar, knowing that he's already guaranteed at least $230,317, by far the biggest payday of his live tournament career.

Veldhuis, apart from a blip that lasted no more than a level, was hovering around the chip lead all day, just as he had yesterday. At the start of play he told me: "It's going to be a good day," and that's exactly how it turned out.

He sits third in chips behind Isaac Haxton and Vitaly Lunkin, who won the PokerStars RPT event in Moscow just a few weeks ago. Right behind him is Raymer. He'll be having huge backing tomorrow - not just from the railbirds because he is a famous face, but from the poker community at large: Raymer winning a big event like this would be excellent for poker in terms of publicity.

The Fossilman won't let any of that expectation worry him though. He'll play his usual game, one that has served him so well over the years, and one that saw him not so much cruise through today, but certainly get through it without too many mini dramas. Even getting his aces cracked twice did not trouble him. His place on the final table means he'll likely have to miss the Tournament of Champions, due to begin two hours later, where all previous World Champions are invited to play in a freeroll to win a beautiful restored red Corvette.

When the final nine sit down for the 2pm start tomorrow, their chips stacks will look like this:

Isaac Haxton, 5,955,000
Vitaly Lunkin, 456,5000
Lex Veldhuis, Team PokerStars Holland Pro, 3,805,000
Greg Raymer, Team PokerStars Pro, 3,345,000
Alec Torelli, 2,340,000
Justin Bonomo, 1,685,000
Dani Stern, 1,300,000
Noah Schwartz, 660,000
Ted Forrest, 560,000

We'll also keep an eye on day 1B of the $1,000 No limit event, plus the final table of the $1,500 Omaha Hi/Low 8 or Better, where Team PokerStars Pro Andre Akkari is still going strong with about 50 players left.

All photos © Joe Giron, IMPDI

First he found two aces, raised to 90,000 and got a 250,000 push from Brian Townsend holding [as][qs]. The board ran out [ks][10h][9s][js][3d], sending the double up Townsend's way. Then, to rub salt into the Fossilman's wounds, Keith Lehr repeated the trick, this time pushing for 300,000 with [kc][9s] from the big blind. [3c][7d][ks] came on the flop, the [2d] on the turn... and the [9h] on the river. Ouch.

But Raymer is made of stern stuff, and still has 2.1 million with blinds at 20,000-40,000 (5,000) so is not in too bad a shape. And let's face it, he's been able to manouevre his way around these big events before.

With just 13 players left, the $40,000 no limit event is homing in on the final table - and Team PokerStars Holland Pro Lex Veldhuis is leading the chase with 5,200,000.

Top ten chip counts:

Lex Veldhuis, Team PokerStars Holland Pro, 5,200,000
Noah Schwartz, 2,950,000
Justin Bonomo, 2,700,000
Alec Torelli, 2,630,000
Greg Raymer, Team PokerStars Pro, 2,560,000
Ted Forrest, 1,740,000
Dani Stern. 1,700,000
Vitaly Lunkin, 1,450,000
Isaac Haxton, 1,150,000
Matthew Marafioti, 820,000

Into the second level today, and level 19 overall, the Dutchman is sitting fifth in chips with 1.8 million. It's one tough field, but our man is in good spirits.

"I am feeling really good," he said as he unbagged his mountain of chips for today's play. "I survived two of the toughest tables yesterday, so the good news is it can't be any worse today.

"I'm pretty sure I know how the people at my table today play, so that makes me feel more confident. It's going to be a good day."

Things got off to a rocky start, however, when he dropped a big pot against Tony G, who got all in with [10c][10s], called by Veldhuis with [kh][qc]. The low board meant Tony G doubled up to 880,000.

Team PokerStars Pro Greg Raymer is going about his business on the next table, and has already accounted for Andrew Robl. The Fossilman is up to 2 million - currently fifth in chips.

The early going saw us lose five of the shortstacks: Andrew Robl, Frank Kassela, David Chui, Neil Channing, and moments ago Andy Black

Top ten chip counts in level 19, blinds 12,000-24,000 (3,000). 18 players left:

Justin Bonomo, 3,100,000
Ted Forrest, 2,300,000
Alec Torelli, 2,240,000
Greg Raymer, Team PokerStars Pro, 2,000,000
David Baker, 1,970,000
Lex Veldhuis, Team PokerStars Holland Pro, 1,800,000
Isaac Haxton, 1,400,000
Noah Schwartz, 1,300,000
Brian Rast, 1,030,000
Matthew Marafioti, 850,000

Earlier today many in the poker community were willing on Chris Moneymaker - who started the day second in chips - reasoning a victory in this high-profile tournament would do wonders for the game's popularity among the masses. Yet it was not to be for the man from Tennessee, who busted shortly after the dinner break - first losing a huge coinflip with Tony G, and then soon after fatally running his pocket tens into Ted Forrest's kings. He walked away from the table in disgust - had he stayed for the flop the first card he would have seen was a ten... the second, a king.

With Moneymaker's demise, the general backing turned to Raymer - as a victory for him would also bring welcome publicity to the game seeing as he is a popular figure, an ambassador and more proof that poker must indeed need educated craft and not rely heavily on luck as so many detractors would have us believe. As play drew to a close tonight, Raymer was dancing merrily to the community's tune, fourth in chips on 2,287,000.

The bubble - an expensive one at that - burst just ten minutes before the end of play when Neil Chriss bust in 28th. Moments later, Team PokerStars Pro Vanessa Rousso went in 27th, picking up the first of the $71,858 prizes, another creditable result following her audacious victory in the EPT Monte Carlo €25,000 high roller event. Her day had been a tale of holding on, then securing two key double ups to carry her into the money, before falling in a classic race when her Q-Q fell to Keith Lehr's A-K, with the winning ace falling cruelly on the river.

