John Phan Wins WPT Legends of Poker

Filed in archive Tournament News on August 31, 2008

image from about.com

John "The Razor" Phan is currently not sucking at poker.

This is a news flash (cue the boos on the badly placed internet sarcasm).

The Martins Poker sponsored player has seen few extra zeros added to his net worth stemming from the two World Series of Poker bracelets he won over the summer. Now, Phan has added a World Poker Tour title to his resume as he recently took down the Legends of Poker Main Event for a cool $1,116,428 while defeating Amit Makhija.

Here's the final hand call from the WPT live reporting website:

Hand #157 - Amit Makhija has the button, he moves all in for 2.04 million, and Phan calls with 3 3 . Makhija shows K 7 , and he'll need to improve to stay alive.

The flop comes Q 5 5 , and Phan retains the lead with his pocket threes, but he's vulnerable to counterfeiting if the board pairs again. The turn card is the A , and Makhija needs an ace, a king, a queen, or else John Phan will win the tournament and his first WPT title.

The river card is the - 10 !

John Phan's friends on the rail cheer as he wins the pot - and the tournament - with his pocket threes.

Amit Makhija finishes as the runner-up, earning $563,320.

John Phan wins the 2008 WPT Legends of Poker, earning his first WPT title, $1,116,428, a WPT bracelet, and that includes his entry into the 2009 WPT World Championship at Bellagio in April.

Congratulations, John Phan!

As noted from the long time commentator of the World Poker Tour, Mike Sexton stated this was "the greatest heads-up match in WPT history". This win further secured John Phan's string of deep finishes and wins as one of the best in recent poker history.