2009 WSOP: De Wolfe Completes “Triple Crown” with Bracelet in #27 PLO/8
The final table of Event #27, $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo was predictably stacked, with Andy Black, Scott Clements, Antony Lellouche, and Alex Kravchenko all gathered round for a shot at the bracelet. But when the night was over and all the chips were stacked, Roland de Wolfe had not only won his first WSOP bracelet by defeating Brett Richey, but had also become only the second player ever to win poker’s “Triple Crown.” De Wolfe joins Gavin Griffin as one of the only two players to win EPT, WSOP and WPT titles, solidifying de Wolfe’s presence as an international poker superstar.
But the road to de Wolfe’s first bracelet went through some tough competition. Scott Clements came into the final table with the chip lead, and he went right to work on the competition. Clements busted Antony Lellouche in ninth place after just a few orbits at the final table. In the final confrontation, Clements raised preflop and Lellouche called from the small blind. Lellouche led out on the 10♣8♦6♣ flop, and Clements raised pot. Lellouche called all in, and was in trouble when Clements showed A♦9♦7♦2♥ for the flopped nut straight and the nut-low draw. Lellouche showed A♣Q♠10♠2♦ for the nut low draw, and picked up outs to the high when the 10♦ hit the turn. The J♥ on the river meant no low, and Lellouche was the first to exit from the final table. He picked up $29,965 for his ninth-place finish.
Armando Ruiz made his first major tournament cash in this event, picking up $32,105 when he busted in eighth place. The young Floridian raised preflop with A♥Q♥3♥2♥, and Brett Richey reraised him with A♠A♣9♦7♣. Ruiz called and the board ran out K♦K♣8♦8♠J♠ to give Richey aces up with no low. Ruiz headed to the rail in eighth place, a good start to a tournament poker career.
John Racener got it all in against Robert Campbell on the board of 10♣4♣2♥9♥, and showed A♣3♦9♠8♣ for second pair with the nut-flush draw in clubs and the nut-low draw. Campbell tabled A♥7♥3♣2♠ for the same low draw and the nut-flush draw in hearts. The 3♥ on the river locked up the high for Campbell and meant that Campbell’s A-7 played for low – just enough to beat Racener's A-8. Campbell’s emergency low was good enough for a scoop, and Racener missed his first WSOP bracelet, but picked up his third cash of the 2009 Series.
Andy Black also missed his first WSOP bracelet when he was ousted in sixth place ($42,993). Black raised pot preflop, and Robert Campbell reraised enough to put him all in. Once Roland de Wolfe got out of the way, Black committed the rest of his stack to the pot and opened A♦A♥4♦3♥. Campbell showed A♠A♣5♠4♥ for the other two aces and a different wheel draw. The flop of Q♠J♠9♦ gave Campbell the flush draw, and when the turn and river came down 7♣6♠ he filled his flush and sent Black packing just short of the ultimate prize.
Alex Kravchenko came into the final table looking for his first bracelet of 2009, but ran afoul of chip leader Scott Clements and hit the rail in fifth place ($53,881). All the money went in preflop, and Kravchenko showed 8♠7♠5♣4♣ to Clements’ A♠9♠7♥5♥. Clements couldn’t muster up anything more than a pair of fives on the J♠10♣5♦K♦6♣ board, but his ace kicker was enough to send Kravchenko to the rail.
Robert Campbell came into the final table with the shortest stack, but he weaved through the minefield all the way to fourth place ($72,121) before falling at the hands of Roland de Wolfe. Campbell bet out big on the 7♠5♣3♣ flop, and de Wolfe called. Campbell moved all in on the 4♥ turn, and de Wolfe quickly made the call. De Wolfe showed A♠9♦7♥6♠ for the seven-high straight, and Campbell could only muster A♦A♣K♠8♣ for the nut-flush draw and an overpair. The 8♠ came on the river, and Campbell’s tournament was over.
Scott Clements logged his second Omaha hi/lo final table of the 2009 WSOP in this event, but again fell short of the jewelry when Roland de Wolfe busted him in third place ($101,063). Clements raised preflop, and de Wolfe just called to see the flop of 9♥7♣2♣. Clements bet pot, de Wolfe raised pot, and Clements moved all in over the top. De Wolfe called with A♣9♣8♥3♠ for the nut-flush draw, nut-low draw and top pair. Clements showed A♦A♥6♦4♦ for an overpair and second-nut-low draw. The 5♥ on the river put de Wolfe in a commanding position for the low, and the K♣ on the river filled his flush and he scooped Clements all the way to the rail.
Roland de Wolfe took nearly a 4-to-1 chip lead into heads-up play, and it didn’t take him long to close out the tournament. De Wolfe and Brett Richey saw the flop of 10♣8♣4♦, and Richey led out with a bet. De Wolfe check-raised, and Richey went all in over the top. De Wolfe called, showing A♦Q♣8♦4♥ for two pair. Richey held Q♦J♠10♥9♥ for a wrap straight draw and top pair. The 2♠ on the turn was no help for Richey, and when the river brought the A♥ he was left with the runner-up title and $152,618. Roland de Wolfe picked up $246,616 for first place, and more importantly, his first WSOP gold bracelet.
