2015 WSOP Europe 888 Hand of the Day: Jonathan Duhamel Grabs the 8-Game Lead
The 2015 World Series of Poker Europe continued in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday with Day 2 of Event #5: €2,200 8-Game Mixed Event.
PokerNews was on hand for all the action and will be in Berlin for the duration of the 17-day series. As a part of our coverage, that is brought to you by 888poker, we will be bringing readers a special "888 Hand of the Day" every single day throughout the entire WSOP Europe schedule.
As the final table of six neared, 2010 WSOP Main Event champion Jonathan Duhamel played a big pot that saw him take the chip lead, making it Wednesday's 888 Hand of the Day.
There were 11 players remaining at the final two tables with blinds at 1,000/2,000 playing pot-limit Omaha. Arnaud Esquevin came in with a raise under the gun preflop and Duhamel looked down at the Q♥10♠8♥7♠.
"This hand plays well in position, so I was happy to just call and see a flop," Duhamel told PokerNews. "I was thinking about three betting, but if I do that he has room to four-bet shove. So I would rather just call and see a flop."
Shaun Deeb defended the big blind and they went three handed to the A♥J♥9♦ flop. Deeb checked and Esquevin made it 13,000 with some 50,000 behind.
"I have a big wrap and a queen-high flush draw as well, so I am feeling really confident with that flop," said Duhamel. "I have two options here, either I can call or raise. At this point I didn't want to call. I don't mind if Shaun wants to play as well, but my hand is so good on the flop, and it might not be that good on the turn if there's a brick, so I would rather just raise now and get all my equity in.
"I decided to raise pot and put [Esquevin] all in."
Deeb got out of the way and Esquevin called all in with A♣K♥Q♦5♥.
"Unfortunately, he had a higher flush draw and a lot of my outs for the wrap," said Duhamel. "My hand, which looked so good on the flop, ended up being not that good. I still had quite a lot of outs, but not as many as I thought I would.
"If he flopped a set or two pair, I'm golden against that hand, but against the hand that he had I'm really not."
However, the Q♣ rolled out on the turn, making Duhamel a straight. The 2♣ on the river was a brick and as Esquevin hit the rail 11th, Duhamel took the chip lead heading towards the final table of six and winning the 888 Hand of the Day.
"I got lucky and hit the queen on the turn," he said. "It was weird because the hand looked so good on the flop. He happened to have the one hand that really had me crushed at that point, but I managed to get lucky and hit.
Three final tables at WSOP Asia-Pacific last year for Duhamel included a third-place finish in the A$5,000 8-Game Mixed. He also finished eighth in the 2013 WSOP $50,000 Poker Players' Championship.
Now, after winning his second bracelet at the 2015 WSOP taking down the $111,111 One Drop High Roller, he is focused on a run at a third in a challenging format he truly enjoys.
"I have two no-limit hold'em bracelets and I've never really had a big chance in mixed games before, so it would be good," he said. "It's fun and its a different format. You have to think and be very alert at the table at all times, looking for what games are the other player's strengths and weaknesses. You have to adjust a lot more than just a No-Limit Hold'em tournament.
"It's definitely going to be tough, but I'm up for the challenge. It's going to be fun."
As the 2015 WSOP Europe rolls on, be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews for continued coverage, including regular 888 Hand of the Day articles.
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