WSOP Event #29, $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em: ‘The Razor’ Wins His First Bracelet
John Phan joins David Singer, Rob Hollink and Erick Lindgren as he picks up his first ever bracelet.
Wednesday 18th June 2008
John Phan has long been regarded as a dangerous tournament player. His super-aggressive style of play – coupled with his spikey hair, perhaps – has garnered him the nickname ‘The Razor’. It was this approach which saw Phan rise from the middle of the pack to win his first ever WSOP bracelet.
Phan was joined at the final table by David Singer, who has obviously got the flavour for these bracelets. Singer only managed a fifth place finish here, which considering the size of the field was another admirable performance. The overnight chip leader, Matt Vengrin, could only manage a third place finish, which allowed Phan to take a slight lead into heads-up play against Johnny Neckar.
Six hours later, and the two of them were still butting heads! After a few beers, the two of them decided to finish it in the only honourable way remaining – by going all in blind.
The first hand saw Phan’s monster Q-4o outdrawn by Neckar’s 7-9o, sending Neckar into the chip lead. The Razor reclaimed it in quick order though, moving in dark again, but with both players agreeing not to show their hands until the river. On a board reading Jc-8s-Qd-Qc-5c, Neckar’s 4-2 was playing the board, which was just as well considering Tran’s 7-4 only just played. Tran’s reclaimed chip lead was lost again in the dark next hand, with Nectar rivering a pair of fours with Qs-4s against the Ks-6s of Phan. Bad beat, indeed!
Normal play resumed, but the end was only just around the corner after the chips found their way to the middle one last time. Phan’s Ah-9s stayed ahead of the Qd-Jd of his opponent, giving Phan $434,789 and his first piece of poker jewellery.
