Matt Matros Wins $2,500 Mixed Hold'em at 2011 World Series of Poker

Card Player columnist Matt Matros has won the $2,500 mixed hold’em event here at the 2011 World Series of Poker. Matros beat out a tough final table on Saturday to capture his second career bracelet and the $303,501 first-place prize.

The poker pro and author has been on a tear lately in limit hold’em. Last summer he picked up his first bracelet in a $1,500 limit event, and at this WSOP, Matros had previously cashed three times in the discipline before Saturday’s win in the mix of limit and no-limit hold’em. Two of his other cashes this summer were nearly final tables, as he finished 11th and 12th respectively. The rush has brought his lifetime tournament earnings to just barely under $2 million.

The 34-year-old Matros was super short at the dinner break on Saturday with just 285,000 of the 4.35 million in play. However, he played well and went on a heater to bring his chip stack back into contention. One of the those hands occurred against fellow limit hold’em specialist Matt Hawrilenko. Matros and Hawrilenko got all the chips in preflop with big pair vs. big pair, and Matros’ kings held to give him the double up to 700,000.

With the elimination of Hawrilenko in third place, Matros had the chip lead going into heads-up play with 3,250,000 to Jonathan Lane’s 1,100,000. Lane remained resilient and fought back to take the lead. However, Matros never panicked and eventually overcame the chip deficit to take home the title.

Here are the elimination hands, as featured in Card Player’s live updates:

Adam Sanders Eliminated in 9th Place ($24,107)
No-Limit

Adam Sanders opened the pot for 17,000 before the flop, Matt Hawrilenko reraised to 45,000 from late position, Sanders moved all in for about 175,000 and Hawrilenko called.

Hawrilenko lead with A K against Sanders’
A Q.

The board came J 8 3 2 7, no help to Adam Sanders who was the first one eliminated in 9th place ($24,107).

Aalok Arora Eliminated in 8th Place ($31,947)
No-Limit

Brian Smith opened the pot for 17,000 before the flop, Aalok Arora moved all in 228,000 and Smith called.

Arora lead with 88 against Smith’s A Q.

The board came A J 6 4 5, giving Smith top pair on the flop to win the pot. Aalok Arora was eliminated in 8th place ($31,947).

Noah Boeken Eliminated in 7th Place ($40,284)
No-Limit

Matt Hawrilenko opened the pot for 23,000 before the flop, Noah Boeken button-shoved for 130,000 and Hawrilenko called.

Hawrilenko had A Q against Boeken’s K Q.

The board came K 10 5 3 J, giving Boeken top pair on the flop for the lead, but Hawrilenko hit a jack on the river to give him an ace-high straight to win the pot. Noah Boeken was eliminated in 7th place ($40,284).

Nikolay Losev Eliminated in 6th Place ($52,687)
Limit

Brian Smith button-raised before the flop, Nikolay Losev reraised the big blind and Smith called.

The flop came A 9 4, Losev bet all in for 22,000 and Smith called.

Smith was ahead on the flop with A 9 for top two pair against Losev’s K J flush draw.

The turn and river were the 3 and the 3, no help to Nikolay Losev who was eliminated in 6th place ($52,687).

Brian Smith Eliminated in 5th Place ($69,524)
No-Limit

Brian Smith open-shoved before the flop for 380,000 and Jonathan Lane called from the button.

Lane lead with 7 7 against Smith’s 6 6.

The board came K 8 3 5 8, no help to Brian Smith who was eliminated in 5th place ($69,524).

Brandon Meyers Eliminated in 4th Place ($92,642)
No-Limit

Brandon Meyers got it all in before the flop with
Q Q against Matt Hawrilenko’s K K.

The board came A A J J 8, no help for Brandon Meyers who was eliminated in 4th place ($92,642).

Matt Hawrilenko Eliminated in 3rd Place ($124,837)
Limit

On a flop of Q J 6, Matt Hawrilenko got it all in with Q J for top two pair against Matt Matros’s
K 2 flush draw.

The turn and river were the 5 and the 3, giving Matros a flush on the turn to win the pot. Matt Hawrilenko was eliminated in 3rd place and Matt Matros took the chip lead going into heads-up play against Jonathan Lane.

With the elimination of Matt Hawrilenko in 3rd place, Matt Matros took the chip lead going into heads-up play with 3,250,000 to Jonathan Lane’s 1,100,000.

Jonathan Lane Eliminated in 2nd Place ($187,844)

Matros began heads-up play with a chip lead of about 3.2 million to Jonathan Lane’s 1.1 million. Lane managed to steal the chip lead in Level 25 after turning a wheel to scoop a big a pot right after the break, but his run at the top was short lived after Matros picked off a huge bluff with top pair on a scare board with three to a flush, a baby straight and a pair. That hand put Matros way out in front and it wasn’t long before Lane got the short stack all in before the flop in the final hand of the tournament.

Matt Matros button-raised to 65,000 on the button, Jonathan Lane moved all in from the big blind and Matros called.

Matros lead with A 10 against Lane’s J 10.

The board came Q Q 5 4 4, no help to Jonathan Lane who was eliminated in 2nd place ($187,844). Matt Matros wins his second gold bracelet in Event #52 and the $303,501 grand prize.

For all of the latest WSOP information, check out Card Player’s WSOP landing page.

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