WPT -- Alexandre Gomes Wins Bellagio Cup V

It looked like Faraz Jaka was going to cruise to his first World Poker Tour victory when the final table began at the Bellagio Cup V. He came in with 2 million more in chips than even his closest competitor, and nothing that transpired during the first five hours of play to changed things. Erik Seidel was the first player to fall 108 hands into play (a record 107 hands without a first final-table elimination at a WPT event). Jaka watched his stack grow to as much as 7.5 million before disaster struck.

Jaka made a seven-high heart flush on a board of K 8 5 3 A, but Alexandre Gomes made a 10-high heart flush to double up through him and take the chip lead on the 115th hand of play. Gomes knocked out Christopher Sonesson in fifth place after that, and then he was the player holding more than 7 million.

Jaka doubled up through Gomes next and the Brazilian saw his stack fall to 5,475,000. Jaka followed that up by taking a pot worth 2 million off of Gomes, and then Jaka held the chip lead with 6,255,000, 146 hands into play.

Gomes fought back and increased his stack to more than 8 million to take back the chip lead again after he eliminated Alec Torelli in fourth place on the very next hand. Smith continued the wild ride for Gomes when he doubled up through him, and Gomes saw his stack fall to 6,850,000 (still good for the chip lead). Smith celebrated wildly with a group of railbirds that included Mike Matusow after that hand, and in the excitement he suffered a knee injury. Smith took a few minutes to recuperate, and then he limped back to the stage with assistance to continue playing.

Although he decided to stick around and tough it out, Smith was eliminated in third place on the 200th hand of play by Jaka. At the start of heads-up play Jaka held 7,715,000 and Gomes took 8,375,000 into battle.

The heads-up battle took 43 hands to decide a victor. Gomes eventually took the lead in the final match after a stalemate ensued to start things off, but when Jaka decided to move all in on the final hand of the tournament Gomes held a 2-1 chip advantage. Jaka’s A-7 was dominated by the A-J of Gomes on the final hand, and Gomes won the tournament and the $1,187,679 first-place prize when the board bricked out. Gomes now has the distinction of holding both a World Series of Poker gold bracelet and a WPT title. Gomes lifetime winnings are now $2,987,256, and he currently holds 2,850 points in the Card Player Player of the Year race (good for ninth place).

Here are the final results:

1. Alexandre Gomes – $1,187,670
2. Faraz Jaka – $774,780
3. Justin Smith – $464,870
4. Alec Torelli – $271,165
5. Christopher Sonesson – $203,385
6. Erik Seidel – $164,640

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

Erik Seidel Eliminated in Sixth Place ($164,640)

Justin Smith raised to 145,000 preflop from the cutoff and Erik Seidel made the call from the big blind. Seidel then checked a flop of 8 5 3 and Smith bet 225,000. Seidel check-rasied all in and Smith made the call. Their cards:

Smith: 9 9
Seidel: K 9

Turn and River: 4 2

Smith won the hand to grow his stack to 2,920,000 and Seidel was eliminated in sixth place. He will take home $164,640 in prize money.

Christopher Sonesson Eliminated in Fifth Place ($203,385)

Christopher Sonesson moved all in under the gun for 1,145,000 and Alexandre Gomes made the call from the cutoff. Their cards:

Sonesson: 4 4
Gomes: A Q

Board: 8 7 5 J Q

Sonesson was eliminated on the hand in fifth place and he will take home $203,385 in prize money. Gomes grew his stack to 7,245,000.

Alec Torelli Eliminated in Fourth Place ($271,165)

Alexandre Gomes raised under the gun to 250,000 and Alec Torelli reraised from the small blind to 710,000. Gomes then moved all in and Torelli made the all-in call. Their cards:

Gomes: 10 10
Torelli: A Q

Board: J 8 6 K 7

Gomes won the hand to grow his stack to 8,420,000 and Torelli was eliminated in fourth place. He will take home $271,165 in prize money.

Justin Smith Eliminated in Third Place ($464,870)

After hurting his knee to the point where he could not walk without assistance during a celebration following a double up, Justin Smith decided to keep playing, but he just busted in third place. On the final hand, Smith got the last of his chips into the middle preflop against Faraz Jaka. Their cards:

Jaka: K K
Smith: A 4

Board: Q 8 6 9 5

Smith was eliminated in third place and he takes home $464,870 in prize money. Jaka grew his stack up to 7,715,000 after the hand. He will take that into battle heads up against the 8,375,000 that Alexandre Gomes holds.

Alexandre Gomes Wins Bellagio Cup V ($1,187,670); Faraz Jaka Eliminated in Second Place ($774,870)

With Alexandre Gomes holding a 2-1 chip advantage, the Brazilian PokerStars Pro raised to 545,000 preflop, and Faraz Jaka reraised all in for just under 5 million. Gomes made the call and they flipped up their cards:

Gomes: A J
Jaka: A 7

Board: 8 6 2 6 9

Gomes won the hand and he started a spirited celebration with his Brazilian comrades that had stuck around to support him at this late hour. Gomes took home $1,187,670 in prize money. He now has a WSOP gold bracelet and a WPT title in his possession. Jaka was eliminated in second place and he took home $774,870.

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