Tom McEvoy presented with 1970 Corvette and Binion Cup.

The ten returning former World Series of Poker Main Event Champions returned to the Rio on Monday to play the final table of the Champions Invitational. In what has to be the most accomplished freeroll field ever assembled, the final ten were playing for the 1970 Corvette Stingray and the Jack Binion Cup. Seated at the table were a total of 41 WSOP bracelets and more than $47,505,850 in WSOP winnings.

The final table was a clash of generations with players almost evenly representing the eras in which they won. The lone survivor of Main Event Champions from the 70s was Doyle Brunson. From the 80s Tom McEvoy, Berry Johnston, and Phil Hellmuth. From the 90s were Jim Bechtel, Dan Harrington, and Huck Seed. The new millenium saw chip leader Carlos Mortensen, Robert Varkonyi, and the youngest champ in history, Peter Eastgate. But it would be McEvoy that would outlast a marathon seven hour final table.

On the very first hand of play Seed, in seat 6, drew the button leaving the desperately short stacked Hellmuth in the big blind. Mortensen raised to $1,200 to set Hellmuth all in should he call. Only taking a moment, Hellmuth put his remaining chips in with T 5 and Mortenson flipped over 2 2. The flop came 4 Q J. An A came on the turn giving Hellmuth more outs, but the river blanked with 8. Hellmuth’s chair barely had a chance to get warm before he ritually shook every player’s hand on his way out.

Only two hands later saw the second elimination of the afternoon. Eastgate moved in preflop and was insta-called by Harrington who then felted A A. Eastgate sheepishly showed 7 8. The flop drew gasps from the crowd when a draw heavy board of 5 6 8. The turn came J and then the river blanked for Eastgate with a K.

Early eliminations continued with Brunson when he moved all in after a flop of 8 T 7. McEvoy only took a moment to call with J J and had Doyle’s A 2 dominated. Needing help, Doyle leanded back in his chair as the turn brought the K. Only an Ace or heart could stave of Brunson’s elimination but help didn’t come when the river as 4.

Varkonyi doubled up off of McEvoy when the Brooklyn native moved in after a flop of 5 Q T. McEvoy called with top pair top kicker with his A Q which trailed Varkonyi’s K K. The turn brought a 5 and river came 5 giving Varkonyi a better full house.

Johnston was the next elimination as he opened for $2,000 in middle position and was raised by Mortenson on his immediate left to $5,000. Johnston called to see a flop of 7 8 K and then shipped the rest of his stack in the pot. Mortenson called with his 6 6 ahead of Johnston’s Q J. A 9 gave Johnston a straight draw, but fell short when the K came on the river.

Tight play dominated the next hour of hands until a short stacked Seed moved in with his lazy grace before the flop. Mortensen called Seed’s raise with K Q which put Seed’s K J in dire need of help. All seemed lost for Seed when 8 6 Q flopped, needing runner-runner to stay alive. A sly grin grew across Seed’s face as the J came on the turn, but salvation did not follow when the 2 came on the river.

Once four handed play began, action slowed considerably with only a few flops seen. Varkoyni opened UTG to $3,000 and McEvoy reraised to $9,000. Bechtel took a moment, then put in a third raise to $29,000 which convinced Varkonyi to fold. McEvoy pushed his stack into the middle to put Bechtel all in. He called and tabled K K  ahead of McEvoy’s A K. On the flop McEvoy caught his Ace with a A 7 T flop. The turn card was 5 and the river was T. McEvoy grabbed the chip lead and eliminated Bechtel in fourth place.

When three handed play resumed Varkonyi had $26,500 in chips to McEvoy’s $100,000-plus and Harrington’s stack was just under $75,000. Varkoyni doubled up through McEvoy in hand where Harrington opened for $2,500 and Varkoyni flat called. The flop came 8 4 3 and Harrington bet $4,500 and again Varkoyni called. On the turn a 5 hit and Harrington again led with a $12,000 bet and Varkoyni moved all in. Harrington called tabling T T and Varkoyni showed A A. The river brought a 3 which kept Varkoyni alive in the tournament.

With the shadow of the Binion Cup looming over the table, play tightened considerably. Each player took turns stealing blinds and antes from the button with an occasional reraise.  For nearly an hour and a half the players went to only one showdown.

After nearly three hours of three-way play McEvoy opened for $4,500 and Harrington raised to $15,000. Varkoyni folded from the small blind and McEvoy called the raise. They saw a flop of A Q 4 and Harrington moved all in for his remaining $15,700. McEvoy called with K Q which bested Harrington’s 9 9. The turn brought the 8 and the river was 3. Harrington was sent to the rail in third place.

Entering heads-up play McEvoy enjoyed nearly a three-to-one chip lead over Varkoyni. The players and crowd were braced for a marathon heads-up session following the pace of three-handed play. After only thirty minutes the decisive hand unfolded when McEvoy limped in off the button and Varkoyni raised $4,000 more. After a call the flop came 7 5 8 and Varkoyni led with an $8,000 bet and was min raised by McEvoy. On the turn the 6 hit making straight, flush, and straight flush draws. Varkoyni shipped in his remaining chips and McEvoy called with T 9 and Varkoyni felted J 5. Varkoyni stood up to realize he was drawing only to the 4 for the straight flush to win the hand. The night belonged to McEvoy when the K fell on the river.

McEvoy was joined on stage with WSOP Comissioner Jeffery Pollack and poker patriarch Jack Binion to accept the once in a generation Binion Cup. The trio moved to the floor outside the feature table to award McEvoy the Corvette. McEvoy joked, “I’ve known Jack Binion since my first WSOP in 1980 and this is the first time he’s handed me a trophy instead of money.”

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