Sam Trickett Eliminated in 2nd Place ($10,112,001)
Hand #82: Sam Trickett began this hand on the button and gave Antonio Esfandiari a walk.
Hand #83: Antonio Esfandiari had the button and gave Sam Trickett a walk.
Hand #84: Sam Trickett was on the button and gave Antonio Esfandiari a walk.
Hand #85: Antonio Esfandiari had the button and raised to 1.8 million. Sam Trickett called and the flop came down .
On the flop, Trickett checked and Esfandiari bet an unknown amount. Trickett came back with a check-raise to 5.4 million and then Esfandiari fired with a reraise to 10 million. After a minute or two, Trickett reraised to 15 million. Esfandiari raised all in and Trickett made the call.
Trickett turned over the for a flush draw and Esfandiari held trip fives with the . Trickett was the player at risk with his 36 million on the line.
The turn was the and Esfandiari stayed in front. There was a long pause as everyone silently awaited the river card, no one more so that Trickett and Esfandiari as they stood in the middle of the stage awaiting fifth street. This river card would either swing the match in Trickett's favor or be the one that ended the tournament.
The dealer burned and turned what ended up being the most expensive card in poker history, the . Esfandiari's hands hit his head as he pulled his hair and ran in circles on the stage, not believing what had just happened. He was mobbed by his fans who burst onto the stage and jumped up and down with him. Trickett was off with his rail, but no celebration was going on over there. Esfandiari's friends hoisted him high above their heads and roared in triumph.
For his finish, Trickett earned $10,112,001 and the largest score of his career by far. Esfandiari, on the other hand, took down poker's largest prize ever for $18,346,673 and his second World Series of Poker gold bracelet.