JC Tran wins 2nd WSOP BraceletJ.C Tran added a second career WSOP bracelet to his poker resume last night as he took down 2009 WSOP Event #30, $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha. With a bracelet in the 2008 WSOP, 7 WSOP final tables, 5 WPT final tables, a WCCOP Main Event win, and a WPT Player of The Year victory under his belt, one might assume Tran was favored at the start of this final table. However, he found himself middle of the pack to start the night and was at a final table with poker superstar John Juanda, Hendon Mob’s Ross Boatman and accomplished poker professionals Lief Force, Theo Jorgensen, and Rami Boukai.

2009 WSOP Event 30 Final Table Coverage

Event 30, $2,500 PLO, was one of the few events that reached a final nine players at the end of its second day. The nine survivors, of the initial 436 entrants, returned to the Rio for a 2PM start time. It was Hendon Mob member Ross Boatman at the summit with 718,000 chips.

John Juanda came into the final table with the shortest stack (129,000 chips) and wasted little time attempting a double up. On this hand Juanda called a preflop raise made by Dallas Flowers and then moved all in when the flop came 6s 2s 10d. When the hands were turned up Juanda was statistically favored (about 60/40) holding AhQh8s9s for a flush draw and inside straight draw, as Flowers tabled KcKd5h5c for an overpair. Unfortunately for Juanda the turn and river bricked and he was out in ninth.

Next to go was WSOPE bracelet holder Theo Jorgensen of Denmark in eighth place worth $26,955. On this hand J.C. Tran raised to 55,000 from under the gun and Jorgensen raised the pot, putting in 140,000 more. Action folded back to Tran, who made the call. On the flop of 3s3h5h, Tran bet about half the pot and Jorgensen called all in. Tran: 8c10c9h7h. Jorgensen: AcKsKd7s. Tran had a flush draw, but Jorgensen’s overpair was the 64 percent favorite. The 4d on the turn gave Tran more outs with a straight draw, which completed when the dealer brought out the 6s on the river.

Chad Layne’s run ended in seventh place ($31,427) when Tran opened to $60K from the button with KhKsJc5h, Layne three-bet to 200K with his AsJd10s8d, Tran reraised all in and Layne called. Statistically this hand was a coin flip with Tran having a very small edge. When the board ran 10c 3d 3c 5s 4h Tran’s unimproved pocket kings won the pot to send Layne to the rail.

Rami Boukai’s attempt at joining Phil Ivey and Brock Parker as multiple 2009 WSOP bracelet winners fell short as he finished in sixth place ($38,407) after a hand that saw Tran raise to 60K from the cutoff, Jean-Phillipe Leandri raise to 216K, Boukai call all in and Tran call as well. When the cards were turned up we saw Boukai show 5c6h8s4d, Leandri: AcAhQc2d and Tran: Ks9hJs7s. When the board finished it was trip Aces giving Leandri’s the winning hand.

Dallas Flowers was short stacked and would be the next to go finishing in fifth place worth $49,387, which isn’t bad for his first ever WSOP cash. On his final hand he put all his money in holding AhQsJh9d against Kimber’s AcKsQh3h. The board ran 5d4s3dKcQc, and Kimber’s top two pair took it down.

A few minutes later Hendon Mob’s Ross Boatman was to the rail in fourth ($66,936). On his final hand he limped in from the small blind, Tran checked his option and the flop came 8d3h2s. Boatman checked to Tran, who bet 60,000. Boatman check-raised all in and Tran called. Boatman had top pair with Ad10c9h8c, while Tran had top two pair with Qh9s8s3s (61 percent to win). The turn was the As, making Boatman a superior two pair, but Tran took it with the runner-runner flush when another spade fell on the river.

Three handed play lasted only 20 minutes, as Jean-Philippe Leandri got in trouble on a 3 way limped pot that saw a flop of 2h 3c Ac. Lendri bet 90,000, Jeff Kimber folded, and Tran raised pot. Leandri made the all-in call and the hands were opened. Leandri held 2d3sJhQh and Tran tabled QsJsJc5c. Leandri was ahead with two pair (a 52 percent favorite), but Tran had outs with his overpair and flush draw. The 10s on the turn brought the possibility of a chop, as a king on the river would make the Broadway straight for both men, but Tran took the hand when the 4c hit and Leandri was sent to the rail to collect $95,837 third place prize money.

When heads up play began Tran had a little over a 2-to-1 chip lead with 2.23 million to Kimber’s 1.04 million. A few hands into the match Tran had a 5-1 chip lead and never looked back. After an hour of heads up play the tournament came to an end (7:30PM PST) when Kimber opened for 120K from the button, Tran called and the flop came 9d7s7h. Tran checked, Kimber bet 75K, Tran called and the 8s was dealt on the turn. This time Tran led out for 100K, Kimber moved all in and Tran made the call. The hands were revealed: Kimber held 6h4s4d3c, no river card was needed as Tran showed KsQh8c8h for a turned full house. Kimber collected $145,656 for his runner up finish, while Tran collected $235,685 top place prize money and his second career WSOP bracelet.