With a l arge cheering section in hand Anh Van Nguyen took down the $1,500 NLHE event at the Bellagio. Nguyen defeated Matt Casterella ($166,695) after a short heads up battle. Nguyen said it had been far too long since his last major score and he was glad he would no long have to take flack from his friends. He attributed his success to good concentration, some luck and the occasional tip from Cardplayer POY point leader JC Tran.
Anh Van Nguyen takes down $303,320, the gold bracelet a $25,000 seat into the WPT Championship and perhaps the most important of all.....bragging rights.
Mike Landers Eliminated 3rd ($87,975)
Posted: Sat, Apr 14, 07, 1:35 PM
Anh Van Nguyen raised 50,000 and Mike Landers called. The flop came K97 and Nguyen bet $80,000. Landers re-raised to $220,000 and Nguyen 3-bet all in for $617,000. Landers made the call with AA but was behind Nguyen's Flopped set of 7's. Landers failed to improve and was crippled. He was eliminated two hands later and took hone a $87,975 payday. Nguyen now has a staggering 1.2 Million in chips.
Matt Casterella Doubles Up
Posted: Sat, Apr 14, 07, 1:15 PM
Matt Casterella pushed all in with 97 on a A95 board and was called by Anh Van Nguyen with 96. The turn was the J and the river was the 7 doubling Casterella up to around $200,000.
Anh Van Nguyen Doubles Up
Posted: Sat, Apr 14, 07, 12:59 PM
Anh Van Nguyen raised to $40,000 on the button with $379,000 behind and Matt Casterella re-raised all in from the small blind. Nguyen called and was was ahead of Casterella's A9 with AK. The board came QJ7TA giving Nguyen the nut straight and a monster pot.
Final Table Chip Counts
Posted: Sat, Apr 14, 07, 12:30 PM
Here are the chip counts for the final three players:
Matt Casterella -- $870,000
Mike Landers -- $637,000
Anh Van Nguyen -- $470,000
Final Table Break
Posted: Sat, Apr 14, 07, 12:28 PM
The final table is on a 15 minute break.
Ted Lawson Eliminated 4th ($50,940)
Posted: Sat, Apr 14, 07, 12:16 PM
Ted Lawson moved all in for his last $50,000 and was called by both Anh Van Nguyen and Matt Casterella. The board comes TT9K3 both Nguyen and Casterella checked down until Casterella fired a $100,000 bet on the river. Nguyen mucked and Casterella showed down KT eliminating Lawson in 4th.
Mike Landers Doubles Up
Posted: Sat, Apr 14, 07, 12:05 PM
Anh Van Nguyen made is $45,000 to go from the button and Matt Casterella flat called. Mike Landers re-raised all in for $277,000. Nguyen folded and Casterella called. Landers let out a sigh of relief when he found out his 77 was up against Casterella's 44. The cards came AK58J sending Landers a monster pot.
Jim Pechac Eliminated in 5th place ($37,045)
Posted: Sat, Apr 14, 07, 11:52 AM
Jim Pechac open pushed for $133,000 and Anh Van Nguyen calls. Matt Casterella pushed all in over the top for over $500,000. Nguyen angrily mucked, Casterella showed down AK while Pechac had 55. The board came A82kT sending Casterella a pot well over 300,000 and Pechac to the rail in 5th place.
Final Table Chip Counts
Posted: Sat, Apr 14, 07, 11:36 AM
Here are the final table chip counts by seating arrangement:
Anh Van Nguyen -- $540,000
Matt Casterella -- $570,000
Mike Landers -- $280,000
Ted Lawson -- $360,000
Jim Pechac -- $140,000
9
and Nguyen bet $80,000. Landers re-raised to $220,000 and Nguyen 3-bet all in for $617,000. Landers made the call with A
but was behind Nguyen's Flopped set of 7's. Landers failed to improve and was crippled. He was eliminated two hands later and took hone a $87,975 payday. Nguyen now has a staggering 1.2 Million in chips. 
on a A
