2011 World Series of Poker Europe

Event #7: €10,400 Main Event Championship
Day: 4
Event Info

2011 World Series of Poker Europe

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a10
Prize
€1,400,000
Event Info
Buy-in
€10,400
Prize Pool
€5,692,800
Entries
593
Level Info
Level
29
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
10,000

Event #7: €10,400 Main Event Championship

Day 4 Completed

Madness Ensues at the End of Day 4

Level 24 : 15,000/30,000, 5,000 ante
A very happy chip leader
A very happy chip leader

It was the penultimate day of the World Series of Poker Europe €10,400 Main Event, deep in the heart of the Hotel Majestic Barriere. The day started with 25 players and needed to establish the eight stars for the final table. It started slow, but ended in a jet-powered haze of madness in a flurry of hands in Level 24.

Tony G (24th), Erik Seidel (21st), John Eames (20th) and John Duthie (18th) were a group of stars who faded in the early part of the day and once 16 players remained, the tournament moved locations. Majestic Room #3 is a place any poker player in the world would want to play. The main feature table where the final will be played looks like it has been lifted from a James Bond movie -- a simply stunning setting.

Two tables of eight were set up and the players went about their business, clashing with one another like battering rams. After a series of short-stack double ups, the first elimination occurred. Brian Roberts ended the hopes of Michael Drummond in 16th place. Drummond moved all in on the river with the board reading {K-Spades}{Q-Hearts}{7-Clubs}{7-Spades}{2-Clubs} holding the {6-Hearts}{6-Diamonds}. Roberts picked him off with the {K-Diamonds}{Q-Diamonds} for top two pair to end his tournament.

Amir Lehavot, Steven Moreau and Andrew Moseley followed Drummond out of the competition and then a 20-minute break came about before an insane 15-minute spell of action was experienced on both tables.

First, Thibaud Guenegou was all in preflop with the {Q-Hearts}{8-Diamonds} against Elio Fox's {8-Spades}{8-Hearts}. After a board of {J-Hearts}{9-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds}{A-Diamonds}{6-Spades} fell, Guenegou headed out the door in 12th place.

Then, Fox, Alex Dovzhenko and Arnaud Mattern were all in preflop in a pot worth three million chips.

"I have them," said Mattern, and we all knew what that meant. When the cards were turned, Mattern had aces. Fox had pocket tens and Dovzhenko had ace-king. The flop was {10-Diamonds} {9-Clubs} {6-Diamonds} to give Fox took an unlikely lead. It stayed that way after the {K-Diamonds} turn and {7-Spades} river to ship Fox's two opponents out the door.

With his finish in 10th place, Mattern earned his best-ever run in the WSOP Europe Main Event. In a feat that shouldn't go unnoticed, Mattern has cashed three years in a row in this elite event. In 2009, Mattern came 23rd for £25,918. In 2010, he placed 12th for £54,114. Clearly, the WSOP Europe Main Event is the French pro's home playoff game.

Meanwhile, over at the feature table someone else was about to get lucky. Moorman four-bet his entire stack (940,000) in reaction to a Patrik Antonius three-bet. Antonius called and Moorman saw the bad news as he was dominated. Moorman showed the {A-Spades}{7-Clubs} and Antonius the {A-Hearts}{Q-Diamonds}. The flop was {8-Hearts} {6-Clubs} {6-Spades}, but then an {8-Diamonds} on the turn created a split pot. At this point, Antonius looked visibly annoyed, but that was nothing compared to his face when the {7-Diamonds} hit the river to hand Moorman a miracle and put Antonius on life support. That beat left Antonius with 80,000 in chips and Moorman put him out of his misery a few hands later to set the final table.

The final table will commence at 13:45 (CET) Thursday so make sure you join us at Pokernews for all of the action.

Patrik Antonius Eliminated in 9th Place (€90,000)

Level 24 : 15,000/30,000, 5,000 ante

Patrik Antonius was all in preflop against Shawn Buchanan and Chris Moorman. The flop came down {Q-Hearts}{7-Hearts}{4-Spades} and Buchanan checked. Moorman bet 100,000 and Buchanan called. All Antonius could do now was sit patiently and await his fate.

