WPT Merit Cyprus Classic Championship
Day 6 Completed
2009 WPT Merit Cyprus Classic
WPT Merit Cyprus Classic Championship
Day: 6
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2009 WPT Merit Cyprus Classic
Buy-in
$10,000
Entries
181
Level
25
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
10,000
Congratulations to Thomas Bichon, Champion of the 2009 WPT Merit Cyprus Classic ($579,165)!
![[user75032]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
Bichon was no stranger to tournament poker final tables, having final-tabled two tournaments at the Bellagio Cup this past summer. Bichon finished 4th and 5th in those tournaments, not managing to close the deal for a six-figure payday. He overcame those failures here in Cyprus today.
Uri Keidar also played admirably, chipping up early and then hanging on as the blinds became huge and players fell to the wayside around him. Congratulations to both Keidar and Bichon on a poker achievement that they will both remember for a long time.
That wraps up our coverage of this inaugural WPT Merit Cyprus Classic. We've had a great week here at the Merit Crystal Cove Resort and Casino in Kyrenia, Cyprus, but it's time to move on to our next stop: London, England. We'll be there to provide coverage of the 2009 World Series of Poker Europe.
Until then, you can find us at the bar.
Uri Keidar Eliminated in 2nd Place ($380,645); Thomas Bichon Wins WPT Merit Cyprus Classic
On the second hand, Keidar opened from the button for 350,000. This time Bichon was the player who moved all in. After thirty seconds of deliberation, Keidar called.
Keidar:
Bichon:
After six days of poker, it came down to one final flip. Bichon took a commanding lead by flopping a set,
. He needed only to dodge a queen on the turn and river to secure the championship. The 
turn didn't really help Keidar, and he was eliminated by the 
river.When the river card fell, Bichon let out a primal scream of "Yeaaaaaaaah!" and then sank to his knees, his arms in the air, as if he had just won the French Open. It was the exclamation point on an excellent week of poker.
Heads-Up For the Win
The loot was placed in the center of the table, and the two men are now on opposite sides of the felt, ready for the final showdown.
With that, the cards are in the air, and heads-up play has begun!
Another TV Timeout
Thomas Bichon (5.6 million) will begin the heads-up match with a three and a half to one chip advantage over opponent Uri Keidar (1.6 million).
Back in a minute.
Steven Fung Eliminated in 3rd Place ($216,275)
From the small blind, Bichon moved all in, putting Fung to a decision for all of his chips (470,000). Fung made the call and tabled
; Bichon had him dominated with the 
.The board ran out
in favor of Bichon, sending Fung home in 3rd place.
Updated Chip Counts
Uri Keidar - 1,600,000
Steven Fung - 500,000
Rep Porter Eliminated in 4th Place ($121,115)
and confidently announced a call, while Keidar tabled 
.Porter is not one to stand up for an all in, and he remained comfortably seated with a slight grin on his face as he prepared for what would be his final board of the day. The dealer spread out
to make Keidar the winning pair of nines.That spells the end of the road for the gregarious Rep Porter after quite an impressive tournament. He was well rewarded for his efforts, too, as he stopped by the cage to pick up $121,115. That marks Porter's fourth-largest career cash, and we have to wonder when how many more six-figure scores it'll take before Porter gives up his day job.
Porter Doubles, and Doubles, and Doubles Again
all in against Steven Fung's ."Just your standard king-four versus eight-deuce all in," joked John Monnette from the gallery.
The next hand, Porter was all in for 75,000 from the big blind. His
beat Thomas Bichon's 
when Porter turned an eight to make a pair."Six more!" Monnette shouted from the gallery.
Porter managed to fold one hand after that before moving in again with
. Bichon was in there with . On a board of 
, Porter's aces were better than Bichon's kings, giving Porter another double-up.We have Porter on 480,000 chips now. That's not much at these blinds, but it's better than 30,000.
Game On