2012 World Series of Poker

Event 6: $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em Mixed-Max
Day: 5
Event Info

2012 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
kk
Prize
$480,564
Event Info
Buy-in
$5,000
Entries
409
Level Info
Level
24
Blinds
10,000 / 20,000
Ante
2,000

Event 6: $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em Mixed-Max

Day 5 Completed

Congratulations to Aubin Cazals, Winner of Event 6: $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em Mixed-Max ($480,564)

Level 24 : 10,000/20,000, 2,000 ante
Aubin Cazals
Aubin Cazals

Aubin Cazals traveled from Malta all the way to Las Vegas for the 2012 World Series of Poker, and, thanks to winning Event 6: $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em Mixed-Max, he's not going to leave empty handed.

Cazals finished Day 1 with an average stack of 63,600 chips. On Day 2, he finished fifth in chips with 340,000, making him the No. 5 seed heading into heads-up play. His first opponent was Eric Froehlich, who finished fourth in last year's $25,000 heads-up event. Cazals finished off E-Fro in less than two levels however - Froehlich moved all in with middle pair on a king-high flop, and Cazals held ace-king. The Frenchman held, and was off to the round of 16 to face Toby Lewis.

Cazals began with a slight chip advantage, and never looked back. In the end, on a board of {5-Diamonds}{5-Spades}{q-Clubs}{a-Hearts}{2-Diamonds}, Cazals moved all in, and Lewis called, putting his tournament life on the line. Cazals tabled {a-Diamonds}{q-Diamonds} for aces and queens, and Lewis mucked his hand.

Adam Geyer was Cazal's third heads-up opponent, and Geyer took an early lead in the match. Cazals battled back however, and then the two played a massive pot in which Cazals had two kings and Geyer had ace-king. Cazals' kings held, crippling Geyer, and he eliminated him a few hands later.

In the semi-finals, Cazals battled Warwick Mirzikinian for over nine hours. Yes, you read that correctly. Over nine hours. The chip lead changed hands several times, until Level 26, where Mirzikinian was all in preflop with {k-Diamonds}{10-Hearts}. Cazals' {a-Clubs}{k-Hearts} held, and his next opponent was 2010 November Niner Joseph Cheong.

The problem is, nobody knew when they were going to play. Initially, they decided to play on Tuesday, but the tournament staff informed them that they must play today. The two then agreed to play at 9 a.m. - which would've been the earliest final table in WSOP history - but Cheong busted from Event 9: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Re-Entry, and they rescheduled to noon.

Today's match looked like it was going to be another marathon - both players were trading blows, and no one jumped out to a substantial lead. Finally, towards the end of Level 24, the fireworks went off. Cheong six-bet shoved for nearly 3 million chips, and Cazals snapped it off, holding two kings. Cheong's fours were crushed, and did not improve.

Congratulations to Mr. Aubin Cazals for winning Event 6, earning him a shiny new bracelet and nearly half a million dollars. Thanks for sticking with us here at PokerNews.com. Until next time, good night from Las Vegas!

Tags: Aubin Cazals

Joseph Cheong Eliminated in 2nd Place ($296,956)

Level 24 : 10,000/20,000, 2,000 ante
Joseph Cheong - Eliminated in 2nd Place.
Joseph Cheong - Eliminated in 2nd Place.

And just like that, it's all over.

Joseph Cheong had the button, and opened to 50,000. Aubin Cazals three-bet to 130,000, and Cheong put in the second four-bet of the match, making it 350,000. Cazals responded with the first five-bet of the match, re-raising to 730,000, and Cheong moved all in for 2,936,000.

Cazals nodded, checked his cards one more time, and called.

Showdown
Cheong: {4-Hearts}{4-Clubs}
Cazals: {k-Spades}{k-Hearts}

The {k-Clubs}{7-Spades}{3-Spades} flop gave Cazals a set of kings, but Cheong could still make a straight with a running five and six. The {7-Hearts} on the turn was all she wrote though, and a meaningless {9-Clubs} fell on the river.

It took the tournament staff around three minutes to verify that Cazals had Cheong covered, and once they did, the spectators gave the competitors a round of applause.

Cheong fell short of the gold, but he'll take home $296,956 for his efforts.

Tags: Aubin Cazalsjoseph Cheong

Cazals Counterfeits Cheong

Aubin Cazals opened to 50,000 with the button, Joseph Cheong defended his big blind, and the flop fell {9-Diamonds}{9-Hearts}{7-Spades}. Cheong check-called 50,000 from Cazals, and the turn was the {10-Hearts}. Cheong check-called another 125,000, and the {10-Clubs} completed the board.

Both players checked, and Cheong tabled {8-Diamonds}{7-Clubs} for effectively eight-high. Cazals showed down {j-Clubs}{5-Diamonds} for jack-high, counterfeiting Cheong, and winning the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Aubin Cazals fr
Aubin Cazals
3,350,000 50,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Joseph Cheong us
Joseph Cheong
2,780,000 -50,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Joseph CheongAubin Cazals

Back to Even

The match is even again.
The match is even again.

Joseph Cheong had the button, and opened to 50,000. Aubin Cazals called, and the flop fell {q-Diamonds}{8-Spades}{4-Hearts}. Both players checked.

Cazals led out for 65,000 after the {5-Clubs} turned, Cheong called, and the {4-Spades} completed the board. Both players checked again.

Cheong tabled {a-Spades}{3-Hearts} for ace-high, and was shipped the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Aubin Cazals fr
Aubin Cazals
3,085,000 -145,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Joseph Cheong us
Joseph Cheong
3,045,000 145,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Aubin CazalsJoseph Cheong

Cazals Loves King-Ten

Aubin Cazals wins back-to-back hands with king-ten.
Aubin Cazals wins back-to-back hands with king-ten.

Joseph Cheong had the button, and opened to 50,000. Aubin Cazals defended, and the flop fell {6-Clubs}{5-Clubs}{a-Hearts}. Both players checked.

The two checked after the {a-Diamonds} turned as well, and the {7-Spades} completed the board. Cazals checked, Cheong tossed out 20,000, and Cazals paused to think.

"I'll make a loose call," he said, tossing in four orange T5,000 chips, and showing {k-Hearts}{10-Spades}.

His king-high was good.

The next hand, Cazals opened to 50,000 with the button. Cheong defended, and the flop was {9-Clubs}{7-Hearts}{2-Diamonds}. Cheong check-called 60,000 from Cazals, and the turn was the {k-Hearts}. Cheong checked, Cazals fired 125,000, and Cheong called.

The {6-Hearts} completed the board, and both players checked. Cazals showed {k-Spades}{10-Spades}, and won the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Aubin Cazals fr
Aubin Cazals
3,370,000 310,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Joseph Cheong us
Joseph Cheong
2,760,000 -310,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Aubin CazalsJoseph Cheong

Level: 24

Blinds: 10,000/20,000

Ante: 2,000