The first Caesars Cup did not go so well for Team Americas in 2009. Losing four matches to one was not exactly the way that year’s Team Americas captain, Daniel Negreanu, wanted to represent his side of the Atlantic. And while it might have been tough to wait two years for another shot, that layoff may have made the payback that much sweeter. Team Americas, this time headed by 11-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth, avenged its 2009 loss this week, defeating Bertrand Grospellier’s Team Europe three matches to one.
The Caesars Cup is similar in format to golf’s Ryder Cup. Each team’s captain selected four team members and decided in which order teach individual or duo should play to maximize their team’s chances in the best-of-five series. Joining Hellmuth on Team Americas were Negreanu, Jason Mercier (who replaced Huck Seed), 10-time WSOP bracelet winner Johnny Chan, and Hellmuth’s primary competitor for this year’s WSOP Player of the Year title and November Niner, Ben Lamb (who replaced Doyle Brunson). Grospellier selected Jake Cody, Max Lykov, Gus Hansen, and Tony G to attempt to defend Team Europe’s 2009 championship.
Prior to the competition, Hellmuth expressed his confidence to Caesars Cup officials, saying, “We’re going to win this time. Last time, there was a lack of team unity. This time around, we are much more focused. It was really humiliating to go through that, two years ago. We are not going to let that happen again.”
Grospellier begged to differ, countering, “I know we have the best team here. I picked out the players I think can beat each of the Americans. They have a lot of talented players. But we have the advantage. Our players are better as a team, which is very important when you are playing the team format.”
Match One was a tag team match, pitting Team America’s Lamb and Mercier against Team Europe’s Tony G and Jake Cody. America won it to take a 1-0 lead.
For Match Two, Hellmuth decided to pair up with Negreanu, just like they did last time, and just like last time, the result was the same: a loss. Hansen and Lykov took them down shortly after doubling up with A-5 versus K-T suited. The contest was now tied at one match a piece, narrowing the series to essentially a best-of-three.
Just like in other sports, Match Three of a best-of-five is pivotal when each team has won a game, as the loser is then put in an elimination situation. To try to gain the upper hand, Hellmuth sent the all-time great Johnny Chan to the felt against Team Europe’s captain, Bertrand Grospellier. Chan won the swing match, taking Grospellier down with pocket fours versus A-6.
Team Europe had its collective back against the wall, one loss away from ending the 2011 Caesars Cup without even getting to a Match 5. Lycov got the call, having to square off against Hellmuth in a pressure packed elimination match. It was over in thirty minutes. Hellmuth had Q-T, Lykov K-9, and when a Queen flopped, both men got all their chips into the pot. Hellmuth’s top pair held up and Team Americas wrenched the Caesars Cup trophy from the Europeans.
