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Upcoming on ClubWPT: WPT Borgata Poker Open Satellite (Sunday, July 7 @ 4:00PM ET)
| Earnings | $1,488,786 |
| Cashes | 7 |
| Final Tables | 2 |
| Titles | 1 |
| Tournaments Played | 21 |
Est. Current Chipcount
Est. Average Chipcount
0
Current Chipleader
-
Day 1
34,200
Day 2
190,500
Day 3
153,000
Day 4
488,000
Day 5
5th
Level 25: 30,000-60,000, 5,000 ante
By BJ Nemeth
Carlos Mortensen has one of the most impressive resumes in poker -- he has more than $9 million in tournament earnings, and is the only player in history to win both the WSOP Main Event and the WPT World Championship.
Yet when poker's Hall of Fame nomination process was opened up to fans and the media last year, Mortensen's name was conspicuously absent from the entire process -- 41 players received multiple nominations, including many who are younger and/or less accomplished than Mortensen.
It'll be a lot tougher for Hall of Fame voters to overlook Mortensen's name next year.
On Wednesday night, Carlos Mortensen overcame a tough final table at the Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, to win the Hollywood Poker Open and the third WPT title of his career. Mortensen ties Gus Hansen as the only players with three WPT titles, and passes Daniel Negreanu to lead the WPT's all-time money list with more than $5.75 million in earnings. Combined, these two facts make it pretty clear that Carlos Mortensen is the most successful player in World Poker Tour history.
THE FINAL TABLE ACTION
Mortensen entered the WPT final table as the chipleader, but he had to get through a tough lineup that consisted of three-time WPT final tablist Chris Bell and four young online pros:
1. Carlos Mortensen - 1,127,000 (56 bb)
2. Frank Calo - 1,075,000 (53 bb)
3. Mike Mustafa - 990,000 (49 bb)
4. Ravi Raghavan - 488,000 (24 bb)
5. Chris Bell - 372,000 (18 bb)
6. Jerry Payne - 268,000 (13 bb)
None of the three players with the short stacks (Payne, Bell, and Raghavan) were able to fight their way out of the cellar. In Hand #18, Jerry Payne moved all in with Q
10
, but lost to Mustafa's AK
. In Hand #35, Ravi Raghavan moved all in with 55 and lost to Calo's KK. In Hand #37, Chris Bell moved all in with A9, but lost to Mortensen's 44.
Each of the short stacks was eliminated by a different player with a big stack, and after Bell was eliminated, the chip counts were effectively even:
1. Carlos Mortensen - 1,458,000 (60 bb)
2. Frank Calo - 1,457,000 (60 bb)
3. Mike Mustafa - 1,405,000 (58 bb)
Mortensen would drop as low as 853,000, becoming the short stack himself, before battling back. In Hand #67, Mortensen and Frank Calo got it all in after a flop of 542 -- Mortensen had 33 for a pair and a straight draw, while Calo had 54 for top two pair. The turn was a blank, but the 3
on the river gave Mortensen a set of threes to win the pot and eliminate Calo. Mortensen was back in the chip lead, if only by a small margin.
Carlos Mortensen - 2,261,000 (75 bb)
Mike Mustafa - 2,059,000 (68 bb)
In the first hand of heads-up play (Hand #68), Mortensen won a big pot on his way to a 3-to-1 chip lead. But Mike Mustafa battled back, claiming the chip lead in Hand #96. Mustafa wasn't able to distance himself from Mortensen, and their chip stacks were nearly even when they played Hand #131.
Both players limped to see a flop of 1096, and Mortensen check-raised a bet from Mustafa. Mustafa thought for a bit before moving all in, and Mortensen insta-called with 87 for a flopped ten-high straight. Mustafa showed 109 for two pair. The straight held up, and Mortensen won the pot to cripple Mustafa down to just three big blinds.
Mustafa managed to double up twice, but his luck ran out in Hand #138 when his 66 lost a preflop race to Mortensen's K10 on a board of J103J5 -- Mortensen won the pot (and the tournament) with a king-high club flush.
Here's a look at the payouts for the six final tablists:
1st Place: Carlos Mortensen - $393,820
2nd Place: Mike Mustafa - $223,623
3rd Place: Frank Calo - $167,717
4th Place: Chris Bell - $124,966
5th Place: Ravi Raghavan - $105,234
6th Place: Jerry Payne - $88,791
CARLOS MORTENSEN'S PLACE IN POKER HISTORY
With this victory, Carlos Mortensen becomes the winningest player in World Poker Tour history, measured both by number of victories (three, tied with Gus Hansen) and money earned ($5,754,308). In addition to his three WPT titles, Mortensen has two bracelets and more than $9.6 million in live tournament earnings, enough to put him in 12th place on the all-time money list.
No other player has won the championship events on two different major tours -- Mortensen won the 2001 WSOP Main Event (worth $1,500,000) and the 2007 WPT World Championship (worth $3,970,415). Mortensen is also one of only three players to win $1 million or more three times (the other two are Phil Ivey and Dan Harrington).
Mortensen wasn't on the ballot for last year's Hall of Fame, but there's a good chance that he'll be listed this year. He is also currently among the Top 50 players receiving votes for the WSOP Tournament of Champions in the fan-voted all-star format. (This latest victory should definitely increase the number of votes cast for Mortensen.)
While Mortensen's place in poker history is secure, it should be noted that he is only 37 years old, and his career is far from over. Now that he finds himself tied for second place in the WPT Player of the Year race, Mortensen has set that as his next goal. If he maintains his current hot streak, then it would be tough to bet against him.
