David Sands Wins WPT World Championship Super High Roller ($1,023,750)

Level 21: 50,000-100,000, 10,000 ante

By Ryan Lucchesi
Photos by Joe Giron

It is very rare that you make a World Poker Tour televised final table and still walk away empty handed, but that was what happened to three players on the final day of the World Poker Tour World Championship $100,000 Super High Roller event. The high buy-in tournament attracted 21 players and so only the top three would walk away with prize money at Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada. The tournament attracted some of the top poker players in the world so it came as no surprise that the final match that decided the title late tonight, after a long period of play to bust the $409,500 money bubble, came down to two of the best young players in the game - David Sands and Joseph Cheong. The final match was a short one, which as you will read below was in stark contrast to the rest of the final table, and it was Sands who won his first WPT title after coming so close during Season X (runner-up finish at the L.A. Poker Classic). The win took Sands up to $5.5 million in career tournament earnings.

Here is how the table looked when cards got into the air tonight:

Seat 1.  Joseph Cheong: 1,646,000 (102 bb)
Seat 2.  Andrew Robl: 169,000 (10 bb)
Seat 3.  Jim Courtney: 1,690,000 (105 bb)
Seat 4.  Steven Silverman: 1,339,000 (83 bb)
Seat 5.  Daniel Perper: 164,000 (10 bb)
Seat 6.  David Sands: 1,286,000 (80 bb)

The first stretch of play at the final table was defined by a series of double ups. The two short stacks Andrew Robl and Daniel Perper each doubled up, and Perper actually doubled up twice to stave off elimination. Robl wasn’t so lucky the second time he moved all in. Cheong raised to 48,000 from the cutoff and Andrew Robl reraised all in from the button for 204,000. Jim Courtney called from the small blind and Cheong mucked. Robl held KQ but he was behind the KK of Courtney. The board was dealt 109486 and Robl was eliminated in sixth place.

That first elimination took place on Hand 28 but thanks to another rash of double-ups it wasn’t until Hand 99 that we lost another player. That hand started with Cheong raising to 100,000 on the cutoff. Steven Silverman reraised all in for 685,000 from the small blind and Perper moved all in over the top of him to isolate. Cheong folded and Silverman showed K5. Perper held the lead with QQ and the ladies held up on a board reading J62610 to eliminate Silverman in fifth place.

That put play on the dreaded TV final table money bubble and the theme of the final table continued to be defined by the unusual number of double-ups for any player who was all in. The number of double up reached double-digit territory before the next player fell on the 146th hand of play. Perper raised to 120,000 under the gun and Cheong called from the small blind. Courtney also called from the big blind and the flop was dealt J86. Action was checked to Perper and he bet 160,000. Cheong folded while Courtney made the call. The turn fell 9 and Courtney moved all in for 660,000. Perper called with J8 and Courtney held pocket sevens. The river was the K and Perper won the pot to eliminate Courtney on the money bubble in fourth place.

The battle for third place was shorter than the previous forays at the final table. On Hand 176 Perper moved all in on the button for 1,170,000 and Sands moved all in over the top of him to isolate. Cheong got out of the way and Perper revealed K7. Sands held pocket fives and the board was dealt 854J8. Perper was eliminated in third place and he took home $409,500.

The chip counts at the start of heads-up play had David Sands (4,765,000) holding a 3-1 chip advantage over Cheong (1,530,000). The final match was different than the previous long stretches of play at the final table, lasting just four hands. On the final hand of the tournament Cheong moved all in preflop for 1,135,000 with A3 and Sands called with A8. The board fell Q52A9 and Cheong was eliminated in second place, good for $614,250. That made Sands the Super High Roller champion. He was awarded $1,023,750 and one-of-kind trophies from the WPT and Bellagio.

Final Table Results:

1: David Sands - $1,023,750
2: Joseph Cheong - $614,250
3: Daniel Perper - $409,500
4: James Courtney - $0
5: Steven Silverman - $0
6: Andrew Robl - $0

Tune back in tomorrow at 4 p.m. PT to follow along with the hand-for-hand live updates and real-time chip counts from the WPT World Championship main event here at Bellagio.

