WSOP Event #19 $2,500 NLHE - “A Chip and a Chair!”
Friday, June 15, 2007 | Adrian Milewski
The final table for the $2,500 No Limit Holdem event was set and the big story was Costa Rican Humberto Brenes who had navigated his way through another huge field to take his place at his third final table out of the six events he’s played in at this years WSOP.
Brenes is a crowd favourite and is always entertaining with his famous shark card protector, and he didn’t disappoint here either. Brenes won two WSOP bracelets back in 1993 and has been chasing his third for 14 years ever since.
The final table lined up as follows:
- Seat 1: Devin Porter - 819,000
- Seat 2: John Phan - 445,000
- Seat 3: Humberto Brenes - 343,000
- Seat 4: Alex Bolotin - 382,000
- Seat 5: Marcus Obser - 679,000
- Seat 6: Bertrand Grospellier - 416,000
- Seat 7: Shawn Hattem - 787,000
- Seat 8: Francois Safieddine - 302,000
- Seat 9: Lars Bonding - 882,000
Everyone was chasing the WSOP bracelet and the first prize of $521,785. There were some notable threats at the table with Brenes and dangerous pro John Phan along with the chip leaders Lars Bonding and Devin Porter but it would be the shortstack going into the final table Francois Safieddine that would be involved in all the action.
The first player to exit was Bertrand Grospellier who was busted by Devin Porter and left in 9th place with $29,124.
Then over the next hour the final table really thinned out with a further four eliminations. Alex Bolotin finished in 8th place when he failed to hit his flush draw against the set of 8’s held by Marcus Obser. He left with prize money of $40,773.
Then to the crowds disappointment and the clear disappointment of Humberto Brenes he was the next to be eliminated when his A-K did not improve against the pocket 9’s of Devin Porter. Brenes picked up some consolation in a payday of $55,918.
The journey of chip leader throughout Day 1 and 2 of this event Lars Bonding was next to come to an end when he was eliminated in 6th place after he ran into John Phan with a monster full house. Bonding finished with a prize of $74,557.
It was then that Francois Safieddine decided to join in the eliminations when he his a set of Aces and eliminated Shawn Hattem in 5th place sending him home with $97,856.
Safieddine then went on to eliminate Devin Porter when his pocket 7’s held up against the A-J of Porter. Porter collected $139,794 for his 4th place finish.
Marcus Obser ran out of time with the blinds increasing and he was forced to make a move with his middle pair of eights only to be beaten by Safeiddine’s flopped pair of Aces. Obser’s 3rd place finish was good for $212,021.
Down to heads up and the previous two eliminations had given Saffieddine a good chip lead over John Phan and the decisive hand came when Phan picked up pocket Aces and found himself in good shape against Safieddine’s pocket fours. Phan didn’t get any luck however and Safieddine hit his set of fours and claimed the bracelet and the 1st prize of $521,785.
The final standings for Event #19 of WSOP 2007 were:
- Francois Safieddine - $ 521,785
- John Phan - $ 330,846
- Marcus Obser - $ 212,021
- Devin Porter - $ 139,794
- Shawn Hattem - $ 97,856
- Alex Bolotin - $ 74,557
- Humberto Brenes - $ 55,918
- Alex Bolotin - $ 40,773
- Bertrand Grospellier - $ 29,124
There’s still time to qualify for the WSOP main event by winning one of the many satellites taking place on Pokerstars.
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