2011 World Poker Tour Grand Prix de Paris Day 5: Matt Waxman Wins

September 11, 2011

Donnie Peters

Coming into the final table of the World Poker Tour Grand Prix de Paris on Saturday, only six players remained. Leading the way was Byron Kaverman, but at the end of the day American Matthew Waxman walked away with the trophy and €518,750 in prize money.

On the 27th hand of the final table, the first player hit the rail. According to the WPT Live Update Team, the short-stacked Martin Jacobson fell after his A♦J♦ couldn’t out run Mikko Sundell's J♥J♠. Jacobson was eliminated in sixth place and earned €88,900.

From there, it didn’t take too long for Waxman to make his move. On the 32nd hand of the final table, Waxman raked in a massive pot and crushed his opponent, Sundell.

At the time, the blinds were 15,000/30,000 with a 5,000 ante. Sundell raised to 75,000 from the small blind after action folded around to him. Waxman was his only opponent left in the big blind and made the call to see the 9♣7♣4♣ flop. Sundell stayed aggressive and bet 85,000. Waxman came back with a raise to 210,000 and then Sundell questioned Waxman for how much he had left. About a minute and a half went by before Sundell reraised to 680,000. Waxman sighed and then moved all-in. Sundell called and a pot worth 3.7 million was born.

Waxman tabled 6♣5♣ for a flopped flush. Sundell held A♦K♣ for a king-high flush draw. After the 7♦ fell on the turn and the 3♦ hit the river, Waxman’s flush proved to be the winning hand and he scooped in the chips. Sundell was crushed down to just 30,000, or one big blind. On the next hand, he was eliminated by start-of-the-day chip leader Kaverman.

Quite some time passed before the 87th hand came up and Kaverman was sent packing in fourth place for €155,550. Fred Magen opened to five times the big blind, 250,000, and Kaverman moved all-in. Magen made the call and revealed the A♥7♠. Kaverman held Q♥9♣. The board ran out K♥Q♦10♦J♥7♥ and Magen’s Broadway straight won the hand.

Magen was then eliminated in third place at the hands of Waxman. The eliminated occurred on the 100th hand of the final table with the blinds at 30,000/60,000 with a 10,000 ante. Magen raised to 160,000. Waxman set him all-in and Magen made the call. Magen turned over K♠Q♠, but was dominated by Waxman's A♣K♣. After a board of 7♣4♠3♥J♣6♦ ran out, Magen was left with a €211,100 payday and the heads-up match between Waxman and Hugo Lemaire was set.

When heads-up play began, Waxman held a commanding chip lead with 7.863 million in chips to Lemaire’s 1.55 million. The match only lasted three hands.

After Lemaire raised to 130,000, Waxman checked his cards and then called to see the flop, which came down Q♥5♣3♣. Waxman checked to the preflop raiser and Lemaire fired 145,000. Waxman check-raised all-in and Lemaire made the call to put himself at risk. He held the Q♦8♥ for top pair while Waxman held the 9♣8♣ for a flush draw. The turn delivered the 6♥ to give Waxman some more outs to a straight and then the river landed with the 10♣, giving Waxman his flush and the win. For his runner-up finish, Lemaire took home €311,100.