2014 World Series of Poker Asia-Pacific

$5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha
Day: 3
Event Info

2014 World Series of Poker Asia-Pacific

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
9864
Prize
127,843 AUD
Event Info
Buy-in
5,000 AUD
Prize Pool
376,000 AUD
Entries
80
Level Info
Level
19
Blinds
4,000 / 8,000
Ante
0

$5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha

Day 3 Completed

Sam Higgs Wins 2014 WSOP APAC Event #5 $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha for AU$127,843

Level 19 : 4,000/8,000, 0 ante
Sam Higgs - Event #5 Champion
Sam Higgs - Event #5 Champion

With the conclusion of Event #5 the 2014 World Series of Poker Asia-Pacific is officially halfway over. Two days ago the $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha tournament attracted 80 players that created a prize pool of AU$376,000, but today just six of them returned to the Crown Casino to play down to a winner. It’d take just three hours and 110 hands for Melbourne local and tattoo shop owner Sam Higgs, who began the day as a massive chip leader, to walk away with the AU$127,843 first-place prize.

Things got off to a quick start when, on just the third hand of the day, action folded to Mike Watson in the small blind and he raised to 12,000. German pro Ismael Bojang responded by three-betting the size of the pot, Watson four-bet, and Bojang got all in for roughly 55,000 total.

Watson: {q-Diamonds}{q-Spades}{a-Hearts}{9-Spades}
Bojang: {a-Spades}{10-Spades}{k-Clubs}{j-Diamonds}

The {9-Hearts}{6-Spades}{4-Clubs} flop was dry as could be for Bojang, but the {7-Spades} turn gave him both straight and flush draws. Unfortunately for Bojang, he'd miss as the {4-Diamonds} bricked on the river. Bojang exited in sixth place for AU$21,123, which marked his 11th WSOP in 2014.

On Hand #39 of the final table, a short-stacked Jeff Rossiter got his chips all in holding {j-Hearts}{j-Spades}{9-Diamonds}{4-Spades} only to run into the {k-Clubs}{k-Spades}{10-Hearts}{9-Spades} of Watson. The board ran out clean and Rossiter had to settle for fifth place and AU$27,011 in prize money.

The next to go was Day 1 chip leader Jamie Pickering, who fell on Hand #44 when he got his remaining chips all in on the turn with kings only to run into the nut-flush of Higgs, and he was followed out the door by 2010 WSOP Main Event champ Jonathan Duhamel, who got his stack all in preflop holding the {7-Clubs}{5-Clubs}{4-Hearts}{2-Spades} and failed to outdraw the {a-Spades}{k-Clubs}{k-Hearts}{6-Hearts} of Higgs.

Higgs began heads-up play with a slight chip lead, but within three hands Watson took it over. Not to be deterred, Higgs retook the lead and then set about slowly whittling away at his opponent. After 55 hands of heads-up play, which was Hand #110 of the final table, Higgs limped from the button and then called when Watson, who by this time was at a 5-1 chip disadvantage, raised to 24,000. The {5-Clubs}{j-Spades}{q-Clubs} flop saw Higgs call a bet of 48,000, and then Watson moved all in for his last 87,000 on the {4-Diamonds} turn. Higgs thought for a while before dropping in a call and saying "gamble."

Higgs: {4-Clubs}{6-Clubs}{8-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds}
Watson: {k-Clubs}{k-Spades}{6-Diamonds}{7-Hearts}

Watson was ahead with kings and an open-ended straight draw, while Higgs was drawing to a flush and a straight draw of his own.

"More outs than I thought," Higgs said optimistically. The dealer then burned and put out the {10-Spades}. Higgs hit his straight, and for the third time in his career Watson had to settle for a runner-up finish is a WSOP event.

Higgs, who won a PLO event back in January at the Aussie Millions, captured his first WSOP gold bracelet and the AU$127,843 first-place prize.

PlacePlayerPrize (AU$)
1Sam Higgs$127,843
2Mike Watson$79,099
3Jonathan Duhamel$52,068
4Jamie Pickering$36,449
5Jeff Rossiter$27,011
6Ismael Bojang$21,123

That does it for our coverage from Event #5: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha, but the PokerNews Live Reporting Team is still hard at work covering both Event #6: $1,650 8-Game Dealer’s Choice and Event #7: $2,200 Six-Max No-Limit Hold’em, so be sure to follow those for more WSOP APAC action.

