/ Matthew Pitt / 31 August 2011 / Leave a Comment 
The final table of the World Poker Tour Legends of Poker has been completed and it is Will "The Thrill" Failla who is the man who managed to win every single chip in play to be crowned as Champion. Failla started the day as the chipleader and although he let his chip advantage slip on a couple of occasions, he always looked like he would be there or thereabouts and at one point Ken Aldridge said Failla's victory was destined to happen.
It took an hour for the first player to be eliminated from the six-handed final table at the Bicycle Casino, Bell Gardens, California and that dubious honour went to Owais Ahmed. The man who won his first World Series of Poker bracelet a couple of months ago started as the shortest stack and from the off was playing very aggressively in an attempt to chip up. However, his efforts backfired as he moved all in from the small blind with Js7s for 1,760,000 (blinds 60,000/120,000/20,000a) and Failla made the call in the big blind with Ac5h. The board ran out As-Kh-7h-Ad-Kc, gifting Failla an unnecessary full house and sending Ahmed to the cashier's cage to pick up $77,100.
Another two hours passed before the five players were reduced to the final four and it was Adam Aronson who was busted out in spectacular fashion. With blinds now 100,000/200,000/25,000a Aronson open-shoved from the button for 1,675,000 chips and was snapped off by Jeff Vertes in the big blind. Aronson flipped over 6c6s and was in a whole world of pain against the AdAh of Vertes but that all changed as the flop came down 8h-6h-3s. The turn was the 7h and brought a few "oohs and aahs" from the crowd as Vertes held the Ah meaning he could win by hitting an ace or heart on the river and it was the latter, the 9h, that made an appearance on the fifth community card sending a disappointed Aronson home for an early bath.
Joshua Pollock's elimination 30 minutes later was a little less exciting in terms of action but it did earn him $128,500. Pollock raised to 425,000 from the button and Aldridge called from the big blind. The dealer got busy putting out the Ad-Kc-4d flop. It was greeted with a check from Aldridge, a 500,000 continuation bet from Pollock and a check-raise to 1,200,000 from Aldridge. Pollock sat for almost a minute before moving all in, Aldridge made the call and showed As7h, which needed to avoid a diamond as Pollock held Jd7d. And avoid diamonds he did as the turn and river were the 7c and Th respectively to send the popular Pollock to the sidelines.
They played three-handed for almost three and a half hours before something finally gave and Vertes was sent packing. With blinds now really starting to bite at 200,000/400,000/50,000a the players were prepared to splash around in pots so it was only a matter of time before two big hands collided. Failla opened to 900,000 from the button and then shoved over the top of Vertes' three-bet of 1,750,000 from the big blind. Vertes made the call and his AhQd was nicely dominating the AdJc of Failla. This was not the case for long as the flop came down Ac-Jd-Tc but the hand was far from over as Vertes still had outs. The 9h was not really one of them and unfortunately for him neither was the As on the river and it sent him home, albeit with $186,400 in prize money.
Going into heads up Failla held a 13,075,000 to 10,650,000 chip lead over Aldridge but that would not last for very long. On just the fourth hand of play Failla min-raised to 800,000 and was called. A flop reading Ac-As-6s was met with a check from Aldridge, a bet of 1,000,000 from Failla and a quick check-raise to 2,500,000 from Aldridge. Failla paused before making the call. The turn was the 4d and again Aldridge checked, again Failla bet this time 1,500,000 but instantly folded as Aldridge made another check-raise, this one all in.
That completely turned the tie around and Aldridge was armed with 14,550,000 chips but in heads up No Limit Hold'em things can change instantly and change they did. Eight hands later and Failla doubled up and crippled Aldridge after some good fortune. Aldridge opened to 900,000 and Failla called, and the latter check-called Aldridge's 500,000 bet on a Jc-5d-2h flop. The 9h on the turn saw Failla check, Aldridge bet 2,000,000 and after a minute of deliberating, a call from Failla. The river was the 7h and now Failla came out betting to the tune of 4,000,000. Aldridge quickly moved all in but was not happy when Failla snap-called and turned over 8h6h for an unlikely flush, much stronger than the AdAs of Aldridge. When the players had stacked their chips Aldridge said "It looks like destiny," referring to a now very likely Failla win.
That win was confirmed just three hands later. Failla now with over 20,000,000 chips moved all in and Aldridge thought briefly before calling. Failla turned over Jh6c which was dominating the 6s4h of his opponent. The dealer put out the five community cards, which read Kc-Kh-7h-Qd-9s meaning Failla's jack-kicker came into play which sent "Teach" Aldridge to the rail as runner-up.
The World Poker Tour next stops off at the Aviation Club in Paris for the Grand Prix de Paris between September 4-12, where yours truly will be reporting live on the World Poker Tour website. Until then, a massive congratulations to Will Failla on his first World Poker Tour title!
Final table payouts
1st: Will Failla: $758,085
2nd: Ken Aldridge: $365,800
3rd: Jeff Vertes: $186,400
4th: Joshua Pollock: $128,500
5th: Adam Aronson: $102,800
6th: Owais Ahmed: $77,100
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