Level 21: 12,000-24,000, 3,000 ante
Ravi Raghavan moves all in under the gun for 448,000, and Frank Calo moves all in over the top from the button for 988,000. Everyone folds, and Raghavan shows 55, but he's dominated by Calo's KK.
The board comes Q104A7, and Frank Calo wins the pot with his pocket kings. Ravi Raghavan is eliminated in fifth place.
Seat 1. Mike Mustafa - 1,411,000 (58 bb)
Seat 3. Carlos Mortensen - 1,197,000 (49 bb)
Seat 4. Ravi Raghavan - Out in 5th Place ($105,234)
Seat 5. Chris Bell - 225,000 (9 bb)
Seat 6. Frank Calo - 1,487,000 (61 bb)
Level 21: 12,000-24,000, 3,000 ante
Carlos Mortensen completes the small blind to 24,000, and Ravi Raghavan checks his option in the big blind. The flop comes J53, Mortensen bets 30,000, and Raghavan moves all in for 328,000, and Mortensen goes into the tank.
Mortensen counts out enough chips for a call to see the damage to his own stack, and studies both the board and Raghavan. More often than not, that means a player will call.
However, after nearly three minutes in the tank, Mortensen folds, and Ravi Raghavan takes the pot.
Seat 1. Mike Mustafa - 1,080,000
Seat 2. Jerry Payne - 315,000
Seat 3. Carlos Mortensen - 1,235,000
Seat 4. Ravi Raghavan - 424,000
Seat 5. Chris Bell - 327,000
Seat 6. Frank Calo - 939,000
Level 20: 10,000-20,000, 2,000 ante
Sorted In: Ravi Raghavan, Jacque Williams, Tournaments, Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg, Hollywood Poker Open, Season 8 on FSN, Season VIIILevel 20: 10,000-20,000, 2,000 ante
Hand #49 - Ravi Raghavan raises from early position to 45,000, Ty Reiman calls from the button, Mike Mustafa calls from the small blind, and Jerry Payne moves all in from the big blind for 240,000. Raghavan calls, and Reiman and Mustafa both fold.
Payne shows AQ, and Raghavan shows AQ -- the tension dissovles as it's a probably chop situation.
The board comes J97104, and it's a chopped pot.
Ravi Raghavan - 610,000
Jerry Payne - 280,000
Level 20: 10,000-20,000, 2,000 ante
Hand #41 - Ravi Raghavan moves all in from early position for 197,000, and Len Ashby calls all in from late position for 175,000 with QQ. Raghavan shows 66, and Ashby is a big favorite to double up here.
The board comes A648A, and Ravi Raghavan wins the pot with a full house (sixes full of aces) to crack Ashby's queens. Len Ashby is eliminated in ninth place.
Ravi Raghavan - 415,000 (20 bb)
Len Ashby - Out in 9th Place ($39,464)
Level 18: 6,000-12,000, 1,500 ante
Mike Mustafa raises to 28,000, short stack Ravi Raghavan moves all in for 108,500, and Mustafi calls with 107. Raghavan shows QJ, and he needs to win to stay alive.
The board comes K5483, and Raghavan wins the pot with queen high to double up in chips.
Ravi Raghavan - 225,000 (18 bb)
Mike Mustafa - 310,000 (25 bb)
Level 18: 6,000-12,000, 1,500 ante
Short stack Craig Smith is all in preflop with 109 against Ravi Raghavan's A10. Smith is dominated as he faces elimination.
The board comes J95J5, and Craig Smith wins the pot with two pair, jacks and nines, to double up in chips. Ravi Raghavan becomes the shortest stack left in the tournament on the money bubble.
Craig Smith - 140,000 (11 bb)
Ravi Raghavan - 89,000 (7 bb)
Level 18: 6,000-12,000, 1,500 ante
Eric Lynch moves all in from early position for 113,500, Mike Mustafa calls from the cutoff, and Ravi Raghavan moves all in from the button for 199,500. Mustafa calls, and it's a three-way all-in situation. Here are the hands in descending order of chip counts:
Mike Mustafa - KJ
Ravi Raghavan - AK
Eric Lynch - 87
While these three players are all in, there is a big hand developing at the other table between Chris Bell and Gevork Kasabyan. Bell had raised from late position to 32,000, and Kasabyan called from the small blind. Both players checked to the turn on a board of 10942.
Kasabyan checks, Bell moves all in (covering Kasabyan), and Kasabyan tanks, noticing the big hand developing at the next table. (In fact, everyone at this table gets up to watch the the three-way all in.) Kasabyan eventually folds, and Chris Bell takes the pot.
Back to the three-way all-in situation at the first table.
The board comes A9510J, and Eric Lynch rivers a jack-high straight to win the main pot and triple up in chips. Ravi Raghavan wins the side pot with a pair of aces to recover some of his losses.
Eric Lynch - 360,000
Ravi Raghavan - 180,000
Mike Mustafa - 415,000
Level 17: 4,000-8,000, 1,000 ante
Ravi Raghavan raises from middle position to 17,500, Craig Smith moves all in from the small blind for 69,500, and Raghavan calls with AQ. Smith turns over JJ, and it's a race situation.
The board comes KK3J2, and Craig Smith turns a full house to win the pot and double up in chips.
Craig Smith - 120,000 (15 bb)
Ravi Raghavan - 345,000 (43 bb)
