The 2006 World Series of Poker main event in no-limit Texas holdem was a highly anticipated and enjoyed affair, with the final table broadcast not only on ESPN, but on a pay-per-view webcast so true poker aficionados could get live, blow by blow action. For awhile, it seemed like a pro would finally retake the event from the host of Internet amateurs who had been dominating in recent years, but the long time chip leader, with a perfect combination of skill and luck, managed to hold on for the victory. Here’s how it went down:

The action began with Jamie Gold, a Los Angeles television producer originally from New Jersey bringing his large chip lead of over 26 million to the final table. Gold had been on a roll, plowing through his opposition, and there looked to be no stopping him.

Despite this, Gold was not the odds on favorite. The table also featured Allen Cunningham, a staple on the World Poker Tour, the WSOP, and around the tournament circuit. Cunningham was a quiet but feared pro, and many felt his nearly 18 million chips would be enough to overtake Gold and win it all.

Rounding out the table were well known solid player Richard Lee, along with Erik Friberg, Paul Wasicka, Michael Binger, Doug Kim, a player with the unlikely literary name of Rhett Butler, and Dan Nassif bringing up the rear with a short stack of 2.6 million.

Gold wasted no time, reraising Kim to take down the first pot. Shortly afterward, as suspected, Nassif was gone when he moved all in on Gold with AK on a flop of 2 3 5, a well conceived but poorly timed bluff, as Gold had flopped a set with 22. Erik Friberg was the next to go, a victim of Gold’s uncanny run of luck, as Friberg’s JJ ran into Gold’s QQ. Things looked bleak for both Wasicka and Binger at this point, as both were short stacks at less than 4 million chips each. They weren’t willing to go down without a fight however, as Binger shortly afterward doubled through Allen Cunningham when his AT made a straight against Cunningham’s AQ, and then immediately transferred those chips to Wasicka on the next hand with A9 against Wasicka’s AJ.

Kim went next, with his 99 falling to Wasicka’s QQ, and then Lee, with JJ against Gold’s QQ again, and Butler was next. By the time the smoke cleared, the remaining players were the chip leader Gold, pro Allen Cunningham, and Wasicka and Binger, who had scratched and clawed to hold on for most of the early going.

Things were set up for a heads up matchup between the pro Cunningham and chip leader Gold, but it was not to be. On a board of Ah Jh 9h Ac, Cunningham took a big hit when he was bluffed out of the multi-million chip pot by Wasicka who moved all-in with the Kd Qd. Cunningham never recovered, and was out in 4th place. Then Gold hit a straight draw to eliminate Binger and it was down to Gold and Wasicka.

On the final hand, Wasicka called a raise by Gold to see a flop of Qc 8h 5h. Wasicka, with pocket tens, bet and Gold came over the top all-in. Wasicka called to see the dreaded Qs in Gold’s hand, along with a 9c. The turn and river were no help to Wasicka and Gold, who led wire to wire at the final table, was the 2006 WSOP champion.