For the second time in two years a player has managed to win a WSOP bracelet on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. J.P. Kelly captured the first event of the 2009 World Series of Poker Europe Monday in London to take home £136,803 and the gold bracelet. Kelly won his earlier bracelet in a $1,500 Pot Limit Hold’em tournament (Event #20) in Las Vegas.

Given his pedigree Kelly’s win is hardly a surprise but the first few hours of final table looked and felt more like a coronation for Fabien Dunlop who entered the day with the chip lead. Dunlop held onto that lead throughout the day and even when heads-up play began he was well in front of Kelly.

The first elimination of the day came after only six minutes of play. James Tomlin, the shortest stack at the start of the day moved all-in from middle position and then things got a little bit crazy. William Martin moved all-in over the top and Thor Drexel called from the big blind. Tomlin found himself in bad shape with A 7 against the A K of Drexel and A K of Martin. The board ran out K J 4 4 8 and despite flopping the nut flush draw Tomlin wasn’t able to complete the flush and was sent packing in ninth place with a £13,115 payday.

Despite surviving that hand and chipping up a bit, Drexel didn’t last much longer. Adnan Alshamah opened with a raise, Drexel called all-in and Anthony Roux also called from the big blind. The flop came A J T, Roux checked and Alshamah moved all-in. Roux folded, Alshamah showed A K and Drexel showed Q Q. The J on the turn paired the board and gave Drexel more outs to stay alive but the 3 on the river ended his night. He cashed for £14,835.

Dunlop captured his first scalp of the night by eliminating William Martin in seventh place. Dunlop opened with a raise, Martin moved all-in for just over 100,000 and Dunlop made the call. Martin showed A J and found himself racing against the 7 7 of Dunlop. The K 9 4 flop brought no relief for Martin and when the 4 hit the turn and 3 hit the turn his run at the bracelet was cut short with an extra £17,535 in his pocket.

Neil Suarez was the next player eliminated. With a short stack he moved all-in from the button. Dunlop called from the big blind and revealed K K while Suarez showed 4 4. The flop, turn and and river all failed to help Suarez win with a bad beat and he was ousted in sixth place for £21,700.

A little while later pocket kings again meant the end of the night, and the tournament, for another player. Roux moved all-in and J.P. Kelly called. Roux revealed T T and found himself unfortunate enough to run into Kelly holding K K. The board brought A 9 2 Q 2 and Roux, the last remaining player at the table not from the United Kingdom, was eliminated in fifth position.

With Dunlop holding more than half the chips in play Dunlop began to make things a little more interesting by picking up another elimination. With action folded to him on the button Kelly opened with a raise and Richard Allen responded by moving all-in from the big blind. Kelly called and tabled 9 9 while Allen showed A 4. The community cards ran nearly dry for Allen and despite pairing his four on the turn he was unable to overcome Kelly’s hand and was out in fourth for £38,499.

That elimination by Dunlop meants heads-up play began with him holding 1,365,000 chips to Kelly’s 498,000. But while the previous seven eliminations all lacked in any real drama the heads-up battle more than made up for it.

On the first significant pot of heads-up play Dunlop raised to 31,000 and Kelly responded by making it 90,000 to go. As he had done in a few hands of heads-up action Dunlop moved all-in. Kelly called and showed A T while Dunlop turned over A 5. The J T 8 flop brought the sweat level up a notch with Kelly flopping a pair and Dunlop catching the nut flush draw. The 4 on the turn and J on the river gave Kelly the hand and a much needed double up.

The drama continued a few hands later as Kelly slowplayed pocket queens to perfection to take even more chips from Dunlop. But his slowplaying ways cost him a few hands later. Dunlop raised from the button and Kelly called. The flop came 9 3 2, Kelly checked, Dunlop bet less than the pot and Kelly then announced raise. After watching his opponent put in the check raise Dunlop moved all-in. Kelly snap-called and showed A A while Dunlop tabled 7 3. The turn brought disaster for Kelly though when the 3 hit giving Dunlop trip three. Unable to improve on the end Kelly was back to being the underdog.

After doubling up a few hands later and putting the two Brits on nearly even terms Kelly put the tournament to its end. After a Q T 7 flop Kelly bet, Dunlop raised, Kelly re-raised all-in and Dunlop called. Kelly showed K 8 for the second nut flush draw while Dunlop tabled J 2 for no pair and a worse flush draw. The 5 on the turn helped neither player but the 2 on the turn gave both players a flush with Kelly winning. The hand didn’t quite eliminate Dunlop but left him with a little more than one big blind. The next hand sealed the deal for Kelly who captured his second bracelet of 2009.

When three-handed play began Dunlop held 65% of the 1,830,000 chips in play with Alshamah hanging on with only 190,000 to his name. Alshamah’s night didn’t last much longer. He opened for 70,000 from the button and after Kelly folded his small blind, Dunlop moved all-in. Alshamah called and showed K Q and Dunlop flipped over A 8. The flop came K 5 2 giving Alshamah top pair but the A on the turn left him drawing to only five more outs. The 4 on the turn wasn’t one of those outs and his night was over with a respectable third place finish good enough for £55,468.

2009 WSOP Europe Event #1 Final Table Payouts

1. J.P. Kelly – £136,803
2. Fabien Dunlop – £84,512
3. Adnan Alshamah – £55,468
4. Richard Allen – £38,499
5. Anthony Roux – £28,181
6. Neil Suarez – £21,700
7. William Martin – £17,535
8. Thor Drexel – £14,835
9. James Tomlin – £13,115

The second event, a £2,500 Pot Limit Hold’em/Pot Limit Omaha mixed event, is already underway at the Casino at the Empire. You can follow all the Live Updates and Chip Counts until the second bracelet has been awarded.

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Related posts:

1. WSOP Europe: JP Kelly Grabs Event #1 Chip Lead After Day 1a Day 1a of Event #1 (£1,000 No Limit Hold’em) is...
2. WSOP: Brock Parker Grabs Second Gold Bracelet of 2009 Brock Parker won his second bracelet in four days Wednesday...
3. WSOP Europe: Bigger Field on Day 1b, Nobody Surpasses JP Kelly The Casino at the Empire in London, England was rocking...
4. Fabien Dunlop Holds Chip Lead At WSOP Europe Event #1 Final Table After two full days of play at the Empire Casino...
5. WSOP: England’s John-Paul Kelly Wins $1,500 Pot Limit Hold’em Bracelet Erik Seidel at a final table with any amount of...