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The World Series of Poker Main Event final table got underway at 5 p.m. local time after a 103-day hiatus. The nine players were all ready, and after the shuffle up and deal by Poker Hall of Fame inductees Todd Brunson and Carlos Mortensen, the action was fierce.

After 97 hands of play at the first of 3 final table days, Qui Nguyen leads with a major stack of over 128 million, twice up to his nearest competitor. Fernando Pons, Jerry Wong, Griffin Benger and Kenny Hallaert all busted before play wrapped up for the day in advance of midnight.

Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds

Qui Nguyen	United States	128,625,000	129
Cliff Josephy	United States	63,850,000	64
Vojtěch Růžička	Czech Republic	62,250,000	62
Gordon Vayo	United States	58,200,000	58
Michael Ruane	United States	23,700,000	24

An Early Elimination

Play got underway with the next lineup and respective chip stacks:

Seat Player Country Chip Count

1	Griffin Benger	Canada	26,175,000
2	Vojtěch Růžička	Czech Republic	27,300,000
3	Fernando Pons	Spain	6,150,000
4	Qui Nguyen	United States	67,295,000
5	Cliff Josephy	United States	74,600,000
6	Michael Ruane	United States	31,600,000
7	Gordon Vayo	United States	49,375,000
8	Kenny Hallaert	Belgium	43,325,000
9	Jerry Wong	United States	10,175,000

With all guaranteed $1,000,000 and a first-place prize of $8,000,000 at stake, Nguyen wasted no time becoming concerned in pots, tangling with start-of-day chip leader Cliff Josephy through the first hand. Nguyen four-bet right away, forcing a fold by Josephy.

While the 2 big stacks did become involved within the action, most others waited while Pons, the quick stack, was holding on for dear life. Pons laid low for a couple of hands himself, pushing all in early just once - a shove that went unanswered.

Pons, despite seemingly as cool and picked up as ever, eventually busted within the 16th hand of play. Just after the blinds had gone up, Pons shoved all in from the button for 4,625,000, the equivalent of just about eight big blinds. The small blind folded but big blind Josephy made the call.

Pons showed and was in front against the of Josephy. The flop, however, turned things around in a big way and Pons was short of some help. The at the turn and at the river didn't improve the Spaniard and he made his exit in ninth place, good for $1,000,000.

It would take a little time before the following player hit the rail. With both Wong and Benger short, the play was dominated by the larger stacks. Eventually, after three hours of play, Wong got mixed up in a situation from which there has been no escaping. With a raise and a three-bet in front of him, he four-bet with . Vojtěch Růžička, the initial raiser, five-bet with the and action got back to Wong who called all in for only a little more. The board brought no help to Wong and he made his exit in eighth place, good for $1,100,076.

Another Short Stack Gone

Minutes later, the opposite short-stacked player hit the rail. Benger suffered a whole loss of good cards, winning just a single hand all the day before he made his exit in seventh place for $1,250,190. In his last hand, Gordon Vayo raised to 2.2 million and Benger moved all in for his last nine big blinds with ace-nine suited. Vayo called holding pocket tens, and while the flop brought a nine, that was the entire help Benger would get and he was off to the rail.

While the initial plan were to minimize to 6 players, ESPN and the WSOP decided to play on for a bit of longer to look if another player would bust.

With the blinds as much as 500,000 and 1,000,000, Hallaert was first to behave with ace-queen suited. He raised to 2.3 million and was soon facing a three-bet by Nguyen to 5.7 million. Action folded back to Hallaert and he shoved for just over 35 big blinds. Nguyen was quick to name as he held aces. While Hallaert did flop a queen to maintain some hope, the turn and river were blanks and Hallaert made his exit in sixth place, good for $1,464,258.

With Hallaert's bust out in sixth place, play ended for the night. The rest five players are guaranteed $1,935,288 and are available back Monday, Oct. 31. Play may be back underway at 4:30 p.m. with live coverage on ESPN2 starting at 5 p.m. One hour and 42 minutes remain in Level 38 (500,000/1,000,000 - 150,000-ante).

Position Player Country Prize

1			$8,005,310
2			$4,661,228
3			$3,453,035
4			$2,576,003
5			$1,935,288
6	Kenny Hallaert	Belgium	$1,464,258
7	Griffin Benger	Canada	$1,250,190
8	Jerry Wong	United States	$1,100,076
9	Fernando Pons	Spain	$1,000,000

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