James ‘Flushy’ Dempsey of Brighton has won the $1,500 Pot Limit Hold’em at the World Series Of Poker in Las Vegas, taking down $197,470 and winning Britain’s second bracelet of the 2010 WSOP.
Dempsey’s win means the $1,500 PLH has been won by a Briton two years in a row, after JP Kelly’s victory last year.
Despite arriving late on Day 1, Dempsey finished the day in chip lead. He held the lead until the end of Day 2 when his eventual heads up opponent Steve Chanthabouasy took control, going into the final table just 5000 in front of Dempsey.
As the final table formed, God Save The Queen was playing for Praz Bansi’s bracelet ceremony, an omen for what was to come.
With eight players remaining, Dempsey took a monster pot that put him in the lead through to the death of the tournament. In early position Dempsey raised. Mark Babekov and Chanthabouasy both called. On a flop of Qs-9h-8c Chanthabouasy in early checked, Dempsey bet 48,000, Babekov folded and Chanthabouasy called. With a 5s on the turn, Chanthabouasy again checked. Dempsey bet 87,000 to which Chanthabouasy called. The 10s on the river was checked by Chanthabouasy. Dempsey now bet 197,000. After talking himself into it, Chanthabouasy called. Dempsey showed Js-10c for the flopped straight. Chanthabouasy mucked. Dempsey had about 960,000 to Chanthabouasy’s 400,000. It was a lead he never relinquished.
Chanthabouasy then eliminated four of the next seven players to go into heads up with a slight chance. Dempsey’s momentum faltered for a while as Chanthabouasy doubled up twice through the Englishman. But Chanthabouasy could never take the chip lead. After Chanthabouasy missed a flush draw, Dempsey took down a massive pot. There was no going back. After almost three hours of heads up, the chips were in the middle pre flop.
Chanthabouasy raised to 150k, Dempsey raised to 450,000, Chanthabouasy four-bet all in and Dempsey called.
Chanthabouasy: As 7c
Dempsey: Ad 10s
Chanthabouasy had an open ended straight draw with the 6s-5h-4s flop, but lucked out as the Qh turn and 4d river shipped the PL Hold’em title back to Britain for the second year in a row.
Dempsey’s win brought some consolation to the British camp in Las Vegas after Neil Channing and Stuart Rutter narrowly missed out on claiming another bracelet for Britain. The pair finished 2nd and 3rd respectfully in Event #6 $5,000 No Limit Hold’em Shootout. Channing took $273,153 for second and Rutter $179,617 for third, extending Britain’s impact on the World Series so far.
