Aruba results

These days major tournaments taking place in luxurious locations are par for the course. Now in it’s sixth year, the Aruba Classic proved once again why theirs is generally regarded as number one on the must go-to list.

Played out on the Caribbean Island 2-6 of October 2007, the tournament attracted some top names and further enhanced it’s reputation as a hugely enjoyable event, peppered with some elite-level poker

The flight chartered from the WPT Turks & Caicos was bursting at the seams with well-known pros, including Joe Sebok, David Williams and Mike Matusow. The majority of the 546 $5, 500 Main Event players had satellited in, some for as little as $20. Others, like Anthrax’s Scott Ian won a VH1 rockstars’ tournament earning his place.

Events kicked off with a lavish outdoor banquet hosted by Phil Hellmuth. Events then degenerated when Hellmuth switched his offer of $500 to those willing to throw themselves into the pool, to inviting the female partygoers to dis-robe. A few irate words later from Annie Duke saw events firmly back on track.

In the Main Event the 90 minute clock and generous blinds structure gave plenty of play to make this the poker players’ tournament. After self-lecturing on his tournament strategy, Phil Hellmuth never made it past Day 1, jovially demoted to MC duties.

Annette Obrestad and Freddy Deeb both looked in good shape to go deep, but it was not to be. Yet again, the final table was devoid of familiar names, and the winner another star of online poker.

Travis “Travesty Fund” Rice, member of the ShipItHolla crew, entered the beach-located final table as chip leader, and his position never de-stabilised. Eight hot and sweaty hours later saw the short heads-up clash between Rice and Jim Mordue. Rice retained the psychological lead when showing a J-3 bluff after re-raising Mordue off a hand. This may have attributed to his calling Mordue’s Ac-Kc all-in holding K-Tos.

The 8-4-Q flop brought no surprises, but the 10 on the turn had both players praying for the river card of their choice. It was proclaimed Rice’s day though, as the King spiked, bringing him victory and an $800,000 payday.

Final results:
1. Raymond Rice, $800,000
2. James Mordue, $478,405
3. Bradley Smithson, $252,490
4. Nick Blackburn, $146,180
5. Jason Gray, $106,310
6. Jordan Rich, $77,075