It had been a little over a year since PocketFiver Annie Duke reached the final table of a World Series of Poker event. On June 3rd, 2007, she finished third in the $2,500 Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi-Low-8 or Better tournament, cashing for $75,210. Fast-forward one year to Thursday night, when Duke reached the final table of the $5,000 World Championship of Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better Event (#33). She took home nearly the same amount, $73,602, for her efforts. The WSOP bracelet winner and UltimateBet pro’s final table marked the end of a busy day on PocketFivesLive.com, the home of WSOP coverage.

Duke was ousted from the tournament by Chris Ferguson. She cashed for $73,602 after entering the final table sixth in chips. Duke told PocketFives.com before play started that, while she was thrilled to be making a return to a WSOP final table, “my one big disappointment is Howard [Lederer] coming in ninth place. We were both chip leaders at one point with two severe short stacks, but it took three hours to knock someone out and I am so sad that someone was my brother. I really wanted to make our third WSOP final table together. Unfortunately, the three hour bubble has also put the average chip stack really low, so I am hoping to go in today holding the deck.” Lederer cashed for $30,667 for his ninth place finish.

PocketFivesLive.com Tournament Reporter Crystal Quibell commented on Duke’s success: “Annie Duke is one of the most successful women in poker today. Before the 2008 WSOP began, Duke already had $3.5 million in career tournament winnings and is definitely proving that women can play right along with the men. Duke once said, ‘Poker is one of the only sports where a woman can compete on a totally equal footing with a man.’ While Omaha tends to be Duke's strongest game, she has cashed in multiple Stud and Hold 'Em events through the years. With her fifth place finish today, she proved that she is still going strong.”

Duke won her first WSOP bracelet in 2004, taking down a $2,000 buy-in Omaha High-Low 8/OB tournament for over $130,000. Event #33 marked her first cash of the 2008 World Series of Poker; she cashed four times last year. With the fifth place on Thursday night, the UltimateBet pro boosted her lifetime WSOP earnings to over one million dollars.

PocketFivesLive.com Tournament Reporter Court Harrington finished 14th in Event #32 for $26,732. It was his third cash of the 2008 World Series, bringing his career total to over $40,000. Court was in prime position to double up his 175,000 chip stack holding A-Q of clubs against Jose Luis Velador’s A-J of hearts. By the turn, Velador had a royal flush draw; the two of hearts on the river gave him the nut flush and sent Harrington to the rails. Court covers each World Poker Tour tournament for PocketFivesLive.com and is one of the main figures around the circuit. Quibell talks about her boss’ play at the 2008 WSOP: “Harrington may have a busy schedule working for both PocketFives.com and PokerRoad Radio, but that doesn't mean he can't find time to play some really great poker. Only a couple days after cashing in Event #27 for $4,802, he took 14th place in Event #32 for $26,732. Both events were $1.5K NLHE with well over 2,000 participants. He’s proven his ability to maneuver through a large field, picking his spots carefully, and winning over the players at his tables with his Southern charm.” I dare you to listen to Court and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. back to back and tell me which one was which.

Scott ssitron Sitron finished 20th in Event #32. After a flop of 9-6-2 with two hearts, Sitron moved all in and was quickly called by Joseph Georges, who held pocket nines for the top set. Sitron held K-Q of diamonds, meaning he’d need two running cards to make a straight to win. The turn was an ace, sending Sitron packing, $15,095 richer. Sitron has had a productive 2008 World Series of Poker, cashing twice for a total of $19,731. He also had a $14,929 cash in January at the Grand Casino Tunica Circuit Event. PocketFivesLive.com Tournament Reporter Jessica Welman noted, “Sitron racked up his second cash of this Series with his finish in the $1.5K. Watching Scott's play in tournaments, I am consistently impressed by his ability to determine where he is at in a hand. His tight, aggressive play helped him build the large chip stack he did, but it was his ability to make good laydowns that stopped him from donating chips back unnecessarily.”

Michael worldsgrtest Banducci, who took home a bracelet in Event #5, the $1,000 No Limit Holdem Rebuy tournament, finished in 70th. It was his third cash of the 2008 WSOP and he’s already taken home over $660,000. PocketFivesLive.com Reporter Brett Collson talks about Banducci’s recent success: “Banducci continues to impress during this WSOP and is now closing in on $1,000,000 in live tournament winnings. It appears that he's mastered tournaments with incredibly large fields despite spending most of his time playing heads-up cash games online.”

All in all, it was a successful night for PocketFivers at the 2008 World Series of Poker. To relive any of the action so far, be sure to visit PocketFivesLive.com, your home for WSOP coverage live from Sin City.