Hand History Time Capsule -- David Chiu

The 2008 $25,000 World Poker Tour no-limit hold’em championship event had 545 entrants, creating a $13,216,250 prize pool and a first-place prize of $3,389,140. With poker’s biggest names and greatest players putting up the large buy-in, it was no surprise that the final table featured some great players. What was a surprise was just how quickly the same great players were eliminated. After just 22 hands, only two players remained of the original six: Gus Hansen and David Chiu.

It was Hansen, one of poker’s most recognizable stars, who eliminated all four of the other players on the final table. Hansen had released a book just weeks before titled Every Hand Revealed, which detailed his victory at the 2007 Aussie Millions main event. It seemed he would have a great topic for a sequel, as he was poised for victory, entering heads-up play with 84 percent of the chips in play (22,905,000 to Chiu’s 4,360,000). With three previous WPT wins and all of the momentum, it seemed to be Hansen’s title to lose.

With three WSOP titles already to his name, David Chiu’s poker prowess was not to be taken lightly. Chiu seemed to avoid Hansen as they played down to heads up; he did not even win a hand at the final table until three-handed play. As the money presentation ceremony was being prepared, a producer from the WPT congratulated him on reaching the final two (and securing at least $1.7 million in prize money) by staying out of the way as Gus steamrolled the table. Chiu smiled as he joked, “It’s all experience.” That same experience paid dividends in the heads-up battle between these two great poker champions.

The Comeback Begins: Chiu Doubles Up and Begins to Chip Away at Hansen’s Lead

With Hansen coming into heads-up play with a 5.25-1 chip lead, Chiu’s first goal was to double up. After treading water for about 10 hands, Chiu raised to 505,000 on the button with blinds of 80,000-160,000. Hansen moved all in, and Chiu thought for about 15 seconds before he called all in for 3.79 million with 5 5. He was well ahead, as Hansen said, “I have the only hand I lost with earlier today,” as he showed 2 2. The flop ran out K J 7 7 Q, improving neither player, and David Chiu won the pot with two pair, sevens and fives, doubling up to 7.59 million.

After getting the crucial double-up, Chiu continued to tread water to keep himself in the game. In one key hand, with blinds at 100,000-200,000, Chiu limped in, and Hansen checked. The flop came J 9 8, Chiu bet 400,000, and Hansen called. The turn card was the K, and the crowd gasped as the fourth heart hit the board. After the 2 river, Hansen bet 880,000, and Chiu thought for nearly a minute before calling. Hansen knocked the table, and Chiu showed the 7 to win the pot with a 7-high flush, bringing his chip count up to 7,975,000.

In another key pot, Hansen had the button and raised to 520,000. Chiu called from the big blind, and the flop came 8 8 6. Chiu checked, and Hansen bet 635,000. Chiu called, and the turn brought the 5. Chiu checked, prompting Hansen to go into the tank for nearly two minutes before betting 1.26 million. Chiu quickly called, making the pot roughly 4.8 million heading to the river.

The 2 completed the board, and both players checked. Hansen held the K 2 for a flopped flush draw that only improved with his paired deuce. He pointed to Chiu, indicating that he’d probably won, and Chiu showed A 5 for two pair, eights and fives. Hansen mucked, and Chiu raked in a massive pot that brought him up to 11,160,000, within 5 million of Hansen’s 16,105,000.

The Comeback Continues: Chiu Takes the Chip Lead

With blinds of 150,000-300,000, Hansen raised to 775,000 from the button, Chiu reraised to 1.85 million, and Hansen thought for more than 30 seconds before calling, making the pot more than 3.75 million heading to the flop. The flop brought J 6 3, and Chiu bet 1.6 million. Facing a bet of less than half of the size of the pot, Hansen thought for almost two minutes before putting the chips into the pot with both hands.

The turn card paired the board with the 6, and Chiu took only a moment to go all in for 5.175 million with Q Q. Hansen had the sense to quickly fold the 8♠ 5♦ after two pretty loose calls earlier in the hand, and Chiu raked in the massive pot, giving him 12,125,000 for the most chips he’d had in the heads-up battle.

Only a few hands later, Hansen had the button and raised to 800,000, with the blinds still at 150,000-300,000, and Chiu called. Both players checked to the river, with Hansen appearing slightly irritated during his checks as he waved his finger in a circle to indicate that the dealer could continue dealing. With a final board of 5 5 4 A 9, Chiu checked, and Hansen bet 900,000. Chiu thought only for a moment before he called with 9 7 for two pair, nines and fives. Hansen mucked the J♠ 6♦, and David Chiu raked in the pot. With that call on the river, Chiu increased his stack to 14,175,000, giving him the chip lead over Hansen for the first time at the final table. Hansen was just over a million chips behind with 13,100,000, and the look on his face belied the fear that his apparent victory was slipping away from him.

Comeback Complete: David Chiu Wins the WPT Championship

With the newly gained chip advantage, Chiu wasted little time going for the kill. Only four hands after gaining the lead, the 80th and final hand of the 2008 WPT Championship was dealt. Gus Hansen had the button, and he raised to 750,000 with the blinds still at 150,000-300,000. Chiu called, and the flop came A 10 8. Chiu quickly checked, and Hansen went into his pre-bet routine: counting out a bet, smoothly spreading it out in front of him, and then swiftly scooping it back into a stack. He then jammed that 900,000 stack into the middle of the table. After a quick moment thought, Chiu made the call. The pot stood at roughly 3.35 million going into the turn. The 5 came off on the turn, and Chiu snapped out a 1.2 million bet. Hansen put his hand on his cheek and checked his cards again. Hansen took about 30 seconds to consider his action, and then he moved all in for 8,675,000. After nearly two minutes of counting out his own chips, Chiu said, “I call.”

The crowd leapt to its feet, waiting to see the holecards. Hansen showed 10♠ 8♥ for two pair, while Chiu revealed the A 9 for a pair of aces with a flush draw. Chiu needed an ace, a 9, a 5, or any spade to win the massive title. If Chiu failed to improve, he would be almost back to where he started heads-up play, with a huge chip disadvantage. The river card did bring Chiu one of his many outs with the A, and his comeback story was complete. David had defeated a WPT goliath in three-time title holder Gus Hansen. With the crowd cheering in surprise, David Chiu leapt in celebration and pumped his fists. Soon, a Chinese flag was handed to him, which he jubilantly waved around the table.

How the Hand Histories Look Now

David Chiu defied the odds and the early momentum of Gus Hansen to win the 2008 WPT Championship. He earned $3,389,140 that day, but perhaps even more important than that, he secured himself a spot in people’s minds as one of poker’s greats. With tournament cashes dating back to 1984 and lifetime earnings of $7,212,016, Chiu has shown his staying power. But despite his years of success, he lacked a signature win in the modern, televised-poker era. In order to get this marquee win, Chiu demonstrated incredible patience in a come-from-behind victory over one of poker’s biggest stars.

By staying out of the way of the aggressive, skilled, and dangerous Hansen until he could no longer avoid him, Chiu guaranteed himself the massive second-place prize of $1.7 million, and although he had to overcome a large chip disadvantage, he had a shot at the win. Poker players love to say that they play for the win. Hanging back in order to move up is admittedly not the sexiest way to play at a final table, but with a more than $3.1 million difference between sixth place and first, it might be a profitable approach. Was Chiu’s cautious approach the savvy way to maximize his earnings, or should he have gone all out for the win like Gus Hansen? It appears that this time, the tortoise once again beat the hare. ♠