[user22113]
The first few hands of any WPT final table usually features tentative and tight play. Even seasoned veterans have a tough time getting used to playing under the bright lights of the WPT stage. Generally, the first player to raise in the first few hands wins the pot uncontested. With the added pressure of the WPT Championship (including all the hoopla surrounding the taping of their 100th episode), this final table is no different.
Plus players don't want to bust out early on. They also want to get plenty of "face time" on the TV broadcast so they play a little more tentatively than normal for a six-handed table. During the first six hands tonight, the original raiser won five out of the first six pots.
[user22113]
Hand #7 - Tim Phan has the button in seat 6, Mortensen raises under the gun to 375,000, Laliberte reraises from the big blind to 1,375,000, and Mortensen folds. Laliberte takes the pot.
Hand #8 - Kirk Morrison has the button in seat 1, Lee raises to 350,000, Morrison calls from the button, and Mortensen calls from the big blind. The flop comes , Mortensen checks, Lee checks, Morrison bets 700,000, Mortensen folds, and Lee folds. Morrison takes the pot.
[user22113]
Hand #3 - Guy Laliberte has the button in seat 2, and Lee raises under the gun to 350,000, winning the blinds and antes. Lee shows A-Q as he collects the pot.
Hand #4 - Carlos Mortensen has the button in seat 3, and Phan raises under the gun to 450,000, winning the blinds and antes.
[user22113]
Hand #1 - Tim Phan has the button in seat 6. Wattel raises to 550,000, winning the blinds and antes.
Hand #2 - Kirk Morrison has the button in seat 1. Phan raises from the cutoff to 360,000, Mortensen moves all in from the big blind, and Phan folds. Mortensen wins the pot.
[user22113]
The blinds will be starting at 60,000-120,000, with a 15,000 ante. Everyone is seated and ready to go, so it's time to shuffle up and deal!
[user22113]
Steve Lipscomb (left) and Mike Sexton (right) award J.C. Tran an Omega watch for winning the Season 5 WPT Player of the Year
Mike Sexton awarded JC Tran with the WPT Player of the Year Award. He won the WPT Reno and took second at the WPT LA Poker Classic.
"Winning an event is pretty prestigious," Mike Sexton said. "Winning multiple events is tremendous. This award is what every poker player should strive for."
Previous champions were in the audience including Erick Lindgren (Season 2), Daniel Negreanu (Season 3), and Gavin Smith (Season 4).
"This is a great honor," mentioned the humble JC Tran.
[user22113]
Thien "Tim" Phan begins the Final Table in Seat #6.
Today's cash will push Phan's career winnings past the $1.5M mark and with a bit of luck, it could take him a lot further up the all-time money winners list.
Notable money finishes on Phan's resume include:
-24th in the 2005 WSOP Main Event ($304,680);
-2005 Final Table (4th) at the 2005 WPT Legends of Poker in LA;
Phan has quickly established himself as a top flight player in just a few years. His 2005 earnings topped $200K. In 2006, he took that up past $600K. Already he is over $300K in 2007 and is ready to at least double that number today.
![[user22113]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
, Mortensen checks, Lee checks, Morrison bets 700,000, Mortensen folds, and Lee folds. Morrison takes the pot.
