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Live: $100,000 WPT Super High Roller Final Table
Live: $25,500 WPT World Championship
| Earnings | $1,135,375 |
| Cashes | 12 |
| Final Tables | 2 |
| Titles | 1 |
| Tournaments Played | 67 |
Ranking
1st
Payout
$758,085
Points
1,200
Day 1-A
148,300
Day 2
550,500
Day 3
1,450,000
Day 4
6,770,000
Day 5
1st
Level 37: 250,000-500,000, 50,000 ante
As Will “The Thrill” Failla’s rail of friends will tell you, you can’t stop destiny. And at this first televised final table of Season X, you certainly couldn’t stop Failla. The East Coast grinder came into the final table with the chip lead, got low on chips early, and rallied back to win his first WPT title with a performance that can be summed up in one word: thrilling.
It only took a single orbit of play at the Legends of Poker final table for Failla to lose the chip lead after dropping a pot to Joshua Pollock. He bled some more chips in a hand where he flopped trip queens to Jeff Vertes’ full house, but somehow managed to avoid the catastrophe that tends to come with flopping a monster when your opponent flops a bigger one.
Failla jumped back to the top of the counts when he eliminated Owais Ahmed in sixth place. The California poker pro moved all-in from the small blind with J
7 and Failla called out of the big blind with A
5
. Failla’s hand held and Ahmed was the first player to hit the rail. Adam Aronson would take some of Failla’s chips off his hands when he doubled thru him, but he would be the next player to head home for the night. The short stack at the table, Aronson moved all-in with 66 only to run into Jeff Vertes’ A
A. Aronson hit the 863 flop hard, but Vertes backdoored a winning flush as the turn brought the 7 and the river the 9 to eliminate Aronson in fifth.
Fourth place honors went to Pollock, who busted out when his flush draw couldn’t get there against Ken Aldridge’s top pair after they got it all-in on an AK4 flop. That hand propelled the man known as “Teach” up the counts, while Pollock made an abrupt exit.
Failla took a chunk out of Aldridge’s bounty when his 66 held up against Aldridge’s 910 after an all-in preflop confrontation, and Failla doubled again when his A5 got lucky against Vertes’ A9. When the flop paired up Failla, his rail began to cheer, “You can’t stop destiny.”
After a long stretch of three handed play, Vertes and Failla would clash again in a similar situation, this time with Vertes getting it all-in for his tournament life holding a dominating AQ to Failla’s AJ. Again, destiny seemed to be on Failla’s side as the AJ10 board gave him two pair, which held up to send Vertes home in a disappointing third place exit.
Busting Vertes gave Failla a slight chip advantage over Aldridge going into heads-up play and Aldridge willingly admitted that he was just an amateur compared to his opponent. The affable Teach assured the cameras that they had both already won. Even though there was still money and a title on the line, the smiles on both players’ faces attested to that fact.
Aldridge drew first blood heads-up, raking in a nearly 10 million-chip pot to take the chip lead, but there was a sudden reversal of fortune that swung all the momentum in Failla’s direction. After a raise from Aldridge preflop, he two saw a flop of J52. Failla checked, Aldridge bet 500,000, and Failla called. Once the turn brought the 9, Failla checked a second time. Aldridge bet 2 million and, again, Failla called. After the 7 came on the river, Failla bet out 4 million and Aldridge quickly moved all-in. Failla called in a flash, tabling 68 for a flush that bested Aldridge’s overpair, AA.
Left with just six big blinds after the hand, it took just minutes for Aldridge to call all-in for the last of his chips. Unforunately for him, his 46 was dominated by Failla’sJ6. The board ran out clean for Failla, who threw his hands skyward, elated to be the latest WPT Champion.
Failla told Mike Sexton that the win was one of the greatest moments of his life, second only to the birth of his son. In addition to the $758,085, Failla earned the recognition and respect that come with being a WPT title holder. Even though Failla has been on the grind for years, his moment in the WPT spotlight got him a little choked up. After years of hard work and perseverance, Failla finally showed the world that you can’t stop destiny and you most certainly can’t stop the man known as The Thrill.
Here are the results from the final table of the Legends of Poker Main Event:
1st: Will Failla - $758,,085
2nd: Ken Aldridge - $365,800
3rd: Jeff Vertes - $186,400
4th: Joshua Pollock - $128,500
5th: Adam Aronson - $102,800
6th: Owais Ahmed - $77,100
Level 37: 250,000-500,000, 50,000 ante
Will Failla moves all in for 20,650,000 and Ken Aldridge thinks for a little while before he calls with 64. Failla turns over J6, and Aldridge is dominated as he faces elimination.
The board comes KK7Q9, and Will Failla wins the pot -- and the tournament -- with his jack kicker.
Ken "Teach" Aldridge finishes as the runner-up, earning $365,800.
Will "The Thrill" Failla wins the 2011 WPT Legends of Poker, earning $758,085, a WPT Champions trophy, a Wild Bill Hickock trophy from the Bicycle Casino, and his prize money includes a $25,500 entry into the season-ending WPT World Championship at Bellagio.
Congratulations to Will Failla!
1st: Will "The Thrill" Failla - $758,085
2nd: Ken "Teach" Aldridge - $365,800
3rd: Jeff Vertes - $186,400
4th: Joshua Pollock - $128,500
5th: Adam Aronson - $102,800
6th: Owais Ahmed - $77,100
Level 36: 200,000-400,000, 50,000 ante
Ken Aldridge raises to 900,000, and Will Failla calls. The flop comes J52, Failla checks, Aldridge bets 500,000, and Failla calls.
