WSOP -- Brandon Cantu Wins Event No. 48

Brandon Cantu put an end to his 2009 World Series of Poker disappointment about as quick as possible. Cantu won event no. 48 ($1,500 pot-limit Omaha 8 or better) late Saturday night, just five days after a heartbreaking runner-up finish in event no. 39 ($1,500 no-limit hold’em).

Cantu outlasted a field of 762 players to take his second career bracelet and $228,867. The other came in a 2006 $1,500 no-limit hold’em event.

The Las Vegas professional is no stranger to wading through huge no-limit hold’em fields. Cantu also made a deep run in last year’s main event, finishing in twentieth place for $257,334. However, his WSOP redemption came in a smaller field and resulted in his first non-hold’em tournament title.

His prospects at a second chance for a bracelet this summer looked solid during the later stages of event no. 48. Cantu was the chip leader going into the final table, with an almost 2-1 chip advantage over the next closest stack.

There were bumps in the road along the way to short handed play, as Cantu began leaking chips and eventually lost the lead. However, the 2008 World Poker Tour Bay 101 Shooting Star champion never lost focus near the end.

Cantu entered heads up play against fellow bracelet winner Lee Watkinson as a 3.25-1 chip underdog. By far the two most experienced players at the final table, Cantu and Watkinson had more career cashes than the rest of the starting table combined.

Initially losing some chips at the beginning of the match, Cantu battled back from just 700,000 to take the chip lead once again. He eventually went on to finish off Watkinson and secured a bracelet to calm the frustration from earlier in the week.

Here are the final results:

1. Brandon Cantu – $228,867
2. Lee Watkinson – $141,873
3. Jacqmin Mathieu – $92,946
4. Ted Weinstock – $64,727
5. Tommy Vedes – $47,617
6. Steve Jelinek – $36,893
7. Aaron Sias – $30,028
8. Ronnie Hofman – $25,618
9. William McMahan – $22,862

Here is a look at the elimination hands as featured in CardPlayer.com’s live updates

William McMahan Eliminated in Ninth Place ($22,862)

Tommy Vedes raised to 36,000 and William McMahan reraised out of the small blind to 120,000.

Vedes then put him all in and McMahan called for his tournament life with the AAKQ. Vedes showed A10104 and was behind against the aces of McMahan. Vedes made the winning hand with trip fours when the board ran out 8445J.

Ronnie Hofman Eliminated in Eighth Place ($25,618)

Ronnie Hofman raised pot in early position and was called by Lee Watkinson. Hofman committed the rest of his stack on a flop of 742 with the AKQJ, and was drawing extremely slim to Watkinson’s AK42.

The turn was the 7 giving Hofman hope, but the river 3 sent him packing early at the final table.

Aaron Sias Eliminated in Seventh Place ($30,028)

Sias raised to 56,000 and was three-bet by Ted Weinstock. Sias moved the rest of his chips in and both hands were tabled. Sias showwed the A378 and was up against the AA6K of Weinstock.

The board ran out A210K9, eliminating Sias in seventh place.

Steve Jelinek Eliminated in Sixth Place ($36,893)

Tommy Vedes made it 70,000 on the button and Steve Jelinek made it 222,000 from the big blind. Vedes made the call and they took the flop heads up.

The flop was K66 and Jelinek moved all in for his last 184,000 and was called by Vedes. Vedes tabled the A2106 and Jelinek showed the A2KQ.

The A fell on the turn and the 2 sealed Jelinek’s fate, as he was eliminated in sixth place.

Tommy Vedes Eliminated in Fifth Place ($47,617)

Tommy Vedes called a 90,000 preflop raise from Jacqmin Mathieu, and they saw a flop of 887. Mathieu check-raised all in after Vedes bet 225,000. Vedes made the call.

Vedes had the KQ910 and was up against the A58J of Mathieu. The turn was the 9 and the river was the 2, sending Vedes home in fifth place.

Ted Weinstock Eliminated in Fourth Place ($64,727)

Brandon Cantu, Ted Weinstock, and Jacqmin Mathieu saw a flop of Q76.

Cantu bet 300,000, Weinstock moved all in for 500,000 and then Mathieu moved all in over the top. Cantu folded.

Mathieu showed AA24 and was up against Weinstock’s A2K6. The turn was the 9, giving the high half to Mathieu and the 6 on the river couldn’t give Weinstock a quarter of the pot and sent him home in fourth place.

Jacqmin Mathieu Eliminated in 3rd Place ($92,946)

Jacqmin Mathieu raised pot from the small blind and Lee Watkinson called from the big blind. The flop came Q95 and Mathieu elected to check. Watkinson didn’t check behind and eventually bet out pot. Mathieu quickly went all in and Watkinson made the call. Watkinson tabled the QQ62 and was ahead of the A772 of Mathieu. Watkinson’s set of queens had to dodge spades that didn’t pair the board and a runner-runner low draw. The 8 hit the turn, giving Mathieu a low draw but the K fell on the river, eliminating Mathieu. Watkinson was then up to 2,485,000 to the 764,000 of Brandon Cantu.

Brandon Cantu Wins Event No. 48 ($228,867), Lee Watkinson Eliminated In Second Place ($141,873)

Brandon Cantu raised to 150,000 from the button and Lee Watkinson just called. The flop came Q64 and both players got all their chips into the middle. Cantu exposed the A1074, for a pair of fours with a flush draw. Watkinson tabled the 2357 for a low draw, a straight draw with multiple cards completing it, and an inferior flush draw. However, the turn brought the 9 and the 4 fell on the river, giving Cantu trip fours. Watkinson was eliminated in second place.

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