The title of Card Player Poker Tour Wynn Classic main event 2013 champion belongs to Ray Dehkharghani. The high-stakes cash-game player began the official ten-handed final table as the chip leader and went through some ups and downs before ultimately defeating Sam Stein during a heads-up match that lasted just seven hands.

The $235,931 score and title was easily Dehkharghani’s biggest no-limit hold’em win.
“I might have won two small limit tournaments at the WSOP along the way, but this is my biggest no-limit score without question,” the 42-year-old said.

As a predominately limit hold’em and mixed-game cash games player, Dehkharghani had to not only adjust to a new form of the game, he had to switch to tournament style play. He also found himself seated with players he had not played with in the past. Those factors coupled with the fact he had been suffering from insomnia and nearly missed the buy-in deadline made Dehkharghani’s win all the more impressive.

“I was at a big experience deficit and the guys at the final table, especially Sam [Stein] and Tom [Marchese], they are both very accomplished players. I just basically had a good day. I learned a lot from them, they are very technically proficient and it was just a great learning experience,” he said.

When the 207-player field with a $1,003,950 prize pool had been whittled down to just three players, Dehkharghani, Stein and 2011 Card Player Player of the Year Marchese, the soon-to-be champion held more than half of the chips in play.

With more than a 2-to-1 chip advantage over Stein, the final play of the tournament came down to pocket kings versus A-10. Stein raised, Dehkharghani three-bet and Stein moved all in. Dehkharghani snap-called and the tournament hinged on the upcoming board. The dealer spread 10 9 8 5 7 and the short-lived heads up battle was over.

For the win, Dehkharghani earned 720 Card Player Player of the Year points.

Here is a look at the final results.

With the elimination of Tom Marchese as the third place finisher, the heads up match between Ray Dehkharghani and Sam Stein is now underway.

Dehkharghani begins the heads up battle with about a 2-to-1 chip advantage over Stein.

Ray Dehkharghani – 4,400,000
Sam Stein – 1,800,000

Ray Dehkharghani now has about four million of the 6.2 million chips in play.

Dehkharghani further increased his stack in a recent hand with Tom Marchese.

Looking at a flop of J98 Marchese bet 100,000 from the small blind. Dehkharghani called from the big blind to see the 4 open on the turn. Marchese bet 245,000 and Dehkharghani called to see the 6 on the river.

Marchese then bet 545,000 and Dehkharghani went into the tank before making the call. Marchese showed K10 but Dehkharghani showed AJ for a pair of Jacks to take the pot.

Marchese is now down to about one million while Dehkharghani is up to about four million.

The final three players are on another ten minute break. They will return at Level 25, 15,000-30,000 blinds, 4,000 ante.

Gheorgui Martov moved all in for about 580,000 after a flop of A104 from under the gun and was called by Ray Dehkharghani in the big blind.

Martov held Q10 against Dehkharghani’s A4. The board completed 87 and Martov was eliminated as the fourth place finisher for $82,324.