The turn card is the 9, Failla checks, Aldridge bets 2,000,000, and Failla thinks for about a minute before he calls.
The river card is the 7, Failla bets 4,000,000, Aldridge quickly says "All in," and Failla insta-calls with 86 for an eight-high flush. Aldridge turns over AA for an overpair, and Will Failla wins the pot.
Will Failla - 19,950,000 (49 BBs)
Ken Aldridge - 3,775,000 (9 BBs)
When the dust settles, Aldridge says, "It looks like destiny."
Level 36: 200,000-400,000, 50,000 ante
Will Failla min-raises to 800,000, and Ken Aldridge calls. The flop comes AA6, Aldridge checks, Failla bets 1,000,000, and Aldridge quickly check-raises to 2,500,000. Failla calls.
The turn card is the 4, Aldridge checks, Failla bets 1,500,000, and Aldridge thinks for about 30 seconds before he moves all in. Failla quickly folds, and Ken Aldridge takes the pot.
Pot Size: 9,700,000
Will Failla - 9,175,000
Ken Aldridge - 14,550,000
Normally, you'd have to wait a few months to see what cards the two players had in that hand. But now you can check out the new WPT Final Table Live Stream, which is on a 30-minute delay with hole cards. So you'll know what cards they had before we do!
Level 36: 200,000-400,000, 50,000 ante
Will Failla raises from the button to 900,000, Jeff Vertes reraises from the big blind to 1,750,000, Failla moves all in, and Vertes quickly calls with AQ. Failla turns over AJ, and Vertes is a dominant favorite to double up here.
There is a jack in the window as the flop comes AJ10, giving Failla the lead with a pair of jacks, while Vertes picks up a gutshot straight draw.
Vertes says, "Hit the king, hit the king."
The turn card is the 9, and the Failla-friendly crowd starts chanting, "Deuce! Deuce! Deuce! Deuce!"
The river card is the A, and Failla wins the pot with a full house, aces full of jacks.
Jeff Vertes is eliminated in third place, earning $186,400.
Seat 3. Will Failla - 13,075,000
Seat 5. Ken Aldridge - 10,650,000
Seat 6. Jeff Vertes - Out in 3rd Place ($186,400)
Level 36: 200,000-400,000, 50,000 ante
Every day leading up to the televised WPT final table, the action and highlights are summarized in a daily photo recap with pictures like the one you see above of Will "The Thrill" Failla.
You can check out the rest of yesterday's Day 4 photo recap by clicking here.
Level 35: 150,000-300,000, 50,000 ante
Will Failla raises from the button to 700,000, Jeff Vertes reraises from the big blind to 1,900,000, and Failla moves all in. As Vertes begins thinking, Failla says, "Call the valet!"
Vertes asks Failla if he has a pair. Failla responds, "Well, I got a pair of balls."
After about three minutes, Vertes quietly says, "It's either a coin flip or a two-outer." Failla says, "I've got a monster, but that's all I'll tell you." Vertes says, "I think it's at least a coin flip, and maybe a 70-30 situation. Failla snickers.
After more than four minutes, Vertes folds, and Will Failla Failla takes the pot.
Seat 3. Will Failla - 8,600,000
Seat 5. Ken Aldridge - 10,750,000
Seat 6. Jeff Vertes - 4,675,000
Level 34: 125,000-250,000, 25,000 ante
Jeff Vertes raises from the small blind to 700,000, Will Failla moves all in from the big blind for about 3 million, and Vertes thinks for a while before he calls with A9. Failla is dominated as he turns over A5, and he'll need to improve to stay alive.
The board comes 1085710, and Failla pairs his five on the flop to win the pot and double up in chips.
Seat 3. Will Failla - 6,125,000
Seat 5. Ken Aldridge - 12,900,000
Seat 6. Jeff Vertes - 4,700,000
Level 34: 125,000-250,000, 25,000 ante
Will Failla moves all in from the small blind for 2,425,000, and Ken Aldridge thinks for about two minutes before he calls with 109. Failla turns over 66, and it's a race situation with Failla at risk of elimination.
Failla points to Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten and says, "I need the six of diamonds from you boys!"
The board comes A7546, and Failla gets the card he asked for to make an unnecessary set on the river to win the pot and double up in chips.
Seat 3. Will Failla - 4,925,000
Seat 5. Ken Aldridge - 11,700,000
Seat 6. Jeff Vertes - 7,100,000
Level 32: 75,000-150,000, 25,000 ante
Jeff Vertes raises from the button to 325,000, and Will Failla calls from the big blind. The flop comes A85, Failla checks, Vertes bets 325,000, and Failla calls.
The turn card is the 4, Failla checks, Vertes bets 550,000, and Failla calls.
The river card is the 8, and both players check. Failla turns over A2 for two pair, aces and eights, and Vertes mucks. Will Failla wins the pot.
Pot Size: 2,600,000
Seat 1. Joshua Pollock - 6,950,000
Seat 3. Will Failla - 4,225,000
Seat 4. Adam Aronson - 2,375,000
Seat 5. Ken Aldridge - 5,450,000
Seat 6. Jeff Vertes - 4,725,000
