WSOP Classic Moments – Carlos Mortensen Wins 2001 Main Event

The 2001 WSOP Main Event drew 613 players looking to take the $1.5 Million top prize.  This year would also mark the first year a player other than the winner would receive over a Million as 2nd place received $1.098 Million.

The final nine boasted 5 big name players and one former Main Event winner in Phil Hellmuth.  Joining Hellmuth at the final table were Dewey Tomko, Phil Gordon, Mike Matusow, and a young Juan Carlos Mortensen.

Hellmuth would fall short of his 2nd Main Event title, finishing in 5th.  Ultimately, heads-up play was between Dewey Tomko and Juan Carlos Mortensen.  Mortensen held a 2 to 1 chip lead heads-up.  This is the 2nd time that Tomko has reached heads-up play for the title.  He finished runner-up to Jack Straus in the 1982 WSOP Main Event.

Unfortunately, Tomko would finish 2nd in this event as well.  The final hand of the event started with Mortensen raising to 100,000 pre-flop and Tomko just called along.  The flop fell Jd-10c-3c and Mortensen bet out 100,000.  Tomko raised to 400,000 and Mortensen moved all-in.  Tomko made the call and turned over pocket aces.  Mortensen held Kc-Qc for an open-ended straight draw and a flush draw.  The turn fell the 3d and Tomko was poised for a double up.  However, there were just too many outs for Tomko to overcome.  The river fell the 9d to give Mortensen a straight and the title.

In addition to his Main Event bracelet, Mortensen holds a Limit Holdem bracelet that he won in 2003.  Mortensen also holds two WPT titles, including the WPT World Championship that he won in 2007.  Mortensen is the only player in poker history to win both the WSOP Main Event and the WPT World Championship.  To date, Mortensen has over $8.8 Million in tournament earnings.

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