North American Poker Championship - Live Updates

Scott Clements is more or less the man. The former mortgage broker from Mount Vernon, Washington has won World Series bracelets at each of the last WSOPs and won a WPT bracelet when he took down the Canadian Open at Fallsview in Season 5. Clements can add to his much-lauded collection of poker jewelry tonight as he has just won the North American Poker Championship!

After about 10 hands of non-noteworthy heads-up play, Jonathan Little raised to $180,000 from the button and saw Clements make the call. The flop came 7♠ 5♣ 5♥ and both players checked. The turn was the 4♠ and Clements checked to Little, who bet out $250,000. Clements raised to $550,000 and Little came over the top all-in for his last $1.5 million. Clements called instantly.

"Am I drawing dead?" asked Little and indeed he was as The Bracelet turned up Q♦ 5♦ for trips. Little, turning over K♣ 4♥, could catch no cards to win and is eliminated in second place for $680,862.

Clements wins his second WPT title and takes home $1,387,224 in straight Canadian ca$h, homey, as well as an entry into the WPT World Championship in April. He also takes home an exclusive WPT chip set and, oh by the way, earns a free interview with PokerListings.com.

Congratulations to Scott, Jonathan and the country of Canada for great performances all around!

The money has been presented (minus the scantily-clad women normally associated with such a process) and heads-up has begun from Fallsview. As we get underway, Jonathan Little tells Scott Clements, "Don't get mad at me if I three-out you."

"I won't get mad at you," says Clements. "I might be mad, but I'll never get mad at the player."

Chip counts as we go into heads-up are as follows:

Scott Clements	$6,400,000
Jonathan Little	$3,685,000

 

Jonathan Little raises to $180,000 from the small blind and David Cloutier moves all-in for his last $1.68 million from the big blind. Little makes the call after a few moments of thought and turns up A♠ 10♠ to Cloutier's J♥ 9♥. The flop comes 8♦ 6♠ 3♠ and Little picks up a flush draw, and after the turn card is the J♥ FieryJustice gets there. The turn is an inconsequential 3♣ and David Cloutier has been eliminated from this tournament. The Brampton boy goes out in third and oh by the way, takes home $355,021.

We're now down to heads-up play and the action has been paused for the money presentation. We'll get chip counts, etc. as soon as we return to action.

Scott Clements doubled through Jonathan Little rivering a flush against Little's straight.

The hand played out with David Cloutier and Scott Clements limping, while Little checked his option.

The flop came the 8♠ 7♥ 6♥ and Little bet $150k. Cloutier folded, but Clements made the call.

The turn card came the 3♠ and Clements check-called a $400,000 bet from Little. With the K♠ river falling, Clements moved all-in for his last $1.1 million. Little made the call and claimed a straight, turning over 5-4. But it wasn't enough to beat Clements' 10♠ 6♠ for the flush.

The pot gave Clements a little more ammo with $3.6 million. Meanwhile, Little inched closer to the rail with just $1.1 million left in his stack.

 

Back from break and David Cloutier continues to hold the chip lead with $4.7 million.

Jonathan Little is the shortest stack with $2.2 million and Scott Clements is between them with $3.15 million.

 

Players have shuffled off on a 10-minute break and when the action resumes PL.com will be here, so keep it locked.

The blinds are up and the action should soon follow.

Jonathan Little raises to $150,000 from the small blind and David Cloutier raises to $375,000 from the big blind. Little moves all-in over the top for another $1 million and Cloutier insta-calls with 8♣ 8♦ to Little's A♠ J♣. The board comes A♣ Q♣ 7♠ T♠ Q♥ and Little wins his race, doubling through Cloutier and staying alive.

New chip counts see Cloutier with $5.3 million, Clements with $2.5 million and Little with $2.3 million.

David Cloutier's aggressive play has garnered him another big pot and pushed his stack into the $6.5 million range.

