FTOPS XI Event #13, $200+16 NL Hold'em (1R/1A): Darren 'darrenelias' Elias Wins

February 11, 2009

Mickey Doft Live Reporter

FTOPS XI Event #13, $200+16 NL Hold'em (1R/1A): Darren 'darrenelias' Elias Wins 0001

Event #13 of the eleventh Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS XI), $200+16 NL Hold'em (1R/1A) easily topped its pre-tourney $300,000 guarantee. The number was nearly doubled after 1,210 entrants, 861 rebuys and 805 add-ons. The total prize pool was $575,200, with first place offering $126,544. Notable finishers falling short of the final included Kenny "Hixx" Hicks in 10th ($4,889.20), Carter "ckingusc" King in 18th ($2,502.12), Jaroslaw "YanniYankiev" Jaskiewicz in 24th ($1,984.44) and David Pham in 27th ($1,984.44). The chip leader to start the final table was Kroko-dill, who won an event in FTOPS IX. The chip counts to start the final table were as follows:

Kroko-dill - 1,226,172

Eppi80 - 1,125,381

Julian "jae_rod811" Rodriguez - 1,053,721

nimzon - 777,200

Im yr bad beat - 615,615

Darren "darrenelias" Elias - 531,958

charoff - 413,788

safeT1st - 303,456

holdidona - 107,209

The first to exit the final was holdidona, at the 10,000/20,000/2,500 level. From middle position, holdidona went all in for 104,709 with A♦10♥ and Im yr bad beat called from the cutoff with A♠Q♦. A queen came on the flop and it would be enough to send holdidona to cashier in ninth place for $8,628. At 12,000/24,000/3,000, nimzon said goodbye to the final table. Under the gun, nimzon opened to 60,000 and, acting next, Kroko-dill popped it up to 192,000. In middle position, Darren "darrenelias" Elias re-raised all in for 540,508, and action folded back to nimzon who re-shoved for 865,200. Kroko-dill called instantly with Q♠Q♥ and led nimzon's J♣J♥, but trailed Elias' K♠K♣. The board ran out 4♥7♣8♣A♦8♥ and Darren Elias won the main pot to triple up. Kroko-dill won the side pot to eliminate nimzon in eighth place for $12,079.20. Toward the end of the level, charoff busted after making a move with 10♣8♣. Unfortunately for charoff, Julian "jae_rod811" Rodriguez woke up with A♦A♥ and the board brought no help for charoff, who finished in seventh place for $16,680.80.

Im yr bad beat departed at 14,000/28,000/3,500 after shoving from the button for 279,824 with A♠5♠. In the big blind, safeT1st called with A♥10♦ and won the pot when the board rolled out J♦K♦6♠3♥8♣. Im yr bad beat took home $25,884 for sixth place. Those chips weren't safeT1st's for long. At 17,000/34,000/4,000, safeT1st limped in from the cutoff and Darren Elias raised to 96,500. Action folded back to safeT1st, who shoved for 377,692 with 5♠5♦ and Elias called holding A♣K♣. The board ran out K♦A♦8♦4♥3♥ and safeT1st headed to the rail in fifth place for $35,259.76. Julian "jae_rod811" Rodriguez busted later in the level after a preflop raising war. Rodriguez's tournament life was on the line with 9♥9♦ against Eppi80's A♣K♦. The board came A♦10♣J♥5♥8♦ and Julian "jae_rod811" Rodriguez was out in fourth place for $46,735.

Eppi80 succumbed in third at 20,000/40,000/5,000. Darren Elias raised to 102,500 in the small blind and Eppi80 shipped it in for 667,382 from the big blind. Elias called with J♣J♥ and had Eppi80's J♠9♦ crushed. The board came 8♥J♦2♣A♠8♦ and Eppi80 collected $58,239. At the beginning of heads-up play, Darren Elias held a slight chip lead, and he went on to win the tournament at the 25,000/50,000/6,000 level. Elias raised to 120,000 and Kroko-dill called, bringing a 9♣5♦9♠ flop. Kroko-dill checked, Elias bet 112,500, and Kroko-dill check-raised to 250,000. Elias called and the 8♥ hit the turn. Kroko-dill moved all in for 1,110,432 and Elias snap-called with 6♦7♥ for the straight. Kroko-dill held 7♠5♠ and needed a five to win or six to chop. Neither came as the J♣ fell on the river. Kroko-dill earned $80,528 for second place, falling short in his effort to return to the winner's circle, as Darren "darrenelias" Elias took down FTOPS XI Event #13 for $126,544.