Bodog Beat

Bodog poker pro Jean Robert Bellande finished second in Event No. 53 at the 2008 WSOP. (Bodog Beat Image)

The final table for Event No. 53 – $1,500 No Limit Shootout – wrapped up only a few hours ago and Team Bodog's own poker pro Jean Robert Bellande finished second at his first WSOP final table to walk away with the $173,564 cash prize.

When Bellande's heads-up battle against Matt Graham began he had a more than 2:1 chip advantage and looked like he was on his way to his first bracelet. However, after a four hour long marathon heads-up match that saw the two trade the lead many times (at one point causing the PokerNews.com live update crew to make the joke that the match was sponsored by Duncan Yo-Yo) and pull exactly even in chip count more than once, Bellande lost a few key hands to give Graham the advantage, which he seized to take down the bracelet and the $278,180 first-place prize.

The 17-hour long Day 2 definitely took it out of the players and the strain was beginning to show in their faces and frustration levels. The rumor was that several of the players wanted to call it a night when they were still five-handed and come back to finish up today, even though the Amazon Room is now packed with over 2,000 people, but there was one lone holdout (no word as to who) and so they played until about 7am this morning.

Needless to say, we don't think Bellande or any of the other final participants will be out in the field for today's big event due to the need for more than five minutes of sleep. Poor babies. *Kidding*

We, however, will be out and about and keeping tabs on Team Bodog and all the other action going on today for the 2008 WSOP Main Event. So, stay tuned for all of the craziness from the biggest poker tournament in the world.