The hand played out with Cloutier raising from the small blind to $175,000 and Scott Clements making the call. The flop comes A♠ 6♠ 2♦ and Cloutier bets out $165k. Clements calls and the turn comes the A♦. This time Cloutier bets $220k and Clements calls again.

The river comes the 4♥ and Cloutier checks it. Clements bets $500k, but Cloutier comes right over the top all-in, forcing him to fold.

The $2 million+ pot gives Cloutier a 2-1 chip advantage on Jonathan Little and Scott Clements.

 

Jonathan Little raises to $125,000 from the button and Scott Clements calls in the big blind. The flop comes J♦ 6♦ 6♥ and Clements leads out for $100,000. Little calls and the turn is the 5♣, prompting a wager from Clements to the tune of $200,000. Little moves all-in over the top and Clements makes the call, showing J♣ 8♦ to Little's A♠ 8♠. The river card is the 4♣ and Clements dodges the aces, doubling through Little to build his stack to $2.86 million.

Little is down to about $1.7 million while David Cloutier has a little over $5 million.

The cards are back in the air from Fallsview and PokerListings.com is back in action. Stay tuned for more updates as the poker heats up!

Here are the updated chip counts as we get back underway:

David Cloutier	$4,805,000
Jonathan Little	$3,360,000
Scott Clements	$1,920,000

 

We're on a 10-minute break while organizers color up a few of the smaller-denomination chips.

The blinds are on their way up again and the action continues without stopping. Stay tuned for more hot poker action.

The biggest hand in the past half-hour saw Scott Clements put his tournament on the line with 7-3 offsuit.

It wasn't as bad as it sounds though. Dave Cloutier limped in from the small blind and Clements checked his option. The flop came A♥ 9♠ 3♣ and Cloutier checked.

Clements made a smallish $50k bet and Cloutier called. The turn was the 3♦ and again, Cloutier checked. Clements fired $125,000 and Cloutier called.

The river card brought the 8♠ and after another Cloutier check; Clements bet out $300k. Cloutier pushed all-in and had Clements covered. Scott got up out of his chair and begrudgingly made the call felting his trips. Cloutier held 5-3 for trip threes of his own and neither kicker played chopping the pot.

Cloutier still enjoys a healthy chip lead at $5.5 million. Jonathan Little has $3.5 million and Clements just $1.5 million.

A few minutes ago David Cloutier told Jonathan Little and Scott Clements he isn't trying to win.

A local player who won a $1,200 satellite to get in the event, Cloutier said he'd be happy to place third.

However, he keeps making aggressive plays with the chip lead.

After a Clements raise to $105,000 and a Little re-raise from the small blind to $320,000, Cloutier came way over the top all-in. Clements folded and after thinking about it for a few seconds, Little laid it down as well.

A few hands later, Cloutier raised to $240,000 and Clements made the call from the small blind. Clements checked in the dark before the flop of K♥ J♦ 6♦ fell. Cloutier fired out $325,000, and Clements had to fold.

The steamroll continued when Little made a $560,000 pre-flop raise only to see Cloutier come over the top all-in again. And again, Little was forced to lay it down.

Cloutier's aggressive play has pushed his stack close to the $6 million mark.

We're back from the break and the cards are back in the air.

Just before the break Jonathan Little took down a massive pot with Scott Clements that saw Clements limp in from the small blind and Little raise it to $140,000 from the big blind. Clements called and the flop came T♥ 4♦ 2♥, prompting a check from Clements and a $150,000 wager from Little. Clements again called and the turn was the 9♦. Both players checked and the river was the 9♣, prompting another check from Clements and a $500,000 bet from Little. Clements thought for a second before making the call and Little showed K-9 for trips. Clements mucked and FieryJustice took the pot.

Here are the updated chip counts as we return from break:

David Cloutier	$4,700,000
Jonathan Little	$3,320,000
Scott Clements	$2,065,000

 

Once again play has stopped. This is an 11-minute break, just to change things up a bit.

Dave Cloutier has moved into the chip lead sitting on $4 million in chips.

