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Katchalov wins Brunson classic in record time

December 19, 2007

wpt.jpgBrooklyn born Eugene Katchalov sat down at the final table of this years WPT Doyle Brunson Classic as the chip leader and was able to hold on to his lead to take home almost $2.5million in prize money and a seat in next year’s World Series of Poker main event.

664 players entered the tournament creating a prize pool of $9.6million - the largest pool in poker history outside of the WSOP main event and the WPT World Championship - but in truth once the action at the final table started it was all one way traffic. The final table was won in just 53 hands, a record which had previously been set by Brunson himself in the 2004 Legends of Poker.

In just the third hand of the afternoon, Katchalov clashed with second place player Jordan Rich. Having called Rich’s original raise of $220,000, Katchalov proceeded to check-raise his fellow American after the flop. Rich came over the top again by raising the pot to $1,620,000, but Katchalov was not finished and forced Rich to seriously think by re-raising his closest competitor to $2,640,000. It was too much for Rich who, after a lot of thinking and shaking his head, decided to muck his cards. It was a huge hand for Katchalov who never even had to show his cards.

13 hands later, the same two players were at it again. Katchalov’s initial raise of 300,000 was re-raised by Rich to $1,000,000. Katchalov responded by going all in and was called by Rich who turned over a pair of Jacks. Unfortunately for him, Katchalov had been dealt the pocket rockets and after a flop that helped neither player, Katchalov took a huge chip lead while Rich had to be consoled with a cheque for $289,070 for finishing in fifth place.

Katchalov’s huge stack grew to even greater heights three hands later when he eliminated Ken Rosen (fourth place, $433,675). A 10 on the river gave Katchlov the pair he needed to beat Rosen’s ♦A♦2, and suddenly he was olding over fifteen million chips.

The next player out was Dave (Devilfish Ulliot) who moved in all under the button for just over two million chips. Katchalov was the man who profited again, calling with against Ulliot’s dominated ♦A♠10. Again the board was no help to either player and Ulliot was sent home with the third place prize of $674,500.

This brought the tournament down to two players: Katchalov and the veteran from Michigan, Ted Kearly who was really up against it with a chip stack of just over three million compared to Katchalov who was able to count almost seventeen million chips in his stack. Eight hands later it got worse for Kearly who invested almost a third of his chips pre-flop but then had to watch as the stack made its way over to Katchalov’s side of the table.

From then on, the result was pretty much inevitable. The end came on hand 53 with Kearly under the button.

Katchalov called his raise of $380,000 and the flop came. Another check raise by Katchalov saw Kearly move all in. Katchalov was more than happy to oblige him, turning over ♥J♦10. The Michigan veteran turned over his ♣K♠J hoping for some help from the two remaining cards, but when the turn card was ♦J the tournament was over. Kearly finished in second place with earnings of $1,252,640.

Written by ShortStack · Filed Under Poker News 

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