2009 World Series of Poker

Day 3 completed

Posted 06-09-2009 18:14 GMT-12

Congratulations to Daniel Alaei, Event #18 Champion ($445,898)

Event #18 kicked off on Sunday with a star-studded field of 179 players hoping to find themselves here today at the final table. The play was brutally tough from wire to wire, with no easy pots to be found anywhere. At the end of everything, only one man can have all of the chips.

Today, that man is Daniel Alaei. He outlasted that whole field and a whale of a final table to capture his second gold bracelet. Alaei began the day in the middle of the pack with 17 players remaining, but he quickly announced that he would be a force to deal with as play progressed into the night. He surged to the chip lead here at the final table, never looking back once he snagged it.

Scott Clements provided the most serious challenge to Alaei today, though the two men mostly stayed out of each other's way. There was no hiding once heads-up play began though. Alaei had a nearly insurmountable chip lead when we got down to the final two, and it took just two hands for Alaei to seal the deal. He'll pocket $445,898 for his solid work over the last three days, not to mention the rare and coveted gold bracelet. And not just any bracelet; a World Championship bracelet.

Congratulations to Daniel Alaei, Champion of Event #18!

Tags: Daniel Alaei.

Scott Clements Eliminated in 2nd Place ($275,946)

In only the second hand of heads up play we have our result. Scott Clements raised to see Daniel Alaei three bet, Clements four-bet all in and Alaei call.

Alaei
Clements

The board came to win the pot for Alaei and therefore every chip in play to become our winner.

Scott Clements played a formidable game over the past three days and spent a lot of time as chip leader today. His record in this format is already impressive but this result puts him right up there with the best of the best. We say unlucky to finish second but also a hearty congratulations.

Ben Boyd Eliminated in 3rd Place ($182,730)

Scott Clements limped into the pot from the button, Daniel Alaei completed from the small blind, and Ben Boyd tapped the felt.

The flop came out . Alaei led out into the pot with 80,000, and Boyd moved all in for another 10,000 on top. Both Clements and Alaei called, and Boyd was now at risk of elimination.

Fourth street came the , and both live players checked. When the hit the river though, Alaei fired again. Clements heard the music and let his hand go.

Showdown
Alaei:
Boyd:

Alaei made his straight to the six, and his hand was the winner. With that, Ben Boyd becomes our 3rd-place finisher, taking home more than $180,000 for his efforts.

Tags: Ben Boyd, Daniel Alaei, Scott Clements.

Boyd Hangs On

Daniel Alaei raises from the button, Ben Boyd calls the all in for 115,000 and Scott Clements calls the extra 80,000. It's checked all the way down until we have a board.

All the cards are opened up and Boyd takes the low of the main pot with . Clements takes both high pots with and Alaei takes the minuscule low side pot with .

Scott's Turn

Scott Clement raises from the button and takes the blinds.

Waiting For Their Moment

Daniel Alaei gets another walk.

Blind Steal

A Daniel Alaei raise on the button good enough to take the blinds.

Chopping

The next hand sees Ben Boyd all in against Daniel Alaei but one takes the high and one takes the low.

Daniel Alaei Gets a Walk in the First Hand Back