Saif Ahmad Wins Event No. 43 at the WSOP

Ask any hold'em player, and that person will tell you that the World Series of Poker limit tournaments are brutal games. They start with long hours of low, almost inconsequential blinds, and then the structure abruptly changes, often leaving average stacks with just six big bets. For those who brave these treacherous waters, there is a light at the end of the tunnel: first-place prize money and a gold WSOP bracelet. Saif Ahmad reached that light, winning the event for a $217,239 cut of the $859,040 prize pool. The day started with nine players remaining from the original 472. These were their chip counts: Tommy Rounds, ($406,000), Ahmad ($322,000), Joseph Mandia ($259,000), Micahel Graffeo ($250,000) William Jensen ($245,000), Justin Pechie ($147,000), Gerald Kane ($129,000), Robert Pacleb ($104,000), Hal Havlisch ($30,000).

In the end, Ahmad fought through the field to get heads up with William Jensen. He rode a wave of good cards, including some clutch river catches, to lock up the championship. In a series of two hands, Ahmad crippled, and then eliminated Jensen. On the first hand Ahmad raised, Jensen reraised, and Ahmad three-bet. Jensen made the call and the flop came Q Q 2. Jensen checked, Ahmad bet, and Jensen called. The turn brought the Q and Jensen again check-called. The river was the 3, Jensen checked, and Ahmad bet again. Jensen quickly called, but then mucked when Ahmad tabled A K. That left Jensen on the short stack, and he wasted no time getting the rest of his money in on the next hand. He raised on the button with K J and Ahmad called. The flop came K J 2, and Ahmad bet, putting Jensen all in. He instantly made the all-in call and looked to be in good shape against Ahmad's Q 4. Ahmad's rush continued when the turn brought the 10 and the river, the A. This gave Ahmad a straight and the tournament. Jensen took home the second-place prize money of $133,151. Ahmed won the tournament, $217,329, and a gold WSOP bracelet.