Elio Fox Claims WSOP Europe Main Event title; Moorman 2nd

Poker News / Short-Stacked Shamus / 20 October 2011 / Leave a Comment

Elio Fox, 2011 WSOP Europe Main Event Champion (Photo: PokerNews)

Fox earns €1.4 million for his win, the largest-ever cash prize at the WSOPE. Meanwhile, Moorman's second-place finish means November Niner Ben Lamb finally secured the 2011 World Series of Poker Player of the Year.

After four hard-fought days of poker, then a Day 5 lasting another 201 hands, Elio Fox emerged on Thursday as the 2011 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event champion. The leader to start the final day of play, the New Yorker maintained the chip advantage throughout the eight-handed final table, ultimately outlasting the tough Chris Moorman heads-up to secure the bracelet and €1,400,000 first prize.

Play began Thursday with those final eight players the last standing of the 593 who had entered. Fox started the day with just under 4 million of the almost 17.8 million chips in play, giving him a decent-sized head start with Jake Cody, Dermot Blain, and Moorman his nearest challengers, all situated in the 2.2-2.7 million-chip range.

Meanwhile Max Silver began the day on the short stack, and on the 10th hand of play got his remaining chips in with As-Kh versus Moorman's Jc-Jh. The board failed to pair Silver, ending his day early in eighth.

It would take a while for the next to fall, with Fox maintaining his lead, Cody chipping up, and Blain slipping to the back of the pack. Then came a monster hand between Fox and Cody -- in many ways the most crucial of the final table.

With the blinds 25,000/50,000, Fox opened to 110,000 from the hijack, then Cody made it 260,000 to go from the button. The blinds stepped aside, and Fox thought a while before four-betting to 600,000. Cody then pushed all in for more than 3 million total, and Fox called in a flash.

Cody had Jh-Jd and Fox but 10h-10c, and it looked for a moment that Cody -- who had been 16th of 16 just yesterday -- was on the verge of grabbing the chip lead in a big way. But the flop came 8d-7c-6h and the turn 9h, giving Fox a leading straight. The river brought the 9h, and Cody was suddenly out in seventh.

The remaining six played on to the dinner break and beyond, with Blain chipping up some and Shawn Buchanan starting to slide. Soon Buchanan found himself all in with 10h-10c against Blain's Ad-4c. The flop came Qd-3d-2d, giving Blain a huge draw. The turn was the 7c and Buchanan was still ahead, but the Ac landed on the river to pair Blain and send Buchanan out in sixth.

Blain's good fortune would be short-lived, however, as he'd soon be the one all in and at risk versus Brian Roberts. The Irishman held Ks-Qh and was hoping to catch versus Roberts' Ah-Jd. An ace and a queen flopped, but the turn and river brought no further help to Blain, ending his run in fifth.

About a dozen hands later Roberts was the one heading railward, his Jc-8h failing him versus Moorman's Qh-4h.

The German Kranich was the shortest of the remaining three players, and eventually was ground down to about 1.6 million -- about 20 big blinds -- when he reraise-shoved with 5h-4h and was called by Fox who held 9d-9c. The pocket pair held, and they were down to two.

Fox had just over 11 million to start heads-up play, giving him a sizable advantage over Moorman's 6.72 million. And after a little more than 30 hands Fox had an even bigger lead, having whittled Moorman down to about 2.1 million.

That's when Fox opened with a minimum-raise to 200,000 from the button, to which Moorman responded with a reraise to 430,000. Fox pushed all in, and Moorman called, tabling Ah-7s to Fox's Ad-10s. The community cards came 4s-3h-6s-6d-8h, giving Fox all of the chips and the bracelet.

Here's how they finished and how the prize money was divided among the final eight:

2011 WSOPE Main Event final table payouts:
1st: Elio Fox (United States) -- €1,400,000
2nd: Chris Moorman (United Kingdom) -- €800,000
3rd: Moritz Kranich (Germany) -- €550,000
4th: Brian Roberts (United States) -- €400,000
5th: Dermot Blain (Ireland) -- €275,000
6th: Shawn Buchanan (Canada) -- €200,000
7th: Jake Cody (United Kingdom) -- €150,000
8th: Max Silver (United Kingdom) -- €115,000

There are two additional subplots from Cannes, France to report as well.

With Moorman second-place finish, November Niner Ben Lamb finally secured the 2011 World Series of Poker Player of the Year.

Also, Fox's victory means James Bord will have to cover all of those losing bets on the ME winner over at the Matchbook wagering site since an American won the bracelet (see here for details).

Join Betfair Poker Now.