A talented final table assembled for the finale of Event #30 of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP), a $2,500 buy-in Pot Limit Omaha tournament. In the end, J.C. Tran took down his second gold bracelet and $235,000.
Donning the same baseball cap he wore during his win in a $1,500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament last year, Tran barreled through top-tier competition. 2008 WSOP Europe Main Event Champion John Juanda was the first casualty of the final table. The Full Tilt Poker pro pushed with A-Q-8-9 with two spades on a flop of 6-2-10 with two spades. Dallas Flowers made the call and showed K-K-5-5. Juanda was left drawing to a spade, seven, or ace. However, the turn came the six of clubs and the river was the queen of clubs, sending Juanda to the exits. He banked $24,207 for his efforts.
Theo Jorgensen, who defeated Gus Hansen in a boxing match in February, finished in eighth place in the $2,500 buy-in Pot Limit Omaha tournament and earned $26,955. Jorgensen called for his remaining stack with A-K-K-7 after a flop of 3-3-5 with two hearts. Tran showed 8-10-9-7 with two hearts, giving the Asian Poker Tour ambassador a flush draw. The turn came a four and Tran picked up a straight draw, which hit on the river when a six came. Tran also sent Chad Layne packing in seventh place. Layne was all-in pre-flop with A-J-10-8, behind the K-K-J-5 of Tran. The board came 10-3-3-5-4, preserving Tran’s win with two pair. Layne pocketed $31,427 for his efforts.
Rami Boukai, who was in the hunt for his second WSOP Pot Limit Omaha bracelet of the 2009 tournament series, hit the skids in sixth place. Boukai found himself all-in with 5-6-8-4 against both Jean-Phillippe Leandri’s A-A-Q-2 and Tran’s K-9-J-7. In the end, the board ran out 7-2-Q-A-K, giving Leandri top set and tripling him up. Boukai banked $38,407 in his second final table of the 2009 WSOP. Flowers hit the rails in fifth place after pushing all-in in late position with A-Q-J-9. Jeff Kimber called and showed A-K-Q-3. The five-high flop preserved Kimber’s lead in the hand; a king on the turn and queen on the river gave the U.K. poker pro and member of Team Ladbrokes top two pair. Flowers earned $49,387.
Hendon Mob member Ross Boatman was bumped in fourth place holding A-10-9-8. He pushed on an 8-3-2 flop holding top pair, but ran into Tran’s Q-9-8-3 with three spades for two pair. The ace of spades on the turn sent Boatman into the lead with a higher two pair, but also gave Tran a flush draw, which promptly hit on the river. Boatman earned $66,936 for his troubles and his 12th career WSOP in the money finish. Twenty minutes later, Leandri fell by the wayside holding 2-3-J-Q against Tran’s Q-J-J-5 with two clubs. Leandri committed his chips after a 2-3-A flop with two clubs, giving Tran a bundle of outs. Sure enough, after a 10 came on the turn, a club hit the river, filling Tran’s flush. Leandri just missed a six-figure payday, banking $95,837.
Tran took a 2:1 chip lead into heads-up play and sealed the win after Kimber pushed with 6-4-4-3 on a board of 9-7-7-8. Tran called and exposed K-Q-8-8 for a boat. The river was a meaningless three and Tran grabbed his second WSOP bracelet. On earning a bracelet in a Pot Limit Omaha event, Tran told WSOP officials after play had concluded. “It means a lot. I learned to play PLO less than two years ago. PLO is the kind of game where you always have room to learn. Even after I win this bracelet, I still feel I have a lot to learn.”
Tran was the champion of the 2006 PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) Main Event and is a member of the Asian Poker Tour’s Poker Pack along with Nam Le, Quinn Do, Chino Rheem, Steve Sung, and Kwang Soo Lee. Here were the final results from Tran’s second bracelet win, which came in Event #30 of the 2009 WSOP:
1. J.C. Tran – $235,685
2. Jeff Kimber – $145,656
3. Jean-Phillippe Leandri – $95,837
4. Ross Boatman – $66,936
5. Dallas Flowers – $49,387
6. Rami Boukai – $38,407
7. Chad Layne – $31,427
8. Theo Jorgensen – $26,955
9. John Juanda – $24,207