Scott Clements is close behind with $3.3 million and Jonathan Little has $2.7 million. 

 

David Cloutier raises to $140,000 from the small blind and Barry Greenstein moves all-in from the big blind. Cloutier makes the call and turns up K♥ 9♣, putting him in bad shape compared to the Bear's A♦ 9♦. The flop comes Q♠ T♠ 7♦, giving Cloutier the inside straight draw, and the turn is the K♠, giving Cloutier a pair of kings. The river is the 5♥ and Barry Greenstein has been eliminated in fourth place for $291,798.

The blinds are on their way up as the poker marches forward. We've seen very little in the way of big pots (or even flops) lately, with players content to use their substantial stack sizes relative to the blinds to wait for big hands.

 

Play has been decidedly tight in the final four although the players' chat seems pretty loose.

When the crowd golf clapped after a recent pot the TD reminded them it's OK to be loud.

"That only happens when David wins a pot," quipped Barry Greenstein, referring to the crowd's partiality to David Cloutier, who lives about an hour away.

"Let's hope that happens really soon," David answered back.

"I don't know; my ears still hurt from the last one," added Barry.

Greenstein went on to complain that he hasn't reached a particular goal of his at this final table yet and that is to play at least one hand not being the short stack.

Although Greenstein's semi-aggressive play has kept him in this thing and he has climbed out of the massive hole he started the day with, the veteran pro remains in fourth position with four remaining.

Right now Scott Clements retains the chip lead sitting on close to $3.3 million. Cloutier has around $2.6 million and Jonathan Little $2.5 million.

Barry started the day with less than $600,000 and now has close to $1.4 million.

 

The most exciting moment of the final table so far may very well have been the most exciting moment in the life of David Cloutier.

Cloutier limped under the gun as did Scott Clements from the small blind. Jonathan Little checked his option and all three saw a flop of J♣ 10♠ 2♠. First to act, Clements bet out $40,000 and while Little let it go, Cloutier raised to $150k. Clements called and the checked in the dark before an 8♦ turn.

Cloutier shoved and Clements quickly called, felting J♠ 9♣ for top pair and the up-and-down straight draw.

However, Cloutier showed Q♣ J♥ for top pair with the better kicker and looked good to double-up. The 4♦ on the river made it happen and Cloutier pumped his fist, yelling out with the kind of excitment usually reserved for big moments like this one. Rock on Dave!

 

We're back from the North American Poker Championship and the cards are in the air again. Here are the updated chip counts as we get back to work:

Scott Clements	$4,175,000
Jonathan Little	$2,560,000
David Cloutier	$1,980,000
Barry Greenstein	$1,370,000

 

Play has slowed. In fact it's come to a complete stop as the four players left are taking a 10-minute break.

Check back in a few for more WPT final-table action from Fallsview...

Barry Greenstein raises to $60,000 from the small blind and Scott Clements comes over the top all-in. Greenstein calls for his last $633,000 and turns up K♦ K♥ to Clements' Q♥ T♠. The board comes K♣ Q♠ 7♣ 7♦ T♥ and Greenstein flops a set and turns the full house to double through The Bracelet, bringing his stack to about $1.3 million.

The blinds are up and the pressure is mounting here at Fallsview.

Stay tuned...

Pot for Cloutier

Jonathan Little raises to $70,000 from under the gun and David Cloutier calls from the button before Scott Clements re-pops to $274,000. Little gets out of the way and Cloutier moves all-in over the top. Clements gives the matter some thought but eventually lays it down and Cloutier takes the pot.

Nice Pot for Clements

David Cloutier limps in from under the gun and Barry Greenstein raises to $114,000 from the button. Scott Clements calls from the small blind and Cloutier gets out. The flop comes T♥ 8♥ 4♦ and Clements checks. Greenstein bets out $150,000 and Clements makes it $500,000 total. Greenstein thinks for a minute before mucking and Clements takes the pot.