Hand #180: Joseph Cheong Out in 2nd Place ($614,250)

Level 21: 50,000-100,000, 10,000 ante

Joseph Cheong moves all in for 1,135,000, and David Sands calls with A8. Cheong turns over A3, and he'll need to improve to stay alive.

The board comes Q52A9, and David Sands wins the pot -- and the WPT Super High Roller -- with a pair of aces and an eight kicker.

Joseph Cheong finishes as the runner-up, earning $614,250.

David Sands wins the Season XI WPT Super High Roller, earning $1,023,750 and a special WPT trophy. Congratulations to David "Doc" Sands!

1st:  David Sands  -  $1,023,750
2nd:  Joseph Cheong  -  $614,250
3rd:  Daniel Perper  -  $409,500
4th:  Jim Courtney  -  $0
5th:  Steven Silverman  -  $0
6th:  Andrew Robl  -  $0

Hand #179: David Sands

Level 21: 50,000-100,000, 10,000 ante

David Sands moves all in, and Cheong folds.

Joseph Cheong  -  1,145,000
David Sands  -  5,150,000

Hand #178: David Sands

Level 21: 50,000-100,000, 10,000 ante

Joseph Cheong limps for 100,000, and David Sands checks his option. The flop comes A53, Sands checks, Cheong bets 100,000, and Sands calls.

The turn is the Q, Sands checks, Cheong bets 175,000, and Sands calls. The river card pairs the board with the 3, and both players check. Sands shows Q2 to win the pot with two pair, queens and threes, and Cheong mucks.

Joseph Cheong  -  1,255,000
David Sands  -  5,040,000

Hand #177: Joseph Cheong

Level 21: 50,000-100,000, 10,000 ante

David Sands limps for 100,000, Joseph Cheong moves all in, and Sands folds.

Joseph Cheong  -  1,640,000
David Sands  -  4,655,000

Heads-Up Play: Shuffle Up & Deal!

Level 21: 50,000-100,000, 10,000 ante

The festivities for heads-up play are complete, and the players are ready to go, so it's time to shuffle up and deal!

Official Chip Counts For Heads-Up Play

Level 20: 40,000-80,000, 10,000 ante

When action resumes, the blinds will be 50,000-100,000 with a 10,000 ante. Here are the official chip counts, along with the prizepool they're playing for:

Joseph Cheong  -  1,530,000  (15 bb)
David Sands  -  4,765,000  (47 bb)

1st:  $1,023,750
2nd:  $614,250

3rd:  Daniel Perper  -  $409,500
4th:  Jim Courtney  -  $0
5th:  Steven Silverman  -  $0
6th:  Andrew Robl  -  $0

Action should resume within the next 15 minutes or so.

Hand #176: Daniel Perper Out in 3rd Place ($409,500)

Level 20: 40,000-80,000, 10,000 ante

Daniel Perper (left) moves all in from the button for 1,170,000, and David Sands (right) moves all in over the top from the small blind. Joseph Cheong folds the big blind.

Perper shows K7, and he'll need to improve to stay alive against the 55 of Sands.

The board comes 854J8, and David Sands wins the pot with a full house, fives full of eights, to eliminate Daniel Perper in third place.

Seat 1.  Joseph Cheong  -  1,530,000
Seat 5.  Daniel Perper  -  Out in 3rd Place  ($409,500)
Seat 6.  David Sands  -  4,765,000

There will be a short-break before heads-up play begins between David Sands and Joseph Cheong.

Hand #175: David Sands

Level 20: 40,000-80,000, 10,000 ante

Everyone folds to David Sands, giving him a walk in the big blind.

Seat 1.  Joseph Cheong  -  1,620,000
Seat 5.  Daniel Perper  -  1,180,000
Seat 6.  David Sands  -  3,495,000

Hand #174: David Sands

Level 20: 40,000-80,000, 10,000 ante

David Sands min-raises from the button to 160,000, winning the blinds and antes.

Seat 1.  Joseph Cheong  -  1,630,000
Seat 5.  Daniel Perper  -  1,230,000
Seat 6.  David Sands  -  3,435,000