EVENT UPDATES
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Monday, June 4, 2012 2:02 AM Local Time
What a long day that was! We came back at 1pm yesterday afternoon and after nearly 14 hours of play we've finally crowned a winner. Herbert Tapscott from Birmingham, Alabama defeated the formidable Gavin Griffin after a two-hour heads up battle. There was just six minutes left of today's allotted play when the decisive hand (explained below) played out. The 71-year old Tapscott prize is more than ten times that of his previous win.
Not only did he have to get past Griffin, he had to navigate his way past the talents such Allen Bari, Dutch Boyd, and John Racener. A lot of players would had bets on those three in the sports-book this morning.
Griffin will be hugely disappointed as the Triple Crown holder was desperate to add to the first bracelet he won as a 22-year old. Tapscott was nearly 50 years older when he managed the same fete.
This is PokerNews signing off another event here at the Rio. We're absolutely shattered and are heading straight to bed. Be sure to tune in to out colleagues tomorrow where others will be looking to make their own poker history. Here at nearly 3am Herbert Tapscott made his own, and in the fall of his life. Many congratulations from us all.
Monday, June 4, 2012 1:44 AM Local Time
And then it was all over! Within a couple of hands Herbert Tapscott found a way to end Gavin Griffin's resistance and we've got ourselves a winner. Griffin raised to 200,000 from the button and Tapscott made the call. The flop came down and Griffin was all in blind for his final 65,000 chips. Tapscott made the call and showed against Griffin's . The turn was the and the river the giving Tapscott the winning hand and the gold bracelet!
| Herbert Tapscott | 4,300,000 | 250,000  |
| Gavin Griffin | 0 | -250,000  |
Monday, June 4, 2012 1:42 AM Local Time
| Herbert Tapscott | 4,050,000 | 500,000 |
| Gavin Griffin | 250,000 | -500,000 |
Monday, June 4, 2012 1:41 AM Local Time
Griffin just limped on the button and Tapscott checked. The flop was and Tapscott check-called 100,000. The turn was the and both players checked. On the river the hit the board and Tapscott bet 200,000. Griffin called and had to muck when Tapscott showed his . Griffin is getting seriously short but we only have 10 minutes left in the day. Could Tapscott finish it or are we coming back for more tomorrow?
| Herbert Tapscott | 3,550,000 | 650,000 |
| Gavin Griffin | 750,000 | -650,000 |
Monday, June 4, 2012 1:38 AM Local Time
A big pot went Herbert Tapscott's way and it's put Gavin Griffin in the danger zone.
The pot was limped to a flop where Griffin called a 100,000 bet to see the . Tapcott checked-raised at this juncture but Griffin wasn't to be shifted.
The river fell and Griffin made a reluctant sounding call. Tapscott showed him and scooped as Griffin mucked.
| Herbert Tapscott | 2,900,000 | 1,450,000 |
| Gavin Griffin | 1,400,000 | -1,450,000 |
Monday, June 4, 2012 1:29 AM Local Time
Griffin raised the button to 200,000 and Tapscott called. The flop came down and both players checked. The turn was the and Tapscott lead out for 200,000. Griffin called and the river was the . Tapscott checked the river and Griffin bet 200,000. Tapscott called and mucked when Griffin showed his for the king high flush.
| Gavin Griffin | 2,850,000 | 150,000 |
| Herbert Tapscott | 1,450,000 | -150,000 |
Monday, June 4, 2012 1:19 AM Local Time
Gavin Griffin has taken control (again) of this lengthy heads up battle.
He opened from the button and Herbert Tapscott defended to see the flop where he check-raised Griffin's c-bet. Call.
The turn came and Griffin called a 200,000 bet. The river fell and Tapscott check-called a 200,000 bet.
"Straight," said Griffin who scooped with .
| Gavin Griffin | 2,700,000 | 2,354,000 |
| Herbert Tapscott | 1,600,000 | 1,418,000 |
Monday, June 4, 2012 1:10 AM Local Time
| Gavin Griffin | 2,500,000 | 300,000 |
| Herbert Tapscott | 1,800,000 | -300,000 |
Monday, June 4, 2012 12:58 AM Local Time
It's been a couple of hours since Gavin Griffin was the tournament chip leader, but he's back there again.
