WPT Borgata Winter Open Showcases Historical Poker Moment

When Gavin Griffin sat down at the final table of the WPT Winter Open, he had the chance to become the only holder of three different major poker titles.  Up to this point, he has already won the European Poker Tour Grand Final in Monte Carlo and a World Series of Poker bracelet in 2004.  With a WPT win at the Borgata Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey Griffin would cement himself a special place in the history of poker.  In order to get there he would have to fight his way through 506 other competitiors.

Gavin started the final table just behind the Chip leader David Tran.  The two short-stacks at the table, Lee Watkinson and Ervin Prifti hit the rail early.  Neither of them had enough chips to mount any type of threat against the two chip-leaders.  With the short stacks gone the pace of the action slowed as players tried to align themselves for a win or a higher finish in the money.  David Tran, the chip leader stayed active and faced off against Noah Schwartz.  Schwartz went all-in pre-flop with pocket nines and was called by Tran’s two over-cards, a King and a Queen.  The King on the flop sealed Noahs fate and he finished in fourth place.

David Tran was starting to pull away from the pack.  Earlier he had beaten Griffin for nearly half his chips and looked destined to play spoiler.  Griffin would not give up and after nearly 20 hands of three-handed play; he took a pair of major wins off Thomas Hare.  The second win eliminated Hare and Griffin was poised to take on the chip-leader Tran.

Heads-Up play began with Tran holding a small lead against Griffin.  This lead was short-lived as Gavin secured the lead on the third hand of play.  A short time later both players got all-in with a race situation.  This time it was Tran’s pocket nines that were taken down by over cards when Gavin’s Ace-Queen hit a Queen on the flop.  Griffin now had a commanding lead and his victory seemed to be a sure thing.  Tran didn’t get the message though as he continued to claw back into the match.  Within a few dozen more hands Tran had built his stack back up to nearly 5 million chips.  With Gavin holding 8.5 million, the match was still up for either of them.  The pivotal hand came when Griffin won with a rivered straight.  That win gave him nearly 90% of the chips in play.

On the final hand of play, Griffin held Q♠J♣ and was all-in against the K♠8♠ of Tran.  The flop brought Tran an 8 but the turn sealed his fate when it came a Q♦ giving Griffin the win.  The T♦ on the river making Griffin a straight was just icing on the cake.

This win gives Griffin $1,376,109, a $25,000 seat into the WPT Main Event, a Tag Heuer watch, and a customized Harley-Davidson motorcycle.  Money and prizes aside it also gives Gavin Griffin the triple crown of poker titles and the recognition of being one of the top young pro’s on the tournament circuit.