Full Tilt Poker Merit Cyprus Classic: Krause Conquers the Island of Cyprus
Wednesday marked the final day for the 2010 Full Tilt Poker Merit Cyprus Classic. The televised final table was headlined by Full Tilt Red Pro Van Marcus, who hoped to claim another major tournament title, and Andreas Krause, who hoped to add another big score to his extensive tournament resume. About four and a half hours after the start of play, Krause wrapped the bracelet around his wrist.
Hakan Dalokay, who began the day as the shortest stack at the table, lasted only a few minutes before becoming the first player eliminated. After Marcus raised and chip leader Zsolt Vasvenszki called, Dalokay shoved all-in. Marcus got out of the way, but Vasvenszki wasn’t about to do the same and made the call. Dalokay was in need of some help as he went into the race a few steps behind, holding AxQx to Vasvenszki’s pocket fives. A five on the turn gave Vasvenszki the winning hand and sent Dalokay out in sixth place for $55,220.
About 45 minutes later, it was Ahmet Ucali’s turn to go. Ucali moved all-in for roughly 400,000 over the top of a raise to 64,000 from Mathieu Clavet. Clavet held AxQx, which was good enough to make the call in his eyes and he was up against the pocket jacks for the at-risk Ucali. An ace spiked on the river that proved to be the dagger that ended Ucali’s tournament life. He took home $68,215 for his fifth-place finish.
Although Vasvenszki held a pretty nice chip lead when four-handed play began, he was the next player sent to the rail. Krause doubled through Vasvenszki after spiking a three-outer with A♠J♠ to Vasvenszki’s A♦K♦. It was a massive turn of the tide that gave Krause a sizeable lead and left Vasvenszki with about 10 big binds. He was then eliminated shortly thereafter when he failed to improve with the A♣4♣ to Krause’s pocket tens. Vasvenszki earned $90,950 for his finish in fourth place.
With Vasvenszki out of the way, the table loosened up a bit, and we’re not talking about the play. The play itself stayed relatively the same, but Marcus and Clavet opted to start taking some shots of tequila to liven things up. Unfortunately for Marcus, the party did not last long — he was the next to go.
Marcus seemed somewhat card dead throughout the day and never made headway as his chip stack dwindled into the danger zone. He would eventually shove from the button with Ax6x, but ran into his drinking buddy’s AxJx. A jack on the flop crushed Marcus’ chances of surviving before the turn and river sent him away in third place with $162,415.
Krause began heads-up play with the chip lead, but the swings began almost immediately. Just a few hands into heads-up play, Clavet was able to double through Krause in exciting fashion. A series of preflop raises found all the money in the middle, with Clavet holding A♦5♠ to Krause’s pocket eights. The flop and turn kept things bismal for Clavet, but the A♣ on the river changed all of that. Clavet was able to double up and take the chip lead.
His time in front didn’t last as long as he would have liked, because just moments after doubling up, Clavet gave all the chips back to Krause as it was his turn to double. Krause’s 6x5x held up against the A♣9x on the flop of 5♣4♣3♦. Even the K♣ on the turn that added some additional outs couldn’t help Clavet win the tournament as the 3♠ completed the board on the river. Krause was now back in the lead and the action didn’t slow down from there.
About 10 minutes passed before Clavet made his final stand holding the A♣7♠. Krause held the 5♠5♣ and was in line to take home the title if he could just fade the next five cards.
The flop came down Q♠3♣3♠ and Krause’s fives held strong. The turn brought the 3♦ and the river the 4♦ to finish the job and send Clavet home in second place. He took home $285,850 for his runner-up finish, by far the largest score of his young career.
Krause, who already held over $1.7 million in career tournament winnings, can now sit back and enjoy his most successful victory ever while sniffing all of the $415,780 he has won. Along with the money, Krause scored the Full Tilt Poker Merit Cyprus Classic gold bracelet and the right to be called champion!
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