Event #13: Australia Heads-Up Championship
Day 3 Completed
Event #13: Australia Heads-Up Championship
Day 3 Completed
After four days and more twists and turns than a bestselling novel, the Australia Heads-Up Championship has crowned a champion, one accustomed to seeing "First" by his name. Carlos Mortensen, yes that Carlos Mortensen, defeated fellow Full Tilt Red Pro Melanie Weisner, Terrence Chan, and Alexander Kostritsyn to make it through to the round-robin finals. Americans Dan "KingDan" Smith and Barry Woods also won three matches apiece to earn spots in the finals. All three returned this afternoon for a very unusual final day.
The top three played a round robin tournament format. The first player to win two best-of-three matches in a row would win the title. Theoretically, the finals could have gone on forever. It looked like things were headed in that direction. Mortensen beat Smith in the first match 2:1. Woods beat Mortensen in the first game of the second match and had a lead in the second. Then Woods flopped two pair and Mortensen turned a flush to double up and take all of the momentum from Woods. After that, Mortensen was unstoppable. He went on a tear to win the second and third games in record time and lock up the Championship title and AUD$130,000.
Woods, who finished as runner-up last year, then beat Smith in a playoff to finish second once again, earning AUD$70,000. Smith took home AUD$40,000 for his efforts.
Carlos Mortensen limped, Barry Woods raised, and Carlos Mortensen tossed out enough to put Woods all in for his last 3,000 or so. Woods called, seeming like he was just ready to get this over with already.
Mortensen:
Woods:
The flop was far from what Woods wanted. The turn was no help. And the river sealed Woods' fate. Somehow, in less than an hour, Carlos Mortensen went from down one game and short in the second to declared the winner of the tournament.
Barry Woods, last year's runner up, no longer has a chance to best that finish this year. He will now play Dan Smith to determine second and third places.
Carlos Mortensen three-bet to 1,200, and Barry Woods called.
Flop: - Both players checked.
Turn: - Mortensen checked to Woods, who bet 800. Mortensen wasn't buying it and called.
River: - It went check/check again, and Mortensen's was good enough to beat queen-high. Woods was both crippled and over it.
Carlos Mortensen took the wind out of Barry Woods' sails when he hit is flush during the last game. Woods still hasn't gotten his mojo back, as no matter what he does, Mortensen seems to turn over the best hand.
Woods made it 300, and Mortensen called. The flop fell , and both players checked. Mortensen bet 500 on the turn, and Woods called. After the river, Mortensen made it 2,000 to see a showdown. That was too much for Woods, who folded
Next hand Woods bet 500 at the flop. Mortensen clicked it back to 1,000, and Woods called. He checked the turn, and Mortensen checked behind. The on the river made things interesting. Woods bet 2,000, and Mortensen called. Woods triumphantly tabled for the ten-high straight and was shocked to see Mortensen had bested him again with the .
If Carlos Mortensen wins this game, he will be declared the Australia Heads-Up Champion and go home with $130,000. If Barry Woods wins, Woods will play Dan Smith for the chance to earn the title.
Barry Woods checked the flop, and Carlos Mortensen bet 300. Woods moved all in for around 5,000, and Mortensen made a quick call.
Mortensen: for tens and deuces with an ace
Woods: for tens and deuces with a seven
The turn and river didn't bail out Barry, and all of his chips went to the other end of the table. That means they are tied one game apiece.
Carlos Mortensen open-shoved his button, and Barry Woods called.
Mortensen:
Woods:
"An eight! I need an eight!" Woods called. Ask and ye shall receive, sometimes. The flop fell , much to Woods' delight. After the turn and river, he was back in the mix with 9,000 to Mortensen's 11,000.
Several thousand went into the middle on the flop. Then the turn was Carlos Mortensen's cue to move all in for 4,200. Barry Woods called with a flopped two pair to see that Mortensen had out-turned him with . The river didn't change anything, and Mortensen doubled to 13,000. Woods is down to 7,000 in the second game.
Carlos Mortensen limped his button, and Barry Woods raised to 600. Mortensen called.
Flop: - Woods bet 600, and Mortensen called.
Turn: - Woods bet 800, and Mortensen called.
River: - Woods bet 2,200. Mortensen quickly picked up the chips to call, then hesitated before making the call. Woods showed for the jack-high straight. Mortensen is not looking very happy.
Woods - 15,200
Mortensen - 4,800