| Jody Vernon, one of three low stacks coming into the final, lasted twelve hands before succumbing to Mel Judah. Vernon, holding ace jack (ahjs), raised 900 pre flop to be met with a 5,925 all-in from Judah who was packing ace queen (adqc). Vernon called, but was soon regretting it when the flop (kd 4s 9d), turn (7c) and river (Tc) offered no help and Judah took the pot.
Judah found himself at the centre of the action once more two hours later when, holding a pair of fives (5d5s) he called Chris Andreas 6,450 all-in. Andreas was sitting on ace ten (ahts). The flop dropped down another five for Judah, putting him in pole position and leaving Andreas sweating, while the turn and river (6s kd) sealed Andreas fate, sending him home empty handed in fifth place.
Hermes was the next to go when he tangled with local favourite Sonny Osman. Hermes, holding queen nine suited (qh9h), put in a 2,000 raise pre-flop, only for Osman to hit back with a 9,800 re-raise on the back of his pocket threes (3c3s). The board (jd 4s kh ac 8c) gave no help to either player, sending Hermes off in fourth place with his tail between his legs and no cash in his pocket.
It didn't take Judah long to get back in the fray, when eleven hands later he dispatched the original high stack Nick Persaud. Judah had ace king suited (adkd) in the hole and raised 2,500; Persaud, who was sitting on two seven (2s7c) decided that 'The Hammer' as good enough to re-raise Mell and as such moved in another 7,500. When the action came back around to Mel, he moved Nick all in and by this stage he was pot committed and decided to gamble. When the flop came (js 2c qh), Nick's 'Hammer' was looking strong. The turn was a blank (5c) and Judah was looking very shaky indeed until the river turned up a ten (Ts), giving him Broadway and knocking Persaud to the floor for third place and £3,000.
The pressure cooker heads-up began with Judah almost 20,000 chips in front of Osman, who’d clawed his way up from the short stack to make the last two. Twenty-eight hands of play ended in truly dramatic fashion. Osman held ace queen (acqh) and Judah was sitting on queen two suited(qs2s). With both players hitting a pair on the flop (3h qc js), Osman was looking good for the win until the turn dropped down a spade (ts). Judah needed one more spade to make his flush and sure enough one came along on the river, leaving Osman reeling.
Osman took £4,500 for second place while Judah grabbed £7,500 and the trophy.
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