WSOP Final Table: James Akenhead Eliminated in 9th Place

Lance Bradley | November 7, 2009

It took longer than expected and included a roller coaster ride but James Akenhead was eliminated in 9th place at the WSOP Main Event Final Table.

The 26 year old Englishman started the day as the short stack with only 6,800,000 but found himself moving up the chip counts thanks to a timely triple up with K-Q. After moving all-in for just over 4,000,000 Akenhead found himself in trouble after Steve Begleiter called and Eric Buchman re-raised to 12,000,000. Begleiter folded and the two players flipped over the hands. Buchman held A K to the K Q of Akenhead.

The flop came J 3 2 helping neither player. The K on the turn gave both players top pair. The crowd went silent waiting for the turn to come and then errupted as the Q hit to give Akenhead two pair and triple him up.

“I was getting dealt so much trash. I find king-queen and I’ve got ten big blinds so to me it’s automatic push,” said Akenhead.

Only ten hands later though the cards turned on Akenhead and a cooler sent him back to short stack.

Kevin Schaffel opened with a raise to 1,150,000 and Akenhead called from the big blind. The flop came J 9 4 and Akenhead lead out for 1,600,000. Schaffel announced all-in and Akenhead made the call. Schaffel tabled A A and Akenhead showed K K. The turn and river both failed to produce one of two remaining kings and Akenhead was right back to being shortstacked.

On his final hand of the night he moved all-in for 4,450,000 with 3 3 and his nemesis from earlier, Kevin Schaffel, called with 9 9. The board came T 7 2 2 9 to give Schaffel a full house and send Akenhead home in 9th place with $1,263,602.

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