When it comes to the big stage, Freddy Deeb knows how to step up his game. Since the beginning of 2009, he has cashed in four World Poker Tour (WPT) events, including the 2009 WPT Celebrity Invitational. Last year, he cashed in three World Series of Poker (WSOP) events, including one final table and a 14th place finish in the $50,000 HORSE event, a tournament he won in 2007. Over the weekend, he stepped it up again, taking down the 25 player €20,000 buy-in High Roller event at the WPT Grand Prix de Paris. For his victory, Deeb won €290,000 ($358,127), taking his total live tournament career winnings above the $7 million mark.
While the typical television final table on the WPT is comprised of six players, the final table for the High Roller event consisted of eight. Why, we’re not sure, but perhaps it was just a good number, as only four players made the money. Half of the final table cashed, half didn’t. This is what the chip stacks looked like as the final table commenced:
Seat 1: Gianni Giaroni – 71,000
Seat 2: Freddy Deeb – 337,700
Seat 3: Antony Lellouche – 113,600
Seat 4: Hichem Ben Halima – 86,600
Seat 5: Sorel Mizzi – 452,500
Seat 6: Andrew Feldman – 36,500
Seat 7: Bruno Fitoussi – 36,800
Seat 8: Roger Hairabedian – 112,100
It appeared to be a two-horse race between Deeb and Sorel “Imper1um” Mizzi, and a two-horse race it turned out to be.
One of the two short stacks, Bruno Fitoussi, was the first player eliminated. He got it all-in pre-flop in the sixth hand with 9-9 and was insta-called by Roger Hairabedian, with A-K. Fitoussi had a shot at a flush after the turn, but it was false hope and he was out in 8th place.
On hand 16, Deeb raised to 6,000 and Antony Lellouche re-raised to 15,000. Deeb called and checked in the dark before the flop came A-Q-2. Lellouche made his continuation bet of 17,000, but Deeb more than doubled it to 35,000. After some thought, Lellouche moved all-in with A-8 and had to be crushed when he saw Deeb flip over 2-2 for a flopped set. Lellouche didn’t hit his miracle and was gone in 7th place.
Just seven hands later, Deeb took out Hichem Ben Halima to take the chip lead when his 7-6 outflopped Ben Halima’s A-J. The tournament was to the money bubble.
In every tournament, there unfortunately has to be a bubble boy, and Andrew Feldman was it. After Hairabedian raised pre-flop, Feldman moved all-in with A-J. Hairabedian had him dominated, though, with A-Q. After an uneventful five community cards fell, each remaining player was guaranteed at least €25,262.
It was almost 60 more hands until the next elimination, when Gianni Giaroni moved all-in with T-T, only to end up staring at Deeb’s A-A. When an Ace flopped, it was all but over for Giaroni and he was knocked out in 4th place.
Right after that, Hairabedian shoved pre-flop with A-Q and once again Deeb woke up with a dominating pocket pair, this time Q-Q. And again, Deeb flopped a set. Heads-up play was on.
Heads-up was a grind, lasting 80 hands. Mizzi took a significant chip lead early on, amassing 890,000 chips to Deeb’s 355,000. But Deeb pressed on, eventually taking over the lead. On hand 174, the two players raised and re-raised pre-flop until all of the chips were in the middle. Deeb had Mizzi dominated, A-K versus A-Q. With a flop of 9-8-8, there was a chance for a chopped pot, but Mizzi had to settle for second place.
WPT Grand Prize de France High Roller Event Final Standings
1. Freddy Deeb – €290,000 ($358,127)
2. Sorel Mizzi – €120,000 ($148,190)
3. Roger Hairabedian – €40,000 ($49,397)
4. Gianni Giaroni – €25,262 ($31,197)
