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The 2011 WSOP Championship

The November Nine faced off for the World Series of Poker main event on November 6, 2011. Play began at 3:30 PM, and the nine hopefuls sat down at the final table to take their shot at the pinnacle of poker glory. Play was scheduled to continue until only 3 players remained, who would then face off the next day for all the marbles.

Early Aggression from Heinz

Pius Heinz started out seventh out of the nine players. However, he showed early on that he wasn’t going to play conservatively. He aimed for a top position, which he demonstrated early in the day.

Heinz made a pre-flop raise, which Ben Lamb called. Then Eoghan O’Dea raised. Heinz wasn’t going to back down easily, so he called O’Dea’s raise, and Lamb folded. The flop came down 8 of Any Color8 of Any Color4 of Any Color with two clubs, a dry flop but with a flush draw.

O’Dea bet out, and Heinz called. The turn was a 2 of Clubs of clubs, making the flush possible. O’Dea bet again, and Heinz had to decide whether to fold or push all in. Holding pocket queens with one being a club, Heinz shoved.

O’Dea only had ace high, making his bluff costly. Heinz’s stack grew to over 44 million, positioning him to challenge the big stacks at the table.

First eliminations

It took three hours for the first player to be eliminated. Sam Holden of the United Kingdom, who started the day in last place, was the first to go. Ben Lamb raised to 1.7 million, and Holden shoved with AJ. Lamb called with Ace of Any ColorKing of Any Color, dominating Holden and sending him home.

With the first player out, the shorter stacks played more aggressively. They realized the urgency to move up and avoid being the next eliminated.

Aggressive play continues

A half-hour later, Anton Makiievskyi, who started the day in eighth place, shoved all in from the small blind with King of Any ColorQueen of Any Color. Heinz called with a pair of nines. Makiievskyi hit a king on the flop, making him a favorite to double up. However, Heinz hit a third nine on the turn, sending Makiievskyi home.

Shortly after, Badih Bounahra, whose stack had shrunk to 4.4 million, shoved Ace of Any Color5 of Any Color over a 1.7 million chip raise by Martin Staszko. Staszko called with Ace of Any Color9 of Any Color, dominating Bounahra, who didn’t get the help he needed and went out in seventh place.

Field narrows to four players

Phil Collins was next to risk his tournament life, moving all in with Queen of Any ColorJack of Any Color against Ben Lamb’s dominating hand. Collins needed a running flush to stay alive. A diamond hit on the turn, and another on the river saved Collins, doubling his stack to 28.1 million while Lamb’s shrank to 15.3 million.

After an hour of back and forth, Ben Lamb found himself in another big hand. Eoghan O’Dea raised, and Lamb went all in. O’Dea deliberated and called with Ace of Any Color9 of Any Color against Lamb’s Q8. The river card gave Lamb a pair of 8’s, crippling O’Dea’s stack to 2.2 million.

With the big blind now 1 million, O’Dea had no choice but to move in with Queen of Any Color6 of Any Color. Staszko called with pocket 8’s, eliminating O’Dea in sixth place.

The final three emerge

Phil Collins, all in for the second time, faced Heinz’s pocket nines with Ace of Any Color7 of Any Color. Collins hoped for another miracle but didn’t get it and left in fifth place.

Heinz now had 86.7 million chips, dominating the table. One more player needed to go home to end the day. After midnight, Staszko shoved his remaining 21.5 million chips with Ace of Any Color8 of Any Color against Heinz’s pocket 6’s. Staszko hit two 8’s on the flop, doubling up and putting him in contention.

Giannetti and Lamb faced off next, with the winner surviving and the loser being crippled. Giannetti put in a standard raise, and Lamb came over the top all in with Ace of Any Color7 of Any Color. Giannetti had pocket jacks and wasn’t about to fold them.

Lamb had two hearts, and the flop delivered two more, giving him a flush. Giannetti was left crippled and went all in a few hands later against Lamb’s pocket kings. Two more kings on the flop ended Giannetti’s run, leaving the final three players.

Heads-Up showdown

On the final day, Lamb quickly went out after losing a critical hand against Staszko’s pocket sevens. This left Staszko with 117.3 million chips against Heinz’s 88.6 million.

Heads-up play is about aggression. Staszko was less aggressive, while Heinz had led most of the final table. Heinz chipped away at Staszko’s lead. However, Staszko trapped Heinz several times, maintaining his advantage.

Then, Heinz raised with Queen of Any Color9 of Any Color of clubs. Staszko called with King of Any ColorJack of Any Color. The flop came 10 of Any Color7 of Any ColorKing of Any Color with two clubs. Heinz bet, Staszko min-raised, and Heinz shoved. Staszko called with a flush draw but failed to improve, giving Heinz a 4 to 1 chip lead.

Staszko later shoved with 10 of Any Color7 of Any Color against Heinz’s Ace of Any ColorKing of Any Color. The board didn’t help Staszko, and Heinz finished him off to become world champion and pocket over $8.7 million.

Staszko took home $5.4 million but may wonder what could have been. Heinz joins the ranks of WSOP champions, with fame, fortune, and the coveted gold bracelet.