Saturday, June 19, 2010 11:08 PM Local Time
Two years ago in 2008, Jose-Luis Velador claimed his first World Series of Poker gold bracelet when he won a $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em event for nearly $575,000. A few minutes before midnight tonight here in Las Vegas, Velador claimed his second piece of gold jewelry from the WSOP after he defeated David Chiu heads up.
Velador came into the third and final day as the chip leader, slightly edging out Chiu who sat in second place at the start of the day. When it got down to just two players left, it was the two who began at the top to begin with.
Velador's amazing run began a couple hours into the day when he eliminated the biggest threat in Phil Ivey. From there, you just couldn't stop the Velador train. He eliminated player after player en route to victory, making for a rather short final table for what we're used to.
Finishing on top of the 482-player field earned Velador a payday of $260,517 while further cementing his spot in poker history as one of the select few to capture multiple gold bracelets. Congratulations to Velador for taking home the gold and walking away as champion of Event No. 33!
As for us at PokerNews, we're not quite done yet. We've got plenty of World Series coverage going on so be sure to follow along. Thanks for following our coverage here.
Saturday, June 19, 2010 10:53 PM Local Time
Pot-Limit Hold'em
Jose-Luis Velador had the button and made a raise before David Chiu reraised from the big blind 124,000 more. The initial raise amount was unknown. Velador made the call and off to a flop they went.
The flop came down and Chiu fired 372,000 into the middle. That was more than half of his stack and when Velador reraised the pot to put Chiu all in, Chiu made the call. Velador held the for top pair and Chiu held the for two live overcards.
The turn was the and was close, but not what Chiu needed. He still needed an ace or a ten on the river, but couldn't find it when the fell on the river.
Velador had Chiu well covered and that was it. Chiu and Velador shook hands before Chiu took the gold bracelet out of its holding case and put it around Velador's wrist for a very nice gesture. Chiu walked away with over $160,000 for his finish.
Saturday, June 19, 2010 10:38 PM Local Time
Pot-Limit Hold'em
From the button, David Chiu raised to 64,000 and Jose-Luis Velador made the call from the big blind. The flop came down and Velador checked. Chiu fired 80,000 and then Velador raised the pot. Chiu moved all in quickly and Velador called the little bit more it was to him.
Velador held the and Chiu the . Chiu's top pair was good on the flop when the money went in and it held up as the turn ( ) and river ( ) came out.
Chiu doubled to about 950,000 in chips. Velador still has over 2.6 million.
Saturday, June 19, 2010 10:18 PM Local Time
Pot-Limit Omaha
Rob Hollink limped the button before Jose-Luis Velador raised to 80,000 from the small blind. David Chiu gave it some thought in the big blind and then mucked before Hollink committed the call.
The flop came down and the two players quickly got the money in the middle. Hollink held the for top two pair. Velador held the for an overpair of kings.
The turn was the and then the river the , counterfeiting the two pair for Hollink and sending him out of the tournament as Velador earned another elimination. He's now heads up with Hollink.
Saturday, June 19, 2010 10:15 PM Local Time
Pot-Limit Omaha
Rob Hollink completed from the small blind and then Jose-Luis Velador raised from the big blind to 60,000. Hollink made the call.
The flop came down and Hollink check-called a bet of 100,000 from Velador. After the fell on the turn, both players checked. The fell on the river and Hollink fired 175,000. Velador called.
Velador showed the for a full house, sevens full of aces and beat Hollink who flashed two kings before mucking.
Saturday, June 19, 2010 10:06 PM Local Time
Pot-Limit Omaha
Jose-Luis Velador and Craig Gray put 120,000 chips in preflop each before the flop came down . Gray pushed the last of his stack in on the flop and Velador quickly called.
Gray held the and was up against the for Velador.
After the dealer placed the on the turn, Gray was drawing dead versus Velador's kings full. The river completed the board with the to officially end things.
Gray finished in fourth place and took home over $85,000 for his finish, his largest score to date.
Saturday, June 19, 2010 10:00 PM Local Time
Pot-Limit Hold'em
On the button, Kevin MacPhee raised to 60,000. His only customer was Jose-Luis Velador in the big blind. The flop came down and action was checked by Velador to MacPhee. He fired a continuation bet worth 80,000 and then Velador raised to 200,000. MacPhee moved all in for about 500,000 total and after a minute in the tank, Velador made the call.
Velador held top pair with the and was ahead against MacPhee's .
The turn was the and the river the to keep Velador's pair of kings the best hand. He eliminated MacPhee in the hand and boomed his way up to over a 1.5 million in chips.
Saturday, June 19, 2010 9:12 PM Local Time
The remaining five players are enjoying a short 20-minute break. We'll be right back!
Saturday, June 19, 2010 9:10 PM Local Time
Pot-Limit Omaha
Victor Ramdin was all in for his last 110,000 or so against Kevin MacPhee -- the man that just doubled him up a little while ago. Ramdin held the and MacPhee the .
The board ran out and MacPhee made three threes to send Ramdin to the rail in sixth place and leave only five remaining at the final table.