The turn brought the {J-Clubs} and Buchanan checked again. Moorman fired a bet of 225,000 and that sent Buchanan into the tank for a little bit. After a minute or two, Buchanan eventually folded and Moorman was left to battle with Antonius.

Antonius turned up the {A-Hearts}{10-Spades} for ace high, but a gutshot straight draw to Broadway. Moorman tabled the {A-Spades}{A-Clubs} for a pair of aces and that left Antonius looking for a king and a king only to hit his straight.

The river completed the board with the {9-Clubs} and ended Antonius' tournament in ninth place. For his finish, Antonius earned €90,000, but didn't look happy at all about the ending to his night.

We can't blame him.

Tags: Chris MoormanPatrik AntoniusShawn Buchanan

Alex Dovzhenko Eliminated in 11th Place (€67,500); Arnaud Mattern Eliminated in 10th Place (€90,000)

We've just had our second double elimination in the last few hours, and this one has taken the tournament life of the final Frenchman left standing.

It began with Arnaud Mattern opening to 60,000, and Alex Dovzhenko three-bet shoved for 455,000. When the table folded around to Elio Fox, he announced a cold four-bet -- all in with his big stack. That brought it back to Mattern, and he quickly announced, "I'm all in," as well! That closed that closed the action, and it put he and Fox at risk.

As the cameras established their shots, the cards had to be held, but Mattern didn't want to slowroll. "I have them," he said. Fox asked again to make sure, and Mattern nodded. "I have them."

Showdown
Mattern: {A-Diamonds} {A-Spades}
Dovzhenko: {A-Hearts} {K-Spades}
Fox: {10-Spades} {10-Clubs}

Mattern was smiling at the situation in front of him, poised to drag what was possibly the largest pot of the tournament. He was at risk for 1.455 million, but the news would soon turn sour. The dealer rolled out a devil of a {9-Clubs} {10-Diamonds} {6-Diamonds} flop, and just like that, Fox sprang into a huge lead with two to come. The turn {K-Diamonds} was a big sweat for Mattern, and now the smirk returned -- although this smirk was a bit different than the showdown smirk. A more nervous smirk.

Dovzhenko was drawing dead, and he wasn't too happy about it.

Mattern needed to find the case ace or any diamond to drag the pot.

River: {7-Spades}.

That's as blank as it gets, and Fox is going to spend the next few minutes stacking chips. Dovzhenko falls in 11th place, Mattern in 10th, and it's now Fox in front of the pack. He was fifth from the bottom when we had 16 players, but he now finds himself sitting behind about 3.9 million chips.

It's worth noting that this is Mattern's third consecutive cash in this WSOPE Main Event. In 2009, he ran top 23rd place (£25,918), and last year, he topped that with a 12th-place showing, good for £54,114. He's done even better this time around, but it's likely not going to feel good. He'll have to settle for €90,000 and a one-year delay on his final table appearance.

We're down to nine players, and we need to combine, but there's a hand in progress at the main table as we speak...

Player Chips Progress
Elio Fox us
Elio Fox
WSOP 2X Winner
3,900,000 2,075,000
Alex Dovzhenko ua
Alex Dovzhenko
Busted
Arnaud Mattern fr
Arnaud Mattern
EPT 1X Winner
Busted

Tags: Alex DovzhenkoArnaud MatternElio Fox

Moorman Gets Lucky to Reduce Antonius to Dust

Chris Moorman - lucky and good.
Chris Moorman - lucky and good.

Imagine being as good at poker as Chris Moorman! Then imagine being as lucky as Rihanna's boyfriend! Yes that is a pretty powerful combination!

Moorman raised to 65,000 on the button and Patrik Antonius three-bet from the small blind; making it around 165,000. Back to Moorman and he moved all-in for 940,000 and Antonius snap-called. The look on Moorman's face said it all - he was at it! When the card turned over Antonius was well-ahead.

