Nick Binger and David Bach Battle for WSOP 2011 Title

Americans Nick Binger and David Bach will have to return this evening to complete their heads-up battle to give us a winner of the $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low Split-8 or Better event at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas.

Vegas-based Nick Binger and David Bach, of Athens in Georgia, enjoyed just over two-and-a-half hours of heads-up play before time was called at the end of the 28th level of event #57 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.

Californian’s Bryce Yockey went out in third place for $180,180, while Irish-born Phil ‘The Unabomber’ Laak – who is based in Vegas – finished in fourth for $133,377 and San Francisco’s Trevor Reader was eliminated in fifth place for $99,512.

That’s three days down of an event that attracted 352 starters to create a prize pool of $1,654,400, with the winner being assured of $397,073 and a gold bracelet while the runner-up will leave with $245,314.

Binger – who is aiming for his first WSOP title – holds 3,230,000 in chips compared to 2009 $50,000 Poker Players’ Championship winner Bach’s 2,055,000, so there could well be lots of play left in this match-up in the Pavilion Room of the Rio this evening.

Three crucial hands near the end of the night saw Binger initially lose ground on Bach before fighting back to hold the chip lead for tonight’s fourth day.

In the first, Bach – on the button – raised to 150,000 and was called by big blind Binger. Both checked an A♣ 9♠ Q♦ flop, with the 3c arriving on the turn. Binger bet 225,000, only for Bach to raise to 975,000. Binger folded to drop back to 1,475,000 in chips, while Bach held 3,805,000.

The second hand saw Bach limp in on the button and big blind Binger check. Both checked the K♦ 9♥ K♥ flop, although Binger bet 80,000 on the 3d turn. Bach called before the J♦ came on the river.

Binger fired in 250,000 and Bach snap-called, with the former showing K♣ 3♥ A♦ 7♣ to have a full house. Bach mucked his hole cards and Binger got back to 1,900,000 to be 1,480,000 behind.

The third hand witnessed Bach, on the button, raise to 180,000 to be called by big blind Binger. Binger check-called Bach’s 180,000 bet on the Q♦ K♦ K♥ flop, before both checked down the A♠ turn and Q♣ on the river. However, Binger showed Q♠ Q♥ K♣ 9♦ for quad queens to take a massive pot that put him on three million in chips – 720,000 ahead of Bach.

A few more hands were played, resulting in Binger moving slightly further ahead on 3,230,000, with Bach now down to 2,055,000.

It’s certainly all to play for this evening as both players eye up the big prize.

Final two with chip counts at the WSOP 2011 $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low Split-8 or Better event:

1. Nick Binger (USA) – 3,230,000

2. David Bach (USA) – 2,055,000

Place 3-10 and payouts from the WSOP 2011 $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low Split-8 or Better event:

3. Bryce Yockey (USA) – $180,180

4. Phil Laak (USA) – $133,377

5. Trevor Reader (USA) – $99,512

6. Peter Charalambous (UK) – $74,845

7. Nick Schulman (USA) – $56,729

8. Bjorn Verbakel (UK) – $43,328

9. Allen Kessler (USA) – $33,352

10. Brent Wheeler (USA) – $25,874