Saturday, June 19, 2010 9:02 PM Local Time
Pot-Limit Hold'em
Just as we finished writing up the last double up for Rob Hollink, Voctor Ramdin was all in preflop versus Kevin MacPhee. Ramdin held pocket kings -- -- against the for MacPhee.
The board ran out and Ramdin was able to dodge a turned flush draw to double up to about 180,000 in chips.
Saturday, June 19, 2010 8:58 PM Local Time
Pot-Limit Hold'em
Action folded to Kevin MacPhee on the button and he raised to 50,000. Rob Hollink was in the small blind and reraised to 160,000. MacPhee took a moment and then pushed out a bunch of chips to put Hollink all in. Hollink made the call.
Hollink held a dominating hand with the to MacPhee's .
The board ran out and MacPhee sent over the total amount needed and doubled up Hollink to 828,000. MacPhee was left with 701,000.
Saturday, June 19, 2010 8:44 PM Local Time
Pot-Limit Omaha
From late position, David Chiu raised and then James Mitchell reraised to 178,000 from the small blind. Chiu thought for a little bit when action got back to him and then moved all in to commit Mitchell. Mitchell made the call.
Chiu held the and Mitchell the .
The flop came down to keep Chiu in front. The on the turn added a couple more outs for Mitchell, but the on the river wasn't one of them. Chiu was pushed the pot and Mitchell was pushed out the door in seventh place. He took home over $35,000 for his finish while Chiu chipped up to about 800,000 in chips.
Saturday, June 19, 2010 8:35 PM Local Time
Pot-Limit Omaha
On the flop of , four players were in action. james Mitch fired 95,000 before Kevin MacPhee potted it and shoved out over 400,000. Jose-Luis Velador folded and then Craig Gray folded before action got back to Mitchell. He thought for a minute knowing this decision was for his tournament life if he were to make the call. He opted to fold though and MacPhee picked the pot to move to over one million in chips and take the lead from Velador.
Saturday, June 19, 2010 8:24 PM Local Time
Pot-Limit Hold'em
Jose-Luis Velador raised from early position and Gavin Cochrane reraised from the big blind. Velador four-bet and then Cochrane called all in and was at risk for his tournament life.
Velador held the to Cochrane's for another race situation here at the final table.
The flop came down and Cochrane whiffed so far while Velador added a straight draw. The turn was no help for Cochrane with the and then the river completed the board with the .
Not being able to hit, Cochrane was sent to the rail in eighth place for nearly $27,000 while his chips were sent over to Velador.
Saturday, June 19, 2010 7:58 PM Local Time
Pot-Limit Omaha
On the board of , the pot was over 100,000 in chips when Victor Ramdin moved all in for 94,000. Jose-Luis Velador went into the tank and eventually folded his hand. Ramdin picked up the pot and built back to 260,000 in chips.
Saturday, June 19, 2010 7:50 PM Local Time
Pot-Limit Omaha
On the flop of , Gavin Cochrane fired 45,000 and was called by Jose-Luis Velador. The turn brought the and Cochrane fired almost all of his stack for 95,000. He only had 19,000 behind and Velador made the call.
The river completed the board with the and Cochrane pushed the last bit of his stack in. Velador's face looked pained, but he know he had to call off the last little bit and did so. Cochrane showed the -X-X for a club flush and doubled up to about 340,000 chips.
Saturday, June 19, 2010 7:38 PM Local Time
Pot-Limit Hold'em
Action folded to Rob Hollink and he raised to 40,000. From the big blind, James Mitchell reraised to 123,000 and Hollink gave it up.
Saturday, June 19, 2010 7:29 PM Local Time
Pot-Limit Hold'em
Kevin MacPhee raised to 40,000 from under the gun and then Matt Sterling reraised all in from the big blind for 128,000. MacPhee made the call. He held the and Sterling held the . Sterling was racing with two suited overcards for his tournament life.
The flop came down and MacPhee stayed in front. The turn kept him in the lead with the and then the river completed the board with the to give MacPhee an unneeded full house. He sent Sterling to the rail in ninth place for over $20,000.
Saturday, June 19, 2010 7:23 PM Local Time
Pot-Limit Omaha
Victor Ramdin raised to 31,000 from under the gun. Jose-Luis Velador called and then James Mitchell called from the big blind.
The flop came down and Mitchell checked to Ramdin. He fired a bet of 52,000 and then Velador called. Mitchell folded.
The turn was the and Ramdin checked. Velador though for a moment and then bet 135,000. Play moved back to Ramdin and he had a decision to make: call the 100,000 or not? He opted to make the call.
The river was the and Ramdin checked. Velador thought while staring at the board for a minute or so. He then cut out a bet and fired 178,000. Ramdin tanked for a solid few minutes before finally pushing in the chips for the call.
Velador tabled a wheel and Ramdin mucked, sending over the chips to Velador.
Saturday, June 19, 2010 7:07 PM Local Time
The players have returned from dinner and after a brief introduction of each player, the cards are in the air.