David Williams wins WPT Bellagio

The World Poker Tour ends each WPT season at the Bellagio. Its WPT World Championship boasts a $25,000 buy-in.

A total field of 195 played, 143 less than the prior year. Whether due to tough financial times or players stuck in San Remo for the EPT the resulting statement was clear that the WPT Championship lost a bit of its allure and quite a few of its players. The prize pool for the 2010 event was set at $4,728,750, with enough to pay only the top 18 players but award $1,530,537 to the ultimate winner.

After five days play the field was down at ten players playing to a six handed TV final. It took only 11 hands to find the first elimination, as Cliff Josephy was sent home by David Williams, taking with him $56,439 for tenth place. A bit later, Phil Hellmuth doubled through Nikolay Evdakov, and the latter was crippled and out, courtesy of Hellmuth on the next hand, with $75,252 for ninth place. It then took about 100 hands and more than five hours to find another elimination, and it happened when Scotty Nguyen, who made the final table in this event last year, was ousted by David Benyamine, and the eighth place finish was worth $105,823. Finally, after a frustrating evening for Phil Hellmuth, he pushed all-in on the 197th hand of the night with K♠-10♦. David Williams made the call with A♦-J♠, and the board came 8♣-7♥-6♠-6♦-7♠ to force Hellmuth out in seventh place with $152,856.

the final table was set, and the six players and their chip counts were as follows:

Seat 1: John O’Shea 1,200,000
Seat 2: Billy Baxter 2,440,000
Seat 3: Eric Baldwin 4,490,000
Seat 4: David Williams 4,700,000
Seat 5: David Benyamine 4,705,000
Seat 6: Shawn Buchanan1,965,000

It only took 14 hands for short-stacked O’Shea to make a move, and he pushed his last 1,130,000 all-in from the small blind with 6♦-3♠. Billy Baxter called with a dominating A♠-10♦. The board brought nothing of significance when it came J♣-8♠-4♥-4♣-7♥, and Baxter took the pot. John O’Shea left the table in sixth place with $199,888.

Several hands later, Baxter pushed for 1,370,000 with A♠-J♠, and Williams called from the big blind with K♥-10♥. The flop came A♦-Q♠-J♦ to give Baxter two pair, but Williams flopped the Broadway straight and Baxter was knocked out in fifth place with $246,921.

Williams was the massive chip leader at that point. The next few rounds found some double-ups. Buchanan doubled through Baldwin, and the latter doubled through Williams twice. Benyamine doubled through Buchanan.

Though Benyamine had a fair amount of chips, he decided to move again. Benyamine took moved in unopened from the small blind for 3,205,000. Buchanan looked down at A♥-5♠ in the big blind and made the call, and Benyamine showed Q♥-J♥. Buchanan barely had Benyamine covered, but it was enough, especially when the board came 9♦-7♦-2♣-5♥-7♠. Buchanan’s two pair won it, and David Benyamine was eliminated in fourth place with $329,228.

Buchanan and Williams then tangled. Williams led out with a raise, Buchanan re-raised, and Williams responded with an all-in move. Buchanan called with Q♣-Q♠, and Williams showed 9♦-9♠. But the flop came J♠-9♥-2♦, and Williams caught the set. The 4♦ on the turn changed nothing, nor did the 6♦ on the river. Shawn Buchanan exited the tournament in third place with $587,906.

With the elimination of Buchanan, the WPT Season 8 Player of the Year race was finally decided. Faraz Jaka took the honors for his significant finishes during the season and narrowly beating Buchanan for the title.

Heads-up play then began with the following chip counts:

David Williams 15,105,000
Eric Baldwin 4,395,000

It took less than 25 hands to decide the tournament. Baldwin pushed all-in for 4,765,000 chips with A♥-5♥. Williams took a few moments to think but called with 2♣-2♦. The flop came A♦-7♣-6♠ to give Baldwin top pair, but the turn brought the 2♥ to give Williams the set. The 4♣ on the river changed nothing, and Eric Baldwin earned $1,034,715 for the second place finish.

David Williams won the WPT World Championship, which came with a WPT bracelet, Bellagio watch, one of the most prestigious titles in poker, and $1,530,537 in cash.