WATTS!!!

Congrats to Mike "SirWatts" Watson for taking down the $15K WPT Bellagio Cup for $1.6 million.

Key Hands

Hand #149 - David Benyamine has the button, he raises to 500,000, Watson raises to 1.5 million, Benyamine moves all in, and Watson immediately calls with AK. Benyamine shows QQ, and it's the classic race, with the tournament or a huge chip lead at stake.

The flop comes 1082, and Benyamine retains the lead with his pocket queens.

The turn card is the 5, and Benyamine retains the lead. Watson's large group of friends starts shouting for an ace, and things like, "One time!"

The river card is -- the A!

Watson doubles up with a pair of aces.

Watson's friends cheer and clap on the rail, but he almost looks sheepish as he walks back to the table. Benyamine goes over to look at his stack to see what kind of damage he's gonna take.

AND the winning hand

Hand #154 - Mike Watson has the button, he moves all in, and Benyamine immediately calls all in for 2,985,000 with K9. Watson shows Q9, and he'll need to improve to win the tournament here.

The flop comes AQ6, and Watson pairs his queen to take the lead.

The turn card is the 9, and Benyamine needs a king on the river to stay alive.

The river card is the 7, and Mike Watson wins the pot -- and the tournament -- with two pair, queens and nines.

David Benyamine finishes as the runner-up in second place, earning $840,295.

Mike Watson wins the WPT Bellagio IV, earning $1,673,770, a WPT bracelet, a Bellagio bracelet, and entry into the Season VII WPT World Championship next April here at Bellagio.

Vegas Observations

Will probably post a more detailed trip report in the near future, but just want to note a few things as I remember them.

Vegas is a city...
...that best examplifies what "money talks" means
...where alcohol is free and a bottle of water costs $3.50

...to be continued

Vegas!

Just a quick blog here - arrived in Vegas late on July 1, and have been just hanging out and having a few meetup with guys on various forums, checking out places like the forum shop and what not. Probably going to see some July 4 festivities (will figure it out when I wake up) and then the UFC fight on Saturday. Nothing really planned for the few days after that before I come home. Will probably play a poker tournament or two, maybe head out to Grand Canyon/Hoover Dam or something.

Wes