The 51st bracelet of the 2009 World Series of Poker belongs to Germany’s  Carsten Joh. Joh won his first bracelet in the $1,500 No Limit Hold ‘em (Event 51) at 1:52 a.m. Tuesday morning after nearly 13 hours of play and beating Canada’s Andrew Chen heads up.

“This bracelet is something that I will have for the rest of my life, so it is very special,” Joh said.

“I don’t know the impact this will have on my country,” Joh said. “Poker is not as popular there, but it feels good to win.”

Joh beat out 2,780 other players to take home top prize of $664,426 and a gold bracelet. The final table came down to nine players with no bracelets and few final table appearances. Only three of the nine had ever been seated at a WSOP final table previously. Joh, at 45, was the oldest player at the felt.

The final hand happened when Chen moved his stack to the middle with [10d] 9 after a raise from Joh on the button. Joh instantly called and flipped over pocket sixes. The flop gave Chen hope for a flush when it came Q 4 3 and the turn of 5 strengthened his hand even more. But the 6 on the river gave Joh a set and sent Chen packing with $412,426 but no bracelet.

Nathan Page of Happy Valley, Oregon was the first player eliminated, taking home his first career WSOP cash for $80,894. Page raised to 110,000 pre-flop from the cut-off and Chen moved all-in. Action folded back around to Page who also moved all-in for 580,000. Page flipped over A Q and Chen showed pocket nines. The flop caused a stir in the crowd when it came Q 9 2 causing Chen’s fans to yell for a nine. None other than the 9 landed on the turn leaving Page drawing dead to the useless river card of 7.

Pocket nines played a factor in Jason Helder’seighth place elimination as well. Helder, who started his first WSOP final table with the chip lead pushed his stack of 575,ooo into the middle pre-flop and was called by Owen Crowe. Crowe tabled the nines and Helder showed A K. The board ran out J J 4 5 6, giving the Pennsylvanian nothing and sending him to the cash cage for $86,702.

Greece’s Georgios Kapulasleft his first WSOP final table in seventh with his first cash of $97,634 when Joh put him all-in. Joh felted 7 7 and Kapulas turned over J 7. Kapulas failed to get the outs he needed on a board of K [10d] 8 6 A.

Thibaut Durandof France was sent packing next when he he put himself all-in pre-flop with J 7. Steven Levy made the call with Q 7. After a board of [10s] 6 3 2 [10c] Durand made his exit from his first WSOP final table to collect his first WSOP cash of $115,817.

Crowe, of Canada, came up short of his first WSOP bracelet but was able to make his fifth WSOP career cash, his first of the 2009 WSOP. Crowe’s A [10h] failed to hold to a pre-flop raise on the button by fellow countryman Chen. Crowe three-bet, Chen shoved his stack to the middle and Crowe went into the tank for several minutes. Crowe said “I’m probably going to hate myself for this” before he announced the call. Crowe showed his cards and Chen flipped over pocket eights. The eights were enough to send Crowe left to collect $145,199 after the dealer turned over Q 7 3 7 4.

Levy, of Massachusetts, made his fifth WSOP cash and his second of 2009 but left the table in fourth, three places shy of his first WSOP bracelet. Levy raised to 220,000 from the small blind and David Walasinskipushed his stack to the middle. Levy snap called and turned over A 9. Walasinski flipped over A J and the board ran out Q [10h] 6 8 6, sending Levy home with $192,650.

Walasinski, from Ohio, walked awy from his first WSOP final in third and took home his first WSOP cash for $272,405. Walasinski moved all-in from the button with K 7 and Joh called with K [10c]. The flop caused the crowd to come to their feet when it landed J [10d] 6, giving Joh a pair. When the 9 hit on the turn giving Walasinski some outs with the flush and straight draws the crowd began to yell. The river gave Walasinski a pair of sevens, not enough to win the pot and he made his way to the rail with $272,405.

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