Another Team Pro who looked capable of cashing was Humberto Brenes, but he, like Moneymaker, was to fall soon after dinner, when his A-7 failed to catch up with Raymer's 9-9.

Raymer has more PokerStars expertise for company near the top of the leaderboard, where online star Lex Veldhuis, a member of Team PokerStars Holland Pro, has been flirting with the chip lead for two days. The chip counts show he ended the night fifth in chips, with 2,103,000 - a good day's work for the Dutchman, who is looking here to secure his biggest live cash result to date.

But both Raymer and Veldhuis still have a mountain to climb to pick up the bracelet and the $1,891,012 first prize. With 23 players remaining, the top of the leaderboard tonight is Justin Bonomo on 2,678,000, just ahead of Ted Forrest, who had overslept on the dinner break and was half an late returning to his seat. How Moneymaker must wish he had napped for just a little longer.

We'll be back tomorrow for day three of the $40,000 event, plus day two of the $1,500 Omaha Hi-Low 8 or Better, and the start of event number four, the $1,000 no limit event which has already surpassed 5,000 registrations. Who was it who said poker had reached its peak?

Official overnight chip counts, end of day two. 23 players left:

Justin Bonomo, 2,678,000
Ted Forrest, 2,586,000
David Baker, 2,367,000
Greg Raymer, Team PokerStars Pro, 2,287,000
Lex Veldhuis, Team PokerStars Holland Pro, 2,103,000
Alec Torelli, 1,725,000
Keith Lehr, 1,257,000
Vitaly Lunkin, 1,166,000
Matthew Marafioti, 1,003,000
Brian Rast, 912,000
Suresh Doshi, 771,000
Daniel Stern, 762,000
Clark Hamagami, 691,000
Matthew Glantz, 671,000
Brian Townsend, 671,000
Noah Schwartz, 541,000
Isaac Haxton, 539,000
Tony G, 481,000
David Chui, 318,000
Neil Channing, 270,000
Andrew Black, 210,000
Frank Kassela, 167,000
Andrew Robl, 112,000

Heading the pack, and indeed the whole field, is 2004 WSOP Main Event champion Greg Raymer who, after spending the first few levels of the day treading water, has burst into life and now tops 1.6 million chips - the latest chunk of them coming from busting James "Mig.com" Mackey - when his [as][kc] remained ahead of [kc][qs].

Not far behind, and currently second in chips, is Team PokerStars Holland Pro Lex "RaSZi" Veldhuis, now on 1,250,000. He had been quiet for a level, then lost a pot to Sorel Mizzi sitting to his left, but since building a big stack yesterday he has never really looked back.

Then there is Chris Moneymaker, who won the WSOP the year before Raymer, still going strong on 730,000 and just outside the top ten. He had been nudging one million, but fell back a bit after doubling up Noah Schwartz when his 7-7 was no good against K-K. Moneymaker said he was now able to slow his game down when it mattered, and so far today he's making it work.

On top of these three, Vanessa Rousso is breathing new life into her tournament hopes. Down to 80,000 not so long ago, she's clawed her way back to just under 300,000. And then there's Humberto Brenes. while never actually looking like he was getting anything significant going today, he's actually quietly put together a 400,000 stack.

Top ten chip counts, level 16, blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000), 39 players left:

Greg Raymer, Team PokerStars Pro, 1,612,000
Lex Veldhuis, Team PokerStars Holland Pro, 1,250,000
Keith Lehr, 1,080,000
Matthew Marafioti, 1,080,000
Matthew Glantz, 1,058,000
Brian Townsend, 1,015,000
Justin Bonomo, 980,000
Ted Forrest, 915,000
Vitaly Lunkin, 915,000
Steve Zolotow, 845,000

Strassmann, a member of Team PokerStars Germany Pro, has built up $820,000 in tournament winnings in EPT and WSOP events, and was deep here, inside the last 50 players with the money looming at 27th. But Moneymaker is a man rejuvinated, and it would take something special to set him back.

As it was, the pair were locked in a pot with the board showing Q-6-4. Strassmann led out, and Moneymaker re-popped another 55,000. The German moved all in, insta call, and they were on their backs:

Moneymaker: [ks][kh]
Strassmann: [ac][qd]

Moneymaker waked away, not liking the option of watching the remaining two cards come from the deck. But the turn was a 9 and the river a K - and Moneymaker raked in another 200,000.

"You could'nt bear to watch, hey?" shouted a member of the nearby rail.

"No. If I watch bad things tend to happen," came the reply, as Moneymaker stacked up the goods.

Also happy right now are Greg Raymer and Vanessa Rousso. Raymer shot through the million mark by busting Huck Seed and then Chad Batista soon after. Seed pushed from the button once too often with [6c][7c]. Raymer pondered, then made the call with [kh][9d], which held up. "I had to call," said the Fossilman. "He'd been pushing with so many hands."

The 2004 WSOP champ then accounted for Batista. The pair saw a flop of [2d][3h][jd] and Batista pushed with [kd][7d] for the flush draw to Raymer's [8h][8c]. Nothing changed and Raymer moved up among the chip leaders.

Rousso, meanwhile, found the golden double up she'd been waiting for when her [ks][4h] overtook fellow short-stack Bruno Fotoussi's [ad][qc] - and then doubled again with 10-10 v A-K to take her to 360,000 on the dinner break.

When they come back, blinds will be 6,000-12,000 (1,000). With just 45 players left, the average stack is 548,000 - just 45 big blinds. Tournament staff say the plan is to play four more levels after dinner, or down to 18 players, whichever comes first.