Chiu Overcomes Hansen at WPT Championship

Filed in archive Tournament News on April 28, 2008

Putting your money in the middle while a favorite proved to be a fatal flaw at the final table of the World Poker Tour WPT Championship.

Had no diamond come, the headline might read "Cory Carroll triumph at Bellagio". Instead he received 4th place money and story told by BJ Nemeth:

Hand #16 was the most dramatic, pivotal hand of the night, between the two big stacks at the table. Hansen raised from the cutoff to 480,000, respected online pro Cory Carroll reraised from the big blind to 1.65 million, and Hansen called. The flop came QcJd6d, Carroll checked, and Hansen thought for about two minutes before moving all in. It was a bold move, challenging the only other player at the table that could seriously harm him.

With so much at stake and a check on the flop from Carroll, you might expect him to either quickly call or quickly fold. (Checking after a preflop reraise usually indicates the extremes - weakness or great strength.) But Carroll studied the situation for several long minutes before coming to a decision - and then stopped to think for a few more minutes. He had to be sure; the biggest tournament of his life was at stake in this hand.

Carroll eventually called with AdJs - second pair. Hansen showed 7d5d for a diamond flush draw. Carroll made the right call, as he was a 2-to-1 favorite.

But Lady Luck can be a cruel mistress, and the right calls don't always bring the right results. The lowly 3d fell on the river to fill Hansen's flush, and moments after making the call of his life, Carroll was eliminated in fourth place.

Had Hansen's straighting card not hit the turn, John "Kicker" Roveto's Kings may have gotten up the money ladder further, but Gus just added to his lead.

But it was a patient David Chiu who stayed away from the streamroller of Gus Hansen to win with his own suckout as a 35%/65% underdog on the final hand after chipping away at Hansen's 5 to 1 chip advantage when they started heads-up play.

The four time World Series of Poker bracelet holder, Chiu, received $3.3 million for the win while denying Hansen of his fourth World Poker Tour Title.