After a fierce heads up battle, Randall Holland has emerged victorious in the Mirage Poker Showdown $1,500 event.  He beat out Ronnie Vilayuanh who placed 2nd for $57,364.  Holland came into the day a mid-sized stack, but quickly attained the chip lead.  He held it for most of the day and only surrendered it briefly in the heads up battle.  Holland wins $114,728, the championship trophy, and a seat into the $10,000 buy in World Poker Tour main event.


There are currently 22 players remaining in the $2,000 event that began today at noon.  Some big names remainin in the field including Nam Le and Mike "The Grinder" Mizrachi.  Stay tuned to Cardplayer.com for tomorrow's final table coverage beginning at 3pm. 

Randall Holland raises to $34,000 from the button and Ronnie Vilayuanh calls.  Both players check the K54 flop and the turn comes 2.  Vilayuanh bets $70,000 and Holland calls.  The river is 9Vilayuanh goes to bet and Holland mucks.

Randall Holland raises to $32,000 from the button and Ronnie Vilayuanh reraises $60,000 more.  Holland calls.  The flop comes 775 Vilayuanh bets and Holland folds.

The blinds are now $8,000-$16,000 with a $2,000 ante.

On the second hand of heads up play, Ronnie Vilayuanh goes all in for $167,000 and is called by Randall Holland with A6.  Vilayuanh shows J9 and the board comes KJ44K.  Vilayuanh wins the pot and now has over $335,000 in chips.

The cards are in the air for head up play.

Players are on break before heads up play begins.

Here are the chip counts for the final two players:

Randall Holland -- $782,000
Ronnie Vilayuanh -- $114,000

On a flop of  754 Randall Holland checks and Kenna James bets $24,000.  Holland goes all in and James calls.  James shows K7 but is way behind Hollands 86.  The next two cards come 7A and James is eliminated 3rd for $28,682.  Holland now has $782,000 chips.