Bertrand Grospellier Wins WPT Festa al Lago

Bertrand Grospellier Wins WPT Festa al Lago

Monday, 27 October 2008

Bertrand Grospellier is having something of a special year. The online pro, better known to many as 'ElkY', took just five hours to dispatch of five others at a final table which promised so much but ended up as a procession for a French juggernaut.

The day began with Adam Levy as the short-stack, but with a successful steal of blinds and antes, it fell to William Mietz to become the new short-stack. He eventually made his move with Kd-Th on a raggy flop, only to find Grospellier in the mood to make thin calls with just Ac-Tc. The call was inspired, and when no king arrived on fourth or fifth, Mietz was eliminated in sixth.

Levy was next out of the door after he made a stand with A-9 against Grospellier, who didn't have to think too long or hard before calling with pocket Queens. The elimination of Levy saw the onset of a French war on the remaining three players, as ElkY snatched every pot from the grasp of his shorter-stacked opponents.

It couldn't be too long before someone tried to play back at Grospellier, and it was Nemad Medic who felt taking a race with pocket sixes against the Frenchman's Kc-Jd was time to do so. A jack on the flop sent Medic out and Grospellier continued his ascent.

The blind structure at this point didn't help either Nam Le or Osmin Dardon much, as the play seemed more like an all-in or fold pushfest. That's much easier to do when you have a dominating chip lead, but things began to turn sour for Bertrand after he doubled both of his opponents up in quick order.

With burgeoning confidence, Dardon actually took the lead for a short while before ElkY outdrew him in a $2m pot to regain top spot. While Nam Le seemed to be wilting away in the face of relentless aggression from his two opponents, he must have appreciated the sudden elimination of Dardon which saw Le jump up the pay ladder an extra notch.

The hand which saw Dardon eliminated also showed that you have to be lucky to win these tournaments. Grospellier moved in with Tc-2c only to be called by Dardon's As-Jc, but the flop brought a deuce for the Frenchman and two clubs for Dardon. Fourth and fifth street saw Grospellier fade the fifteen outs for his opponent, and it was then left for him to convert his 15 to 1 chip lead into the WPT title and $1.4m first place prize.
ElkY - will he get his dues for being such a successful live player?



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