Matt Brady Wins the UltimateBet Aruba Poker ClassicBrady Makes a Late Comeback to Win $1 Millionby Julio Rodriguez | Published: Oct 04, 2008 | |
 
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Tournament pro Matt Brady has been one of the most respected players on tour over the past two years. Despite boasting lifetime earnings in excess of $750,000, Brady had yet to claim a big tournament on his resume, a tournament that would solidify his status as one of the best up-and-coming players in the game.
Late Saturday night, Brady overcame a talented final table, a short stack and amazingly enough, a rain delay to win the 2008 UltimateBet Aruba Poker Classic.
Here were the players and their chip counts heading into the final table:
Here's how it all went down according to CardPlayer.com's live updates page:
Jeffrey Papola Doubles Through Johan Storakers
Johan Storakers raises from under the gun to 35,000 and Jeffrey Papola reraises from the big blind. Storakers tanks for a moment before repopping it once again. Papola moves all in for 687,000 more and Storakers thinks it over. After a few minutes he says, "I hate calling with this hand," before moving his chips forward and showing A
K
.
Papola shows A
A
and it holds when the board comes 63282 giving him the double up and the chip lead with nearly 2 million in chips.
Jason Pohl Eliminated in 7th Place ($58,500)
On a flop of 643, Jason Pohl is all in holding 109 with a flush draw and two overcards. Jeff Papola is holding bottom set with 33.
The turn and river brick when they come Q5 and Pohl is eliminated in 7th place, vaulting Papola over 2.5 million in chips.
Brian Malczewski Eliminated in 6th Place ($83,120)
Brian Malczewski is all in from the small blind for 180,000 total. Allie Prescott thinks it over and makes the call with 33. Malczewski shows AK but the board offers no help when it runs 99486.
Malczewski is eliminated in sixth place and earns $83,120.
The Hand That Never Was
The flop comes Q-J-10 in a three-way pot between Matt Brady, Johan Storakers and Brandon Terry. There is little action on the flop and the turn is a king, putting four to a straight on board.
At this point, Terry puts out a small bet of 50,000 to see where his 9-8, the bottom end of a flopped straight, is at in the hand. Storakers, who had flopped broadway with A-K, now min-raises to 100,000. Brady now goes into the tank with his flopped set of jacks, knowing that he's beat but wondering if he should draw to the full house.
Eventually, he realizes that if both opponents have the ace, he'll never see the river without putting in the rest of his stack. Terry lays it down as well and the entire table is stunned that somehow the pot only amounted to just under 200,000. Who knows what would have happened if one had bet their monster on the flop.
Allie Prescott Doubles Through Jeff Papola
Matt Brady raises to 80,000 from under the gun and Jeff Papola calls on the button. Allie Prescott then moves all in from the big blind for 725,000. Brady folds and Papola calls, showing 99. Prescott shows JJ and it holds when the board comes A82Q5.
Prescott now has nearly 1,600,000.
Brandon Terry Back on the Ropes
Jeff Papola raises to 105,000 from under the gun and is called by both Matt Brady and Brandon Terry in the blinds.
The flop comes 833 and everyone checks. The turn is the 3 and Terry bets 150,000. Papola calls and Brady mucks. The river is the 2 and Terry bets 300,000. Papola calls and his pocket fives beat Terry's nut flush to scoop the pot. Terry is left with just over 400,000.
Brandon Terry Eliminated in 5th Place ($116,400)
Matt Brady raises on the button and Brandon Terry moves all in from the small blind. Brady insta calls and shows pocket aces. Terry is in big trouble with the A9 and the board comes 422K7 to end his tournament.
He earns $116,400 for his fifth place finish.
Allie Prescott Eliminated in 4th Place ($150,000)
Matt Brady raises to 110,000 and Jeff Papola folds. Allie Prescott then announces a raise to 350,000 out of turn. A ruling is made that if Johan Storakers elects to call, Prescott must be forced to raise to 350,000. Storakers does just that and Prescott puts it in.
Brady folds and Storakers moves all in. Prescott calls and shows AK. Storakers shows JJ and we're off to the races. The board runs out 10849Q and Prescott is eliminated in fourth place, earning $150,000.
Johan Storakers Doubles Through Jeff Papola
On a flop of 1073 Johan Storakers is put all in by the J9 of Jeff Papola. Storakers calls with the Q10 and both players are virtually flip a coin on this one.
Thanks to the CardPlayer.com Odds Calculator, we can see that Papola has a 54.95% chance of winning the pot thanks to his gutshot straight draw, flush draw and overcard.
However, the turn and river brick when they come A6 and for the first time since the day began, Johan Storakers is back in the chip lead.
Matt Brady Doubles Through Johan Storakers
Johan Storakers raises in the small blind and Matt Brady makes the call in the big blind. The flop comes K-Q-10 and both players get it all in.
Storakers shows K-7 but Brady has the made straight with J-9. The turn and river brick and suddenly Brady takes the chip lead.
Jeff Papola Eliminated in 3rd Place ($250,000)
On a flop of 1064, Jeff Papola is all in against Matt Brady. Papola shows KK but Brady shows a flopped flush with 97. The turn and river come 24 and Papola is eliminated.
Chip Counts For Heads Up Play:
Johan Storakers - 1,600,000
Matt Brady - 6,100,000
Matt Brady Wins the 2008 Aruba Poker Classic ($1,000,000) - Johan Storakers Finishes Second ($486,000)
Matt Brady limps in the small blind and Johan Storakers raises it up 200,000 more. Brady calls and the flop comes J1010.
Storakers checks and Brady fires out 270,000. Storakers moves all in and Brady instantly calls, tabling 107. Storakers shows AJ and needs a jack or running clubs to survive.
The turn is the 7 improving Brady hands to a full house. Storakers is looking for the one of the two remaining jacks to stay alive but the river is the 6, giving Brady the pot, the tournament, the bracelet and $1 million.