WCOAP Day 10: Daniel Lewis Becomes World Champion

The final day of the 7th annual World Championship of Amateur Poker saw three bracelets awarded in event #15 Cash Championship, event #17 World Amateur Poker Championship main event and event #20 Heads-Up Championship.

While the majority of focus was undoubtedly on the 92 players who remained to fight for the main event title, the day’s first result saw a feverish rail support the exciting Cash Championship, where the aggressive John Black played; and talked, his way to the bracelet, pushing Mark Hunter into silver and John Murray into the bronze medal positions.

John Black

The final table of event #20 Heads-Up Championship was an all international affair with Germany’s Philip Henze defeating the Netherland’s Rieuwert Fleer by two games to one, in an exciting match that went on for over three hours.  The bracelet win capped a great week for the young German player, who finished 6th in event #18 PLO 08 and who also took a bronze medal as part of the German team who finished 3rd in event #11 World Amateur Team Championship.  Welshman Jonathan Rees took the bronze medal.

Philip Henze

Back in the Main Event, we reached a final table at 10pm when two players exited in the same hand.  The final 8 therefore, sat down as follows:-

APAT World Amateur Poker Championship Final Table 2015

Six-Max bracelet winner Joe Craig went out eighth on the final table, his Ace Five failing to beat King Queen suited, with two Kings on the flop.  It wasn’t all bad news for Craig however as his finish here, coupled with his earlier Six-Max win and eighth place finish in the High Roller Championship earned him enough points to be named as WCOAP Player of the Series.

Shortly afterwards, we lost Heidi Croonenborghs in seventh when his pocket threes couldn’t hold against Andrew Hepburn’s Ace Queen.  David Wells exited in sixth, his King Queen failing to improve against Erol Taylon’s Ace Three.

With an average of 15 big blinds for each of the last five players, the action continued at pace.

Andrew Hepburn was next out, when his suited Nine Ten missed against Taylon’s Ace Six.  Erol was next to go, when the low kicker Ace that had served him so well earlier in the final failed to beat Daniel Lewis’ Ace King.  We now had our medalists – Lewis with 2.2m chips, bronze medalist from last year’s main event Tony Gale with 2.2m chips and leader Paul Fisher with 3.4m chips.

Gale exited in the bronze medal postion; incredibly repeating his finishing position in last year’s main event. Reraising over the top of Daniel Lewis, his Ace Seven looked thin when called by Lewis holding Ace King.  The board didn’t help Tony and he exited with the bronze medal and a cash payout of £3,750.

The event ended shortly afterwards; and it was Welshman Daniel Lewis who was to take the honours.  Holding second pair on the turn, he called Paul Fisher’s rereaise all in to find the Englishman drawing to an inside straight, which missed on the river.  Fisher took the silver medal and £5,830 but the day belonged to Lewis, who’s win secured him the World Amateur Poker Championship title, bracelet, gold medal, £8,500 and an expenses paid trip to Las Vegas later this summer.

For further details, click through to the day 10 live update thread.