Event #28: $2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha

The $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha event has come to an end with Miguel Proulx outlasting a field of 596 to take down his first gold bracelet. The day started with twelve players on the march to a winner. Matthew Reed, Joe Serock and Dilyan Kovachev were all eliminated leading up to the final table.

Once there, action seemed to slow as players felt one another out and took a patient approach; in fact, only one player was eliminated early on, Patrick Hanoteau. Things changed after the players returned from their dinner break in a big way. Action picked up and the eliminations began to mount. Tommy Le was the next to fall, followed by Trevor Pope.

It was at this point that Miguel Proulx seemed to switch gears and become much more aggressive. The very next hand after eliminating Pope, he knocked out Karl Gal. Michael Greco then eliminated Joerg Engels and Proulx countered by sending Stephane Tayar home.

Once it was three handed, it was anyone's game. L.J. Klein doubled to 1.5 million through Proulx, which essentially evened the two, with Greco close behind at 850,000. After changing chips back and forth, Greco was eliminated, setting up a heads-up battle between Klein, who was the chipleader at the end of Day 1, and Proulx, who was the chip leader coming into the final day.

The heads-up battle was a contest of wills, characterized by patient play and well thought out aggression. Proulx was at a chip disadvantage but managed to double up and bring the stacks within 100,000 of each other. In the end, Proulx dispatched Klein with the nut flush to claim his first gold bracelet and the $315,311 first place prize.

Congratulations to Miguel Proulx, Event #28 Champion!

Miguel Proulx -- 2,500,000

L.J. Klein -- 1,970,000

Another half-dozen hands and L.J. Klein had successfully chipped away further at Miguel Proulx's stack, moving up to 3.54 million versus Proulx's 985,000.

Then came a hand in which Klein opened with a raise to 125,000 from the small blind/button, and Proulx reraised to 375,000. Klein thought a half-minute, then said he was reraising enough to put Proulx all in, and Proulx called.

Proulx     

Klein     

The flop came    , giving Klein a set of fours. It appeared the end was near. But the   dramatically arrived on the turn, giving Proulx the better set. The river was the  , and Proulx doubles back all of the way to 2 million, not far behind Klein's 2.4 million!

On just the second hand of heads-up play we saw a potentially tourney-ending hand. Following a flop of    , Miguel Proulx bet 100,000, L.J. Klein raised pot to 350,000 from the button, Proulx reraised all-in, and Klein called.

Both players had flopped straights with    in their hands, but Klein had a couple of spades and the possibility of taking the whole pot.

But neither the turn nor river brought a spade, so they chopped the big pot.

L.J. Klein opened with a raise from the small blind, Michael Greco reraised all in for his last 485,000, and Klein called.

Klein     

Greco     

The flop came    , and Klein was ahead with two pair, but Greco had a flush draw. The turn was the  , and Greco was still looking for help. But the river was the  , and Greco is out in third, matching his best-ever WSOP finish from last year.

We're heads-up! A short break before the final two carry this battle to the end.

L.J. Klein just doubled up one opponent. And now he's doubled up the other.

Klein opened for 150,000 from the small blind, and Michael Greco called from the big blind. The flop came    , Greco committed his last 300,000, and Klein called.

Greco showed      and Klein     . The turn was the   and the river the  , and Greco's hand was best.

Klein's still over 2 million, though, while Greco has 875,000.

L.J. Klein opened for 105,000 from the button, Michael Greco folded, and Michel Proulx raised to 340,000 from the big blind. Klein called the reraise, and turned to look at Proulx as the dealer dealt the flop. Such is Klein's habit -- to watch his opponent's reaction to the flop rather than the cards being dealt.

Interestingly, this time Proulx was looking at Klein, too, so neither saw the     spread out on the felt before them right away. Eventually Proulx looked down, then bet 300,000. Klein quickly announced a pot-sized reraise, and Proulx instantly mucked his cards.

Klein is now up to 3.235 million, while both Proulx and Greco are right around the 580,000-chip mark.

Miguel Proulx opened with a raise to 150,000 from the small blind, and L.J. Klein called from the big blind. Both checked the     flop. The turn was the  . Proulx bet 175,000, and Klein took about 20 seconds before making the call.

The river was the  . Proulx checked, and Klein didn't hesitate to push out 400,000. Proulx tossed his cards dealerward.

Klein increases his lead, and is now with 2.345 million. Proulx is next with 1.35 million, and Greco has 700,000.

Miguel Proulx -- 1,910,000

L.J. Klein -- 1,710,000

Michael Greco -- 850,000

In the last hand of the level, Miguel Proulx raised to 120,000 from the small blind, and L.J. Klein called from the BB. The flop came    . Proulx checked, and Klein bet 240,000, leaving himself about a half million behind. Proulx announced he was raising pot, and Klein called with his remaining chips.

Proulx     

Klein     

An intriguing situation, in which Proulx's humble pair of fours were currently best. But the   turn gave Klein the straight, and the   sealed it.

Klein bounds back to around 1.7 million on that one, while Proulx slips back under 2 million. We'll get exact counts here in a second as the players are about to go on a 20-minute break.