Although David Tran was difficult to finish off, Gavin Griffin has finally completed the task. Just one hand after doubling-up Tran with Q-9 versus 9-9 Griffin was able to secure victory.

In the final hand of the tournament Tran moves all-in from the button and Griffin asks for a count. The dealer informs Griffin that Tran has bet $1.2 million. Griffin decides to make the call and the players flip their cards:

Gavin Griffin: Q J

David Tran: K 8

The audience are on their feet as we head to what could be the last flop of the tournament. The flop comes A 9 8 and it looks like Tran might be on his way to another double-up. The tension in the room is palpable as the dealer flips up the turn card - Q!

The Griffin cheering section goes crazy and all he has to do to win the tournament is avoid any kings or eights.

The river is... 10!

Griffin wins the WPT Borgata Poker Classic. With his victory Griffin becomes the first player in history to complete the hat trick of tournament poker: WSOP title, EPT title and WPT title.

The player we like to call 2G also receives $1.4 million, a Tag Heuer watch and a $25,000 Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

For coming in second David Tran earns $737,685 and the respect of his peers for going toe-to-toe with Griffin for countless hands.

Congratulations to both players and we here at PL.com will see you next time!

David Tran limps from the button and Gavin Griffin checks. The flop comes 10 6 2 and Griffin checks but Tran bets out $150,000. Griffin calls and the turn comes 7. Both players check and the river falls 8. Griffin bets $475,000. Tran re-raises to $1.1 million; Griffin does the same, to $3.6 million. Tran calls almost instantly but Griffin flips over J-9 for the nuts. Tran is crippled to under $1 million chips.

Tran Doubles with 10 6 (!?)

David Tran limps from the button and Gavin Griffin bets $400,000. Tran decides to move all-in for approximately $2 million. Griffin calls instantly and flips over A K while Tran is behind with T 6.

The flop comes down T 3 3 and Tran hits a ten to take the lead. The turn comes 3 and Griffin is looking for either an ace, king or a trey to win the WPT Borgata Poker Classic. The river falls 7 and Tran doubles up.

Tran Gets Unlucky to Chop

David Tran was just in a great spot to double up and get back in this heads-up match but got unlucky to split the pot. Griffin called from the small blind and Tran raised to $380,000 from the big. Griffin then re-raised to $4 million and Tran quickly called for the rest of his stack.

A K for Tran was in great shape against Griffin's A 8 and the flop didn't change too much, coming T 5 2. The turn was the 3 though and the river the 4, making both players the wheel straight and chopping the pot.

Blinds Increase

We've reached a new level and we're now playing with blinds of $50,000/$100,000 and a $10,000 ante.

Another Pot for Griffin

The advantage seems to lie with Gavin Griffin so far in this heads-up match. Griffin called from the small blind and Tran checked in the big. The flop came T 4 2 and both players checked. The turn was the 9 and Tran took the lead with a $200,000 bet. Griffin made the call and the river is the 2. They both check again and Griffin shows K-4 which is good for the pot.

But I'm Talkin' about Chip Counts. Can Ya Dig It?

Here are the counts at the time of this post.

Gavin Griffin	$13,245,000
David Tran	$2,080,000

 

Gavin Griffin raises to $200,000 from the button and David Tran re-raises to $800,000. Griffin re-raises to $2.5 million and Tran shoves all-in. Griffin calls and the players flip over their cards:

Gavin Griffin: A Q

David Tran: 9 9

The flop comes Q 8 8 and Griffin hits a queen to pull into the lead. The turn comes 7 and the board finishes with the 5. Griffin takes the huge pot while Tran is crippled in the process.

Here's a look at the chip counts after the brouhaha:

Gavin Griffin: $13.3 million

David Tran: $1.9 million

Two hands later Tran manages to double up with aces to increase his short stack to approximately $4 million.

Gavin Griffin has quickly built some momentum in this heads-up match, pulling near even moments ago. He limped from the small blind and Tran raised to $260,000 from the big. Griffin makes the call and the flop comes down 6 3 3. David Tran takes the lead with a $425,000 bet which Griffin calls.

The T hits the turn and Tran opts to check. Griffin pushes $550,000 in and Tran announces raise, making it $1.45 million. Griffin spends a few moments counting chips before declaring himself all-in. Tran takes a long dwell, assessing his stack, before folding his hand.

First Big Pot to Griffin

David Tran limps from the button and Gavin Griffin checks his option in the big blind. The flop comes down 8 8 4 and it's checked around. The turn brings the 2 and Griffin leads out for $80,000. The J hits the river and Griffin fires again, pushing $375,000 into the middle. Tran makes the call and Griffin shows K-8 for the flopped trips.

Chip Count: The Sequel

David Tran	$8,545,000
Gavin Griffin	$6,670,000

 

It took two consecutive hands to eliminate Thomas Hare and give Gavin Griffin a shot at a WPT title.

The first hand saw Hare raise to $180,000 from the button and Gavin Griffin call from the big blind. The flop came down A 9 7 and Griffin checks but Hare bets out $800,000. Griffin moves all-in for $2.7 million and Hare calls. The players show their cards:

Thomas Hare: A 7

Gavin Griffin: Q 10

Hare has two pair but Griffin has the flush. The turn comes 6 and the river finishes K giving Griffin the check mark.

