A casual observer may take a glance at Phil Hellmuth’s 2011 World Series of Poker and be impressed with his five cashes, three final table appearances and nearly $1.6 million in earnings, but Hellmuth himself will only be disappointed with the fact that three times he made it to heads-up play and three times he walked away empty handed.
His most recent defeat, losing the $50,000 Player’s Championship to Brian Rast, is particularly crushing. Hellmuth had Rast outchipped 6-1 and was locked in, leading many on the rail to believe that it was only a matter of time before he held his 12th career bracelet.
Instead, three missed flush draws later, Hellmuth had been eliminated and Rast had earned his second bracelet of the summer, the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy and the first-place prize of $1,720,328.
Hellmuth took little comfort in his $1,063,034 prize, stating after the tournament that he’d “trade three seconds for a first any day.” Incredibly, this was the first seven-figure score of Hellmuth’s career. He now has $12.55 million in lifetime tournament earnings and sits in fourth place all-time behind Erik Seidel, Daniel Negreanu and Phil Ivey.
Rast boosts his career earnings to $3 million, after an incredible summer that has seen him earn his first two gold bracelets and $1.95 million.
The rest of the final table was rounded out by Minh Ly (third), Owais Ahmed (fourth), Matt Glantz (fifth), George Lind (sixth), Scott Seiver (seventh) and Ben Lamb (eighth).
Here’s a look at how it all went down according to Card Player’s live updates page.
Hellmuth Doubles Through Rast, Takes Chip Lead
Brian Rast opened the pot for 125,000 before the flop, Phil Hellmuth reraised to 250,000 and Rast called.
The flop came Q
J 5
, Rast bet 2,000,000, Hellmuth reraised all in for 2,030,000 and Rast called the additional 30,000 raise.
Hellmuth turned over J J
for middle set while Rast showed 7 5 for bottom pair and a live flush draw.
The turn and river were the 7
and the 7, giving both players a full house on the river, but Hellmuth the best hand overall to win the pot. Hellmuth doubled up to just over 4,750,000 that hand, stealing the chip lead for the first time tonight.
Ben Lamb Eliminated in 8th Place ($201,338)
Scott Seiver opened the pot for 100,000 before the flop, Ben Lamb moved all in with the short stack for 295,000 and Seiver called.
Seiver lead with A J against Lamb’s A 2.
The board came K 6 4 3 9, no help for Ben Lamb who was the first one eliminated in 8th place ($201,338).
Scott Seiver Eliminated in 7th Place ($243,978)
Scott Seiver moved all in before the flop and Brian Rast called from the big blind.
Rast lead with A A against Seiver’s 8 8.
The board came 7 6 3 2 9, no help for Scott Seiver who was eliminated in 7th place ($243,978).
George Lind Eliminated in 6th Place ($300,441)
George Lind opened the pot for 125,000 from under the gun and Minh Ly called from the button.
The flop came A Q 6, Lind checked, Ly bet 150,000 and Lind called.
The turn was the 10, Lind checked, Ly bet 380,000, Lind check-raised all in and Ly called.
Lind turned over Q 10 for two pair but Ly was ahead with 8 7 for a flush.
The river was the 3, no help to George Lind who was eliminated in 6th place ($300,441).
Matt Glantz Eliminated in 5th Place ($376,750)
Minh Ly opened the pot for 130,000 from under the gun, Matt Glantz called from middle position, Phil Hellmuth called from the small blind and Owais Ahmed called from the big blind.
The flop came A Q 7, Hellmuth bet 250,000, Ahmed folded, Ly called, Glantz moved all in for 2,415,000, Hellmuth tank-folded and Ly called.
Ly showed A K for top pair on the flop and Glantz showed J 10 for a flush draw and an inside straight draw.
The turn and river were the 10 and the 3, not enough help for Matt Glantz who was eliminated in 5th place ($376,750).