Tags: Mike WatsonSam Higgs

Mike Watson Eliminated in 2nd Place (AU$79,099)

Level 19 : 4,000/8,000, 0 ante
Mike Watson - 2nd Place
Mike Watson - 2nd Place

Hand #109: Mike Watson limped the button and then called when Sam Higgs raised to 24,000. Both players checked the {j-Diamonds}{8-Hearts}{6-Hearts} flop as well as the {A-Spades} turn, and then action repeated itself on the {4-Spades} river. Higgs showed kings with the {k-Clubs}{k-Spades}{9-Spades}{2-Hearts} and Watson mucked.

Hand #110: In what would be the final hand of the tournament, Higgs limped from the button and then called when Watson raised to 24,000. The {5-Clubs}{j-Spades}{q-Clubs} flop saw Higgs call a bet of 48,000, and then Watson moved all in for his last 87,000 on the {4-Diamonds} turn. Higgs thought for awhile before dropping in a call and saying "gamble."

Higgs: {4-Clubs}{6-Clubs}{8-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds}
Watson: {k-Clubs}{k-Spades}{6-Diamonds}{7-Hearts}

Watson was ahead with kings and an open-ended straight draw, while Higgs was drawing to a flush and a straight draw of his own.

"More outs than I thought," Higgs said optimistically. The dealer then burned and put out the {10-Spades}. Higgs hit his straight, and for the third time Watson had to settle for a runner-up finish is a WSOP event.

Player Chips Progress
Sam Higgs au
Sam Higgs
WSOP 1X Winner
1,200,000 170,000
Mike Watson ca
Mike Watson
WPT 1X Winner
EPT 2X Winner
Busted

Tags: Mike WatsonSam Higgs

Hands #104-108: Watson with Small Pots, Gives Up a Bigger One

Level 19 : 4,000/8,000, 0 ante

Hand #104: Mike Watson received a walk.

Hand #105: Watson limped and Sam Higgs checked the big blind to the {2-Spades} {3-Spades} {K-Spades} flop. No action on the flop nor the {10-Diamonds} turn before Higgs bet 15,000 after the {3-Clubs} river. Watson called with {6-Spades} {7-Spades} {7-Hearts} {A-Clubs} and that won the pot.

Hand #106: Higgs limped, Watson checked and they went to the flop of {6-Clubs} {J-Spades} {A-Diamonds}. Both checked and did so again after the {Q-Spades} turn before the {4-Hearts} river triggered no action either. Watson won the pot with a pair of nines.

Hand #107: Watson limped, Higgs checked and history repeated with a check by both opponents on the {8-Spades} {Q-Hearts} {10-Clubs} flop. On the {A-Clubs} turn, Huggs bet 16,000 and Watson checked before the {K-Hearts} river was checked through. Higgs only held {J-} {8-} {X-} {X-} and Watson won the pot with {A-Hearts} {Q-Spades} [4h[ {2-Diamonds}.

Hand #108: Higgs limped, Watson raised 24,000 and got a call. On the {J-Clubs} {2-Diamonds} {J-Spades} flop, Watson continued for 25,000 and immediately folded when Higgs announced a pot-sized raise.

Player Chips Progress
Sam Higgs au
Sam Higgs
WSOP 1X Winner
1,030,000 10,000
Mike Watson ca
Mike Watson
WPT 1X Winner
EPT 2X Winner
170,000 -10,000

Tags: Michael WatsonMike WatsonSam Higgs

Level: 19

Blinds: 4,000/8,000

Ante: 0

Hands #99-103: Not Much to See

Level 18 : 3,000/6,000, 0 ante

Hand #99: Mike Watson limped, Sam Higgs raised to 18,000 and got called. The {5-Spades} {10-Spades} {Q-Spades} flop triggered a bet of 30,000 by Higgs and that took down the pot.

Hand #100: Higgs limped, Watson raised to 18,000 and Higgs folded.

Hand #101: Higgs received a walk in the big blind.

Hand #102: Now Watson got a walk.

Hand #103: Watson limped and Higgs checked. The {5-Hearts} {K-Hearts} {J-Hearts} flop was checked, Watson bet 8,000 on the {10-Spades} turn and that won him the pot.

Tags: Michael WatsonMike WatsonSam Higgs

Hands #91-98: Watson Dwindling

Level 18 : 3,000/6,000, 0 ante

Hand #91: Mike Watson raised to 18,000 from the button and Sam Higgs called. Both players checked the {j-Diamonds}{5-Clubs}{10-Diamonds} flop, and then Watson called a bet of 36,000 on the {3-Hearts} turn. Higgs fired out 75,000 on the {5-Diamonds} river, and that did the trick as Watson released his hand.

