Steven Silverman Wins Inaugural World Poker Tour Alpha8 $100,000 Event for $891,660
The inaugural World Poker Tour Alpha8 $100,000 buy-in event, sponsored by ClubWPT.com, continued at the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open on Tuesday as the remaining nine players from a 21-entry field returned to play to a winner. After seven levels of action, Steven Silverman walked away with the title, taking home $891,660 after defeating 2013 World Series of Poker November Nine chip leader JC Tran heads-up.
This marks the second high roller victory for Silverman this year. In May, he won the €25,000 High Roller at the 2013 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino European Poker Tour Grand Final for €775,400.
Seminole Hard Rock Alpha8 Payouts
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Steven Silverman | $891,660 |
| 2nd | JC Tran | $526,890 |
| 3rd | Jeff Gross | $364,770 |
| 4th | Matt Glantz | $243,180 |
According to the WPT Live Reporting Team, it took just nine hands for the first elimination of the day to occur. It happened in Level 12 (2,500/5,000/500) when Isaac Haxton opened for 10,000 from the button only to have Bill Perkins move all in over the top for 82,000 from the big blind. Haxton called and the cards were turned up.
Haxton: A♦8♥
Perkins: A♣4♥
According to the PokerNews Odds Calculator, Haxton was a 54.73% favorite while Perkins would come from behind to win 23.98% of the time. The 10♣Q♦10♠ flop was fairly kind to Perkins in that he would chop 60.10% of the time with any card higher than an eight. Unfortunately for him, the 8♦ turn paired Haxton and made him an 88.64% favorite. Perkins could only chop with either an ace or queen on the river, but it wasn’t in the cards as the 3♦ blanked. With that, Perkins took his leave and the official final table was set.
On Hand #4, Tran managed to double through Jason Mercier, and then nine hands later the two were back at it. It happened when Tran opened for 11,000 from the button and Mercier three-bet to 25,500 from the small blind. After the big folded, Tran moved all in and Mercier couldn’t call fast enough with the A♦A♥. Tran tabled the A♠10♠ and was in dire straits. The 4♠K♠9♣ flop made things interesting as it gave Tran a flush draw, but the 7♦ turn didn’t complete it. Tran needed a spade on the river, and he found one when the 2♠ spiked. Tran doubled to 315,000 while Mercier dropped to 75,000.
Three hands later, Mercier moved all in from the hijack for 61,500 and Daniel Alaei called from the button. The blinds folded and Mercier tabled the J♥10♥, which was behind the A♥6♠ of Alaei. The 10♦K♠J♦ flop was gin for Mercier as it gave him two pair, though Alaei was left with a gutshot straight. The 6♣ turn gave Alaei some more outs, and he found one when the 6♥ peeled off on the river. Just like that, Mercier, who began the day second in chips, was out in eighth place.
After Alaei fell in seventh when his A♦7♣ failed to overcome the 9♠9♣ of Haxton in an all-in preflop confrontation, Joseph Cheong joined him on the rail in sixth. It happened on Hand #93 of the final table in Level 15 (5,000/10,000/1,000) when Jeff Gross opened for 20,000 from the button and Cheong defended from the big blind. When the flop came down 5♣9♥6♣, Cheong led out for 25,000 and then snap-called off his remaining 75,000 after Gross moved all in.
Cheong: 6♥5♠
Gross: Q♣4♣
Cheong got it in good with two pair, but Gross was drawing live to a flush draw. The 10♣ turn completed the said flush, and the 3♠ river wasn’t what Cheong needed to retake the lead.
Just busted 6th in the alpha8 2 pair to flush draw. Fun final table and gl to everyone still in
— Joseph Cheong (@subiime)
The money bubble burst in Level 17 (8,000/16,000/2,000) on Hand #123 when Haxton moved all in for 396,000 from the cutoff and Tran called from the big blind. Haxton was ahead with the 10♠10♦ but was racing against Tran’s A♠Q♣. The 9♦K♣Q♠ gave Tran the lead with a pair of queens, and suddenly Haxton was in need of either a ten or jack to stay alive. The 8♣ turn wasn’t it and neither was the 7♦ river. Haxton, who had re-entered on Day 1, exited on the money bubble in fifth place.
On Hand #137, the start-of-the-day chip leader, Matt Glantz, moved all in for 262,000 from the small blind and received a call from Gross in the big. Glantz flipped over the 10♥8♥ and needed to improve to overcome the A♥6♦ of Gross. Unfortunately for him, the board ran out A♣8♦7♥9♦4♦ and he had to settle for fourth place for $243,180.
Eight hands later in Level 18 (10,000/20,000/3,000), Gross shoved all in from the button and Silverman moved all in over the top from the small blind. Tran folded the big and Gross’ K♥10♣ failed to overcome the A♠K♣ of Silverman after the board ran out A♣8♠2♣J♣K♦. Gross took home $364,770 for his third-place finish.
Silverman and Tran basically began heads-up play even in chips and seemed plenty deep, but it only took 10 hands to determine a winner. On Hand #152, Silverman doubled when his 9♣9♦ held up against the A♥J♥ of Tran. Three hands later, Silverman shoved the button and Tran called off for 150,000 or so.
Silverman: Q♦9♦
Tran: Q♠8♦
The 8♠10♦5♥ gave Tran the lead, but it was temporary as the 9♠ turn gave it back to Silverman. The Q♥ river gave both players two pair, but Silverman’s queens and nines were best. Tran received a $526,890 consolation prize for his runner-up finish while Silverman took home $891,660 and the title of the inaugural WPT Alpha8 champion.
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