Timothy Vance wins EPT Copenhagen
Monday, 25 February 2008
It took a monumental heads-up battle to finally clinch victory, but
in the end the overnight chip leader Timothy Vance beat Soren
Jensen to win the title and $1,236,095 prize money.
It took a monumental heads-up battle to finally clinch victory, but
in the end the overnight chip leader Timothy Vance beat Soren
Jensen to win the title and $1,236,095 prize money. Vance, who
qualified for the tournament through an online satellite on
PokerStars, was in pole position as the final table of eight lined
up as follows:
1. Rasmus Hede Nielsen — 789,000
2. Tim Vance — 1,408,000
3. Daniel Ryan — 557,000
4. Patrick Andersson — 283,000
5. Simon Dorslund — 267,000
6. Nicolas Dervaux — 336,000
7. Soren Jensen — 500,000
8. Magnus Hansen — 458,000
Short stacked Patrick Andersson decided to reraise an opening
bet from Daniel Ryan with his Kh-6c, with Ryan calling with Ad-5c.
The board didn’t improve Andersson’s hand, and so he was first to
leave the table. Next out was Dorslund, busted in seventh by Vance.
With the big stack, it was easy to believe to think Vance may have
been stealing out of the cutoff, but Dorslund’s Ah-8d was a long
way behind Vance’s Ad-Kh. The dealers offering of five cards didn’t
help Dorslund catch up, and Vance’s stack grew further.
Jensen was the next one to play the role of executioner, when he
defended his big blind with Ad-7d against the all in from Nicholas
Dervaux in the small blind. Dervaux’s Js-5d hit a Jack on the flop,
but when the Ah came on the turn Jensen was back ahead. No Jack or
five on the river meant Dervaux collected $201,158 for his sixth
place finish.
Fifth went to Ryan, who’s AQs was dominated by Rasmus Nielsen,
who made the call with Ace-King. No help for the American sent him
home $255,648 richer. Nielsen himself went out in fourth, setting
up a prolonged three-way battle between Hansen, Jensen and
Vance.
Heads-up play came after Hansen’s top pair ran into Jensen’s
bottom two on a T-9-4 flop. The turn and river didn’t help Hansen,
and the stage was set for heads-up play.
Considering how internet players have a reputation for playing
fast poker, the five hour head-up melee might have come as a
surprise to some. With the chip lead flitting from one player to
another, it looked as if the players would go deep past closing
time at the Casino Copenhagen. Then, as unexpectedly as it was
sudden, it was over. Both players limped to see a flop of 2c-7c-8s.
Both checked the flop, and saw the 3s land on the turn. Jensen led
out, and Vance quickly called. The river brought the 4s, and Jensen
moved in, only to be called by Vance’s nut flush (As-Ts). Jensen
cashed $699,724 for his second place, while Vance picked up over
$1.2 million and place at the Monte Carlo EPT Grand Final.