Hand #92: Watson received a walk.

Hand #93:Watson raised to 18,000, Higgs called, and the flop came down {2-Hearts}{5-Clubs}{4-Spades}. Higgs checked, Watson bet 25,000, and Higgs check-raised to 86,000. Watson folded.

Hand #94: Watson received a walk.

Hand #95: Watson limped, Higgs checked his option, and then both players checked the {4-Hearts}{3-Diamonds}{7-Spades} flop. Higgs bet 10,000 on the {K-Hearts} turn and Watson folded.

Hand #96: Watson received a walk.

Hand #97: Watson raised to 18,000, Higgs called, and the flop came out pqd5dqc]. Higgs check-folded to a bet of 18,000.

Hand #98: Higgs limped, Watson checked, and the {2-Hearts}{9-Diamonds}{k-Clubs} appeared on the flop. Watson check-called a bet of 8,000 and then both players checked down the {J-Diamonds} turn and {8-Spades} river. Higgs tabled the {9-Clubs}{2-Diamonds}{a-Spades}{5-Diamonds} for two pair, and it was good as Watson mucked.

Player Chips Progress
Sam Higgs au
Sam Higgs
WSOP 1X Winner
1,020,000 140,000
Mike Watson ca
Mike Watson
WPT 1X Winner
EPT 2X Winner
180,000 -140,000

Tags: Sam HiggsMike Watson

Hands #86-90: Trading a few Small Pots

Level 18 : 3,000/6,000, 0 ante

Hand #86: A walk for Mike Watson.

Hand #87: Watson raised to 18,000 and Sam Higgs called to see the {3-Hearts} {8-Clubs} {Q-Diamonds} flop. Watson bet 25,000 and Higgs announced a raise of pot size. It was 86,000 to go and Watson folded.

Hand #88: After a limped pot, Higgs bet 9,000 on the {Q-Diamonds} {2-Hearts} {Q-Hearts} flop and folded when Watson raised to 25,000.

Hand #89: Watson raised to 18,000 and Higgs called. "SirWatts" bet the {3-Clubs} {9-Diamonds} {K-Spades} flop for 25,000 and that won him the pot.

Hand #90: Another limped pot to the {7-Hearts} {9-Hearts} {2-Clubs} flop was checked, the {A-Diamonds} turn triggered a bet of 10,000 by Watson. Higgs tossed in two yellow T-5,000 chips for the call and they then checked the {Q-Spades} river. Watson showed a deuce but it was no good against the {9-Spades} {8-Clubs} {5-Diamonds} {4-Clubs} for Higgs.

Tags: Michael WatsonMike WatsonSam Higgs

Hands #81-85: Two Pair for Higgs

Level 18 : 3,000/6,000, 0 ante

Hand #81: Mike Watson raised the button to 18,000 and that won the pot.

Hand #82: Sam Higgs folded from the small blind and Watson got a walk.

Hand #83: Watson got through with another button raise for 18,000.

Hand #84: Higgs raised to 16,000 and Watson called to see the flop of {7-Spades} {9-Hearts} {K-Clubs}. Higgs followed up with a continuation bet of 20,000 and was called before both bracelet contenders checked down the {8-Hearts} on the turn and the {4-Clubs} on the river. Higgs showed {K-Diamonds} {9-Diamonds} {Q-Spades} {5-Spades} for two pair and that was good enough to win the hand.

Hand #85: Watson raised to 18,000 and there was no further action.

Tags: Mike WatsonSam HiggsMichael Watson

Hands #78-80: Higgs with the Momentum

Level 18 : 3,000/6,000, 0 ante

Hand #78: Mike Watson received a walk from Sam Higgs.

Hand #79: Watson raised to 18,000 from the button and then called when Higgs three-bet to 54,000. Both players checked the {2-Hearts}{9-Diamonds}{3-Hearts} flop, and the dealer burned and turned the {3-Diamonds}. Higgs announced pot and Watson folded.

Hand #80: Higgs limped and then called when Watson raised to 18,000. The {k-Diamonds}{6-Spades}{7-Spades} flop saw Higgs call a bet of 25,000, and then Watson fired out 75,000 on the {q-Diamonds} turn. Higgs announced pot for a raise to 236,000, and Watson thought for around a minute before releasing his hand.

Player Chips Progress
Sam Higgs au
Sam Higgs
WSOP 1X Winner
880,000 280,000
Mike Watson ca
Mike Watson
WPT 1X Winner
EPT 2X Winner
320,000 -280,000

Tags: Mike WatsonSam Higgs