Philacack Takes First This Time

Filed in archive Tournament News on December 7, 2007

With the Josh Arieh plowing through the field the first couple of days it reasoned that another poker title was coming his way. The World Series of Poker Circuit was making a stop in New Orleans do award a WSOP ring plus $247,000 plus a buy in to the 2008 WSOP Main Event to the winner of the event.

Unfortunately for Arieh he had to settle for runner up as Andy Philachack overcame Arieh's chip lead to begin the day, and rode his 3:1 chip lead while heads up all the way to the victory. Defending WSOP New Orleans event champion Lou Esposito tried to make the back to back claim, but fell short at the final table when his short stack failed to improve and he finished 9th.

Here's John Hartness from Pokernews.com with the final hand call that gave Philachack the victory:

Philachack still took a 3:1 chip lead into heads-up play, and Arieh couldn't recover, particularly when the last hand brought big action from both players. Arieh and Philachack limped in to see a flop of 9d7sTs, and Arieh led out after Philachack checked. Philachack check-raised, and Arieh pushed all in over the top. Philachack called with Td7cfor top and bottom pair, and Arieh was drawing thin with 9c7hfor bottom two pair. The turn and river brought no help for Arieh and he was eliminated in second place ($130,050). It meant that Andy Philachack had come from one of the shortest starting stacks at the final table to knock off two-day chip leader Josh Arieh for the win, the WSOP Circuit ring, the added 2008 WSOP Main Event buy-in and the $247,860 winner's prize money.