Ultimate Bet Aruba Poker Classic 2009 Won By Brandon Hall

Brandon Hall has won the 2009 Aruba Poker Classic Championship, beating a field of 475 players to take down the $753,330 first prize. Robert Mizrachi was the runner-up for $414,680 but a deal struck when the two players were heads up meant each player effectively chopped the pot and played for $30,000 change.
The seven man final table was soon down to six players after Matt Ross liked his pocket 7’s and went all in pre-flop only to be called by Jose Santos with A-K. An A on the turn and river knocked Ross out of the tournament but $41,000 richer for the experience.
There was no such ‘big slick’ luck for Brock Parker, though, after his shove with A K failed to improve against Eric Baldwin’s Q Q and so walked away from the table in 6th place for $68,810.
Santos was next to go after calling all in against Chase Steely’s straight, earning $92,000 for his fifth spot finish. Baldwin was next after he re-raised all in with A Q against Mizrachi’s A 7 who made the call. The poker gods were smiling on Mizrachi who hit a 7 on the flop and so sent Eric ‘basebaldy’ Baldwin crashing out in 4th with a $126,710 pay day to help nurse his misfortune.
Mizrachi must have felt that the tournament was heading all his way after the hand played between him and Chase Steely. With all the chips already in the pot pre-flop and Mizrachi holding K J to Steely’s Q Q and the board now showing A-10-9-2, Mizrachi needed one of the the two Q’s remaining in the pack to complete his gutshot straight. The rest, as they say, is history and Steely exited the tournament after making  a set, ruing his bad luck but grateful for the third place $218,860 prize.
A timely deal was then agreed between the two remaining players with Brandon Hall the eventual winner.  After calling Mizrachi’s top pair shove on a 8-9-2 flop holding J 10, a Q on the river completed Hall’s straight and earned him the title of 2009 Ultimate Bet Aruba Poker Classic champion for an impressive $753,330 first prize pay day.


Poker News
Matt Waxman Claims 2018 WPT Tournament of Champions Title
28 May 2018
The WPT Tournament of Champions (TOC) is an invitational only tournament consisting of past WPT champions, who can enter the competition for $15k if they wish, or this season’s winners, who automatically receive a free seat, airfare and hotel accommodations through to the end of season finale. The World Poker Tour Tournament of Champions subsequently
MSPT Hosts Largest Poker Tournament in Michigan History
26 May 2018
Mark Brazis has won the biggest poker tournament in Michigan state history after besting a field of 1,287 runners over four days at the $1,100 MSPT Battle Creek for $221,323. The Indiana resident had just $31,264 in winnings from three cashes going into the MSPT Main Event, and after claiming his famous victory, the 36-year-old
Valentin Vornicu Wins Record 12th WSOP Circuit Title
16 May 2018
Valentin Vornicu, has extended his lead over Maurice Hawkins as the World Series of Poker Circuit’s top title holder after winning a 12th ring at the WSOPC Harrah’s New Orleans $365 No Limit Hold’em event. Furthermore, Vornicu’s latest victory worth $24,084 comes just one day after he won a record 11th ring at the $365
Phil Ivey Takes Down Short Deck Event in Montenegro for $605k
14 May 2018
Phil Ivey may not be a regular on the tournament scene anymore, preferring instead to devote his time to playing high stakes cash games in Asia, but when the former world number one does get round to entering a live tourney he continues to represent a huge threat in the eyes of his opponents. Of