888.com Poker Open V result

888.com Poker Open V, $8,500 No-limit Hold’em, $648,000 Prizepool, 27th October – 7th November 2008

1. Michael Keiner, $250,000

2. Craig Young, $100,000

3. Richard Wheatley, $60,000

4. James Akenhead, $40,000

5. Paul Zimbler, $25,000

6. Mike Partridge, $20,000

German pro Michael Keiner scooped $250,000 and the 888 Poker Open V trophy after winning a heads-up battle with Craig Young – who qualified online for one cent.

WSOP bracelet winner Keiner was chip leader going into the final and edged a fantastic heads-up contest where Young was one card away from winning the tournament. Keiner moved all-in with two tens and chip leader Young called with Ah-Kh – the flop came 10h-Jh-8s and the turn was the 3h to give Young the flush, but the Jack of diamonds on the river gave Keiner the full-house.

With that hand the German seized both a big chip lead and with it the initiative and finished the job soon after when Craig pushed all-in with 9d-8c and Michael called with 7c-4s. Michael moved ahead with a four on the flop and the turn and river couldn’t help Young out and Keiner took the trophy.

“It feels unbelievable to win this – it’s a beautiful and exciting moment, I really wanted to win this tournament,” said Keiner. “You have to win your coin-flips if you want to win the tournament and luckily I won mine. He played really tough and I didn’t have a good read on him – he’s a good player and has a good future.”

Craig scoops $100,000 for his runners-up finish and was understandably gutted when the Jack came on the river to deny him the trophy, but overall the salesman from Buckinghamshire was delighted with his performance.

“It was a real rollercoaster ride but probably the best player won,” said the 35 year-old. “I would’ve been happy with fourth place when I was the short stack. I always thought I could hold my own and I proved that.”

Online qualifier Mike Partridge was the first player out of the final when James Akenhead bet 26k with Ad-Kc and with 130k left Partridge moved all-in with As-9d and the King played – Partridge walking out with $20,000.

The Marbella Kid Paul Zimbler was all action in both his heat and semi-final but he had to settle for $25,000 when he moved all-in with the black Kings and Keiner called with A-J and the German hit the case Ace on the river.

Akenhead picked up $520,000 for his second place finish in the WSOP $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em event in May but he was unable to go one better here, pocketing $40,000 for finishing fourth. Richard Wheatley held two sixes and flopped trips on the 7-6-J board and insta-called when Akenhead moved all-in with A8 of diamonds giving him the nut flush draw – the sixes held.

Wheatley was unable to capitalise though and finished in third place with $60,000, knocked out by Young. Wheatley limped with K-2 and Young called with Q-7, the flop came J-Q-10 – Young reraised all-in after Wheatley bet and he called in a flash, with a Queen on the turn and five on the river seeing Young go heads-up.

Young had to overcome Mike Ellis and Craig Burgess in his heat and ‘Mr Cool’ Marc Goodwin in his semi-final to take a shot at turning his one cent into $250,000, while Keiner beat the ‘Gentleman’ Liam Flood heads-up in his heat, which also included Roy ‘the boy’ Brindley and Roberto Romanello.

There were plenty of big names that failed to make it through to the final table in a fiercely competitive tournament. Australian Tony G won an entertaining heads-up battle with cricket legend and fellow countryman Shane Warne in a heat that included Hendon Mobster Barny Boatman and sports promoter Barry Hearn – with the men from Down Under coming out on top in that Ashes clash.

Defending champion Andrew Feldman was the first player to fall in the second semi-final, where UK Open II winner Ian Frazer finished in fourth spot ahead of Josh Tyler and Andy Ward. Juha Helppi lost a heads-up battle in the third turbo heat against Australian internet qualifier Larry Papadinis after finishing second to Partridge in their heat with Padraig Parkinson and Teddy Sheringham.

Neil Channing, Roland De Wolfe, Surinder Sunar, John Tabatabai, Nik Persaud, Dale Hoy, Sammy ‘any two’ George, Ben Roberts and Andy Greekfish also played in the tournament, which will be televised on Sky Sports in January.