It took a total of 219 hands to reach the heads-up match between Jonathan Duhamel and John Racener. On Monday evening, Duhamel sat down with 188,950,000 in chips, while Racener resumed his quest short stacked with 30,750,000.
It didn’t take long for Duhamel to finish off his short-stacked opponent, as the Canadian won the bracelet and took home $8,944,138.
The final table of the 2010 World Series of Poker main event featured the usual heart-breaking river cards, a plethora of massive confrontations, shocking blowups, and runs at history that fell just a bit short.
Final table action began with the following chip counts and seat positions:
Seat 1: Jason Senti — 7,625,000
Seat 2: Joseph Cheong — 23,525,000
Seat 3: John Dolan — 46,250,000
Seat 4: Jonathan Duhamel — 65,975,000
Seat 5: Michael Mizrachi — 14,450,000
Seat 6: Matt Jarvis — 16,700,000
Seat 7: John Racener — 19,050,000
Seat 8: Filippo Candio — 16,400,000
Seat 9: Soi Nguyen — 9,650,000
Below is a look at the top 10 hands as featured in Card Player’s live updates:
10. Filippo Candio Eliminated in Fourth Place — $3,092,497
For awhile at the final table it seemed like it was Joseph Cheong’s tournament to lose. Filippo Candio’s eliminated began when he moved all in from the small blind, and Cheong made the call from the big blind. Candio showed K
Q, but was behind to Cheong’s A
3. The board ran out A
72
5 4, and Cheong’s straight knocked Candio from the tournament. After the hand, Cheong took a slight chip lead over Duhamel, with Racener rounding out the bottom of the leader board. After Candio’s elimination, Racener was simply hanging on with his short stack.
9. John Racener Doubles Through Michael Mizrachi
The collapse of Mizrachi seemed to truly begin when he doubled up his fellow Florida native. The action began when Mizrachi raised to 2,500,000 and John Racener moved all in behind him for 9,825,000. Mizrachi didn’t like it, but he made the call, showing the A 8. Racener showed the A K and had the Grinder dominated. The board ran out 10 2 2 K J, and Racener doubled up to over 21,000,000. Mizrachi fell to just under 60,000,000 after the hand.
8. Jonathan Duhamel Doubles Through Michael Mizrachi
Michael Mizrachi played aggressively at the final table and this blind-versus-blind confrontation was the perfect example. The action began when Jonathan Duhamel raised to 2,500,000 from the small blind, and Mizrachi moved all in from the big blind. Duhamel called and revealed the A 9, which were racing against Mizrachi’s 3 3. The board came out K 9 5 9 J and all of a sudden Duhamel was back in second place. The Grinder, who at one point was the chip leader, took a major hit to fall into last place. Nearly 25 percent of the chips in play were in the middle for the coin flip.
7. Joseph Cheong Eliminated in Third Place — $4,129,979
Action finally ended in the early morning hours on Sunday when Joseph Cheong moved all in from the small blind holding the Q 10, and Jonathan Duhamel called from the big blind holding the A 2. The board fell K 9 6 6 7, and Cheong was eliminated. The final table was paused for the Monday heads-up battle between Duhamel and Racener.
6. Jason Senti Eliminated in Seventh Place — $1,356,708
Jason Senti had been climbing back into contention after starting with the short stack. However, he eventually was the victim of a brutal river card to send him to the rail. The action began when Senti raised on the button to 1,800,000 and Joseph Cheong reraised to 4,950,000 from the small blind. Senti then moved all in, and Cheong snap called with the 10 10. He was racing against Senti’s A K. Senti needed help and found it when the flop fell K K Q. The turn, however, was the J, giving Cheong outs to the straight. The river was the 9 and the room erupted. Senti was eliminated, and Cheong boosted his stack to more than 46 million.
5. John Racener Gets Lucky To Double Up
John Racener was working the short stack effectively, before finally making a stand in this crucial situation. The action began when Racener raised to 2,200,000, and Jonathan Duhamel moved all in from the big blind. Racener took a few moments before calling all in, but he was in terrible shape holding the A Q against Duhamel’s A K. However, the board fell Q 8 4 J 3, and Racener doubled up to nearly 40,000,000.
4. Matt Jarvis Eliminated in Eighth Place — $1,045,738
Perhaps the most gut-wrenching hand at the final table so far began when Jonathan Duhamel raised to 1,400,000 and Michael Mizrachi made the call. Matt Jarvis then moved all in for his 14,300,000 stack. Duhamel folded, and Mizrachi took a few moments before making the call, showing the A Q. Jarvis showed the 9 9, and the two were off to the races. The flop came out Q Q 8, and the Mizrachi contingent exploded into celebration. The turn, however, was the 9, giving Jarvis a full house. All he needed to do was dodge seven cards and he’d double up, but the river was the A, giving Mizrachi a superior boat. Mizrachi was surging at the time, bringing his stack up to more than 42 million.
3. Michael Mizrachi Eliminated in Fifth Place — $2,332,960
Mizrachi’s historic 2010 WSOP came to a close after a hand where Jonathan Duhamel completed from the small blind, and Mizrachi checked his option. The flop fell Q 5 4, and Duhamel checked. Mizrachi bet 2,000,000, and Duhamel raised. Mizrachi then moved all in, and Duhamel instantly called with a slow played A A. Mizrachi showed the Q 8 for top pair and needed help to stay alive. The turn was the J and the river was the K, offering no help to the Grinder. Duhamel was riding high with over 91,000,000 after the hand.
Mizrachi began this past summer with a win in the $50,000 Players Championship for $1,559,046. With the additional $2 million, Mizrachi reached the upper echelons of the career-earnings leader board, as he currently sits with $11,216,264. Even though Mizrachi fell short of winning the two most prestigious events at the 2010 WSOP, his recent performances have put him back on the tournament poker map.
2. Jonathan Duhamel Doubles Up Through Joseph Cheong in 177,600,000-Chip Pot
Joseph Cheong seemed poised for a heads-up battle with Jonathan Duhamel. However, he didn’t wait for Racener to exit the table. The record-breaking pot began when Cheong raised to 2,900,000 from the small blind, and Jonathan Duhamel reraised to 6,750,000. Cheong four-bet to 14,250,000, and Duhamel five-bet to 22,750,000. Cheong thought it over for a bit before announcing all in. Duhamel snap called. Cheong let out a moan and turned over the A 7, while Duhamel excitedly showed the Q Q.
The flop came 9 3 2, and Duhamel remained in the lead. The turn was the 6, leaving Cheong looking for one of the last three aces. The river brought the 8, and Duhamel doubled up to take a monster chip lead. Cheong was left with about 8,000,000 in chips and was crippled. According to tournament director Jack Effel, the pot was the largest ever in WSOP history. Cheong, who began the hand with about 100 million in chips, played a massive pot with the short stack of Racener looking on. The blowup gave Racener the chance to book a ticket to the heads-up contest on Monday — an opportunity he capitalized on.
1. John Racener Eliminated in Second Place — $5,545,855, Jonathan Duhamel Wins!
John Racener was having an impossible time gaining any momentum in the heads-up match, and the final confrontation began when Duhamel open shoved from the button. After some thought, Racener called off his last 14,000,000. Duhamel showed the A J, and Racener was live with the K 8. The board ran out uneventfully 9 4 4 6 5, and Racener was eliminated. Jonathan Duhamel picked up nearly $9 million for his run at poker history.
