Moritz Kranich Wins World Poker Tour Bellagio Cup VIOutlasts Phil Ivey and Justin Smith in Three-Way Action |
|
Moritz Kranich has won the World Poker Tour Bellagio Cup VI.
The German used aggressive play and a little help from lady luck to beat a tough final table Thursday featuring Justin Smith, who made the final table in this same event in 2009, and Phil Ivey, who was appearing at his record-setting ninth WPT final table.
With four players remaining, a short-stacked Kranich got all in preflop for his tournament life holding A
9
and was called by John Caridad with A
Q. However, the 9
hit on the turn, doubling Kranich into the chip lead with 5.8 million.
From that point on Kranich would never relinquish the lead, despite some top notch competition.
With three players to go, he was up against two players who he later said were the best players at the final table, if not in the entire tournament — Phil Ivey and Justin Smith.
After Smith eliminated Ivey in third place, Kranich took a near 2-1 chip lead into heads-up play. Smith doubled up and made it close, but on the final hand of the night Kranich’s K 10 beat Smith’s J J, earning Kranich the Bellagio Cup championship trophy and the $875,150 first-place prize, the second largest of his young career.
Kranich won the PokerStars.com European Poker Tour Deauville main event in 2009 for $1.1 million (€851,400).
Smith improved upon his third-place run in the 2009 Bellagio Cup with a second-place finish for $594,755.
Ivey started the final table strong and grabbed the chip lead on several occasions, but as the table got smaller so did his stack. He busted in third place for $363,650.
Here Are The Final-Table Results
1st. Moritz Kranich – $875,150
2nd. Justin Smith – $594,755
3rd. Phil Ivey – $363,650
4th. John Caridad – $237,902
5th. Rob Akery – $169,930
6th. Eric Afriat – $118,950
Here Is A Look At The Elimination Hands
Eric Afriat Eliminated in Sixth Place ($118,950)
Eric Afriat came into the final table as the short stack. He tripled up early on, but his tournament came to an end at the hands of Justin Smith.
On that hand, Afriat moved all in for 1,095,000 from middle position and action folded around to Justin Smith, who called from the big blind with J J. Afriat showed 5 5 and was in trouble.
The board ran K 10 4 9 3 and Smith eliminated Afriat in sixth place. With that, Smith took over a slight chip lead with 3.7 million in chips.
Rob Akery Eliminated in Fifth Place ($169,930)
Rob Akery moved all in from the cutoff for 1,285,000 and was called by Phil Ivey from the big blind. Akery showed A J and was trailing Ivey’s A Q.
The board ran 8 6 4 6 9 and Ivey took the pot, eliminating Akery in fifth place.
Ivey had 4.6 million in chips after the hand, giving him the chip lead.
John Caridad Eliminated in Fourth Place ($237,902)
A few hands after John Caridad was crippled by an all-in Moritz Kranich, Caridad moved all in preflop with J 6 and was called by Justin Smith, who held Q Q. The board ran 10 8 5 K 6 and Smith eliminated Caridad in fourth place.
Phil Ivey Eliminated in Third Place ($363,650)
Phil Ivey moved his last 1,130,000 all in preflop and was called by Justin Smith. Ivey held Q 4 and Smith showed K 8.
The board ran 8 5 5 A 10 and Ivey was eliminated in third place.
With Ivey gone, Moritz Kranich (9.2 million) was heads up with Justin Smith (4.9 million).
Justin Smith Finishes Runner-Up ($594,755)
Moritz Kranich Wins WPT Bellagio Cup VI ($875,150)
Justin Smith limped for 400,000 and Moritz Kranich moved all in. Smith insta-called and showed J J. Kranich showed K 10 and was in trouble. The A Q 2 flop caused some excitement in the crowd and when the K turn hit, Kranich’s friends on the rail went nuts.
Smith was looking for a diamond on the river to give him the double up and a commanding chip lead, but the 9 hit the felt and Smith was eliminated.
Copyright © 2001-2024
CardPlayer.com. All rights reserved.
