The World Series of Poker $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha (Event 30) saw big bet action as players potted and repotted each other attempting to win the bracelet. After 5 hours it was J.C. Tran that survived the experienced table and won his 2nd career WSOP bracelet, and first Omaha tournament win.
Action started early when a short-stacked John Juanda looked for a spot to gamble and double up or run to the Brasilia room to play his unattended chips in the $10,000 World Championship Limit Hold’em (Event 33). Juanda called a cutoff raise from from Dallas Flowers and after seeing a flop of 6
2 T
he moved all-in. Flowers called with the best hand holding K
K 5
5. Juanda needed a spade, Ace or hit his gutshot straight draw holding A Q 8 9. The board ran 6 Q and Juanda ran to play in Event 33.
Tran opened to 55,000 from UTG and Theo Jorgensen potted for 14,000 more. Tran called to see a flop of 3 3 5 and bet about half the pot. Jorgensen raised all-in with A K K 7 and Tran called holding 8 T 9 7. A 4 gave Tran more outs, but not the advantage, but the 6 gave Tran the flush and eliminated Jorgensen in 8th place.
Tran’s hot run continued when he entered the pot for 60,000 raise on the button and Chad Layne raised to 200,000 in the small blind. Tran pushed in enough chips to put Layne all-in and he called. He held A J T 8 and Tran was ahead with K K J 5. The board did not hit Layne’s draw heavy hand when it ran T 3 3 5 4 and Tran won with only his pair of Kings.
The biggest hand of the tournament came on a three-handed pot when Tran again opened for 60,000 and Jean -Phillipe Leandri potted to 216,000, which was enough to cover Ram Boukai. Boukai called and was all-in with the action back to Tran. Tran called to see the flop of 7 2 Q and Leandri moved all-in. Tran called hoping to knock out two players in one hand with K 9 J 7, Leandri held A A Q 2 and Bouke was drawing dead with 5 6 8 4. The turn and river came A K and Leandri tripled up and Boukai’s day was done with a 6th place finish.
Jeff Kimber raised from UTG to 85,000 and Flowers moved in behind him and Kimber called. Flowers held A K Q 3 and Kimber tabled A K Q 3. Kimber made two pair on a board of 5 4 3 K Q and Flowers was gone from the tournament in 5th place.
Tran’s control of the table came when he and Ross Boatman saw a limped flop of 8 3 2. Boatman check-raised all-in and Tran called. Boatman was ahead with A T 9 8 and Tran held Q 9 8 3. The turn gave Boatman two pair, but also gave Tran a flush draw with A and then the 3 fell on the river and Tran filled his flush. Boatman’s boat sailed as he walked away from the feature table area in 4th place.
Leandri tried to avoid Tran’s rush and a saw a three-way limped pot with a flop of 2 3 A. Leandri led out with 90,000, Kimber folded and Tran raised enough to put Leandri all-in. He called and showed 2 3 J Q and Tran tabled Q J J 5. The T came on the turn not helping either player, but the 4 made Tran another flush and another elimination as Leandri’s day was done in 3rd place.
Entering heads-up play Tran had a 2-1 chip lead on Kimber and continued to chip away at him. With the momentum heavily on Tran’s side Kimber opened for 120,000 and Tran called. The flop hit 9 7 7 and Tran check-called a bet of 75,000. The turn came 8 and Tran bet enough to put Kimber all-in and got a call. Tran turned a full house holding K Q 8 8 and Kimber’s hand was dead holding 6 4 4 3. The river 3 was of no difference and Tran wins his second career bracelet.
Final Table Payouts for $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha (Event 30)
- J.C. Tran - $235,685
- Jeff Kimber - $145,656
- Jean-Phillipe Leandri - $95,387
- Ross Boatman - $66,936
- Dallas Flowers - $49,387
- Rami Boukai - $38,407
- Chad Layne - $31,427
- Theo Jorgensen - $26,955
- John Juanda - $24,207