Final Table Takes 12 Hours

Erik Seidel entered the 2008 Foxwoods Poker Classic with the chip lead, and insisted on small ball poker to capture not only the title, but his first ever WPT championship. The six-handed final table was a grueling affair, lasting nearly 12 hours and spanning 229 hands. Despite the mental grind, Seidel stayed focused enough to come out on top.

Here were the chip counts heading into the final table:

Seat 1 - Erik Seidel - 3,280,000
Seat 2 - Frank Cieri - 403,000
Seat 3 - Robert Richardson - 526,000
Seat 4 - Ted Forrest - 2,347,000
Seat 5 - Andrew Barta - 1,522,000
Seat 6 - Adam Katz - 2,301,000

The two amateurs had to make some moves early, as they were not only outclassed on the felt, but outclassed in their stacks as well. Robert Richardson started things off by doubling through Adam Katz. Richardson was all in with a king-high flush draw and was relieved to find himself up against a double-belly buster straight draw. The board bricked for both players and Richardson’s king high was good enough to take the pot.

Frank Cieri took a different route for his double up, using a series of all-in plays to slowly chip up his stack, putting him over a million for the first time in two days. In the first 13 hands alone, Cieri was all in over the top of another player's raise 3 times.

The players then traded chips back and forth for about an hour until Andrew Barta took his turn at a double up. Barta was all in with pocket kings against the pocket nines of Ted Forrest. The board failed to bring a bad beat for Barta and suddenly, Forrest was the short stack at the table. The under pair would come back to haunt the player known as 'spook' for the last time when Forrest got it all in with pocket jacks against the pocket aces of Richardson. The board failed to bring any miracle for Forrest and just like that, he was out in sixth place. Forrest earned $103,360 for his finish but was obviously disappointed that he couldn't take home his second WPT title.

After another 30 or so hands had passed, Katz found himself battling with the short stack. Katz raised from the cutoff to 110,000 and Richardson called from the big blind. The flop came Q65 and Richardson led out for 140,000. Katz took some time thinking about his situation before announcing that he was all in. Richardson instantly called showing K5 for a flush draw. Katz showed the QJ and was a favorite to double up in the hand. The turn paired the board with the 6 taking away a few outs from Richardson, but the river was the K giving him the higher pair and sending Katz to the rail in fifth place. Katz took home $151,811 for his efforts, by far the largest cash of his young career.

Richardson kept luck on his side shortly after a break, when he doubled up through Cieri with a pair of kings. Cieri held a pair of jacks with a flush draw, but failed to hit any of his outs. The hand gave Richardson the chip lead, and left Cieri crippled. Cieri hung on for a few more hands but eventually succumbed when his Q-7 couldn't catch up to Richardson's K-6.

The three remaining players then went into a grueling contest that saw chips fly back and forth, but never had anyone on the ropes. Six hours went by before the action finally picked up again. No, that is not a misprint. Finally, Seidel raised to 280,000 from the button and Barta moved all in from the big blind. Seidel called all in, being out-chipped by just 30,000 in chips. Seidel showed JJ and was up against AQ. The board rolled out J6356 and Barta was left with just half of the small blind. On the very next hand, Richardson and Seidel check it down and Seidel's ace high was enough to take out Barta. Barta earned $281,011 for his third place finish.

After the heads up presentation, the action went from the longest three-handed session in WPT history, to the fastest heads up match in WPT history. On the very first hand of play, Seidel raised to 260,000 and Richardson made the call. The flop came AK9 and Seidel continued with a bet of 300,000. Richardson made the call and the turn was the 8. Suddenly, Richardson moved all in for his last 1,275,000 and Seidel instantly called with the AJ. Richardson sheepishly turned over 97 and needed help to prolong the match. The river was the K, giving Seidel his first WPT championship.

Here are the final results:

1. Erik Seidel - $992,890
2. Robert Richardson - $558,792
3. Andrew Barta - $281,011
4. Frank Cieri - $200,261
5. Adam Katz - $151,811
6. Ted Forrest - $103,360

The money presentation has come and gone, and the players are ready to play. The blinds are still 60,000-120,000 with a 15,000 ante. Shuffle up and deal!

Reminder: In heads-up play, the button has the small blind and acts first before the flop.

The money presentation is about to begin. Stay tuned.

Barta had Seidel barely covered by 30,000 in chips. So he is, in fact, still alive. Here are the current chip counts:

Seat 1 - Erik Seidel - 8,365,000
Seat 3 - Robert Richardson - 1,985,000
Seat 5 - Andrew Barta - 30,000

Hand #226 - Andrew Barta has the button in seat 5, Seidel raises from the small blind to 280,000, Richardson moves all in from the big blind, and Seidel folds. Robert Richardson takes the pot.