Sure, the biggest poker tournament in the world is underway at the Rio but the biggest superstar in the poker world was stealing headlines on Thursday by making his ninth World Poker Tour final table at the Bellagio Cup VI. This time last year Phil Ivey made headlines by making the November Nine but this year he grabbed yet another WPT final table. He came into the day fifth in chips and despite taking the chip lead on multiple occasions it just wasn’t meant to be. The man stepping into the winners circle was Moritz Kranich who outlasted Ivey and BLUFF columnist Justin “BoostedJ” Smith heads-up to claim the title and the $875,150 first place prize.

Despite coming into the final day with only 12.5 big blinds, Eric Afriat managed to survive until the 46th hand when he moved all-in holding 5 5 and was called by Smith holding J J. The board ran out without any help for Afriat and he was out in sixth place for $118,950. Four hands later Rob Akery‘s run came to an end at the hands of Ivey. Akery put his last 1,285,000 in holding A J and got a call from Ivey who held A Q. Ivey dodged any suckouts or chopped pots to send Akery out in fifth place. Akery earned $169,930 and Ivey reclaimed the chip lead.

The four players would play for another 4.5 hours before seeing another elimination. John Caridad started the day as the chipleader but just before midnight PT the Australian was shortstacked and forced to move all-in after action folded to him on the button. Smith called from big blind and tabled pocket queens, way ahead of the J 6 of Caridad. The board brought no help for Caridad and he was out in fourth place with $237,902 to console himself with.

When three-handed play began Kranich had the chip lead with 6,350,000 of the 14,120,000 chips in play and Smith (4,430,000) and Ivey (3,350,000) were both trailing him. Twenty minutes later Ivey and Kranich tangled in a limped pot. Ivey called from the button, Smith folded his small blind and Kranich checked his option from the big blind. The flop came A J 4 and after Kranich checked Ivey bet 200,000. Kranich called and the dealer peeled off the A. Ivey bet 500,000 and Kranich called.  The river was the 3 and Ivey bet 700,000. Kranich made the call and Ivey revealed jack-nine for two pair but Kranich showed queen-jack for the same two pair with a better kicker.

The pot left Ivey with only 1,010,000 in chips. A few minutes later he was eliminated by Smith. He made $363,650 in his record setting ninth WPT final table appearance. Despite having eliminated Afriat, Caridad and Ivey Smiht found himself trailing Kranich in the chip count when heads-up play began. The Florida native had 4,915,000 to the 9,215,000 of Kranich.

 The two played heads-up for just over two hours before Kranich finally eliminated Smith. Smith completed from the big blind, Kranich moved all-in and Smith called tabling J J. Kranich was behind but drawing live with K T. The board came A Q 2 K 9 with Kranich pairing his king on the turn. Despite picking up the nut flush draw on the turn Smith drew a blank on the river and was eliminated in second place for $594,755. The runner-up finish is an improvement of one spot for Smith who came in third in this event in 2009.

The win is the second major title of Kranich’s career. In 2009 the German poker pro won the European Poker Tour stop in Deauville, France.

The next World Poker Tour event on the Season XI schedule is the Legends of Poker at the Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles August 20 – 25.

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