Geffrey Klein faced a serious 9-1 chip deficit when he entered heads-up play against Nicholas Blumenthal in Event No. 10 ($1,500 six-handed no-limit hold’em) at the 2011 World Series of Poker. After nearly two grueling hours, Klein eventually got the best of Blumenthal though and he walked away with the gold bracelet and $554,388 in prize money. He also grabbed the distinction of winning the largest six-handed tournament in history with a field of 1,920 players.
“I really did not think I was going to do well. My style is much more in line with patience and waiting. This to me is not about patience. It’s about playing poker. You can’t do what you do at a full table and expect to win a tournament like this. You have to call bets, you have to raise, read the boards and understanding the betting patterns of your opponents. But the real fact was I did not get unlucky, and I did get a little lucky a few times,” said Klein after the final table. He also touched on his perseverance during the heads-up final. “As long as you have chips, never give up. I play a pretty good short-stack. In fact, when I have a lot of chips, I play much worse (laugh),” said Klein.
Blumenthal was the runner up and he collected $334,756 in prize money. That brought his 2011 WSOP haul up to $589,784 when paired with his fourth-place finish in Event No. 4 ($5,000 no-limit hold’em) just a few days ago. Blumenthal is now in 24th place in the Card Player Player of the Year standings with 2,056 points overall.
Jeffrey Papola took third place in the tournament, continuing one of the most dominant runs in six-handed events in WSOP history. He won a bracelet in a $5,000 six-handed no-limit hold’em event last summer, and he also finished as the runner up in a $2,500 six-handed no-limit hold’em event in 2010. Papola added another $214,410 to his six-handed treasure chest Wednesday night, bringing his two-year winnings in such events up to $1,272,921.
Here is a look at the elimination hands from the final table as featured on CardPlayer.com’s live updates:
Anthony Spinella Eliminated in 6th Place ($66,199)
Anthony Spinella raised to 55,000 from the button, Bryan Colin reraised to 150,000 from the small blind, Jeffrey Papola shoved from the big blind, Spinella called all in and Colin folded.
Papola showed 10
10
for a pair but Spinella turned over Q
Q for a higher pair.
The board came 10 7 2 5
K, giving Papola top set on the flop. Anthony Spinella was eliminated in 6th place ($66,199).
Bryan Colin Eliminated in 5th Place ($95,333)
Bryan Colin opened for 60,000 from the cutoff, Jeffrey Papola reraised to 150,000 from the button, Colin reraised to 430,000, Papola five-bet shoved and Colin called all in.
Colin turned over 10 10 for the lead while Papola showed A Q for the draw.
The board came 9 5 3 K 2, giving Papola a flush on the turn. Jeffrey Papola took the chip lead with 4 million this hand while Bryan Colin was eliminated in 5th place ($95,33).
David Vamplew Eliminated in 4th Place ($141,030)
Down to the short stack, David Vamplew open-shoved for 240,000 from under the gun, Jeffrey Papola called from the small blind and Nicholas Blumenthal called from the big blind.
The flop came A 7 6, and both players checked the side pot.
The turn was the 5, Papola bet 150,000 and Blumenthal called.
The river was the 8, Papola checked, Blumenthal bet 360,000 and Papola called. Vamplew showed A J for top pair while Papola showed A 5 for two pair. Blumenthal turned over K Q for the nut flush, and scooped both the side and main pots. David Vamplew was eliminated in 4th place ($141,030).
Jeffrey Papola Eliminated in 3rd Place ($214,410)
Jeffrey Papola opened the pot from the small blind for 110,000 and Nicholas Blumenthal called from the big blind.
The flop came K 9 4, Papola bet 140,000, Blumenthal raised to 565,000, Papola moved all in, and Blumenthal called.
Papola turned over K Q for top pair while Blumenthal showed A 3 for one over-card and the nut flush draw.
The turn was the 9 and the river was the 5, giving Blumenthal his flush and eliminating Jeffrey Papola in 3rd place ($214,440).
Nicholas Blumenthal Eliminated in 2nd Place ($334,756)
Geffrey Klein faced a serious chip deficit when he entered heads-up play and after nearly two grueling hours, Klein eventually got the best of Blumenthal in this final hand of the evening.
Nicholas Blumenthal opened the pot for 250,000 from the button, Geffrey Klein three-bet from the big blind, Blumenthal moved all in and Klein called.
Blumenthal turned over 7 7 for the lead while Klein showed A K for the draw.
The board came 8 5 5 K Q, giving Klein the nut flush on the river. Nicholas Blumenthal was eliminated in 2nd place ($334,756) while Geffrey Klein went on to win the gold bracelet for Event #10 and the $544,388 grand prize.
