Matt “mattg1983″ Graham has a World Series of Poker bracelet to his name already and is a well known player to long-time followers of the online poker scene. But when the final table of the $10,000 Pot Limit Omaha World Championship got underway late Monday night he more or less blended into the background of a stacked final table despite already having a bracelet to his name. Now he’s got two.

Barry Greenstein, Josh Arieh, Vitaly Lunkin, winner of the special $40,000 No Limit Hold’em event earlier in the Series, and Richard Austin, $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha (Event 35) winner, were all at the table standing in the way of Graham. But one by one they were all thrown to the wayside.

To the dismay of many onlookers the first player sent packing from the final table was Greenstein. Lunkin raised to 120,000 and Greenstein and Arieh called from the blinds. The flop came 9 6 2 and after action checked to him Lunkin bet 200,000. Greenstein raised to 800,000, Arieh folded and Lunkin went into the tank. After a minute or two the Russian literally flipped a coin to decide his fate and moved all-in. Greenstein called and table 9 8 7 5 for a flush and wrap draw while Lunkin showed A A 8 7 for a paire of aces with a straight draw and defensive outs. The turn was the Q and the river the 3 completely missing Greenstein and sending a signed copy of Ace on the River, and the pot, in the direction of Lunkin.

Lunkin didn’t stop there. He raised from early position to 120,000, everybody folded except Austin who called from the big blind. The flop came A 6 5 and Austin bet 120,000. Lunkin responded by putting in a large enough to put Austin’s tourament life at risk. The recent bracelet winner called and showed 9 8 7 5 to Lunkin’s K K 4 2. The J on the turn didn’t improve Austin and while the 8 made him a straight it also made Lunkin the winning flush.

Arieh made quite a splash early in play moving from fourth in chips at the start of the final table to chip lead less than an hour in. But his run at another bracelet was short-lived. Arieh got all his chips in holding A A 9 4 and Ferit Gabriellson called with K K T 3. The flop brought doom for Arieh though with the K Q T, the J on the turn didn’t help and the river K made quads for the Swede and sent Arieh to the rail.

Lunkin took his time finding his next victim. Nearly three hours after Arieh hit the rail and very little chip movement among the remaining six players Stefan Mattson got active and got busted. Lunkin opened with a raise to 210,000 and Mattson bet the pot from the big blind. Lunkin re-raised and Mattson called all-in. The Swede showed Q J T 8 and Lunkin flipped over A A K 3. The board ran out J 6 3 4 7 and Lunkin’s aces were good enough to take the pot.

With play five handed the last standing American, Matt Graham, decided to get busy. Gabriellson raised to 280,000 from the button and Graham called from the small blind. The flop brought the A K 5 and Graham fired a bet of 250,000 to which Gabriellson replied with an all-in and Graham called. Gabriellson tabled K J 9 8 for a pair of kings and Graham showed J J T 3 for a pair of jacks. The J fell on the turn however giving Graham a set and when the 8 on the river failed to improve Gabriellson’s hand his tournament was over.

Robin Keston went shortly after Gabriellson and Graham was in the mix yet again. The 26 year old opened for 210,000 and Keston moved all-in for 785,000; Graham called. Keston showed K T 7 6 and Graham was ahead with A T 9 8. The flop and turn bricked out for both players until the A on the river gave Graham an unnecessary pair of aces to win the pot and eliminate Keston.

Three-handed play lasted all of seven minutes and Graham was more than happy to play the role of bully. Graham raised to 200,000, Van Marcus raised the pot, Graham re-potted and Marcus called all-in. Graham happily showed A A J 9 and Marcus showed Q J J 7. The board ran dry for Marcus and Graham sent the final table into heads-up mode.

When heads-up play between Graham and Lunkin began the American held a very slight chip advantage. Lunkin however kept dragging pot after pot and eventually had Graham outchipped by a 9-1 margin. Back-to-back double-ups put Graham back into and in no time he had the chip lead himself.

On the final hand of the night the two players limped to see a flop of T 6 4. Graham checked to Lunkin who bet 120,000 and Graham made 480,000 with a check-raise and Lunkin called. The 9 hit the turn and Graham bet 1,100,000, Lunkin moved all-in and Graham called. Lunkin showed K J 9 2 for a pair of nines with a flush draw and a gutshot straight draw while Graham turned over T T 6 5 for top set. The river was the A and after a countdown of each player’s chips Graham had slightly more than Lunkin and was the champion.

 2009 WSOP $10,000 Pot Limit Omaha World Championship Final Table Payouts

1. Matt Graham - $679,379
2. Vitaly Lunkin - $419,832 
3. Van Marcus - $278,409 
4. Robin Keston - $196,994 
5. Ferit Gabriellson - $148,439 
6. Stefan Mattson - $118,463 
7. Josh Arieh - $99,856 
8. Richard Austin - $88,681
9. Barry Greenstein - $82,746

Related posts:

1. WSOP: Matt Graham Wins Bracelet in $1,500 Limit Hold’em Shootout Matt “mattg1983″ Graham won his third and final table in the...
2. WSOP: Noah Schwartz Takes Big Stack into Last Day of Event 40 After a break Sunday afternoon, Noah Schwartz reported losing 40,000...
3. WSOP: John Kabbaj Wins Pot Limit Hold’em World Championship The World Series of Poker is increasingly becoming an international...
4. WSOP: David Bach Wins Marathon Duel for $50,000 HORSE World Championship David Bach outlasted John Hanson in a seven hour...
5. WSOP: Greg Mueller Skates Away with Limit World Championship Greg Mueller finally got his first WSOP bracelet Wednesday...