MavFish, JP Kelly wins WSOP Event 20

23-year-old John-Paul (JP) Kelly started playing poker seriously in 2004, and since that time has racked up a plethora of cashes in both live and online tournaments. At PokerStars he goes by the handle JP 5-time where he has $628,078 in cashes, at other sites he’s known as MavFish where he has hundreds of thousands in cashes as well. As far as live tournaments goes coming into 2009 WSOP Event 20 he had 28 major cashes under his belt totaling close to $500,000 in winnings, none of which were bigger than the $194,434 he won last night as he captured his first career WSOP bracelet.

With his victory last night JP Kelly gives the English their first WSOP bracelet in nearly two years.

Here’s how the days’ action unfolded.

2009 WSOP Event 15 – $1,500 PLHE Final Table Report

Wednesday night the starting field of 663 players was further narrowed to a final table. Last night these nine survivors made their way to the Rio for a 2PM start time, and would play till a bracelet winner was decided. The best known player in the field, Erik Siedel was middle of the pack in terms of chip count and was here looking for career WSOP bracelet number 9.

Here were the seat assignments and chip counts:

Seat 1: Marc Tschirch – 268000
Seat 2: Erik Seidel – 337000
Seat 3: Jason Dewitt – 476000
Seat 4: Kyle Carlston – 320000
Seat 5: Andrew Radel – 250000
Seat 6: John-Paul Kelly – 627000
Seat 7: Ravi Raghavan – 145000
Seat 8: Kirk Steward – 231000
Seat 9: Aaron Virchis – 191000

Former Sunday Millions winner Ravi “govshark2″ Raghavan was the shortest stack heading into the final table and would be the first player eliminated. On his final hand he put all his chips in with pocket sevens on a flop of Tc 9s 8h against Marc Tschirch who held pocket jacks for a better pair and higher end of the straight draw. The turn and river brought running fours and Ragavan was to the rail receiving $18,634 for his ninth place finish.

Andrew Radel knows all to well that getting your money in good doesn’t always work out. Holding Ah Qh he got his money in on a flop of Ad Th 2c against JP Kelly’s pocket nines. However the river was a nine and Radel was out collecting $21,082 for his eighth-place finish.

Moments later, Erik Seidel raised to 30K, was called by Jason Dewitt and the flop came Kc Js 8h. Seidel checked, Dewitt bet and Seidel took his time before calling. When the turn was 5h Dewitt bet 80K and Siedel tanked even longer before again calling. On a river 5d Seidel checked, Dewitt bet 267K, Seidel reluctantly called his remaining chips, and Dewitt turn over pocket eights for the full house. Erik Seidel ninth bracelet would need to come some other day as he finished in seventh for $24,919.

Tony Steward was next to go receiving $30,837 for his sixth place finish. On his final hand he opened the pot for 35K, Tschirch called from the big blind, and the flop came Qs Jc 4h. Tschirch checked, Steward bet, Tschirch check-raised, Steward pushed all in and Tschirch called. Steward was behind with J-3 to Tschirch’s K-J. The turn and river came 6h and 5h and Steward was eliminated.

Aaron Virchis held on to a short stack for quite some time, but finally JP Kelly got him to commit his final chips with Ks 8h on a flop of Th 4h Td which was defeated by Kelly’s Ac 4d. Aaron Virchis received $40,048 for fifth place.

The next elimination hand saw Kyle Carlston raise preflop, JP Kelly re-raise all in and Carlston call turning over Ad Jd disappointed to see Kelly’s As Ks. The board ran Ac Qd 9s 7s 4s giving Kelly a nut flush which sent Kyle Carlston out in forth to collect $54,711 in prize money.

After being crippled in a hand earlier against JP Kelly, Jason Dewitt got his final chips in from the SB with Ah Ts against Marc Tschirch’s 7s 6c. The board was not kind to Dewitt as it ran out 9d 8s 4d Kh 6d, giving Tschirch a pair on the river to send Jason Dewitt home in third place with $78,826.

When heads up play started JP Kelley had the chip lead with 1,677,000 to Marc Tschirch‘s 1,172,000. Tshcirch got the better of Kelly in the first two hands, but it did not take long before his day was over as the runner up. On the final hand Marc Tschirch raised to 55K from the button, John Paul Kelly came over the top to 150K, Tschirch called and the flop came 8c 5d 4s. Kelly led out for 155K, Tschirch called and the turn came Qc. Kelly bet 300K, Tschirch moved all in and Kelly insta-called. Kelly flipped over the AsQh for top pair, while Tschirch held Ah5h for a lower pair. Tschirch need a five to stay alive, but the 2c fell instead. Marc Tschirch collected $120,102 for his runner-up finish.

After the win, Kelly said “This has to be the highlight of my life, so far.” When asked how he would celebrate his bracelet victory Kelly replied, “I don’t know. But it will probably involve a lot of alcohol.”