Dutch Delight as Vincent Van Der Fluit Wins WSOP Event #11

Dutch player Vincent Van Der Fluit has pocketed $265,211 for winning the $1,500 buy-in Pot-Limit Omaha event #11 at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas.

The event started with 970 players at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, but that eventually became just one when Utrecht’s Van Der Fluit defeated American Charles ‘Chuck’ Tonne in their heads-up clash that saw the runner-up collect $164,132 from the $1,309,500 prize pool.

The final table took just four hours to complete, with Van Der Fluit taking the top prize and gold bracelet for his first WSOP crown by outlasting WSOP Circuit champ Tonne, of Michigan, who had started Day 3 as chip leader.

High-Stakes Expert Emerges Victorious

Just nine players returned for the third and final day, with five nations represented and only one previous bracelet winner, Tristan Wade. But it was high-stakes specialist Van Der Fluit who emerged victorious.

Heads-up play reflected how fast the whole event had passed, although Van Der Fluit (two million) and Tonne (2.3 million) did start out with almost even chip stacks. However, Van Der Fluit chipped away at Tonne’s stack, with one hand in particular setting the Dutch player up for his famous victory.

The rivals saw a A♣ K♦ K♥ flop, with Van Der Fluit calling to the 8♠ turn before betting 350,000 on the 8♣ river. But Tonne called to see that Van Der Fluit had flopped a full house with his A♥ K♠ to give the European 3.3 million against the American’s 1,050,000.

The Dutch Star Flushed with Success

With a 3 to 1 chip lead, Van Der Fluit had completed his path to glory just two hands later. Van Der Fluit opened for 60,000 and Tonne made the call to see a flop of A♣ 5♣ 2♦. The Dutchman check-raised to 315,000 before all the chips hit the middle. Tonne showed had 10♣ 9♣ Q♥ 5♥ for a flush draw, while Van Der Fluit had two pair and a better flush draw with J♣ 2♣ A♦ 7♣. The turn came K♣ and the river was the 7♦ to ensure that Van Der Fluit’s higher flush gave him the gold bracelet.

The first elimination arrived when San Diego’s David Schnettler hit the rail in ninth place for $18,896. The Californian, who returned as one of the short stacks, faced an all-in call from Ukrainian Alex Dovzhenko for his tournament life when the flop came 9♦ 10♦ J♥. Schnettler called, only to see that Dovzhenko had flopped the nut straight. Schnettler showed A♥ K♥ J♠ 5♥ and desperately required help, but was left disappointed when the turn came 9♥ and the river showed 10♠.

Calvin Anderson Out in Eighth

Only 10 minutes later, Yukon’s Calvin Anderson hit the rail in eighth place for $24,186. Anderson was all-in on a 6♦ 6♣ 10♣ flop, with Dovzhenko holding trip sixes and the American on a club flush draw. The 5♦ turn gave Dovzhenko a full house while the 3♠ river sent Anderson to the rail.

Canadian Brian Garbe, who had started the final day as the short stack, was next to go in seventh place for $31,375. Under the gun, Tonne opened and Garbe shoved all-in holding A♣ J♣ 7♠ 6♦. Tonne called to show A♥ Q♣ 7♣ 3♦ and the board ran out J♠ 10♣ 6♥ 10♠ 7♥. Tonne made two pair to send Ontario’s Garbe out.

The fast pace continued as California’s Rodney Brown shoved all-in 15 minutes later to exit in sixth for $41,249. The flop came 7♠ 5♦ J♠ and Van Der Fluit snap-called to table two pair with J♣ 7♣. The 7♥ turn gave Van Der Fluit a full house and Brown was gone.

Alex Dovzhenko’s Luck Runs Out

Kiev’s Dovzhenko – who had been the most involved player on the final day – eventually saw his luck run out when he lost a pot to Tonne to exit in fifth for $55,025. The K♠ 7♠ 8♥ flop prompted Dovzhenko to pot and Tonne re-pot. Dovzhenko was now all-in with a pair of aces, while Tonne had flopped two pair before turning a full house on the 8♠ turn for the knockout.

The players enjoyed a 30-minute break, but the next elimination arrived on the first hand back as Frenchman Damien Lhommueau hit the rail in fourth spot for $74,536. Lhommeau was all-in pre-flop against Tonne, with the American making a straight for the scalp.

Florida’s Wade didn’t hang about much longer either as he exited only two hands later in third place for $102,690. Wade moved all-in while holding K♥ Q♥ J♦ 9♣ against the J♥ 9♦ 8♥ 5♣ of Tonne. The board ran out 7♥ 4♦ 5♦ 8♦ Q♦, meaning Wade’s pair of queens failed to beat the two pair of Tonne.

WSOP 2012 Event #11 Top 10 Payouts

1. Vincent Van Der Fluit (Netherlands) – $265,211

2. Charles Tonne (USA) – $164,132

3. Tristan Wade (USA) – $102,690

4. Damien Lhommueau (France) – $74,536

5. Alex Dovzhenko (Ukraine) – $55,025

6. Rodney Brown (USA) – $41,249

7. Brian Garbe (Canada) – $31,375

8. Calvin Anderson (USA) – $24,186

9. David Schnettler (USA) – $18,896

10. Galen Kester (USA) – $14,954