James Dempsey Wins the 2011 Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic

Level 30: 75,000-150,000, 25,000 ante

Did Somebody Call a Doctor?

Level 30: 75,000-150,000, 25,000 ante

What began as an errand ended as a dream come true for James Dempsey.  The British poker pro came to Las Vegas as a favor to friend Chris Moorman, who needed someone to pick up some money for him.  Dempsey ending up picking up quite a nice payday for himself, winning the Season X Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic for $821,612.

As is always the case at the Bellagio, this year's final table wa sa stacked one with reigning champ and two-time WPT winner Antonio Esfandiari, November Niner Soi Nguyen, online poker phenom Andrew Lichtenberger, WPT Jacksonville Fall Series 4th place finisher Vitor Coelho, Dempsey, and WSOP bracelet winner Vanessa Selbst.

Esfandiari's hopes for a repeat victory were dashed early in the evening when he busted on just the tenth hand of play.  Dempsey was on the button and raised enough to put Esfandiari all-in from the big blind.  Esfandiari called with A10 and was out front of Dempsey's A4, but Dempsey managed to turn a four to send the Magician out in sixth place.

Just two hands later, Coelho joined Esfandiari on the rail when he put the remainder of his dwindling stack in with pocket eights, but couldn't hold against the overcards of Nguyen and Selbst.  Coelho's fifth place finish did help him move to second behind Will Failla in this year's WPT Player of the Year race.

The actin kept coming at rapid fire pace, with Selbst doubling thru Lichtenberger and Lichtenberger subsequently going out in fourth place when he four-bet shoved all-in holding pocket eights and Nguyen made a big call with pocket nines.  The hand sent Lichtenberger to the rail and sent Nguyen to the top of the chip counts going into three-handed play.

Dempsey evened up the stacks just six hand later when he made a big call of his own.  Selbst four-bet shoved holding K9 and Dempsey called her all-in with a dominating A9.  The 654A board left Selbst drawing dead by the turn, and with the 5 on the river she headed out in third place.

Selbst's exit left Dempsey and Nguyen heads-up and virtually dead even in chips after just 41 hands of action.  From there, the speedy pace of the tournament screeched to a halt as the two players battled back and forth over the course of more than 80 hands of heads-up action.

The two sparred at first, but Nguyen eventually moved out to a substantial chip lead after getting paid off by Dempsey on a couple of big hands.  Dempsey managed to rally back though, doubling thru Nguyen to stay in contention, then doubling thru him again to take a big chip lead of his own.

That hand left Nguyen in a position where he needed a quick double up to stay alive.  It wasn't long before Nguyen took his stand, moving all-in over the top of a raise from Dempsey holding KJ. Unfortunately for Nguyen, Dempsey called and had him dominated with KQ.

Nguyen got lucky with the J96 and his pair of jacks remained out front with the 4 on turn, but Dempsey hits a lucky card of his own with the 10 on the river to make a straight worth over $800,000 and a WPT title.

Dempsey's errand was an excuse to play in his first-ever WPT event.  Now he is a WPT champion and won't need any excuse to be back at Bellagio in May, when he will take his seat in the Season X WPT World Championship.

Here are the final table results from the Five Diamond Main Event:

1st: James Dempsey - $821,612 (includes $25,500 WPT World Championship seat)
2nd: Soi Nguyen - $517,478
3rd: Vanessa Selbst - $338,351
4th: Andrew Lichtenberger - $218,933
5th: Vitor Coelho - $159,224
6th: Antonio Esfandiari - $119,418

Hand #126: James Dempsey Wins! ($821,612)

Level 30: 75,000-150,000, 25,000 ante

James Dempsey min-raises to 300,000, Soi Nguyen moves all in for about 3.6 million, and Dempsey quickly calls with KQ. Nguyen turns over KJ, and he's dominated as he faces elimination.

The flop comes J96, and Nguyen's rail cheers as he flops top pair to take the lead. However, Dempsey picks up a gutshot straight draw for extra outs.

The turn card is the 4, and Nguyen will double up with any card but a queen or a ten.

The river card is -- the 10!

James Dempsey wins the pot -- and the tournament -- with a king-high straight.

Soi Nguyen finishes as the runner-up earning $517,478.

James Dempsey wins the WPT Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic, earning $821,612 (which includes a $25,500 seat into the season-ending WPT World Championship). Dempsey will have his name engraved on the WPT Champions Cup, and receive a WPT Champions Trophy of his own.

1st:  James Dempsey  -  $821,612
2nd:  Soi Nguyen  -  $517,478
3rd:  Vanessa Selbst  -  $338,351
4th:  Andrew Lichtenberger  -  $218,933
5th:  Vitor Coelho  -  $159,224
6th:  Antonio Esfandiari  -  $119,418

Hand #125: Soi Nguyen

Level 30: 75,000-150,000, 25,000 ante

Soi Nguyen min-raises to 300,000, and James Dempsey folds.

James Dempsey  -  12,850,000
Soi Nguyen  -  3,675,000

Hand #124: James Dempsey

Level 30: 75,000-150,000, 25,000 ante

James Dempsey min-raises to 300,000, and Soi Nguyen folds.

James Dempsey  -  13,025,000
Soi Nguyen  -  3,500,000

Hand #123: James Dempsey

Level 30: 75,000-150,000, 25,000 ante

Soi Nguyen folds, giving James Dempsey a walk.

James Dempsey  -  12,850,000
Soi Nguyen  -  3,675,000

Hand #122: Soi Nguyen

Level 30: 75,000-150,000, 25,000 ante

James Dempsey limps for 150,000, and Soi Nguyen checks his option. The flop comes 853, Nguyen bets 225,000, and Dempsey folds. Nguyen takes the pot.

James Dempsey  -  12,750,000
Soi Nguyen  -  3,775,000

Hand #121: James Dempsey Doubles Thru Soi Nguyen

Level 30: 75,000-150,000, 25,000 ante

Soi Nguyen min-raises to 300,000, James Dempsey reraises to 850,000, and Nguyen calls. The flop comes Q42, Dempsey bets 1,000,000, and Nguyen calls.

There is already 3,750,000 in the pot.

The turn card is the 10, and Dempsey thinks for a bit before he moves all in. Nguyen asks for a count -- it's 4,600,000 -- and tanks for more than three minutes before he says, "Alright, I call."

Dempsey shows AJ (ace high with jack-high flush draw), and Nguyen turns over A5 for a lower ace with the nut flush draw with a gutshot straight draw.

Dempsey yells, "Stay!" He is ahead with his jack kicker, and will double up with anything but a five, a three, or a spade.

The river card is the K, and James Dempsey wins the pot with ace-jack high to double up in chips.

James Dempsey  -  12,925,000
Soi Nguyen  -  3,600,000

After the hand, Dempsey's rail begins singing "Moorman1" repeatedly to the tune of "Stars and Stripes Forever."

Hand #120: James Dempsey

Level 30: 75,000-150,000, 25,000 ante

James Dempsey raises to 300,000, and Soi Nguyen folds.

James Dempsey  -  6,450,000
Soi Nguyen  -  10,075,000

Hand #119: Soi Nguyen

Level 30: 75,000-150,000, 25,000 ante

Soi Nguyen raises to 300,000, and James Dempsey calls. The flop comes 1054, Dempsey checks, Nguyen bets 350,000, and Dempsey folds. Soi Nguyen takes the pot.

James Dempsey  -  6,275,000
Soi Nguyen  -  10,250,000