For the past two weeks, the 2012 World Series of Poker Europe has played out at the luxurious Majestic Barrière in Cannes, France. Now we’re down to the final day, and to say they’ve saved the best for last would be an understatement. The €10,450 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event began with a field of 420 players, but after four days of cutthroat play we’re down to the final table of eight, which is headlines by none other than the chip leader and 12-time bracelet winner—Phil Hellmuth.
Not only is the “Poker Brat” looking to capture bracelet #13, which would make him the only multiple-bracelet winner in 2012, but will win the WSOP Player of the Year title if he manages to take down the Main Event and Greg Merson doesn't win the October Nine Main Event at the end of the month. Either a second, third or fourth-place finish will also give Hellmuth a legitimate shot at the POY title.
Day 4 action saw some big names fall including 2005 WSOP runner-up Steve Dannenmann; high-stakes legend David Benyamine; former EPT winners Liv Boeree and Toby Lewis; last year’s 8th-place finisher Max Silver; the always-entertaining Scott Seiver; and two-time bracelet winner Andy Frankenberger. With that said, a few big names managed to make the final table including two-time bracelet winner Jason Mercier and 2012 November Niner Joseph Cheong.
Here’s a look at the final table chip counts:
2012 WSOP Europe Final Table
Seat
Player
Count
1
Paul Tedeschi
543,000
2
Joseph Cheong
1,966,000
3
Stephane Albertini
1,162,000
4
Christopher Brammer
851,000
5
Jason Mercier
652,000
6
Sergii Baranov
3,339,000
7
Phil Hellmuth
3,434,000
8
Stephane Girault
664,000
Play will resume today at 13:45 PM CET. Due to live television scheduling, the players will play until four players remain and then take a break until 21:45 PM CET where they will resume and play until a winner emerges. Be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews as we provide updates from the exciting conclusion to one of the most prestigious events of the year!
Stephan Girault held the button. Action folded around to Jason Mercier in middle position and he moved his short stack of roughly 465,000 all in before the flop. Sergii Baranov called from the next seat over and the rest of the table folded.
Mercier:
Baranov:
The flop came down and was of no help to Mercier. The paired Baranov on the turn and Mercier needed a ten on the river to stay alive. Unfortunately for Mercier, the rolled off on fifth street and he officially became the first casualty of this final table.
Joseph Cheong opened for 65,000 under the gun and received a call from Phil Hellmuth on the button. Stephane Girault then moved all in from the small blind for 300,000 more, Cheong folded, and Hellmuth made the call.
Showdown
Girault:
Hellmuth:
"I've got a good feeling about this one," Hellmuth said. It looked like he may have spoke to soon as the flop delivered an ace and gave Girault the lead. With that said, the turn sent a wave of, "Ahhhh's," through the room as it gave Hellmuth an open-ended straight draw and ten outs.
Wouldn't you know it, the river was one of them as Hellmuth straightened out Girault and sent him home in seventh place for €108,864.
Joseph Cheong had the button. Sergii Baranov raised to 60,000 from under the gun and it folded to Paul Tedeschi who moved all in for his last 470,000 from the cutoff. Cheong peeked at his cards on the button and announced a flat call.
It folded back to Baranov who thought for about a minute before letting go.
Tedeschi:
Cheong:
The flop came down giving Tedeschi a diamond draw on top of his ace for outs. The bricked out for him on fourth street and the board finished off with the , allowing Cheong's queens to hold and sending Tedeschi to the rail as our 6th place finisher.
A crippled Christopher Brammer moved all in from the button for his last 175,000. Sergii Baranov called from the small blind and Phil Hellmuth called from the big blind.
The flop came and the two quickly tapped the table. The hit the turn and they both checked again, prompting the to finish the board. Hellmuth and Baranov checked once again and the hands were revealed.
Brammer showed for ace-high while Baranov tabled for top pair of tens and the best hand. Brammer will take home €292,320 for his efforts here.
Josh_Cahlik
Phil Hellmuth can't believe the Sergii's hand
Phil Hellmuth was first to act and opened to 90,000. Joseph Cheong folded his button and Stephane Albertini called from the small blind. Sergii Baranov tagged along from the big blind and the flop came .
It checked to Hellmuth and he continued for 150,000. Albertini got out of the way while Baranov decided to check-raise to 350,000.
"I call!" proclaimed Hellmuth. "...how much?" The agitated Hellmuth matched Baranov's chips into the pot.
