Brandon Cantu Wins 2nd Bracelet at Event # 48, PLO
June 30, 2009
Brandon Cantu was chip leader coming into the final table of Event # 48 in the 2009 World Series of Poker, the $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo. Despite strong competition versus some of the most skilled poker players, he bucked the odds and emerged victorious. To achieve this feat, he had to come from behind to pull a victory versus another second-bracelet seeker Lee Watkinson.
The first player to bust from the final table was William McMahan courtesy of Tommy Vedes. For his valiant effort, he earned $22,862 for his ninth place finish. A mere couple of hands later, it was Ronie Hofman who fell. He moved all in after the 7s-4h-2h flop and was called by Lee Watkinson. Watkinson was holding two pair with Ad-Kc-4d-2c while Hofman had nothing with As-Ks-Qd-Jh. The 7c turn and 3s river sealed Hofman’s fate and he had to settle for $25,618 for eighth place.
Aaron Sias was eliminated next after he lost a hand versus Ted Weinstock. Sias raised pre-flop and was re-raised by Weinstock, putting him all-in. Sias called with As-3d-7d-8h. Weinstock had Ah-Ad-6d-Kh. The board ran Ac-2s-10d-Ks-9d and Sias ended up in seventh place with $30,028.
It is worth noting that during all this action, Lee Watkinson was busy picking up pots and he soon emerged as the new chip leader. But it was Tommy Vedes who eliminated Steve Jelinek in sixth place after he hit a set of sixes. Jelinek took home $36,893. Unfortunately for Vedes, his victory was short-lived as he would be the next to fall courtesy of Mathieu Jacqmin. Vedes won $47,617 for fifth place.
Cantu doubled up courtesy of Jacqmin and he was once again chip leader. But it was Jacqmin who eliminated Ted Weinstock in fourth place ($64,727) after he hit a nut flush versus Weinstock’s pair of sixes and nut-low draw. After this hand, Jacqmin became the chip leader with 1.4 million in chips but Watkinson took soon took over the lead with 1.6 million.
Jacqmin succumbed to Watkinson’s assault on a hand where the flop fell 9s-5d-Qs. Watkinson bet the pot after Jacqmin checked and Jacqmin countered by pushing all-in. Unfortunately for Jacqmin, Watkinson called holding Qh-Qd-6d-2c for a set. Jacqmin had Ac-7d-7s-2s for a pair of sevens and a flush draw. The 8c and the Kh on the river was no help and Jacqmin was eliminated in third place for $92,946.
Watkinson came into heads up play with 2,485,000 chips versus Cantu’s 945,000. In fact, the end was seemingly in sight when Watkinson succeeded in dropping Cantu’s stack to a mere 470,000. But Cantu flopped a set of Jacks to double up with 840,000. Cantu overtook Watkinson as chip leader but Watkinson woke up and fought back to regain a 2.2 million chip lead.
In a surprising turn of events, Cantu was all-in preflop with Ad-3c-5d-6h versus Watkinson’s Ac-2c-7h-5s. The board didn’t have a low and Cantu ended up winning the hand with a lousy pair of sixes giving him a 2 to 1 chip advantage. On the last hand, Cantu raised pre-flop and was called. The flop fell 6h-4c-Qc and soon all chips were in the middle. Cantu had Ah-4d-7c-10c for a pair, flush draw and low draw. Watkinson had 2c-3c-5s-7h for a low draw and wrap. The 9s on the turn helped no one but the 4h on the river gave Cantu a set of fours and the win. No tears for Watkinson has he goes home with $141,873 for second place. Cantu, on the other hand, wins a second gold bracelet and $228,867 for his thrilling come-from-behind victory.
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