James Dempsey Eliminated in 2nd Place ($301,790)
After being crippled the previous hand, James Dempsey got his last 200,000 in the middle with . Sam Farha didn't have much of a hand either. He called with . He and Dempsey awaited what just about everyone expected would be the end.
"That's not a good flop for me," said Farha. He made a pair of fours but Dempsey had all kinds of draws to improve. The turn was the .
"That's a good turn for me," said Farha. "A queen would be ok on the river."
The river wasn't a queen, but it was a third ten, . It took everyone crowded around the stage a moment to realize that both players had three tens, and the Farha's just barely out-pipped Dempsey's . Once Farha realized he had the best hand, he stood out of his chair, hands outstretched to each side of himself in victory.
Dempsey was crushed to have fought so long and so hard and to come up just a little bit short. But he should leave with head held high. 2nd place, and $301,790, is a great achievement.