JC Tran takes the lead as ex-champion Carlos Mortensen bubbles 2013 Main Event final table…
And that’s a wrap… until November anyway. After 3 day ones, 3 day twos and 5 additional days play, the 2013 November Nine is set!
The concluding day of this segment of the Main Event began with 27 players and after a tense day of action it was the departure of 2001 champion Carlos Mortensen which signalled the end of play for four months. It was a case of so near and yet so far for this year’s final table bubble boy who started the day in sixth place. But don’t feel too sorry for the Spaniard who still received $573,204 for his efforts.
But for now anyway the glory belongs to two-time bracelet winner JC Tran, who will take an 8.3 million chip lead into the final table come November. JC Tran is rightly acknowledged as one of the most solid tournament players in the world and will start as a big favourite to take the bracelet. If he does he will be the biggest name champion since, ironically, Carlos Mortensen won it back in 2001. The other 8 players who will be joining him in four months and vying for that $8,359,531 first prize are Marc McLaughlin, Jay Farber, Amir Lehavot, Sylvain Loosli, Ryan Riess, Michiel Brummelhuis, David Benefield and Mark Newhouse.
Day 7 began with Anton Morgenstern at the top of the leaderboard, but the German’s big lead didn’t last for long and after some bad luck and a poor run of cards, Morgenstern crashed out in 20th place.
Tran who started the day in 4th place and with just under 12 million in chips gradually worked his way up the leaderboard adding to his stack in meticulous fashion. And appropriately it was Tran who would deal Mortensen his final blow on the final table bubble. After an 800k cut-off raise from the Spaniard, Tran called in the big blind. The flop fell 10c-6c-3s and Tran check-called another 800k bet from Mortensen. The turn brought a third club, this time the nine and Tran moved all-in. After thinking about it long and hard Mortensen committed his remaining 3.5 million chips and turned over Ac-9h for top pair and the nut-flush draw. Tran turned over 8c-7h for the ten high straight, leaving Mortensen dead to a club. The river was the two of diamonds signalling the end for the ex champion and possibly the ushering in of a new one…
That’s it from us from Vegas for another summer – we look forward to seeing you back here in 4 months to find out if the man with the hat from Sacramento, America can add a third bracelet (and the biggest of all) to his CV.
2013 WSOP Main Event November Nine:
- JC Tran 38,000,000
- Amir Lehavot 29,700,000
- Marc McLaughlin 26,525,000
- Jay Farber 25,975,000
- Ryan Riess 25,875,000
- Sylvain Loosli 19,600,000
- Michiel Brummelhuis 11,275,000
- Mark Newhouse 7,350,000
- David Benefield 6,375,000
