Vitaly Lunkin Collects First WSOP Bracelet
June 17th, 2008
Russia’s Vitaly Lunkin has claimed the $1,500 No Limit Hold’em Event #27 for his first WSOP victory and first golden bracelet, after dominating Brett Kimes on heads-up play. For his first place finish Vitaly Lunkin takes home $628,417.
Out of the 2,706 players who started the event, seventeen players returned for the final day’s play aiming to get down to the final table. It didn’t take long for the final table to be set, Jordan Smith the unlucky one to finish in 11th place and just miss out.
Final table:
Seat 1 - Philip Yeh - 1,360,000
Seat 2 - Robert Brown - 310,000
Seat 3 - Anthony Gargano - 285,000
Seat 4 - Vitaly Lunkin - 1,030,000
Seat 5 - Trevor Donaldson - 265,000
Seat 6 - Barry Schultz - 1,340,000
Seat 7 - Kenneth Terrell - 650,000
Seat 8 - Richard Alm - 500,000
Seat 9 - Bobby Firestone - 920,000
Seat 10 - Brett Kimes - 1,500,000
It was Vitaly Lunkin who made the first move on the final table, seeing off both Anthony Gargano and Philip Yeh with ace jack in both hands. Next to be eliminated was Robert Brown, closely followed by Barry Schultz. Richard Alm then fell to Bobby Firestone’s pocket sevens to leave just five players standing.
Trevor Donaldson was next to go, Firestone again doing the damage with pocket kings taking him to top of the chip stacks with four players left. Kenneth Terrell then fell to Lunkin’s pocket jacks, who then saw off Firestone with a straight to leave heads-up between Lunkin and Brett Kimes.
Vitaly Lunkin got himself all-in on a flopped straight, but fortune favoured Kimes this time when the turn and river cards produced a board flush, splitting the pot. Not long after however Brett Kimes went all-in with Lunkin immediately calling. Lunkin’s pair of jacks held on to win it and give him the title.
Final Standings:
Vitaly Lunkin - $628,417
Brett Kimes - $387,837
Bobby Firestone - $277,026
Kenneth Terrell - $232,702
Trevor Donaldson - $190,225
Richard Alm - $149,594
Barry Schultz - $112,657
Robert Brown - $84,954
Philip Yeh - $57,990
Anthony Gargano - $36,567
