Mike Watson Wins the 2008 Bellagio Cup ($1,673,770)

Mike Watson moved all in from the button and David Benyamine made the call.  Watson showed Q9 but was in major trouble against Benyamine's K9. The board ran out AQ697 and Benyamine was eliminated, earning $840,295 for his runner up performance.

Watson takes home the title, along with the bracelet and nearly $1.7 million.

Blinds: 80,000 – 160,000 with a 15,000 ante

Chip Counts:

Average Stack: 10,035,000

Big Hands:

Ace on the River for Michael Watson

David Benyamine moved all in preflop for 8.6 million and Michael Watson made an all-in call. Their cards:

Benyamine: QQ
Watson: AK

Board: 10925A

Watson doubled up on the hand and Benyamine was crippled down to 2,665,000.

The tournament reached heads-up action after the elimination of Staudenmire, and then there was a 20-minute break while the money presentation took place. Action then moved onward and upward with 80,000-160,000 blinds with a 15,000 ante.
Here are the heads-up starting stacks:

David Benyamine: 11,700,000
Michael Watson: 8,420,000

Blinds: 80,000 – 160,000 with a 15,000 ante

Chip Counts:

Average Stack: 10,035,000

Big Hands:

Mike Watson Doubles Through Luke Staudenmaier

Mike Watson and Luke Staudenmaier found themselves all in against each other with similar chip stacks. After a count down, Watson was determined to be the short stack and the players turned up their cards.

Watson revealed AQ and was ahead of Staudenmaier’s A10. The board came KJ977 and Watson’s hand held to double him up to about 8 million in chips.

Staudenmaier was left with roughly six big blinds after the hand.

Luke Staudenmaier Eliminated in Third Place ($452,465)

Luke Staudenmaier moved all in on the button and was called by both David Benyamine and Mike Watson in the blinds. The flop came Q53 and Benyamine checked. Watson bet 500,000 and Benyamine quickly folded, showing Q-4. Watson turned over Q8 and was way ahead of Staudenmaier’s K4. The turn and river came 56 and Staudenmaier was eliminated in third place, earning just short of half of a million dollars.  

Blinds: 80,000 – 160,000 with a 15,000 ante

Chip Counts:

Average Stack: 6,690,000

Big Hands:

Luke Staudenmaier and Mike Watson Trade Wins

With the action grinding to a halt, Mike Watson limped in the small blind and Luke Staudenmaier checked his option. The flop came 1098 and Watson bet 260,000. Staudenmaier called and the turn was the 4. Watson bet 600,000 and Staudenmaier gave it up.

A few hands later, Staudenmaier raised on the button to 450,000. Watson made the call in the big blind and the flop came 1064. Watson checked and Staudenmaier’s bet of 725,000 was enough to earn him the pot.

Break Time

The players then took a 15-minute break.

Blinds: 60,000 – 120,000 with a 10,000 ante

Chip Counts:

Average Stack: 6,690,000

Big Hands:

Luke Staudenmaier Doubles Up

Luke Staudenmaier raised to 360,000 preflop from the button and Michael Watson reraised to 1.1 million. Staudenmaier reraised all in for 3.48 million and Watson made the call to cover his opponent. Their cards:

Staudenmaier: AK
Watson: QQ

Board: QJ2106

Staudenmaier doubled up on the hand to survive, and action continued three handed.

Blinds: 60,000 – 120,000 with a 10,000 ante

Chip Counts:

Average Stack: 6,690,000

Big Hands:

David Benyamine Doubles Up

David Benyamine raised to 360,000 from the button preflop and Luke Staudenmaier reraised all in. Benyamine made the call for his final 4 million and they turned up their hands:

Benyamine: AJ
Staudenmaier: A10

Board: 643Q7

Benyamine doubled up to 8 million on the hand and survived. Staudenmaier was knocked down to less than 4 million.
 

Blinds: 60,000 – 120,000 with a 10,000 ante

Chip Counts:

Average Stack: 6,690,000

Big Hands:

Ralph Perry Doubles Through John Phan

Ralph Perry moved all in for 1.2 million and John Phan made the call.

Perry showed A9 and Phan was ahead with A10. The board came AJ99J and a dejected Phan shipped most of his chips over to Perry who got the fortunate double up.

After the hand, Phan was crippled down to 700,000.

John Phan Eliminated in Fifth Place ($193,915)

John Phan moved all in from the small blind for his last 760,000 and David Benyamine called from the big blind. Phan showed A9 and was ahead of Benyamine’s A6.

The flop came KJ7 and Phan maintained the lead. But the turn was the Q, giving Benyamine a flush draw and many, many outs to the chop. The river was the …. 3! and Benyamine made the nut flush to eliminated Phan in fifth place.

Phan had a great summer, winning two WSOP bracelets along the way, but his elimination here will no doubt be on his mind for quite some time.

Ralph Perry Eliminated in Fourth Place ($290,900)

Mike Watson raised to 360,000 and Ralph Perry moved all in from the big blind for 2.2 million. Watson called and showed AQ and Perry was behind with KJ.

The flop came out 542 and Perry was drawring semi-dead on the flawpp. The turn and river came 9A and Perry hit the rail in fourth place, earning over a quarter of a million dollars for his finish.

Short Break

After the bustout madness had ended, the players took a 15-minute break.

Blinds: 60,000 – 120,000 with a 10,000 ante

Chip Counts:

Average Stack: 4,014,000

Big Hands:

A Terrible Board For Two Black Kings

Ralph Perry raised to 250,000 under the gun and David Benyamine reraised to 650,000. Perry called and the flop came A63. Benyamine thought for a bit before betting 1,375,000 and Perry folded.

As he raked in the pot, Benyamine flashed KK.

Luke Staudenmaier Wins a Massive Pot

John Phan raised to 285,000 under the gun and Luke Staudenmaier called from the big blind. The flop came A63 and both players checked.

The turn was the 10 and Staudenmaier bet 525,000. Phan gave it some thought before making the call. The river was the 6 and Staudenmaier bet 1.7 million. Phan tanked for almost three minutes before calling, and he was disappointed to see Staudenmaier’s pocket tens for a full house.

After the hand, Phan was knocked down to 2 million and Staudenmaier took the chip lead with 7.3 million.