WSOP -- Jason Mercier Wins Event No. 5

Jason Mercier has already conquered Europe. His first major tournament win came at the European Poker Tour stop in San Remo just over a year ago. Mercier has also proven that he can beat the best in the game. He won the EPT London High Roller Showdown this past October, beating John Juanda heads up to win his second major title. Now, Mercier has won his first World Series of Poker gold bracelet and added a third major title to his trophy case.

Mercier won event No. 5 ($1,500 pot-limit Omaha) at the WSOP on Wednesday, June 3, and he took home $237,415 in prize money, emerging from a field of 809 players. Mercier took a huge chip lead during day 1 of the event and played solid poker to find his way to the final heads-up match against Steven Burkholder. Mercier took control of the heads-up match 30 minutes into play and then never looked back on his way to victory. He beat an impressive final table that also included Dario Alioto, An Tran, Jonathan Tare, and Matt Giannetti. Mercier now has $3,134,313 in lifetime winnings at just 22 years of age.

Here are the final-table results:

1. Jason Mercier – $237,415
2. Steven Burkholder – $146,748
3. Kevin Iacofano – $96,128
4. Matt Giannetti – $66,544
5. Chris Biondino – $48,533
6. Jonathan Tare – $37,192
7. Dario Alioto – $29,882
8. An Tran – $25,122
9. Victa Park – $22,053

Here is a look at how the elimination hands fell in CardPlayer.com’s live updates:

Vic Park Eliminated in Ninth Place ($22,053)

Vic Park raised to 42,000 from middle position, and Matt Giannetti made the call from small blind. The flop was dealt J 10 6, and Giannetti bet enough to put Park all in. He called, and they flipped up their cards:

Park: A K 3 2x
Giannetti: K K Q Q

Turn and River: 2 4

Park missed a collection of outs, and Giannetti won the hand with kings. He grew his stack to 415,000. Park was eliminated in ninth place.

An Tran Eliminated in Eighth Place ($25,122)

In a limped and checked pot with a flop of K 5 2 sitting on the table, Jason Mercier bet 36,000 under the gun. Chris Biondino mucked from under-the-gun-plus-one, and Steven Burkholder check-raised to 111,000 from the small blind. An Tran three-bet all in for 298,000, and Mercier mucked. Burkholder called, and they flipped up their cards:

Tran: J 6 2 2
Burkholder: A 10 5 5

Turn and River: K and Q

Burkholder won the hand with a set of fives to grow his stack to 925,000, while Tran was eliminated in eighth place, taking home $25,122.

Dario Alioto Eliminated in Seventh Place ($29,882)

Kevin Iacofono opened a pot for 45,000 preflop, and Dariol Alioto raised the pot (151,000). Iacofano re-potted, and Alioto made the all-in call. Their cards:

Iacofano: A Q J 10
Alioto: K J 9 7

Board: 8 4 2 Q 7

Iacofano won the hand with queens and Alioto was eliminated in seventh place ($29,882) when he missed his flush draw.

Jonathan Tare Eliminated in Sixth Place ($37,192)

Four players saw a flop of J 6 5 and action was checked to Jason Mercier, who bet 46,000 from the cutoff. Action folded to Jonathan Tare, who raised the pot from the big blind. Mercier moved all in, and Tare chose to put all of his chips at risk. Their cards:

Mercier: J J 8 4
Tare: A A 6 5

Turn and River: Q and 9

Mercier took down the huge pot, and Tare was eliminated in sixth place ($37,192).

Chris Biondino Eliminated in Fifth Place ($48,533)

Chris Biondino opened for 56,000 under the gun, and Jason Mercier reraised enough to put Biondino on a decision for his tournament life. Biondino called, and they turned up their hands:

Biondino: 5 4 3 2
Mercier: A 9 6 6

Board: 9-8-8-K-10

Mercier made nines up, and Biondino was eliminated in fifth place ($48,533).

Matt Giannetti Eliminated in Fourth Place ($66,544)

Matt Giannetti was forced to move all in preflop on a short-stack, and Jason Mercier made the call. Their cards:

Giannetti: A 10 2 2
Mercier: K 10 8 6

Board: 7 3 3 6 9

Mercier made a 10-high straight, and Giannetti was eliminated in fourth place ($66,544). Mercier had booked three eliminations in a row as a result of the hand.

Kevin Iacofano Eliminated in Third Place ($96,128)

Steven Burkholder opened for 60,000 and from the button, and Kevin Iacofano made the call from the big blind. The flop was dealt Q 10 5, and Iacofano checked. Burkholder bet 80,000, and Iacofano check-raised the pot. Burkholder re-potted, and Iacofano called all in. Their cards:

Burkholder: Q Q 9 4
Iacofano: K K J 3

Turn and River: 6 and 8

Burkholder took down the huge pot with a set of queens and took a chip lead into the final match with more than 2 million. Iacofano was eliminated in third place, and he took home $96,128 in prize money.

Jason Mercier Wins Event No. 5 ($237,415)

Jason Mercier limped on the button, and Steven Burkholder made it 48,000 to go from the big blind. Mercier called, and the flop rolled out J J 6. Burkholder bet 110,000, and Mercier raised to 285,000. Burkholder re-potted, Mercier moved all in, and Burkholder made the all-in call. Their cards:

Mercier: Q J 8 2
Burkholder: A A J 7

Turn and River: Q and K

Mercier won the hand and the tournament when a queen fell on the turn to give him a full house. Mercier won $237,415 for first place and his first gold bracelet. Burkholder was awarded $146,748 for his second-place finish.

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