Another Pot for Clements

Clements raises to $70,000 from under the gun and Cloutier makes the call in the small blind. The flop comes A♦ T♣ 4♥ and both players check. The turn is the 9♥ and Cloutier checks to Clements, who bets out $75,000. Cloutier calls and the river is the 4♠. Cloutier leads out for $125,000 and Clements raises to $250,000. Cloutier calls and Clements shows A-8 for aces and fours to take down the pot.

 

We're back from the tape change break with increased blinds and antes. Here are the chip counts as we get back underway:

Scott Clements	$4,671,000
Jonathan Little	$2,486,000
David Cloutier	$2,264,000
Barry Greenstein	$663,000

 

Obviously, with two eliminations in the last half hour there's been lots of action.

But with two loose Internet players gone, things may tighten up a bit now.

However, Barry Greenstein is still on the short stack and cannot afford to sit back much longer. Just moments ago, he bet $70k under the gun and David Cloutier made the call from the big blind. After a Cloutier check on a 6♣ 8♦ 10♦ flop, Greenstein pushed all-in.

Cloutier asked for a count, but laid it down when he was told Barry had $460k.

We'll be back in a jiffy as the WPT crew is changing tapes and the players are taking a short break.

Action folds to Scott Clements in the small blind and he raises to $80,000. Kofi Farkye makes the call in the big blind and the flop comes T♠ 8♠ 7♠. Clements checks to Farkye who moves all-in and Clements beats him to the pot, turning up T♣ 8♦ for top two while Farkye is on a draw - and surprisingly, not a flush draw - with 6♣ 5♦. The turn is the K♠, giving Farkye split outs, but the river is the 7♣ and Clements' hand holds up, giving him the check mark and giving Farkye the boot. The young online phenom will take home $218,849 for his fifth-place finish.

We're down to five at Fallsview after Jeff Garza shoved on a straight draw and got picked off. Scott Clements raised from the cutoff to $70K and Garza made the call. After a 8♥ 7♠ 2♠ flop and a Garza check, Clements led out $150k.

Garza tanked, but emerged shoving. Clements called without hesitation felting A♠ 9♠ for ace high with the flush draw. Garza had 10♦ 9♦ for an open-ended straight draw.

The turn was the decisive 3♠ giving Clements the nut flush and the huge pot.

Garza goes out sixth cashing $170,216.

Play at the final table has been tight from the outset with very few flops seen.

In the biggest hand of the night so far, Dave Cloutier made it $50k from middle position and got the call from Jonathan Little in the big blind. Both players checked the A♣ 10♥ 5♠ flop and the 2♥ turn, but when the 10♦ river fell, Jonathan Little bet out $125,000. It didn't take very long for Cloutier to make a move pumping it up to $376k.

Little called, but mucked when Cloutier showed K-10.

In the meantime, Barry Greenstein is the short stack at the table and recently shoved on a Kofi Farkye raise, but Kofi thought better of the call and laid his hand down.

Stick with PL.com as the action continues from Fallsview.

 

The players have been introduced and the cards are in the air from Fallsview. Stay tuned for updates as the action unfolds.

Here are the chip counts and seating positions as the players take their positions at the final table:

Seat 1	Kofi Farkye	$1,504,000
Seat 2	Jonathan Little	$2,616,000
Seat 3	Jeff Garza	$1,320,000
Seat 4	David Cloutier	$1,614,000
Seat 5	Barry Greenstein	$447,000
Seat 6	Scott Clements	$2,483,000

 

Buckle your seat belts, poker fans, and keep your head and arms inside the ride at all times; it's final-table time from the brink of the Falls in Canada! Seven days ago, 504 players took to the tables and by now that number has been reduced to a mere six as we prepare to get started beneath the WPT mood lighting.

Action is set to begin from the final table at 4:00 p.m. (EDT) and PokerListings.com will be on the scene all throughout this glorious day. Grab some snacks and kick the cat off the couch; it's time to get down and dirty in the place to be!