Italy Beats England In World Cup Of Poker

Italy has won the PokerStars World Cup of Poker for the first time, after an exhausting 11-and-a-half hours of final play at the PCA.

Team PokerStars pro player Luca Pagano led the team to victory and the first place prize of $100,000 ($25,000 per person), while the United Kingdom finished in second place for $70,000 ($17,500 per person), captained by Team PokerStars pro Liv Boeree.

Here is the leader board going into the final:

1. France — 50,000 chips
2. Philippines — 45,000 chips
3. Ukraine — 41,000 chips
4. Argentina — 37,000 chips
5. Spain — 34,000 chips
6. Italy — 31,000 chips
7. Slovakia — 29,000 chips
8. United Kingdom — 27,000 chips
9. United States — 25,000 chips

Here are the elimination hands:

Philippines’ pocket aces could not beat the UK’s pocket kings after two kings fell on the board and sent captain Geoffrey Pamatian and his team home with $5,000 ($1,250 each).

After losing a chunk of chips to the Ukraine, the Americans moved all in with A-9 and were up against pocket aces, which made a flush on the turn. They took eighth place, earning $5,000 ($1,250 each).

Ukraine then put Argentina on the other side of the line. With Jose Barbero representing, Argentina opened for 1,500, and the Ukraine made it 4,500. Argentina called and the flop came 6 4 4. Ukraine bet 6,000, Argentina raised it to 17,000, and the Ukraine used their “time out” to discuss the situation among team mates. Upon returning, they moved all in, and Argentina called. Ukraine had K K while Argentina held A Q for the flush draw. A king came on the turn and a blank on the river, ending Argentina’s run and putting them out in seventh place for $10,000 ($2,500 each).

Four-and-a-half hours later, another team hit the ropes. When Spain’s A-8 was beaten by Italy’s A-K on a board that read 9-8-2-9-A, Spain were crippled and so did not last long against France. With captain Juan Manuel Pastor in control, Spain took their stand with A-5. France held A-10 which was enough to knock Pastor and his team out in sixth place for $10,000 ($2,500 each).

Slovakia had an amazing time at the final, where their short stack just seemed to keep on doubling up. Eventually however, it was Italy who put an end to their run. Slovakia moved all in with A 4 and Italy called with A J. The board came down J 4 7 J 4 putting Slovakia out in fifth place for $10,000 ($2,500 per player).

France were next to go after moving all in following an opening bet by Ukraine. Arnaud Mattern made the move believing the Ukraine were bluffing but in fact they weren’t and flipped over pocket queens which were way ahead of France’s 8 6. The board fell K 9 5 K K and France received $30,000 for fourth place ($7,500 each).

Ukraine followed them out in third place, receiving $50,000 ($12,500 per player). They moved the remainder of their chips in with A 9 and were called by the Italians’ Q 10. The board was dealt Q 8 2 3 J, leaving Italy and the UK to fight it out for first place.

The English team moved in with A 3 and the Italians called with A Q. The board came down K Q 4 8 3 and Italy celebrated jubilantly.

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