He raised when Herbert Tapscott called on the button. Tapscott called, and called a c-bet on the flop.
Both players checked the turn before Tapscott folded to a 200,000 bet on the river.
| Gavin Griffin | 2,200,000 | 1,854,000 |
| Herbert Tapscott | 2,100,000 | 1,918,000 |
Monday, June 4, 2012 12:51 AM Local Time
The initial idea of playing down to a winner just got changed. We are playing one last level, and if there's not a winner by the end of it, we will return tomorrow to play it out.
Monday, June 4, 2012 12:51 AM Local Time
Level:
31
Blinds:
50000/100000
Ante:
0
Monday, June 4, 2012 12:43 AM Local Time
| Herbert Tapscott | 2,490,000 | -660,000 |
| Gavin Griffin | 1,865,000 | 615,000 |
Monday, June 4, 2012 12:42 AM Local Time
A 20-minute break was announced, but the players negotiated that down to ten minutes.
Monday, June 4, 2012 12:39 AM Local Time
Gavin Griffin was caught bluffing on the river of a board.
Herbert Tapscott checked to him and called the 160,000-chip bet. "Ten-high. Nice call," said Griffin when he saw his opponent's for a flush.
| Herbert Tapscott | 3,150,000 | 2,968,000 |
| Gavin Griffin | 1,250,000 | 904,000 |
Monday, June 4, 2012 12:35 AM Local Time
Whatever happens we are going to play down to a winner tonight. That is the information we just got from the tournament director. The limits are huge and it could all be over in a matter of hands, but with the current pace it could also still take a couple of levels.
Monday, June 4, 2012 12:25 AM Local Time
Griffin limped from the button and Tapscott raised. Griffin followed with the quick call and the flop brought out . Tapscott bet 80,000 and Griffin made the call. The turn was the and Tapscott bet 160,000, Griffin called again. On the river showed up and Tapscott checked. Griffin bet 160,000 and Tapscott called saying, "Nice catch", and Griffin showed for the nut straight. Tapscott had and mucked his top set.
| Herbert Tapscott | 2,700,000 | -600,000 |
| Gavin Griffin | 1,700,000 | 600,000 |
Monday, June 4, 2012 12:15 AM Local Time
Gavin Griffin threw his cards into the muck on the river prompting one of his railers to shout, "Shake it off, Gavin."
Griffin had limp-called a raise from Herbert Tapscott to head to a flop. Tapscott led for 80,000. Call. The turn came and Griffin called an 160,000 bet before both checked the river.
Tapscott opened up and scooped.
| Herbert Tapscott | 3,500,000 | 3,318,000 |
| Gavin Griffin | 900,000 | 554,000 |
Monday, June 4, 2012 12:03 AM Local Time
| Herbert Tapscott | 3,426,000 | 175,000 |
| Gavin Griffin | 925,000 | -175,000 |
Sunday, June 3, 2012 11:59 PM Local Time
Herbert Tapscott is on top of things as he just won another important pot. Tapscott raised to 160,000 from the button and Griffin called. The flop came down and Griffin check-called 80,000. The turn was the and Griffin checked again after which Tapscott bet 160,000. Griffin decided to raise making it 320,000 and Tapscott called.
The river was the and Griffin bet 160,000. Tapscott called and Griffin showed for trip eights with a nine but his kicker was beat by Tapscott who showed . Tapscott increased his lead and is looking very strong at the moment.
| Herbert Tapscott | 3,251,000 | 3,069,000 |
| Gavin Griffin | 1,100,000 | 754,000 |
Sunday, June 3, 2012 11:52 PM Local Time
Herbert Tapscott has had the better of the first few heads-up pots. They're not exciting or big enough to write about but they have seen Gavin Griffin slip further behind.
| Herbert Tapscott | 2,871,000 | 221,000 |
| Gavin Griffin | 1,480,000 | -225,000 |