Six players. Three payouts. $1 million for first place. Add it all up and you have one of the most dramatic final tables in World Poker Tour history.
In a hard-fought battle that saw multiple lead changes over nearly eight hours of play, it was David “Doc” Sands who finally emerged victorious to claim his first-ever WPT title and walk away as the Season XI Super High Roller champion.
With just 21 entrants in the $100,000 buy-in tournament, it’s no surprise that the final table included some of the most talented players in the game, including Sands, Joseph Cheong, Andrew Robl, and Daniel Perper.
Robl and Perper started the day as the two short stacks, but neither was willing to make and early exit, as they both found early double ups to give them some additional life. While Perper actually managed to double twice, Robl couldn’t pull off the same feat and became the first player eliminated when, on hand 28, he ran is Kc-Qc into Jim Courtney’s pocket Kings.
After Robl’s departure, the fight continued for 71 more hands until Steven Silverman finally fell to Daniel Perper when his Kc-5c failed to improve against Perper’s pocket Queens. Silverman’s elimination brought the tournament to the money bubble, which took nearly 50 more hands to pop. Following another long round of double ups, Perper, Cheong, and James Courtney found themselves in a three-way pot. When Cheong folded after a flop of Js-8d-6c, Courtney got his last $660,000 into the middle when the 9c fell on the turn. Perper called and turned up Jc-8h for two pair to put him ahead of Courtney’s pocket 7s. A meaningless Kd hit the river and Courtney was sent home short of the money.
Perper was the next player to leave when he moved all in with Kh-7s and was called by Sands who held pocket 5s. Perper failed to connect with the board of 8h-5d-4d-Js-8s and went home more than $400,000 richer while Sands headed to heads-up play against Cheong with a 3-1 chip lead.
After a night filled with long stretches of intense play, the heads-up battle was quick and efficient, with Sands taking just four hands to vanquish Cheong and claim the title when Cheong moved all in with As-3d only to find himself dominated by Sands’ Ah-8d.
Payouts
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