Nenad Medic Takes World Poker Finals Title

The overwhelming storyline going into the final table of the World Poker Finals last week was that we might see our first female WPT champion. With two of the world’s strongest players, Mimi Tran and Kathy Liebert, second and third in chips respectively, it looked like history in the making. Unfortunately, both for those two competitors and their fans, it was not meant to be. Instead, it was Canadian Nenad Medic, a two-time WPT final tablist previous to this event, who came out smelling like roses. For the win, Medic took home $1,717,194 and a $25,000 entry into the WPT Championship.

Anyone familiar with fantasy football knows how it feels when their starting running back is the workhorse for his team, piling up rushing yard after rushing yard, only to see a “goal line back” take the ball the last yard for a touchdown. It feels bad. Like your team was cheated. Your guy did all the work and the other guy gets the glory (and the fantasy points).

Well, that is sort of how it went at the final table. Despite entering the day with almost twice as many chips as the second place Tran and despite knocking out the first four players, E.G. Harvin was unable to take the ball that last yard for the score. In the meantime, Medic stayed out of harms way, never risking all of his chips until the 72nd hand (out of 88). And when all of his chips did go into the middle, he had almost the nuts: 10-2 on a 10-2-2 board. That hand allowed him to take over what had been a massive chip lead from Harvin.

Harvin began wreaking havoc from the very first hand when he produced a big, fat suckout to eliminate Michael Perry. Harvin pushed with 2-2, Perry happily called all-in with K-K, and even more happily flopped a set. But the river gave Harvin a fourth heart to match the one in Harvin’s hand, sending Perry to the rail after barely a hello.

Just a few hands later, Harvin dashed Liebert’s hopes, besting her flush with the nut flush.

And less than a half-hour after that, Michael Omelchuk saw his J-9 dominated by Harvin’s Q-J, forcing him to settle for fourth place.

Once the play was three handed, it was a bit more of a battle. Tran was unable to gain any traction, as her stack just kept getting whittled away by her two opponents. Eventually, Harvin sealed her fate, as well, just two hands after he doubled-up Medic.

Going into heads-up play, Medic had a 6-to-5 chip lead on Harvin, setting the stage for a lengthy match, but remember, this is the WPT, and long, skillful poker games are the exception. In this case, the tournament only lasted thirteen more hands. The first few hands resulted in nearly zero chip movement, but then Medic turned up the heat, raking in five of six pots to build the lead up.

The last hand was interesting. Harvin raised on a flop of 5-5-3 and was called by Medic. Harvin led out the betting when a 9 hit the turn, and Medic called again. When the river produced another 9, Harvin moved all-in and Medic called. Harvin showed A-J, for two pair with an Ace kicker, reasonably thinking he may have the best hand, but Medic held 7-5 for a full house, ending the tournament.

Originally published November 20, 2006