Simon Charette Takes Down 2012 WSOP Event #23

Canada’s Simon Charette took down event #23 after three tough days for a $567,624 top prize – and gold bracelet – at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas.

Having taken second place in the $1,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em event #48 last year for $404,235, Toronto’s Charette moved on to $1,034,166 for WSOP earnings with this $3,000 buy-in Six-Handed No-Limit Hold’em success in the series at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.

The filmmaker had to outlast 923 rivals, which is tough enough, but Day 3 was even more stacked as the likes of Freddy Deeb, Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier, Eugene Katchalov, Scott Montgomery and Andrew Lichtenberger – who collectively have more than $25 million in live event earnings – were still in contention from the 18 survivors.

Sixes Good Enough for Bracelet

The final hand of a very swift heads-up clash saw UK-based Ukrainian Artem Metalidi six-bet shove all-in pre-flop with A♥ 2♠. Charette called holding 6♠ 6♣ and stayed in front on a board that read 9♥ K♦ J♠ 8♠ J♥ to collect the bracelet. Metalidi left with $350,806 as runner-up.

New York-based Ukrainian Katchalov (17th for $21,189) was one of the first players to exit in the Pavilion Room as half-a-dozen eliminations were recorded within the opening half of the day’s first level.

The Team PokerStars Pro shoved with Q♥ 8♥ into the A♠ J♠ of Wisconsin’s Eddie Blumenthal. Katchalov paired his queen on a Q♦ 10♠ 4♣ flop for the lead, while the K♥ turn changed little. However, the A♦ arrived on the river for Blumenthal to send Katchalov to the rail.

Freddy Deeb Out in 10th

The exits slowed down somewhat after Frenchman Damien Lhommeau was knocked out in 12th for $27,344. But Deeb was eliminated in 10th place for $36,198 when his ace-three lost out to the ace-ten of Lichtenberger on a board of 8♣ K♠ J♣ 10♦ 4♣.

New York State’s Lichtenberger didn’t last too much longer, though, as he became the unofficial final table bubble boy when exiting in eighth place for $49,214. His K♣ K♦ couldn’t stay ahead of Metalidi’s A♦ Q♦ on a board that read A♥ A♠ Q♠ 2♣ 4♥ to give the start-of-day chip leader a full house.

The seven-handed final table then saw Canadian Montgomery’s 8♠ 7♠ lose out to the A♣ Q♥ of Charette. The flop came down A♣ 6♠ 2♠ to give Montgomery a flush draw, but that never arrived as the 7♦ came on the turn and the 10♣ was dealt on the river to send the Ontario player out in seventh for $49,124.

Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier Exits in Sixth

London-based Grospellier was out in sixth place, for $68,738, just a short while later when his 7♣ 7♦ failed to hold against the A♥ K♠ of Spaniard Luis Rodriguez Cruz on a K♣ 8♣ 4♥ 3♠ 9♦ board.

Play slowed right down after the Triple Crown winner’s exit, with the five survivors not in any immediate danger of elimination. But that couldn’t last, with Foster Hays, of Dallas, hitting the rail in fifth for $98,756 not long after the dinner break when his 4♣ 5♦ could not improve against the A♠ 8♥ of Kiev’s Metalidi on a 3♥ Q♦ Q♥ 7♦ 9♠.

Blumenthal was next out – in fourth place for $146,053 – when his A♥ Q♦ ran into the A♥ A♦ of Charette. Blumenthal could not improve on a flop Q♠ 4♠ 8♣ J♥ 2♦.

Madrid’s Rodriguez Cruz doubled-up early in three-handed play, but had to settle for third and $222,511 when his 6♣ 6♠ lost in a coinflip against the A♠ 8♥ of Charette on a K♥ 9♦ 7♠ 9♣ A♥ board.

WSOP 2012 Event #23 Top 10 Payouts

1. Simon Charette (Canada) – $567,624

2. Artem Metalidi (Ukraine) – $350,806

3. Luis Rodriguez Cruz (Spain) – $222,511

4. Eddie Blumenthal (USA) – $146,053

5. Foster Hays (USA) – $98,756

6. Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier (France) – $68,738

7. Scott Montgomery (Canada) – $49,214

8. Andrew Lichtenberger (USA) – $49,214

9. Joseph Urgo (USA) – $36,198

10. Freddy Deeb (USA) – $36,198