Event #14 – $5,150 No Limit Hold’em Championship (final table)



On hand 1, Tyler Smith opened the action to $15,500. Action went to Chad Brown, who made it 45, then Chris O’Rourke moved all-in. Tyler called and Chris got out of the way. O’Rourke had pocket J’s versus Smith’s pocket Q’s. The flop was A-4-6, the turn was a K and the river was the 3 of diamonds. Chris O’Rourke was our 9^th place finisher. For his efforts, Chris received $13,671.

The action settled down a bit until hand 35, when Tyler Smith raised on the button and got called by Tim Bullard (sb) and Ron Haveard (cut-off). The flop was 2-Q-2 and Tim fired out 60k. Ron got out of the way and Tyler called. The turn was a 10 and again, Tim lead out for 100k and Tyler called. The river was a 9 and Tim moved all-in. Tyler took a moment to survey the pot and decided to make the call with J-10. Tim was disgusted as his pocket 6’s were no good. Tim Bullard was out in 8^th place, earning $20,507.

On hand 39, a short-stacked David Diaz made his play on the button for all of his chips. Tyler Smith was in the big blind and got the count, which was 100k, and made the call. Diaz tabled Q-10 and Tyler had pocket 7’s. The flop was painful for Diaz when the 5-7-8 fell, giving Tyler the set. The turn was a 10, the river was a Q, and David Diaz was done in 7^th place, earning $27,342.

Ron Romano crippled Ron Haveard on hand 49, putting Haveard down to his last 50k. He then got it all-in with pocket 6′s on the next hand versus Chad Brown’s J’s. The flop was A-3-4. The turn was a 5, giving some help to Ron, but the river was another 4. Ron Haveard was out in 6th place, earning $34,178.

On hand 70, Peja Niyati lead out for 26k and Tyler Smith called. A very short-stacked Aaron Rhodus got his last 36k all-in and Peja Niyati and Tyler Smith called. The flop was 7-7-8 and both live players checked. The turn was a 3, Peja checked, and Tyler lead out for 25k. Peja folded and Tyler tabled the nuts with 8-7. Aaron Rhodus had pocket 5′s but was done in 5^th place, earning $41,013.

Ron Romano had been very patient throughout the final table. With a dwindling stack, he finally got all-in on the button with A-9 and Tyler Smith called with pocket Q’s. The board improved no hands and Ron Romano was out 4^th, earning $54,684.

Peja Niyati raised from the button to 32k and Chad Brown reraised to 115k. Peja called to see the flop of Q-J-5. Chad fired out 50k and Peja moved all-in. Chad called with A-Q versus the J-10 of Peja. The turn was another Q. The river was a useless J. Peja Niyati was done in 3^rd, earning $68,355.

When the final two players were heads-up, Chad Brown made a phnomenal call with K-9 versus Tyler;s 10-2 on a 3s-9d-Qs-As board. Tyler made a 400k river bet, which was about the size of the pot. Chad took the lead with 1.7 million versus Tyler Smith’s 1.1 million.

It would get worse for Tyler. The two tangled up in another pot that would leave Tyler with little more than250k. This time, Chad rivered a set of 9′s. Tyler never showed his hand.

After a long heads-up battle, both players limped in to see the flop of 6-3-5 rainbow. Chad made it 25k and Tyler min raised to 50k. Chad moved all-in and Tyler insta-called with 4-9 clubs for the straight draw. Chad held the 4-7 for the made straight! The turn was a Q and the river is the 3. Tyler Smith finished in 2nd place for $124,406. Chad Brown is the champion of the Main Event! He takes home a seat to the WPT Main Event, the Beau Rivage trophy, the bracelet, and $225,567.



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