2009 WSOP’s November Nine 9th place finisher and 2009 WSOPE final table player, James Akenhead finished 2009 with a bang. Before the year is over, Akenhead won the first place in the Full Tilt Poker Million 2009. Akenhead won the first prize of $500,000 on December 4 in the event held in London.
Full Tilt Poker Million is an invitational event, which featured 72 players from around the globe. The tournament runs for about five months where Akenhead moved forward leading to the final table in good form. Along the way, he eliminated some high profile competitors including Team Full Tilt’s Tom “Durrrr” Dwan.
On the final table, James Akenhead faced several high profile poker players including Taylor Caby, a Full Tilt Poker pro and Cardrunner’s co-founder, Dag Martin Mikkelsen, another Full Tilt Poker pro and one Peter Vasiliou, who qualified to play at the final table by playing and prevailing in an online qualifier game hosted by Full Tilt Poker.
Another story on the final table is the Last Chance promotion hosted by Full Tilt Poker, which was won by Craig Wakeham. Craig Wakeham however entered the final table short stacked and secured the 5th place finish in this tournament.
It seems that the 2009 WSOP story of James Akenhead was rubbed on Craig Wakeham. Do you remember that James Akenhead entered the final table of November Nine short stacked and was the first to be eliminated as the 9th place winner? While Craig Wakeham finished 5th place, his short stack story is almost identical to that of James Akenhead in the WSOP 2009 events.
Going back to Full Tilt Poker Million 2009 event in London, the final table was so intense. James Akenhead was holding on to pocket tens and his opponent was holding on to pocket sixes. True enough, pre-flop, James Akenhead is in an advantaged position.
However, when the flop came, James Akenhead seemed to be an underdog when the flop turned out to be a 3, a 4 and a 5. The flop offered Akenhead’s opponent an open-ended straight. When the turn and the river came, both provide no improvement in the hands of the players. Thus, the pocket tens of James Akenhead emerged the winner of the game.
Before this big win of James Akenhead, the big news in the Full Tilt Poker Million 2009 was Peter Vasiliou. This is because he entered the tournament from playing in a qualifier round online. Towing the route taken by Chris Moneymaker in 2003? Not exactly but almost, he almost made it.
Peter Vasiliou however finished 6th overall when Dag Mikkelsen’s pocket jacks prevailed over the A9 hole cards of Vasiliou. Peter Vasiliou however brought home a neat prize of $75,000 and the honor to play in a table full of poker professionals.
Remember that he did not have to provide the complete buy-in because his entry to the games was actually sponsored when he won in the qualifier events.
Do you want to play in poker tournaments later on? It may help to start by playing satellite games, free roll tournaments and of course, qualifier packages where you will win not just the entry to the tournament but accommodations and other traveling expenses as well.
Is this not a neat diversion? It sure is. So, get on and play at Full Tilt Poker.
