Shak Becomes Premier League Champion

Shak Becomes Premier League Champion

Monday, 25 March 2013

Dan Shak has become the latest PartyPoker Premier League champion after defeating the UK’s Sam Trickett in a tense heads-up battle.

Having waded through a sea of world-class pros during the heats and on the final table, Shak eventually collected the trophy and $450,000 when an unconventional play forced Trickett into a losing call.


The finally began with Talal Shakerchi hitting the rail before Jennifer Tilly’s chances of success were dashed when Jonathan Duhamel’s Ac Qd bested her 9d 5s.


Next to fall in a trio of eliminations were the top performers in the heats: Tobias Reinkemeier, Dan “Jungleman” Cates and Duhamel.


With just three players left it was Dan Shak who enjoyed a surge of positive variance when his Ac 2d caught a slice of luck against Antonio Esfandiari’s pocket nines.


Despite surviving the 2c 7c Qd 6s flop and turn, the Ad on the river handed Shak the hand and sent “The Magician” home with $150,000 in his back pocket.


Now down to two it was Shak who had the lead. Despite a mini fight back from Trickett a rivered flush for Shak eventually netted him the title.


With the board reading 2h 8h As Ts 7h, Shak decided to push more than 1 million chips into the 200,000 pot. The unorthodox move sent Trickett into the tank for 10 minutes before reluctantly calling with two pair.


That brought the match to a close and allowed Shak to join previous champions Juha Helppi. Andy Black, J.C. Tran, David Benyamine and Scott Seiver in the Premier League Hall of Fame.


Image courtesy of PartyPoker Blog.



Tags: Dan Shak, Sam Trickett, PartyPoker Premier League