In the next hand Griffin moves in from the small blind for $2 million, which covers Hare. Hare calls and flips over K 3, while Griffin shows a dominating K Q.

The board goes Q J 9 7 8 and Griffin eliminates Hare form the tournament. Hare will receive $381,137 for his third-place finish.

As we go to heads-up play here's a look at the chip stacks:

1. David Tran $8.7 million

2. Gavin Griffin $6.5 million

David Tran pops it up to $225,000 pre-flop and Gavin Griffin calls from the small blind. The flop comes 10 8 3 and both players check. The turn is the 7 and Griffin bets $350,000 and Tran calls. The river falls A and Griffin checks but Tran bets $500,000. Griffin thinks for a few seconds but then makes the call.

Tran flips over A Q and Gavin is stunned. He flashes an ace and then mucks his hand. Tran rakes a $2.3 million pot.

The Chip Count Strikes Back

Here's what things look like after the Griffin vs. Tran debacle:

1. David Tran $9 million

2. Thomas Hare $3.6 million

3. Gavin Griffin $2.6 million

Thomas Hare Takes It Down

Many wouldn't have picked Thomas Hare to last past the first level but right now he's making a case for second place if nothing else. In a recent hand Hare raised from the small blind to $180,000. Tran raised from the big blind to $680,000 but Hare, perhaps sensing weakness, shoved all-in.

Hare must have been on to something because Tran folded and Hare raked a pot worth over a million.

Noah "fourUhaters" Schwartz has been eliminated. David Tran opened to $180,000 from the small blind and Noah moved in from the big blind for an additional $986,000. Tran thought for a moment before making the call and tabling K Q.

We see it's a race against Schwartz's pocket nines but after the flop comes down K J 2 Tran takes a big lead. The board finishes J 8 and Noah Schwartz is gone. He'll take $331,958 for his finish.

Return of the Chip Count

David Tran	$7,895,000
Thomas Hare	$3,940,000
Gavin Griffin	$3,400,000

Tran Rakes One

Noah Schwartz opens to $175,000 from under the gun and gets calls from Gavin Griffin on the button and David Tran in the big blind. The flop comes down A 3 2 and Tran checks it. Schwartz makes a $375,000 continuation bet and only gets a call from Tran. They both check the 7 turn and the 6 hits the river. Two more checks and Tran tables A-J, which is enough to send Schwartz's cards to the muck.

Blinds Up

The clock has run out on this level and the blinds are now on their way up. We're now playing at $30,000/$60,000 with a $5,000 ante.

More Pre-Flop Power Poker from 2G

Gavin Griffin raises to $125,000 from under the gun and David Tran re-pops to $500,000. Griffin does his opponent one better though and announces all-in for just over $3 million total. Tran tanks for a few long minutes before releasing the hand and conceding the pot.

Revenge of the Chip Count

David Tran is still in the best position as we continue playing four-handed. Here’s a look at the stacks:

1. David Tran $6.9 million

2. Thomas Hare $3.3 million

3. Gavin Griffin $3.1 million

4. Noah Schwartz $1.8 million

Tran vs. Griffin Round 2

Noah Schwartz pops it up to $175,000 from under the gun; Griffin calls from the button, David Tran from the big blind. The flop comes A J 2 and it’s checked by all three players. The turn comes J and both Tran and Schwartz check but Griffin bets $272,000. Tran calls but Schwartz folds. The river falls 5 and Tran checks while Griffin bets $525,000. Tran calls and flips over an ace for two pair, aces and fives. Griffin shows pocket sixes for a worse two pair. Tran rakes the pot, which is worth $2.1 million.

Splitting Hares

Thomas Hare is the short stack but he’s been pretty active in the last few hands. In one hand Hare saw a flop of 8-7-5 against Gavin Griffin and both players checked. The turn came 8 and Griffin bet out. Hare thought for a minute and then threw his hand into the muck.

In another hand Hare saw a flop of 6 4 3 against David Tran and Gavin Griffin. Hare bet out and both Tran and Griffin folded. Hare raked the pot.

Break Time

The players have just been sent on a quick break while the WPT changes the tapes in their cameras. Check out some of the action leading up to this point.

Night of the Living Chip Count

Here's a look at the latest counts for our final four.

David Tran	$5,340,000
Gavin Griffin	$4,290,000
Thomas Hare	$3,180,000
Noah Schwartz	$2,425,000

2G Pushing Weight

Gavin Griffin just took down a nice pot with a big re-raise before the flop. Griffin opened to $150,000 from the small blind and Thomas Hare re-raised to $500,000 from the big blind. Griffin took a few moments before re-raising again, to $2.5 million, and Hare tanked for a second before releasing his hand.

Griffin Gets Looked Up

Noah Schwartz opens the pot to $150,000 after it's folded to him in the small blind. Gavin Griffin calls from the big blind and the flop comes down K T 4. Schwartz fires $225,000 and gets a call from Griffin. The turn is the 5 and both players check. The river is the 7 and after a check from Noah, Griffin bets $225,000. Scwhartz calls and shows a king for top pair. Griffin flashes pocket jacks as the pot is shipped to his opponent.