Poker Million final live on Sky Sports tonight - 04/12/2009

WSOP main event final tableist James Akenhead goes into the Full Tilt Poker Million VIII final live on Sky Sports 2 and HD2 at 7.30pm on Friday with 338,000 in chips as one of the three players to qualify from the second semi-final.

Roope On Top After Day One of Q School Final

Joining Akenhead from the second semi-final are Taylor Caby with 202,000 and Dag Martin Mikkelsen with 160,000, and they meet chip leader Luke "Full Flush" Schwartz (397,000), Peter Vasiliou (154,000) and Juha Helppi (149,000) from the first semi-final. The seventh player in the final is Craig Wakeham from Plymouth, who won a special tournament at FullTiltPoker.com and starts the final with 100,000 in chips - ten big blinds with the final starting at 5/10k.

The key hand for Akenhead saw him with knock out Tom "Durrrr" Dwan and decimate Antonio Esfandiari in the same blow. Esfandiari raised with pocket sixes and Akenhead just called with pocket kings - with Dwan picking up pocket queens right behind him and moving all-in. Antonio also moved all-in and Akenhead insta-called to have the pair dominated and the kings held to end Dwan's tournament and leave Esfandiari with just 65k.

"Dwan woke up with queens, which is a gift for me with kings and Antonio thought my hand was weak so it turned out perfectly," said Akenhead of his call with kings. "It's the biggest tournament of this structure that I've ever played in. I've watched previous Poker Million's on television so to get to the final table in my first appearance is something I've proud of."

Caby won the final hand to make it through to the final as Esfandiari found himself in shove mode. He survived two all-ins - one with a split pot - but eventually met his maker moving all-in with K-10 and getting a call from Caby with A6. Taylor had been down to around 60k in chips but fought back with great skill to take a decisive swipe at the "The Magician" and Caby's ace-high was good enough to end the second semi-final.

"I didn't know whether I should call but I figured I was ahead and could eliminate Antonio so I'm glad I did," said Caby. "It feels good to make my first significant final table and I can't wait to get playing."

Tonight's final will also be reported live at www.matchroompokerforum.co.uk.

FULL TILT POKER MILLION VIII FINAL TABLE LINE-UP
Luke Schwartz 397,000
James Akenhead 338,000
Taylor Caby 202,000
Dag Martin Mikkelsen 160,000
Peter Vasiliou 154,000
Juha Helppi 149,000
Craig Wakeham 100,000