Tournament Details

Will it be old school rules or new kid on the block? WPT Champion Hoyt "The Alabama Cowboy" Corkins sits down with a similar stack to the newcomer from Newport Beach, Joe Pelton. Another WPT Champion, Scotty "The Prince of Poker" Nguyen, is severely short-stacked, having lost a monster pot to veteran Frankie O'Dell, the table's chip leader. Restaurateur Kevin "The Irishman" O'Donnell played solidly to make the final table for a second year in a row. Professional poker player Randy Holland makes his first WPT final table with just enough chips to get him a step ahead of Scotty.

Seat 1: Scotty "The Prince of Poker" Nguyen - 375,000
Seat 2: Hoyt "The Cowboy" Corkins – 1,030,000
Seat 3: Kevin O'Donnell – 2,335,000
Seat 4: Joe Pelton – 1,010,000
Seat 5: Frankie O'Dell - 3,880,000
Seat 6: Randy Holland - 615,000

The final table opens with blinds of 15,000 and 30,000 and tenderfoot Joe Pelton establishing that he is not going to be intimidated by the Alabama Cowboy, Hoyt Corkins. Under the gun Joe brazenly bets 100,000 on 3s-3h. Everyone folds around till Hoyt looks down at 9s-9d and calls. The flop comes 10s-7d-Qh. Joe bets 200,000 and Hoyt, facing two over cards on the felt, throws away his mid-pair.

Hoyt raises the pot to 100,000 with a Kd-3c. Kevin O'Donnell folds and Joe, who's caught A-K off suit announces all in making the pot soar over 1 million. With a disgusted look, the Cowboy tosses his cards into the muck knowing his signature aggressive move was just used against him by a wily rookie.

The field folds round and Randy Holland considers playing his Qd-9d for a moment before tossing them. Scotty Nguyen moves all in for 247,000 with Ah-Ks. Hoyt, with Ad-7s, looks the Prince of Poker up, commenting, "I just got a dry Ace, Scotty." Scotty flips his cards and the Cowboy winces. The flop reveals 10c-2s-8d. The turn card is a 7h giving Hoyt almost a guaranteed win! The Js that follows is no relief and Scotty Nguyen is out in 6th place taking $133,095 with him.

The field is down to five players and Joe throws away rags and Frankie decides not to play an A-8 off suit. Randy Holland peers at the Ac-3d and after commenting that there is no one left in his rent district, moves all in with 424,000. Hoyt throws away 4-3 off suit but Kevin O'Donnell has the Ad-Qd and calls Randy's bet. The same board of J-10-2-7-8 that knocked Scotty out and would have given Randy a win on the previous hand, ended his run at this final table in 5th place with a $177,460 chunk of the prize pool in his pocket.

The blinds increase to 25,000 and 50,000 and Kevin limps in with 7c-6d and Frankie with Ad-Qd raises to 250,000 then O'Donnell drops a bombshell, making an incredible all in bet of 1,480,000! Frankie the bluff perfectly and calls! The board of Qc-Jh-4s-6c-9s crushes Kevin completely. With his bold play blowing up in his face, Kevin O'Donnell leaves the table in 4th place with $226,260 for his trouble.

The blinds increase to 40,000 and 80,000. Joe raises to 250,000 from the button with a Jh-10c. Frankie pushes his As-2h away. Hoyt finds himself with a wired pair of threes and moves all in. Joe glances at the stone-faced Cowboy trying to make a decision. With uncanny timing, Joe says, "I'm going to gamble with you Hoyt. I call." The powerhouse flop is 2-10-J giving the youngster two pair! The turn and river cards 5s-Ac do nothing to stop the juggernaut Joe Pelton from winning and eliminating poker dynamo Hoyt "the Alabama Cowboy" Corkins in 3rd place with his portion - a respectable $381,540.

After some heads up play Frankie limps in with a Jh-4h and Joe checks his Qs-8h. The flop of Qh-4d-Qd gives Joe a set of ladies! Pelton bets 100,000 and Frankie raises to 250,000, and Joe reraises 350,000 making it 750,000 to go then Frankie moves Joe all in with a 3,120,000 bet! Joe calls and flips his cards over revealing trip queens. Frankie reels back, knowing he's sunk and the 10s-10h that follow give Pelton a full boat turns the tide on the chip leader.

With the blinds increased to 60,000 and 120,000, Joe Pelton looks down at Ac-7c and bets 400,000. Frankie O'Dell looks down at 6h-6d in the hole and goes all in for 2,510,000. Joe quickly calls and starts bouncing to release tension. Frankie is hoping to spring back, but the board comes Jh-Ad-3s-2c-Qs and the opportunity to turn this thing around boomerangs back and cuts Frankie down in second place with take home pay of $776,385. Joe Pelton defeats a field of 460 players to win the 2006 World Poker Tour's Legend of Poker title and $1,602,670!