WSOP: Matt Keikoan Wins Event No. 7Keikoan Outlasts Day 1 & 2 Chip Leader Theo Tran |
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Virtually unknown outside of the exclusive world of high-stakes tournaments and cash games, Matt Keikoan is probably one of the best poker players that you’ve never heard of… until now. A respected cash player and frequenter of the big games, Keikoan has had modes success on the live action tournament trail, and until tonight, by his own admission, Keikoan has been "stuck so much in tournaments."
Coming to the final table third in chips, Keikoan was able to stay out of chip leader Theo Tran’s way long enough to claim the chip lead for himself and then stave off an all-in attack from insanely aggressive runner-up Shannon Shorr.
Here is a look at the starting chip counts heading into the final table:
Theo Tran – 1,884,000
Matt Keikoan – 1,011,000
Carter Gill – 652,000
Shannon Shorr – 620,000
Mike Lisanti – 358,000
Alex Bolotin – 345,000
J.C. Tran – 273,000
Chris Bjorin – 205,000
Here are the highlights from all of the action, as featured in CardPlayer.com’s live updates of the final table:
Mike Lisanti Eliminated in 9th Place ($50,705)
Matt Keikoan raised to 41,000 from under the gun and Shannon Shorr called behind him. Mike Lisanti moved all in for a little more than 275,000 and Keikoan called while Shorr called.
Lisanti: A
K
Keikoan: K
K
Board: 984JJ
The board offered no help to Lisanti who was eliminated in 9th place ($50,705).
Alex Bolotin Eliminated in 8th Place ($72,436)
J.C. Tran raised to 42,000 from the cutoff position when Alex Bolotin moved all in from the button. Theo Tran made the call while and J.C. Tran folded.
Bolotin: 99
T. Tran: AJ
Board: AQ7J6
Theo Tran flopped top pair, trumping Bolotin’s nines and sending him home in 8th place ($72,436).
J.C. Tran Eliminated in 7th Place ($94,166)
J.C. Tran came in for a 55,000 raise from late position and Carter Gill reraised to 135,000 from the button. Tran came over the top and shoved all in for a total of just over 400,000. Gill called.
Tran: 1010
Gill: KK
Board: 87322
The board offered no help to either player as J.C. Tran was eliminated in 7th place ($94,166).
Chris Bjorin Eliminated in 6th place ($123,141)
A desperately short stacked Chris Bjorin moved all in from under the gun for his last 61,000. Both Anonymous and Carter Gill made the call. The flop came Q105, and Anonymous and Gill check. The turn was the 9 and both players check once again. The river brought the 8 and still there is no action. With no side pot, all three players turned up their hands.
Bjorin: K9
Anonymous: 64
Gill: 76
Bjorin unknowingly held the lead going into the river where Carter Gill peeled off an eight for the inside straight. Gill raked the pot while Bjorin was sent home in 6th place, earning $123,141 for his efforts.
Anonymous Eliminated in 5th place ($155,013)
Theo Tran raised to 60,000 from under the gun and the action folded around to Anonymous who reraised to 160,000 from the small blind. Tran made the call and the flop came 853. Anonymous bet 150,000 and Tran raised to 350,000. Anonymous reraised all in and Tran made a quick call. Anonymous turned over A8 for top pair, top kicker while Tran showed 55 for middle set. The turn brought the 10 and Anonymous was drawing dead to an inconsequential river card (Q). Anonymous was eliminated in 5th place ($155,013) while chip leader Theo Tran raked what was surely the biggest pot of the night thus far.
Chop Pot (Tran and Keikoan) Tran Freerolling the Turn, Can’t Get There
Depending on how this final table eventually plays out, this all in chopped pot between Theo Tran and Matt Keikoan could very well prove to be a pivotal moment in the tournament.
Shannon Shorr raised to 67,000 and both Matt Keikoan and Theo Tran called from the small blind and the big blind, respectively. The flop came A43, and all three players checked around. The turn was the 2 and Tran bet 80,000. Shorr called and Keikoan raised to 405,000. Tran moved all in, Shorr folded, and Keiokoan called. Tran turned over 75 for the wheel and Keikoan showed 75 for the same hand. Tran was however freerolling to a club flush on the turn, and with Keikoan all in and $2 million pot at stake, a club on the river could all but lock this thing up for Tran against a novice Carter Gill and a short stacked Shannon Shorr. The river was the 3 and Tran failed to eliminate Keikoan as both players chopped the pot.
Theo Tran Eliminated in 4th Place ($191,231)
After doubling up Shannon Shorr, Theo Tran was put on the short stack. Matt Keikoan raised to 75,000 and Theo Tran called from the button. Carter Gill raised to 380,000 from the big blind and Keikoan kicked it in. Tran tanked for a minute before moving all in. Gill called.
Tran: 77
Gill: JJ
Board: K42K5
With no help on the flop, Theo Tran, who held the chip lead for almost the entire event had his tournament life on the line with only two outs in the deck that could save him. No seven on the turn and river meant that Theo tran was eliminated in 4th place ($191,231).
Carter Gill Eliminated in 3rd Place ($228,897)
Carter Gill raised to 170,000 from the button and both Matt Keikoan and Shannon Shorr called from the blinds. At this point, Gill had less than one small blind behind his cards. The flop came KQ4, and Keikoan bet 100,000. Shorr called the bet while Gill called all in for his last 12,000. the dealer pushed 176,000 into the sidepot. The turn was the 2 and Keikoan bet 350,000, causing Shorr to fold his hand and winning the sidepot on the turn. The two remaining players turn up their hands.
Gill: 86
Keikoan: AK
Keikoan hit top pair on the flop while Gill made a flush draw. Any heart and Carter Gill triples up, but the river was 4 , eliminating Carter Gill in 3rd place ($228,897).
Heads Up Play Begins
Suddenly, it turned into an all-in shove fest from the button, and for the next 16 hands, despite an accidental limp-check to a single flop, both Keikoan and Shorr took turns open-shoving from their button while the other player folded. It was madness I tell you, pure madness until Shannon Shorr moved all in from the button for the last time when Matt Keikoan decided to pick his spot with king-high and make the call.
Shorr: 106
Keikoan: K5
Board: K77QK
Keikoan flopped top pair with another pair on board, reducing Shorr to going runner-runner for a shot at this bracelet. No help on the turn and Shorr was drawing dead on the river. Shannon Shorr is eliminated in 2nd place ($349,141) while it is Matt Keikoan who gets the gold bracelet and the lion’s share ($550,601) of the prizepool.
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