Wooooooooooooooooo
And at last, we have a winner!
John Gale has just become the first British bracelet winner of the 2006 World Series of Poker. And it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.
Based in Bushey, Hertfordshire, London born Gale battled through a 561 thick field to finally give us Brits something to cheer about. With Julian Gardner taking third in the No Limit, and Nick Gibson making 6th in the $10,000 Omaha, we'd come close to victory without quite making it passed the finishing line, but not anymore!
With a final table full to the brim with tough young Internet players, John Gale showed that the ol' boys still had a trick or two left up their sleeves by adopting his infamous 'no mess' approach. Known for his agressive style, Gale was up with the chip-leaders right from the start, and, heading into the final 9, held a comfortable 134,000 in chips - 390,000 behind huge chip leader Alex Jacob, but still sitting in a potentially threatening 3rd spot.
With Greg Alston, Lee Markholt, Jeffrey Robinson and Lee Grove taking 9th-6th respectively, the chip counts were as follows:
Kevin Ho -- 609,000
John Gale -- 338,000
Alex Jacob -- 304,000
Joe Hachem -- 110,000
Maros Lechman -- 35,000
Although it was Lechman who was feeling the full force of the felt, it was in fact Jacob who took 5th. After John's flopped flush (Qd-8d) on a 7-4-3 (all diamond) flop was too much for Jacob's 5d-3s, the young American finally bit the dust when he ran his raggy 9-4 into the rather more sturdy looking pocket ladies of Hachem, the Australian winning in emphatic style by spiking a third Queen on the flop.
Soon after, it was the popular Aussie's turn to hit the rail. On a board of K-3-4-8, last year's Main Event winner moved all-in with K-9 (top pair), only to receive the lowest of blows from Gale's A-3, which inevitably hit a devestating Ace on the River.
Next to go was Kevin Ho, again at the destructive hands of Gale. After Ho had called Gale's preflop reraise, he pushed all-in with J-9 on an A-T-8 flop. However, no straight arrived and Gale's A-J (top pair) held up, giving the 51-year old Brit a commanding 6-1 heads-up advantage (1.2m vs 208k).
But, perhaps with the bitter taste of last year's runner up spot to Brian Wilson (again in a Pot Limit Event) still fresh in his mouth, Gale couldn't seem to finish the young American off. A renowned and highly successful online player, Maros Lechman from Columbia Station, Ohio, clawed his way back into the game with a succession of timely double-ups, the most notable being a T-8 v T-7 scoop in which, by the turn, both players had made two pairs.
But, after the dinner break, Gale regained the lead and finally won that well deserved bracelet when his K-9 on a T-9-7 board held up against Lechman's inferior A-6.
Clearly delighted, and perhaps somewhat relieved to have taken a wsop bracelet, John Gale's victory will not be begrudged by anyone. Regarded as one of the nicest character's in poker, Gale takes home a cheque for $374,849, but more importantly, a nice new shiny bracelet.
Well done that man!
[Ed Note: To see the final result of this comp, please click here]