2010 WSOP Event #35 Recap – Ayaz Mahmood Wins $10,000 Heads-Up NL World Championship

Event #35 of the 2010 World Series of Poker was the $10,000 Heads Up No Limit Hold’em Championship event.  There was a cap of 256 players for this event and only 64 would progress to the second day after winning two matches each.  Matches in this event were on a knock out basis but the final was a best of three.  By the end of day one the 64 players were decided and each one would start day two with 120,000 chips.  With a total prize pool of $2,406,400 this was one event that everyone wanted to win and that is why there were so many big names involved.

Ayaz Mahmood - Event #35 Winner

There were prizes for the best thirty two players so players only needed to win one match on day two to be guaranteed to be in the money.  By the close of day two there the final eight players were revealed as was the quarter final line up.  It looked as follows:

Jason Somerville vs. Kido Pham

Ernst Schmejkal vs. Vanessa Rousso

Alexander Kostritsyn vs. Ludovic Lacay

Faraz Jaka vs. Ayaz Mahmood

Each player had 960,000 chips to play with in this round and with a minimum payout of $92,580 up for grabs, it was sure to be an exciting few games.  But with none of these players ever having won a gold bracelet before, we were definitely going to see a new champion here.

Kido Pham was the first player eliminated from the final eight.  When Jason Somerville placed a bet for 16,000 he decided to go all in, and was immediately called by Somerville.  Pham was holding 8c-5c, while Somerville had a pair of tens (10c-10h).  The flop revealed As-3c-2c and Pham was looking at a potential straight or flush but Somerville was still ahead, just.  The turn showed 3d and Pham was still looking for a card to keep him in the game but the river was unfavorable with an 8d and Somerville’s pair of tens gave him the pot and sent Pham out in joint 5^th place with $92,580 in prize money.

Ludovic Lacay was the next casualty when he was beaten by Alexander Kostritsyn.  With betting commencing pre-flop, these two already had quite a pot built up before Ah-3h-3c was turned on the flop.  Lacay checked but Kostritsyn placed a bet of 65,000 and Lacay made the call.  After the turn of 9s, Lacay bet 153,000 so Kostritsyn bet enough to ensure that Lacay had to go all in to continue the hand.  Lacay made the call with Ad-10d in his hand.  Kostritsyn was holding 8h-4h and had the potential to make a flush but Lacay was ahead with his two pair.  However luckily for Kostritsyn, the river revealed another heart 6h and he won with the flush sending Lacay to the rail in joint 5^th position with prize money of $92,580.

The next one eliminated from the quarter finals was Faraz Jaka who moved all in from the big blind.  Ayaz Mahmood called and the board ran out.  The flop of 4s-7h-7c did not do much to improve either player’s hand.  Jaka was holding Kd-8h while Mahmood had As-Qc.  The turn 2s and river 3c did not change things either and Mahmoods high card was enough to eliminate Jaka in joint 5^th place.  He also took home prize money of $92,580.

In the final quarter final match it was left to Vanessa Rousso and Ernst Schmejkal to fight for a place in the last four.  Schmejkal went all in and Rousso decided to make the call.  She was holding Ah-4h to Schmejkal’s Js-3s.  The flop 2s-10s-9c gave Schmejkal the chance for a flush but Rousso’s Ace high was keeping her in front for the time being.  However the turn saw another spade (8s) which gave Schmejkal his flush and the Qd on the river meant that Rousso was the final player eliminated from the quarter finals.  She joined the other three in joint 5^th position taking $92,580 with her.

The semi final matches looked as follows:

Ernst Schmejkal vs. Alexander Kostritsyn

Jason Somerville vs. Ayaz Mahmood

Alexander Kostritsyn was the first player to be knocked out of the semi finals.  The final hand saw him opening with a raise which was re-raised by Ernst Schmejkal.  Kostritsyn called and the flop was revealed Kc-2s-Kd.  After the flop Schmejkal placed a bet of 80,000 and Kostritsyn called again.  The turn was 5s and Schmejkal checked but this time it was Kostritsyn who bet 210,000.  So Schmejkal raised to 450,000 which was re-raised by Kostritsyn to 750,000.  Schmejkal then went all in and Kostritsyn called.  Kostritsyn held a pair of Aces (Ac-Ah) to Schmejkal’s Ks-4d.  So Schmejkal was in the lead with a set of Kings.  The last hand to be turned over was 5s on the river and this just strengthened Schmejkal’s hand by giving him the full house.  So it was goodbye to Kostritsyn as he was eliminated in joint 3^rd place taking home prize money of $214,289.

Jason Somerville was the second player to be eliminated from the semi finals having called an all in bet from Ayaz Mahmood.  Somerville had a pair of tens (10d-10c) while Mahmood was holding Ac-Qd.  The flop however, saw Mahmood take the lead when As-Js-6h appeared.  Neither the turn (7h) nor the river (Kh) helped Somerville to go back in front and he was eliminated in joint 3^rd position with a take home prize of $214,289.

So the final was down to Ayaz Mahmood and Ernst Schmejkal.  It was best of three matches and play began at 10.45 p.m.  Six and a half hours later the first match was won by Ayaz Mahmood.  Having to go all in because his chip count was less than a big blind, Schmejkal held 9c-3h to Mahmood’s 2s-2d.  The board ran out Jh-4s-4c-Ks-As and gave Mahmood two pair and saw Schmejkal lose the first match.

The final hand saw Ernst Schmejkal betting 250,000 from the off which was called by Ayaz Mahmood.  The flop saw Ah-10d-9c revealed and Mahmood checked.  However Schmejkal bet 250,000 which was then check raised by Mahmood to 600,000.  Schmejkal had a long think before taking 1,000,000 and pushing it into the pot.  This resulted in Mahmood going all in.  Schmejkal only had 1,455,000 left but he was too far in to back out now so made the call.  Schmejkal had Ad-6s while Mahmood had Qh-10h.  Schmejkal was holding a slim lead at the moment.  However the turn saw Jd appear and gave Mahmood some hope and his luck was in when the river saw Ks which gave Mahmood a Broadway and saw Schmejkal finish his bid in second place.  However he could take some heart in the fact that he walked away with $386,636 for his efforts.

But for the winner of event #35, a first WSOP gold bracelet, the title of champion and prize money of $625,682.  Congratulations to Ayaz Mahmood!

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