The came on the turn and Baranov tossed out several plaques for a bet totaling 600,000. Hellmuth snapped Baranov and threw plaques of his own into the middle. The rivered and both players checked. Hellmuth showed for a pair of fours, but Baranov tabled for a pair of nines.
"OH MY GOD IN HEAVEN!" yelled Hellmuth. He bolted out of his chair. "What the f*ck!"
Hellmuth then fell straight to the ground and curled up into a ball, in utter disbelief that he lost the pot. The audience on the rail then burst into applause.
"God how does he get these miracles?!" continued Hellmuth. "I'm the one guy he cant' bluff and boom, he hits hit card! I'm just going to give Phil five hundred thousand, oh wait, there's my nine!"
Hellmuth has been consistently talking since the hand and we see no end in sight as he has now lost the chip lead.
Joseph Cheong opened to 115,000 from the button. Stephane Albertini called from the small blind and Sergii Baranov called from the big.
The flop came and Albertini checked. Baranov led out for 225,000 only to have Cheong raise all in. Albertini folded and Baranov casually announced a call.
Cheong:
Baranov:
Cheong would need to fade a king or a diamond to stay alive in the tournament. Unfortunately that simply was not in the cards, as the rolled off on the turn to give Baranov his flush. The completed the board and Cheong was eliminated in fourth place, taking home €292,320 for his efforts.
Chad HollowayStephane Albertini doubles up as his fellow French men look on.
Sergii Baranov limped on the button, Phil Hellmuth folded from the small blind, and Stephane moved all in for 920,000. Baranov made a quick call to put the Frenchman at risk.
Showdown
Baranov:
Albertini:
The flop gave Albertini a big lead with a pair of aces, while the turn left Baranov drawing dead. The meaningless was put out on the river for good measure and the French contingent, of which there are a couple dozen, went wild on the rail.
Phil Hellmuth opened big to 320,000 from the small blind and then called when Stephane Albertini moved all in from the big for nearly 900,000.
Showdown
Albertini:
Hellmuth:
Albertini was way out in front, and the kept him there. "Six of spades would be nice," Hellmuth said. While that card would have given him a bunch more outs, the that did turn left him drawing to just two sevens headed to the river. The French contingent leaned in close as the dealer burned and out down the . It took a moment for it to sink in, but Hellmuth had hit his two outer to eliminate the Frenchman.
As Albertini's supporters moaned in disbelief, Hellmuth walked around the table and shook hands with his opponents. The "Poker Brat" is now heads-up for bracelet 13.
Sergii Baranov limped from the button and Phil Hellmuth simply said, "Three hundred more."
"All in," Baranov said.
"Call," Hellmuth snapped. "I'm going to win this right here."
Showdown
Hellmuth:
Baranov:
Hellmuth had the dominant hand, but he couldn't bear to watch. Instead, he turned to his supporters on the rail with his back turned to the table. The flop fell , and still Hellmuth did not look. The turn paired both and gave Baranov some chop hopes, but it was not meant to be as the appeared on the river. With that, Baranov finished as runner-up to the all-time bracelet winner, who extended his lead to 13 bracelet in one of the world's most prestigious tournaments.
"It's the best tournament I've ever played in my entire life," Hellmuth said to his friends after the hand.
and was of no help to Mercier. The 
paired Baranov on the turn and Mercier needed a ten on the river to stay alive. Unfortunately for Mercier, the 
rolled off on fifth street and he officially became the first casualty of this final table.
flop delivered an ace and gave Girault the lead. With that said, the 
turn sent a wave of, "Ahhhh's," through the room as it gave Hellmuth an open-ended straight draw and ten outs.
river was one of them as Hellmuth straightened out Girault and sent him home in seventh place for €108,864.
giving Tedeschi a diamond draw on top of his ace for outs. The 
bricked out for him on fourth street and the board finished off with the 
, allowing Cheong's queens to hold and sending Tedeschi to the rail as our 6th place finisher.
and the two quickly tapped the table. The 
hit the turn and they both checked again, prompting the 
to finish the board. Hellmuth and Baranov checked once again and the hands were revealed.
rivered and both players checked. Hellmuth showed 
for a pair of fours, but Baranov tabled 
completed the board and Cheong was eliminated in fourth place, taking home €292,320 for his efforts.
flop gave Albertini a big lead with a pair of aces, while the 
