The Sweet Sixteen was full of former Main Event winners like Gold and Nguyen

The action is really heating up at Caesars and there is just one day to go before a new champion is determined.  The Elite Eight is set and there are four World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event winners, a guy everyone thinks won the Main Event, a “Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up, a Bluff Player of the Year and one of poker’s greats intent on erasing his bad NBC Heads-Up record of past years.

Still not sure who we are talking about?  Check out the recaps from all of the Round Three action below to see who advanced, who is out and who is facing off against whom tomorrow at 11AM PT:

Spades Bracket
Scotty Nguyen def. Gabe Kaplan
This was the longest of the early Round 3 matches thanks to an unexpected pause in the action so Nguyen could step out of the tournament area for a few minutes. The action quickly resumed though and the players battled back and forth seeing lots of flops before they got it all-in on an AK6 flop. Kaplan had the best of it with his AQ, while Nguyen showed A4. The 6 on the turn gave Nguyen a flush draw and the 7 on the river gave Nguyen a heart flush and continued his dramatic run in this event.

Jason Mercier def. Phil Laak
For the second match in a row a fortunate river helped to advance Bluff Player of the Year Jason Mercier to the next round. Mercier took the lead early in the match, lost it in the middle and regained a bunch of chips when he doubled through Laak holding AT to Laak’s KJ. Mercier had the best of it again the next time the duo got it all-in, holding 55 against Laak’s K2. The AK8 flop favored Laak and the 8 on the turn left Mercier drawing to just two outs to eliminate the Unabomber. It was Laak who moved Mercier’s five above and below the spot where the river card would fall and it was almost as if the move willed the 5 to come on the river to give Mercier the pot and the match.

Clubs Bracket
Erik Seidel def. Chris Moneymaker
Erik Seidel was 0-5 in NBC Heads-Up matches before 2010, but with his victory against Moneymaker he now improves to a 3-5 record. Seidel was short at first, but flopped a straight against Moneymaker’s top pair of kings to double up. After that, it was Moneymaker who was on the ropes and got it in a while later holding 8T to Seidel’s AQ. The board ran out 75337 and Seidel’s ace-high sent Moneymaker to the rail.

Peter Eastgate def. Jamie Gold
The bracket paired these two WSOP Main Event Champions against each other, ensuring there would be at least one less Main Event winner in the Elite Eight. Their match was over in a flash compared to the other tables, and it was no time at all before the two players got it all-in on a 975 flop. Eastgate had the best of it with Q-9, while Gold held Q7 for middle pair. The turn brought the 3 and the river the 6 to eliminate Gold and lock up the first seat in the Elite Eight for Eastgate.

Hearts Bracket
Dennis Phillips def. Eli Elezra
These two jovial fellows seemed to be enjoying themselves during the early stages of the match but Elezra soon found himself on a short stack. He pushed all-in with KQ, Phillips called with A9 and the board ran out 8227T. Phillips’ ace high held to eliminate Elezra and Phillips advanced to the fourth round.

Doyle Brunson def. Annette Obrestad
This feature table match is not the first time poker legend Brunson played heads-up against up and comer Annette Obrestad. The two took part in a promotional heads-up bout during the 2008 World Series of Europe (WSOPE). Brunson defeated the youngster 2-0 and extended his lifetime record against her to 3-0 with his win here. The two got it all-in on the turn with Obrestad holding an open-ended straight draw to Brunson’s top pair and the river bricked out to double Brunson up. Brunson finished Obrestad off a short while later when his A8 held up against Obrestad’s Q5.

Diamonds Bracket
Jerry Yang def. Barry Greenstein
Barry Greenstein just couldn’t get anything going against Jerry Yang and found himself down to his last 18,000 when he shoved in with 9T. Yang called with AQ and left Greenstein drawing to a jack after the KQQ flop. The turn brought the 5 and the river the 9 to eliminate Greenstein. Yang is one of four WSOP Main Event winners in the Elite Eight, joining Brunson, Eastgate and Nguyen.

Annie Duke def. Paul Wasicka
The final match of the third round proved to be a lengthy and compelling battle as each took their turns getting it in with the worst of it only to come from behind and win the hand. First, Wasicka got the best of Duke twice, then Duke’s A-10 ran out a straight on Wasicka’s pocket aces. On the final hand of play, Duke dealt the fatal blow to Wasicka when her 5-8 cracked his pocket jacks and she advanced to the Elite Eight as the only woman remaining in the field.

Round Four Pairings:
Erik Seidel vs. Peter Eastgate
Scotty Nguyen vs. Jason Mercier
Dennis Phillips vs. Doyle Brunson
Annie Duke vs. Jerry Yang

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