The first event at the 2012 World Series of Poker Europe is in the books. Emerging victorious over the 227-player field was Imed Ben Mahmoud to earn a payday of nearly €150,000 and his first-ever WSOP gold bracelet!
Mahmoud began Day 3 sixth in chips out of the final eight players. He maneuvered his way to heads-up play with start-of-the-day chip leader Yannick Bonnet, but was slightly behind in chips. Right away, though, Mahmoud snatched the chip lead and never looked back from there.
When the final hand came up, Mahmoud four-bet all in with the and Bonnet put himself at risk with the . The board ran out and it was all over. For his finish in second place, Bonnet earned himself over €90,000.
By winning this bracelet, Mahmoud has become the first-ever gold bracelet winner from the country of Tunisia — the smallest country in North Africa. He surely did his country proud and will be wearing a giant smile on his face for the rest of the foreseeable future.
Final Table Payouts
Place
Player
Prize
1
Imed Ben Mahmoud
€147,099
2
Yannick Bonnet
€90,884
3
Matan Krakow
€63,671
4
Senh Ung
€44,913
5
Roberto Romanello
€31,925
6
Sylvain Ribes
€22,876
With the first event in the books, things are just getting started here in Cannes. Event #2: €1,100 No-Limit Hold'em is moving forward and Event #3: €5,300 Pot-Limit Omaha will begin tomorrow. Be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews all series long for all of the coverage.
On the button, Imed Ben Mahmoud raised to 62,000. Yannick Bonnet reraised from the big blind to 150,000. Mahmoud reraised all in, having Bonnet covered. With a total stack of 735,000, Bonnet called and the cards were on their backs.
Bonnet turned over the for two overcards against the for Mahmoud. With less chips, Bonnet was the player at risk and looking to double up. If not, the first gold bracelet of the 2012 World Series of Poker Europe was going to be wrapped around Mahmoud's wrist.
The flop came out and you could see the body of Mahmoud tense up a little more as he anxiously awaited two more cards to come. The turn brought the and that meant the victory was just one card away for Mahmoud.
The dealer burned one more time and slapped the on the river, awarding the hand and the tournament to Mahmoud. He erupted from his chair in excitement as he had captured the title here in the first event.
Matan Krakow's amazing two-year run has come to an end. After finishing in fourth place last year in this event, Krakow was just eliminated in third place this time around, making for an amazing back-to-back run.
Krakow was all in for his last 50,000 or so with the and up against the for Yannick Bonnet. The flop, turn and river ran out and Bonnet's pair of threes earned him the win. Krakow took home €63,671 for his effort.
Yannick Bonnet and Imed Ben Mahmoud both put 102,000 in preflop before seeing the flop come down . Bonnet was first and checked. Mahmoud also checked.
The turn was the and Bonnet checked. Mahmoud opted to fire this time and tossed out 153,000. A few seconds passed before Bonnet check-raised all in for 443,000. After a minute, Mahmoud folded and Bonnet won the big pot.
We are down to just three players after Senh Ung has just been eliminated. From the small blind Ung raised to 33,000, and Yannick Bonnet moved all in. Ung called right away creating a pot worth right around 400,000 chips.
Showdown:
Yannick Bonnet:
Senh Ung:
The board ran out , and Ung was done. After shaking hands with his opponents Ung left the stage, and just three players remain now with a chance to win that gold bracelet!
Action folded to Senh Ung in the small blind and he raised to 27,000. In the big blind, Yannick Bonnet reraised all in for 229,000. Ung called with the . When he saw that Bonnet held the , Ung knew he was in a dominating position to make the final table three handed.
Not all things work out in poker, though, and Bonnet spiked an eight on the flop to take the lead. The entire board ran out and Bonnet doubled through.
Senh Ung accidentally limped in from the button and Roberto Romanello raised all in from the small blind for 150,000. In the big blind, Yannick Bonnet reraised all in for 165,000 and Ung folded.
Romanello:
Bonnet:
The flop, turn and river ran out and Romanello was eliminated. He earned €31,925 for his finish.
Sylvain Ribes and Imed Ben Mahmoud got all the money in preflop with two big pairs. Unfortunately for Ribes, Mahmoud's pair was a bit bigger.
Ribes:
Mahmoud:
The board stayed clean for Mahmoud as it ran out and he won the pot. At the final count of the chips, Mahmoud had 241,000 to Ribes' 216,000. Ribes was eliminated in sixth place and earned €22,876 for his effort.
Action folded to Demis Hassabis in the small blind and he raised to 41,000, leaving himself with just 20,000 behind. In the big blind, Imed Ben Mahmoud reraised all in. Hassabis called and the cards were on their backs.
Hassabis:
Mahmoud:
Hassabis was all in and at risk, but not in good shape. Mahmoud had him dominated with a flop, turn and river to come.
The flop came down and Mahmoud stayed in front. The turn was the and now Hassabis was left needing just a three on the river to double up.
The completed the board on fifth street and Hassabis was eliminated. He finished in seventh place and took home €16,529.
Romain Chauvassagne surely had the deck stacked against him here on Day 3 as he only began with 7,000 in chips. After posting the ante of 1,000, Chauvassagne moved all in for his final 6,000 from under the gun. Senh Ung completed the small blind and Demis Hassabis checked in the big blind.
The flop came down and both remaining active players checked. They also checked the turn card and river card as Chauvassagne watched on.
At the showdown, Ung showed the , Hassabis the and Chauvassagne the . Hassabis had trip tens for the winner and Chauvassagne was eliminated in eighth place.
The remaining seven players are now redrawing to one table on the main stage.
and Bonnet put himself at risk with the 
. The board ran out 
and it was all over. For his finish in second place, Bonnet earned himself over €90,000.
and up against the 
for Yannick Bonnet. The flop, turn and river ran out 
. Bonnet was first and checked. Mahmoud also checked.
, and Ung was done. After shaking hands with his opponents Ung left the stage, and just three players remain now with a chance to win that gold bracelet!
and Bonnet doubled through.
and Romanello was eliminated. He earned €31,925 for his finish.
and he won the pot. At the final count of the chips, Mahmoud had 241,000 to Ribes' 216,000. Ribes was eliminated in sixth place and earned €22,876 for his effort.
and now Hassabis was left needing just a three on the river to double up.
