Tournament Details

The 100th tournament in the World Poker Tour's history couldn't be at a more luxurious stop than the Bellagio in Las Vegas. And with a prize pool of $15,495,750, a field of 639 of poker's biggest names, and a first prize of $3,970,415, it's the ultimate in poker tournaments!

With blinds starting at 60,000/120,000 and a 15,000 ante, the players and chip counts at the final table were as follows:

Seat 1: Kirk Morrison Chips: 4,194,000
Seat 2: Guy Laliberte Chips: 4,690,000
Seat 3: Carlos Mortensen Chips: 6,501,000
Seat 4: Mike Wattel Chips: 2,587,000
Seat 5: Paul Lee Chips: 11,828,000
Seat 6: Tim Phan Chips: 2,162,000

The first hand of the night saw Tim Phan make an effort with his short stack by raising to 360,000 with Jd7d, but Carlos quickly expressed his wish to control the table by asking how much Phan had, then reraising All-In with 8d8c. Phan folded.

Two hands later, Mike Wattel took 6c4c into the pot with a raise of 430,000 more than the big blind, and Guy Laliberte called with KhJd. When the flop came Qh6d5s, Laliberte checked, and Wattel bet 600,000 with his middle pair. Laliberte came over the top to raise one million more, and though Wattel detected a bluff, he couldn't risk his tournament life and finally folded. Laliberte showed the bluff, and Wattel looked frustrated.

While Wattel steamed, Laliberte played the next hand by raising to 500,000 with AdQs. Phan reraised All-In for 1,092,000 more with AsKh, and Laliberte called. The board produced 7s7h5hKs6c, and Phan doubled up.

Kirk Morrison played the next hand with KcJs by raising to 425,000, and Wattel decided to move All-In for his 857,000 with Jd9d. The board showed 10d4h3h8cAh, and Mike Wattel was eliminated in 6th place for $309,405.

Laliberte stayed aggressive and when he picked up AhKs, he raised to 500,000. Phan called with 5s5d. The flop came 7s2s2h, and Phan felt that his hand was good and bet 800,000. Laliberte raised All-In with no hand at all, and though Phan hesitated, he finally folded.

The very next hand saw Paul Lee limp in with his 2d2c, then Phan raised All-In for his 1,720,000 with 9s9c, but Morrison looked down at the best hand of all – AsAc – and came over the top All-In. Lee folded, and Phan's tournament life was on the line. The board came Js8d4sJh7s, and Tim Phan was sent to the rail in 5th place with $464,110.

Everyone at the table started showing aggression except Lee, but it was Morrison and Carlos Mortensen who would do battle. In the first of several bouts, Morrison limped in with Qh9h, Mortensen raised 500,000 more with KcQc, and Morrison called. When the flop came 10s9d8h, Mortensen bet one million chips, and Morrison again called. The turn produced a Kd, and when Mortensen moved All-In for 5.9 million, Morrison folded.

The second bout started with Morrison raising to 700,000 with JhJd and Mortensen raising to 2.7 million with AsQs; Morrison called. The flop was QcJc9d, and Mortensen quickly moved All-In for over 6.5 million, and Morrison took a long time to call, then apologized for the unintentional slow-roll. The turn and river were Ac and 9s, and Morrison took the massive chip lead with over 15 million.

The third bout began with Morrison again, this time raising to 700,000 with As6s. Mortensen reraised All-In for his last 1.5 million with Ad10h, and Morrison called. The board came 10d6c2d3dQd, and Mortensen doubled through Morrison.

In other action, Laliberte wasn't going to be left out, so he came into the pot with AdJc for a one million raise. Morrison called with 2d2c. The flop showed Qc6c3c, Laliberte bet two million, Morrison raised All-In, and Laliberte called. The turn and river were 3s and 8s, and Guy Laliberte was sent home from the show in 4th place with pocket change in the form of $696,220.

Mortensen soon went on a roll, doubling through Morrison, then doubling through Lee, which left Lee with a short stack.

Next, Morrison raised to 1.2 million with Ah10s, and Lee reraised All-In with As9c. Morrison called. The cards came Qh7s2h10h2s, and Lee was eliminated in 3rd place for a cool $1,082,920.

Heads-up play then began with chip counts as follows:

Kirk Morrison 19,700,000
Carlos Mortensen 12,550,000

And the roller coaster ride began!

Mortensen took the first hand, but Morrison took the next hand when three 10's came on the board, Mortensen continued betting his K-high, but Morrison called through with his A-high and won a crucial pot. Morrison took the following pot as well.

Mortensen then moved All-In immediately for 4.3 million with Ah10c, and Morrison called with only Kh6h. The board was AsQd9h10d2h, and Mortensen doubled up. He also took the next pot when he hit a straight on the river to trump Morrison's top pair.

A few hands later, Mortensen limped in with Qc6c, and Morrison checked his option with As10c. Both checked the flop of AhQh6d, but on the 3d turn, Morrison bet one million, Mortensen raised to two million, Morrison reraised All-In, and Mortensen quickly called. The river gave Morrison the 10d and the double-up to take back the chip lead.

After Mortensen won the next pot, he looked down at AcKd and moved All-In for 12.8 million. Morrison called with 10s10h. The dealer turned over 5h3d2sAhQc, and Mortensen regained the chip lead.

The next hand saw Morrison push All-In with 8d7d for 4.4 million, and Mortensen called with Kd10s. The cards came 6s6d2dQc10d, and Morrison doubled up with the flush.

Finally, Mortensen took his KhJh in for a five million raise, and Morrison reraised All-In for 13.1 million. Mortensen called. The flop was 7c4h3cJc3d, and Kirk Morrison ended his tournament as the runner-up in 2nd place for $2,011,135.

Carlos Mortensen won the title of WPT World Champion and the biggest first place prize ever awarded on the WPT of $3,970,415. He also became the first player ever to win the World Series of Poker main event and the World Poker Tour championship event. Congratulations, Carlos!

Also, congratulations are due to J.C. Tran who was awarded the World Poker Tour's Player of the Year award for his accomplishments during Season V. Well done, J.C.!