Showdown

Moorman{A-Spades} {7-Clubs}
Antonius{A-Hearts} {Q-Diamonds}

Flop: {8-Hearts} {6-Clubs} {6-Spades}

Still Antonius in the lead.

Turn: {8-Diamonds}

Split pot! Antonius was fuming!

River: {7-Diamonds}

The seven of diamonds! Antonius looked distraught and Moorman looked dumb-struck.

Player Chips Progress
Chris Moorman gb
Chris Moorman
WSOP 1X Winner
WPT 1X Winner
1,930,000 930,000
Patrik Antonius fi
Patrik Antonius
EPT 1X Winner
80,000 -945,000

Tags: Chris MoormanPatrik Antonius

Dermot Blain - Back to Back

Dermot Blain won the last hand of the break and he has just won the first hand of the break. He raised to 70,000 on the button and Patrik Antonius defended his big blind. The flop was {A-Clubs} {9-Hearts} {2-Spades} and Antonius check-called a 90,000 Blain c-bet. A bit of pot controlling was warranted on the {6-Hearts} turn and then we saw the {8-Diamonds} on the river. Antonius bet 125,000, Blain raised to 430,000 and Antonius folded.

Player Chips Progress
Dermot Blain ie
Dermot Blain
2,450,000 340,000
Patrik Antonius fi
Patrik Antonius
EPT 1X Winner
1,025,000 -280,000

Tags: Patrik AntoniusDermot Blain

Thibaud Guenegou Eliminated in 12th Place (€67,500)

Thibaud Guenegou
Thibaud Guenegou

The outer table folded around to the blinds where Thibaud Guenegou shoved in for 425,000 from the small. In the big, Elio Fox looked down at {8-Spades} {8-Hearts} and quickly made the call, and Guenegou's {Q-Hearts} {8-Diamonds} was in a bad way.

The {9-Diamonds} {6-Diamonds} {J-Hearts} flop was a miss for the at-risk player, but the turn {A-Diamonds} gave him nine outs to the flush. He seemed to know it wasn't coming, though, and the river {6-Spades} is the last card he'll see today.

So, then, it's Guenegou falling out in 12th place, and that's good for €67,500. It's not what he hoped to accomplish here today, but it should prove to be some consolation in the morning.

The host nation now rests its hopes in Arnaud Mattern.

Player Chips Progress
Elio Fox us
Elio Fox
WSOP 2X Winner
1,825,000 455,000
Thibaud Guenegou
Thibaud Guenegou
Busted

Tags: Elio FoxThibaud Guenegou

Level: 24

Blinds: 15,000/30,000

Ante: 5,000

Updated Chip Counts

Player Chips Progress
Jake Cody gb
Jake Cody
WSOP 1X Winner
WPT 1X Winner
EPT 1X Winner
2,745,000 -115,000
Dermot Blain ie
Dermot Blain
2,110,000 510,000
Brian Roberts us
Brian Roberts
2,025,000 225,000
Moritz Kranich de
Moritz Kranich
WPT 1X Winner
EPT 1X Winner
1,875,000 -465,000
Max Silver gb
Max Silver
WSOP 1X Winner
1,800,000 -300,000
Arnaud Mattern fr
Arnaud Mattern
EPT 1X Winner
1,550,000 153,000
Elio Fox us
Elio Fox
WSOP 2X Winner
1,370,000 120,000
Patrik Antonius fi
Patrik Antonius
EPT 1X Winner
1,305,000 5,000
Shawn Buchanan ca
Shawn Buchanan
WSOP 1X Winner
WPT 1X Winner
1,195,000 -206,000
Chris Moorman gb
Chris Moorman
WSOP 1X Winner
WPT 1X Winner
1,000,000 35,000
Thibaud Guenegou
Thibaud Guenegou
435,000 35,000
Alex Dovzhenko ua
Alex Dovzhenko
405,000 -95,000