WSOP $5,000 Short-handed NLHE: Final Table

[Djinn]

Also still in today's tourney is Shelley Rubenstein (pictured).  Although at the last break she wasn't delighted with having come in as an alternate a good ways into the tournament (and then being moved to a table where there were several larger stacks who'd been there, knocking each other out since the very beginning), she's still on the small side of average chips but with a more optimistic attitude.  Apparently recently she has been successfully bluffing, which surprises her - "They actually believe me!"

[Djinn]

One final digression:  $1,500 NL Hatwatch, with special prize for the Fergusonalike at the bottom...

[NoflopsHomer]

Meanwhile, in the heads up action, Alex Bolotin pays the price for letting Bill limp in with and not raising his . Bill put a 450k value bet on the river of a board which Alex paid off.

Chip counts:

Bill -- 4.7 million
Alex -- 2.25 million

Unless Alex completely changes his strategy and gets aggressive quickly, there's no obvious way he can win this.

[Djinn]

And Bill Edler continues to extend his chip lead, taking one pot after another.  The commentators give Bill credit for getting the better hands, but he's also playing his not-so-great starting hands, taking the blinds with J-9 and then playing on the big blind when Alex Bolotin limped with on the button.
Bill checked the flop, and then the more helpful turn, but his 275k bet on the river took that one too. 

Chip standings at this point:

Bill Edler  5,300,000
Alex Bolotin   1,900,000

[NoflopsHomer]

Alex raises it up, Bill moves in. Alex calls quickly.

Bill:



Alex:



Board:



which means Alex Bolotin is our 2nd place finisher winning $504,686

And...

Bill Edler is the $5,000 Short-Handed Champion winning $904,672


Congratulations to Bill, who was certainly the best player on the final table and managed to come from the short stack to win, and win well.