On Sunday, Imed Ben Mahmoud said it would happen. On Wednesday, it did. France got its first WSOP Europe (WSOPE) bracelet winner and, even better, it was on its home soil. Roger Hairabedian won Event #3: €5,300 Pot-Limit Omaha in Cannes, France, defeating a rather small field of just 96 other competitors. For his victory, Hairabedian received €142,590.
The average poker fan is probably not too familiar with Roger Hairabedian, but he has been an extremely prolific player, with cash after cash after cash in live tournaments going back a decade. Most of his cashes have been relatively small, but he does have a number of significant scores. His largest was back in 2008 when he won the €10,000 Grand Prix de Paris, earning €419,520 ($653,163). In 2010 he finished seventh in the European Poker Tour (EPT) €10,000 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event for €200,000 ($266,255). About a year ago, he placed fifth in the Partouche Poker Tour Main Event, receiving €230,000 ($313,873) for his efforts. Hairabedian has another half dozen six-figure cashes, contributing to almost $3.5 million in lifetime live tournament winnings. This was his seventh WSOP cash and second time making a final table.
When asked by WSOP officials afterward about how it felt to be the first Frenchman to win a WSOP Europe bracelet, Hairabedian replied with surprise, saying, “I am first? For one time I’m first in something! I am very happy to represent France in this WSOP because Barriere is making this a big event. Now it’s the biggest event in Europe and it is good that a French man won a bracelet.”
The other final table referenced above came at last year’s WSOP Europe, when he placed third in the €10,400 No-Limit Hold’em Split Format tourney, won by Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi. Mizrachi was at Hairabedian’s final table this year, too, but this time their positions were flipped and it was Mizrachi taking third place. Hairabedian was well aware of the situation. “For one year I thought everyday about how I lost the bracelet last year,” he said. “I didn’t want to make the same mistake. Last year I made a mistake, I gave a big pot to Michael. If I played like this last year I could have won.”
After he eliminated Mizrachi, Hairabedian took a chip lead of about 905,000 to 560,000 over Ville Mattila. Matilla put up a fight, getting Hairabedian down into the 800,000’s on more than one occasion, but he was never able to hit that one big hand he needed to turn the tables. Eventually, Hairabedian took control and pulled away.
On the final hand, Hairabedian raised pre-flop to 38,000 and Matilla called. The flop was 7♥-9♣-6♣ and Matilla bet 35,000, which was called by Hairabedian. On the turn K♣, Matilla put his final 40,000 into the pot and Hairabedian made the call. Hairabedian, holding 5♣-2♣-K♠-3♥ was in the lead with a flush, while Matilla had K♥-6♠-A♥-2♦ for two pair. The 7♠ did not help Matilla and he was eliminated in second place, giving Hairabedian the bracelet.
2012 WSOP Europe Event #3: €5,300 Pot-Limit Omaha – Final Table Results
1. Roger Hairabedian – €142,590
2. Ville Mattila – €88,130
3. Michael Mizrachi – €62,749
4. Jussi Ryynanen – €45,581
5. Jussi Nevanlinna – €33,765
6. Joe Hachem – €25,490
7. Michel Abecassis – €19,606
8. Michael Schwartz – €15,357
9. Jason Mercier – €12,245
