Event #18: $10,300 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Super High Roller], $500k Gtd - Trophy Event #10
Day 2 Completed
Event #18: $10,300 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Super High Roller], $500k Gtd - Trophy Event #10
Day 2 Completed
Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi defeated Mike "SirWatts" Watson in a lengthy heads-up battle to win Event #18: $10,300 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Super High Roller], $500k Gtd - Trophy Event #10 of the 2021 PokerStars EPT Online for the top prize of $81,432 + $132,563 in bounties, in addition to the EPT Online Trophy.
The event attracted 69 entries and the total prize pool of $690,000 smashed through the guarantee.
Players played down to the final table of nine yesterday and returned today. Shakerchi came into the day as the clear short stack with less than three percent of the chips in play, while Watson came in as the clear chip leader, before they faced off as the final two remaining. Today, the final table took just over four hours to crown a champion. Heads-up play by itself took around half of that time, but eventually it was Shakerchi who emerged victorious.
Place | Player | Country | Prize | Bounties | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi | United Kingdom | $81,432 | $132,563 | $212,995 |
2 | Mike "SirWatts" Watson | Canada | $81,432 | $30,312 | $111,744 |
3 | Mark "AceSpades11" Radoja | Canada | $52,240 | $10,000 | $62,240 |
4 | Eelis "EEE27" Pärssinen | Finland | $39,127 | $15,625 | $54,752 |
5 | "v0I<u" | Germany | $29,306 | $30,625 | $59,931 |
6 | Samuel "€urop€an" Vousden | Finland | $21,951 | $16,875 | $38,826 |
7 | Conor "1_conor_b_1" Beresford | United Kingdom | $16,441 | $13,750 | $30,191 |
8 | Sam "Str8$$$Homey" Greenwood | Canada | $12,314 | $10,000 | $22,314 |
9 | Lucio "WizardOffAz" Lima | Brazil | $10,756 | $3,750 | $14,506 |
Although Shakerchi started at the short stack, he chipped up early and won a key race against Lucio "WizardOffAz" Lima, which led to the Brazilian Lima making his exit in ninth soon after.
Sam "Str8$$$Homey" Greenwood was the next one gone after Watson turned trips against him, and Conor "1_conor_b_1" Beresford found his way out of the tournament seventh after losing a couple of hands, including one where Samuel "€urop€an" Vousden turned a set on him to take his bounty.
Vousden was hoping to win another EPT Online Trophy after winning one just a couple of days ago, but that dream ended after he ran his pocket tens into Watson’s pocket rockets. Soon after, "v0I<u" got the rest of his chips in against Shakerchai and wasn’t able to improve his dominated hand, ending his run in fifth place.
Eelis "EEE27" Pärssinen hit the rail next when got his pocket eights in against Shakerchi’s ladies, ended the Finn's run in fourth place. Mark "AceSpades11" Radoja then found himself in a classic flip, holding ace-king against Shakerchi’s queens, but Shakerchi held and the heads-up matchup was set.
When heads-up play began, Shakerchi held 10.5 million chips against Watson’s 6.7 million. Soon, the stacks were even, but Shakerchi then won a series of hands to take a big lead. After that, Watson doubled to stay alive and took the lead for himself after a bit.
The two players continued to trade chips before all of Shakerchi’s chips went into the pot on the river. He was at risk, but showed trip deuces against Watson’s pocket aces to take another huge lead of over 7:1. That lead didn’t last long though and Watson climbed his way back to even stacks before taking the lead again.
The turning point occurred when Shakerchi called Watson’s river bluff on a missed draw. Shakerchi showed top two pair to hold the majority of the chips, and this time he wouldn’t let the lead go. He whittled down Watson’s stack and eventually had Watson at risk for his last ten big blinds. Shakerchi held ace-jack against queen-deuce and locked up the title after turning trip aces, completing his final table comeback and putting him on the receiving end of a shiny EPT Online Trophy and $212,995 in total winnings.
This concludes the PokerNews coverage for this event in the 2021 PokerStars EPT Online. Stay tuned as PokerNews returns to bring you coverage of Day 1 of Event #22: $5,200 NLHE [8-Max, Super High Roller], $500k Gtd - Trophy Event #12 on Thursday, December 16th.
Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi had recently won several pots against Mike "SirWatts" Watson and had slowly taken an overwhelming lead, with Watson having just over ten big blinds left.
On this hand, Shakerchi called the small blind and Watson jammed in his 1,476,762 chips from the big blind. Shakerchi called.
Mike "SirWatts" Watson:
Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi:
Shakerchi was the favorite to win the title, and jumped out even further on the flop. The turn meant it was all over as the completed the board and gave Shakerchi the victory after a lengthy heads-up battle.
Watson came into the day as chip leader and will have to settle for the second-place prize. Meanwhile, Shakerchi was the short stack to start the day and has won the tournament and the EPT Online Trophy.
A recap is to follow.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi |
17,250,000
5,736,678
|
5,736,678 |
Mike "SirWatts" Watson | Busted | |
|
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi |
11,513,322
-1,921,380
|
-1,921,380 |
Mike "SirWatts" Watson |
5,736,678
1,921,380
|
1,921,380 |
|
Players are now on a five-minute break.
Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi opened to 292,800 in the small blind and Mike "SirWatts" Watson defended the big blind.
The flop came . Shakerchi bet 221,616 and Watson called.
On the turn, Watson check-raised Shakerchi's bet of 561,181 up to 1,800,000. Shakerchi called.
The completed the board and Watson jammed. Shakerchi called off his remaining 4,387,935 chips and hands were revealed.
Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi:
Mike "SirWatts" Watson:
Watson missed his draws and Shakerchi scooped the big pot with his flopped top two pair to take another sizable chip lead.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi |
13,434,702
4,675,935
|
4,675,935 |
Mike "SirWatts" Watson |
3,815,298
-4,675,935
|
-4,675,935 |
|
Level: 26
Blinds: 60,000/120,000
Ante: 15,000
Mike "SirWatts" Watson has evened up stacks again against Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi.
One hand that added to Watson's stack was one where Shakerchi raised to 244,000 in the small blind, Watson three-bet to 900,000 in the big blind, and Shakerchi called.
The flop saw a 456,250 bet by Watson and a call from Shakerchi.
Both players checked the turn and Watson bet 2,000,000 on the river. That prompted Shakerchi to fold and sent the pot to Watson.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi |
8,758,767
-2,447,250
|
-2,447,250 |
Mike "SirWatts" Watson |
8,491,233
2,447,250
|
2,447,250 |
|
After a series of hands and without having been all-in and at risk, Mike "SirWatts" Watson has tripled up his stack, as he attempts to come back against Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi after being down to a short stack.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi |
11,206,017
-4,081,383
|
-4,081,383 |
Mike "SirWatts" Watson |
6,043,983
4,081,383
|
4,081,383 |
|
Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi opened to 226,000 in the small blind and Mike "SirWatts" Watson three-bet to 850,000 in the big blind. Shakerchi called.
The flop came and Watson bet 431,250. Shakerchi called.
On the turn, Watson bet 1,650,000 and Shakerchi called again.
The completed the board and Watson put in enough chips to cover Shakerchi. Shakerchi didn't waste much time before calling for his remaining 4,699,950 chips and hands were revealed.
Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi:
Mike "SirWatts" Watson:
Shakerchi flopped trip deuces to crack Watson's rockets, and now has a huge chip lead of over seven times as many chips as Watson.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi |
15,287,400
7,643,700
|
7,643,700 |
Mike "SirWatts" Watson |
1,962,600
-7,643,700
|
-7,643,700 |
|