The first ever World Poker Tour National in the Netherlands reached its epic conclusion late on Sunday, as Niels van Leeuwen came out on top. Van Leeuwen took home €40,000 after beating some very tough competition at the final table that including some of the Netherlands' best players. The godfather of poker in the Netherlands, Marcel Luske, made a very impressive run and busted out in third place.
The third and final day started with Van Leeuwen as the overwhelming chip leader and 16 other hopefuls, but within two levels just 10 remained. Pim van Wieringen was extremely active right away as he knocked out a few players and doubled some up. Jeroen Minnekeer was the first to go followed by [Removed:31], Jeno Marton and Stieven Razab-Sekh. In 13th place we lost Peter Gutker to Van Leeuwen, the start of the day chip leader, who was unstoppable for most of the day. Sandro Pitzanti was very unlucky just minutes later when his ace-king could not hold up against Van Leeuwen's ace-seven. The last table was reached when Rolf Weisshaupt busted in a hand where Joep van den Bijgaart more than doubled up through Thomas Brader.
Zeus Post was knocked out in 10th place when his queens were no match against Van Wieringen's ace-queen who managed to river a straight. One hand later Post was knocked out to Luske's aces, followed by Timo Hendricks who busted out on the official final table bubble.
Luske came into the final table as one of the short stacks but he managed to triple up at the start to give himself some more breathing room. Danny op t Hof had a better position going into the final table, but he was knocked out in eighth place for €5,459. Just a few hands later it was Van Wieringen who was all in for his tournament life with ace-queen against ace-king for the biggest pot of the tournament, but the board saved him when a straight rolled off. Van Leeuwen could've had half the chips in play with six left, but things didn't go his way yet.
Van Tran busted out in seventh place, and it was none other than Van Leeuwen who took his last chips. After this hand Luske doubled up again through Van Leeuwen, but this only dented the stack of the chip leader just slightly. Thomas Brader finished in sixth place for €8,189 and Joep van den Bijgaart's grind ended in fifth place when he ran ace-nine into Van Leeuwen's ace-king.
One hand after Van den Bijgaart's departure it was Ronald Keijzer who hit the rail in fourth place. Keijzer took home €13,843 for his efforts after he also busted out to Van Leeuwen who held pocket kings against ace-ten. After this hand Luske took the lead for a while after playing very aggressively, but it didn't last long. Van Wieringen cracked Luske's aces in the craziest hand of the tournament, and shortly after that Luske hit the rail.
The heads-up battle lasted for quite a while, especially considering the big limits, but in the end it was Van Leeuwen who came out on top. Van Wieringen lost the last hand of the day holding ace-nine against Van Leeuwen's pocket fives. Van Leeuwen was extremely happy with his big win and he walks away €40,000 richer, and he'll forever be able to say that he was the first ever World Poker Tour winner.
After a raise to 500,000 from Niels van Leeuwen it was Pim van Wieringen who moved all in for around 3,900,000 chips. Van Leeuwen gave it some thought before he eventually made the call.
Van Leeuwen:
Van Wieringen:
The board ran out and Van Wieringen was knocked out in second place.
Marcel Luske moved all in from the button for 985,000 and Pim van Wieringen called from the small blind. Niels van Leeuwen tanked for a bit before folding and the heads-up showdown went as following.
Luske:
Van Wieringen:
The board ran out and Luske was knocked out in third place after putting up a great fight to become the first ever WPT winner on Dutch soil.
After a raising war it was Pim van Wieringen who ended up all in before the flop and Marcel Luske snap-called creating a pot worth 6.3 million chips.
Luske:
Van Wieringen:
The board ran out and due to four clubs being on the board Van Wieringen hit his flush! The crowd went wild and Van Wieringen was in shock over what just happened. Luske was trying to laugh away the pain of losing this enormous hand, as he's left with just 1,000,000 chips.
Niels van Leeuwen raised from the small blind to 190,000 and Marcel Luske called from the big blind. The flop came down and Van Leeuwen bet 180,000, which was quickly called by Luske.
The turn was the and Van Leeuwen bet another 325,000 and Luske called quickly again.
The board completed on the river with the and this time Van Leeuwen checked to Luske who immediately bet 600,000.
Van Leeuwen tanked for a bit before making the call and Luske showed for two pair. Luske's hand was strong enough to win and he's now firmly in second place.
On the very next hand after Joep van den Bijgaart hit the rail it was Ronald Keijzer who got knocked out. Niels van Leeuwen raised under the gun and Keijzer moved all in from the small blind after which Van Leeuwen called right away.
Van Leeuwen:
Keijzer:
The board ran out and Keijzer hit the rail and we are now down to just three players.
Chip leader Niels van Leeuwen raised from the cutoff after which Joep van den Bijgaart moved all in for 750,000 from the small blind. Van Leeuwen called right away creating another very big all-in showdown.
Van den Bijgaart:
Van Leeuwen:
The board ran out and Van den Bijgaart hit the rail in fifth place.
The action folded to Thomas Brader who moved all in from the button for 345,000 chips. Ronald Keijzer made the call in the small blind and the showdown went as following.
Keijzer:
Brader:
The board ran out and Brader was knocked out in sixth place.
Niels van Leeuwen raised to 100,000 from the cutoff and Marcel Luske called from his immediate left after which the other players folded.
The flop came down and Van Leeuwen checked to Luske who bet 100,000. Van Leeuwen made the call and on the turn the hit.
Van Leeuwen checked again and this time Luske put together a big bet worth 350,000 with 275,000 left behind. Van Leeuwen hesitated for a bit before he ultimately moved all in and Luske snap-called.
Van Leeuwen:
Luske:
Van Leeuwen had plenty of outs to knock Luske out, but the river was the to keep Luske in the game with more chips than he's ever had today.
The action folded to Niels van Leeuwen in the small blind and he moved all in to put the maximum amount of pressure on Van Tran in the big blind. Tran looked down at his cards and called after about five seconds.
Tran:
Van Leeuwen:
The board ran out and Tran hit the rail in seventh place, as Van Leeuwen added even more chips to his stack.
and Van Wieringen was knocked out in second place.
and Van Leeuwen bet 180,000, which was quickly called by Luske.
and Van Leeuwen bet another 325,000 and Luske called quickly again.
for two pair. Luske's hand was strong enough to win and he's now firmly in second place.
and Keijzer hit the rail and we are now down to just three players.
and Brader was knocked out in sixth place.
and Van Leeuwen checked to Luske who bet 100,000. Van Leeuwen made the call and on the turn the 
hit.
