Travis “TravestyFund” Rice, online poker star, managed to beat 546 players in this year’s UltimateBet Poker Aruba Poker Classic and take home first place. Rice even outlasted some big name players in the tournament including Phil Hellmuth, Mike Matusow, and Annie Duke. All the top pros managed to be eliminated before the final table. Rice managed to make it to the final table with five other players.
The first player to be eliminated from the final table was Jordan ‘Octavian_C’ Rich from Portland, Oregon. Rich couldn’t seem to click with the cards and was put out when he went all in with pocket sevens. Another player, Smithson, called him with A-K and the flop came A-A-K. So of course Smithson had a full house and Rich went out in sixth place.
Jason Gray, also from Portland, was the next player eliminated. Gray was short stacked but got pocket aces so he thought he could gain more chips. Smithson decided to play and the flop came 9-8-6 so Gray went all-in. Smithson called holding pocket sevens. Gray had him until the river came a seven giving Smithson trips and eliminating yet another player from the table.
The next two players to go were Nick Blackburn and Brad Smithson. Blackburn was short stacked and thought he would come out on top with K-Q only to be beat by pocket fours that turned into trips for Rice. Blackburn went home in fourth place. Smithson’s luck finally ran out on him when he and Mordue kept raising until all the chips were in. Smithson thought he had Mordue beat with his A-J but Mordue had A-K. The first flop card came J then A so Smithson looked good but the third was a K so he was beat with the better pair.
Now only two are left in the tournament; Rice and Mordue. Play had already lasted eight hours and it had been a long day. The final table took place outside and when the sun was out it was extremely hot. As heads up play began Rice was in the lead with 3.5 million chips and Mordue trailing with 1.9 million in chips. Surprisingly, heads up play did not last very long, only a few hands. The final took place when Rice re-raised and Mordue went all-in. Rice called with king spade and ten hearts. Mordue had ace club and king club. The flop came 8-4-Q bringing no help to either player. The turn card however was a ten. This put Rice in the lead with a pair. Then the river came with a king giving Mordue a pair also but Rice now had two pair and the win. Travis Rice went home the Aruba Poker Classic title winner and $800,000 richer. Mordue finished in second place and took home a price of $478,405.
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