Tournament Details

As the Caribbean breezes tossed palm fronds around like feathers and the pressure of a $1.5 million payday built, five of the players at the final table of the WPT Caribbean Poker Adventure had to wonder what they were going to do to beat 21-year-old Isaac Haxton. After an amazing run in the previous day of play, Haxton, a latter day Jim Morrison look-alike, held around half the chips in play. Behind dark shades and a mane of dark hair, Haxton seemed unbeatable in the early days of the tournament. Now there were only five people left with a chance of knocking off the young gun.

Here's how the six players stood in the opening moments of final table play:

Isaac Haxton 9,216,000
Jonathan Little 2,366,000
Jon Ford 2,324,000
Ryan Daut 2,301,000
Robert Mizrachi 1,450,000
Frank Rusnak 1,166,000

With the blinds at 15,000/30,000/3,000, there was no chance of putting the cards in the air. The Bahamian winds were blowing hard, and each card had to be handed to the players. They didn't care, as long as they had a chance to play. And play they would. However, despite the tough play, most of the early hands involved a lot of raising but very few showdowns.

Blinds moved up to 25,000/50,000/5,000 before the tournament would see any serious showdown action. The first major hand could've eliminated Jonathan Little. He flopped top pair top kicker to Jon Ford's Broadway straight. A jack on the river gave Little Broadway, as well, and he stayed alive.

Jon Ford, perhaps still steaming from the chopped pot with Little, came in for a raise to 190,000. Short-stacked, sports writer Frank Rusnak moved All-In. Ford took another peak at his sixes. Finally, he said, "I feel like gambling right now. Call." Rusnak showed 7h7s, a tough hand for Ford to face with his 6s6d. The board was no help to Ford, running out 5s3h3d4hTd. Rusnak showed absolutely no emotion as he raked his pot and doubled up.

While the action remained hot and aggressive, all six players remained at the table as the blinds moved up to 40,000/80,000/5,000.

It took nearly sixty hands—ten trips around the table—for the first elimination to come. Jon Ford came in for a raise to 280,000 and Rusnak smooth-called. The flop came Jh9s9c. Ford moved all-in and Rusnak, after a brief moment of thought, called. Ford had just been caught with his AcKd. Rusnak held KhKs. An ace had already been folded, so Rusnak was in pretty good shape. The turn was a boring and safe little 3s, but the river was the Ah. Rusnak, with the look of a man who had just swallowed a two-outer, stood up in sixth place, $247,234 richer.

Now it was time for the action to get as hard as the ocean wind. Jonathan Little looked down and barely thought before moving All-In with JcJd. Robert Mizrachi called in a shot with AdKh. For the first four cards—Ts2s6c8c—Little looked like he was on his way to a double-up. Mizrachi probably saw the river before anyone else, because for him, it was the most beautiful card in the world: Ah. Mizrachi jumped in the year with a "Yes!" and doubled up. Little was crippled. On the very next hand, he moved All-In with AcQd. Ryan Daut called With Kd6d, caught two sixes on board, and sent Little home in fifth place with $317,873.

Just a couple of hands later, one of the most interesting hands of the tournament developed. Isaac Haxton raised to 400,000 and Mizrachi called. They saw a flop of Th3s3c. Both players checked. The turn was the Jc. Mizrachi bet out 400,000 and Haxton called. The river was the 8c. This time, Mizrachi checked. He was put to a huge decision when Haxton moved All-In. Mizrachi called to see Haxton's Qh9s…the runner-runner straight. Everybody in the crowd wondered what in the world Mizrachi had called with. It was revealed later on TV, Mizrachi held KhJs. Mizrachi couldn't seem to believe it. I took him forever to muck his losing hand and leave the table When he did, he exited in fourth place, earning $409,703. Haxton suddenly had 2/3 of the chips in play.

John Ford, fresh off a tough hand with Haxton, thought he'd found a good time to make a move. When Ryan Daut bet 350,000, Ford held 2c2d and moved All-In for more than 2,300,000 more. On another day, Daut might have held a different hand and Ford's move might have worked. On this day, though, he held KcKd. The board brought Ford no help and he was out on the next hand when his Ad8d couldn't hold up over Haxton's Kc3d. Ford left the Dragon Deck at Atlantis in third place. He won $550,980.

And so it looked like Daut had fought his way to a second place finish. After all, Haxton held so many chips, it was hard to believe anybody at the final table could come back and beat him. Well, suddenly it looked like Daut aimed to try.

Going into heads up play, he had more than 13 million chips to Daut's five million. Daut started off with hardcore aggression. With stacks of money blowing in the breeze, Daut went on the attack.

When Haxton limped in from the button, Daut raised. Haxton called and the players saw a flop of 8d6h3h. Daut came out betting, putting 1,000,000 chips in front of him, and Haxton moved All-In. Daut grimaced, but called to see Haxton's gutshot bluff. Haxton held Td7d. Daut held Ah7h for the flush draw. The turn, 4s, was no help to either player. The river, Ad, gave Daut the win. Haxton suddenly looked like he'd already lost the tournament. He stood and stared at the table, then re-grouped and went back on the attack. Unfortunately for him, Daut refused to back down and played with even more aggression. Before long, Daut had a 2-1 chip lead. But, after a huge fight of bluffs and re-bluffs, Haxton worked his way back to even.

Then Haxton came in for a raise to 500,000 and Daut re-raised to 1.8 million. On a flop of AhQd7d, Daut led for 2.1 million and Haxton called with Ad3d, top pair with the nut flush draw. The turn was the 8c and both players checked. The river was the Jc. Daut checked and Haxton checked behind. Daut showed him JdJs for a set of jacks and the win. With that, Daut got most of his 2-1 chip lead back.

Haxton's long slide then began. Both players limped in and the flop came out 7d9s5c. Haxton led at the pot for 500,000 with 8c7h and got a call from Daut. The turn was the Qd. This time, Haxton checked and Daut bet out 1.2 million. Haxton called and they saw the river: Ah. Daut bet 2.5 million and Haxton called. Daut showed him Qc5d for two pair. Haxton threw his cards in the muck. The wind blew Haxton's hair in his face has he passed stack after stack chips to Daut's side of the table.

Ultimately, Daut moved All-In with AdTh. Haxton decided to gamble and make the call with Qd8h. The board, Jd6c5h9h5c, was no help to Haxton. He was out in second place, picking up a staggering $861,789.

Daut had just proved a massive chip lead at the final table never guarantees a win. He'd defeated someone who held most of the chips in play. Daut walked away with the championship, earning $1,535,255.