Rast Doubles Through Ly, Takes Chip Lead
Brian Rast who had since been knocked down to third in chips with about 4.2 million found a well-timed double up through Minh Ly that put Rast on top with 8.6 million and knocked Ly down to the short stack with 1.9 million in chips.
Minh Ly opened the pot for a raise to 200,000 from under the gun, Brian Rast reraised to 500,000 from the button and Ly called.
The flop came 7 6 2, Ly bet 1,000,000, Rast moved all in for about 3,700,000 and Ly called.
Rast lead with 10 10 against Ly’s J 7.
The turn and river were the K and the 3, no help for Minh Ly as Brian Rast doubled up to take the chip lead with about 8.6 million.
Owais Ahmed Eliminated in 4th Place ($482,085)
Phil Hellmuth completed the small blind, Owais Ahmend moved all in from the big blind for about 1,750,000 and Hellmuth called.
Hellmuth lead with A J against Ahmed’s K 10.
The board came K 9 7 5 A, giving Ahmed top pair on the flop for the lead, but Hellmuth rivered an ace to win the pot. Owais Ahmed was eliminated in 4th place ($482,085).
Minh Ly Eliminated in 3rd Place ($665,763)
Phil Hellmuth button-raised to 280,000 before the flop, Minh Ly moved all in for about 1,900,000 from the small blind and Hellmuth called.
Hellmuth lead with A 6 against Ly’s K 5.
The board came 9 7 6 5 3, giving Hellmuth a pair of sixes on the flop to win the pot. Minh Ly was eliminated in 3rd place ($665,763) while Hellmuth took the chip lead going into heads-up play.
Down But Not Out..Rast Doubles to Stay Alive
Phill Hellmuth completed the small blind, Brian Rast raised to 400,000 from the big blind and Hellmuth called.
The flop came 10 4 4, Rast bet 345,000, Hellmuth shoved and Rast called all in.
Rast was ahead with A K against Hellmuth’s 9 6.
The turn and river were the Q and the 2, no help to Hellmuth as Rast doubled up to 5,260,000 that hand.
Rast Doubles Again…Back to Even
Shortly after getting Hellmuth to shove with a flush draw in a previous hand, Brian Rast doubled up again through Hellmuth, and once again Hellmuth got it all in with a draw on the flop.
Phil Hellmuth completed the small blind, Brian Rast raised to 285,000 from the big blind and Hellmuth called.
The flop came K J 4, Rast bet 375,000Hellmuth raised to 900,000, Rast moved all in for around 4,200,000 and Hellmuth called.
Rast was ahead with K 7 for top pair against Hellmuth’s 10 8 for a flush draw.
The turn and river were the K and the 6, giving Rast the pot and a double up to nearly even with 9,250,000 to Hellmuth’s 9,950,000.
Phil Hellmuth Eliminated in 2nd Place ($1,063,034)
Shortly after re-doubling to almost even, Brian Rast took his new found momentum and began to quickly chip away at Hellmuth’s stack. It wasn’t long before the two players were all in again, but this time Hellmuth was at risk of elimination.
Phil Hellmuth button-raised 400,000 before the flop and Brian Rast called from the big blind.
The flop came J 10 9, Rast bet 500,000, Hellmuth moved all in and Rast called.
Rast turned over K Q for the nut straight on the flop while Hellmuth showed 8 2 for what was his third flopped flush draw in a matter of minutes.
The turn and river were the 5 and the 8, no help to Phil Hellmuth who was eliminated in 2nd place ($1,063,034). Brian Rast wins his second gold bracelet overall this summer in Event #55, taking home what many consider to be the most coveted title in poker, the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy and the $1,720,328 grand prize.
This finish marks Hellmuth’s third 2nd place finish at this year’s WSOP and now Brian Rast gets to join John Juanda and Eric Rodawig as the third person this summer to deny Phil Hellmuth what would have been his record-breaking twelfth WSOP gold bracelet.
