Event 2 - $25,000 Heads-Up Championship - Live Updates

Jake Cody has won the $25,000 Heads-Up Championship.

With it, he wins a WSOP bracelet, and $851,192.

It took four days and seven heads-up matches, but the bracelet has finally found a new home.

Today, at the age of 22, Jake Cody becomes the youngest player to ever win the triple crown of poker.

A tremendous achievement only made more amazing considering he did it in under two years.

Cody had to battle the likes of Dani Stern, Jonathan Jaffe, Frank Kassela and Gus Hansen to make it to the final round.

Cody dominated Gus Hansen in the semifinal, but seemed to lose momentum against Timoshenko. Timoshenko took an early lead and managed to keep Cody at bay until the Brit double up.

Timoshenko then took an add on and couldn’t catch up.

Cody then began to resemble his rail. His bets got stronger and louder, cancelling out anything his opponent could dish at him.

Then, with K♣ 9♣, Cody delivered the final blow.

He bested Timoshenko, who also built an impressive resume this tournament. He beat Olivier Busquet, David Paredes and Raj Singh. Today he went against a well-dressed Eric Froehlich before having to face Cody.

Yevgeniy Timoshenko

 

But nobody beat Cody. He survived seven heads-up matches in four days and is now off to celebrate with his already impaired British posse.

While Cody goes on to celebrate, we'll fill you in with more details on how he won his bracelet.

Soon after our last update, Jake Cody opened to 85,000 and Timoshenko re-raised to 165,000.

Cody called and we saw a 3♠ 8♦ Q♣ flop. Both players checked and a 2♥ came on the turn.

Timoshenko bet 200,000 and Cody called.

The river was an A♥ and brought another round of checks. Cody showed Q♠ 5♠ and Timoshenko mucked.

Cody won another few small pots and made his way up to more than 2 million, leaving Timoshenko with around 2.7 million.

Both rails seem to have battled a bit themselves.

The Timoshenko crowd opened with cheers for Timoshenko. The Cody crowd raised with louder, drunker cheers.

The Timoshenko crowd then re-raised by chanting “No Bracelet, no World Cup,” to the Brits. The Cody crowd then came over the top with “We cashed out on Full Tilt!”

The Timoshenko crowd thought for a bit, then folded and sat in silence.

The players continued to battle it out until Cody raised to 245,000. Timoshenko then shoved all-in and Cody called.

Cody held A♦ 3♥ and was up against Timoshenko’s J♣ 10♠.

Cody hit the A♠ on the river and doubled up to 3.9 million, leaving Timoshenko with less than 900,000.

Timoshenko added on soon after, bringing his stack up to 2.5 million.

Later in the level, Timoshenko and Cody would get all-in again. Both players held the same hand with different suits.

Timoshenko: A♥ 4♣

It seemed pretty uneventful until the board read 8♣ Q♣ 9♠ 10♣. Cody was a club away from winning the bracelet.

The crowd, for the first time, went dead silent. But a 5♥ on the river would mean we’d have to keep playing.

With no add ons left, Timoshenko was looking for a place to double up. After Timoshenko called the blind, Cody raised all-in.

Yevgeniy Timoshenko vs. Jake Cody

 

It didn’t take too long for Timoshenko to call.

Showdown

Timoshenko: A♣ 5♠

Cody: K♣ 9♣

“King!” the Brits started chanting.

The flop yielded to their demands, K♥ Q♦ 4♥.

The crowd blew up and started jumping and chanting to the point where a TV crew member came to yell at them, saying they were going to break the stage.

The turn was a 6♥ and the 4♦ on the river would be the last card dealt this tournament.

Even though we’re only two events into the WSOP, we’ve already seen the most entertaining rail we’ve ever encountered and the poker community is still recovering from Phil Ivey’s press release.

If this is any indicator of how the rest of this WSOP is going to play out, then we’re pretty excited.

So stay tuned to PokerListings.com for what could be the most entertaining World Series of Poker ever.

Timoshenko came prepared. Unlike Hansen, he came on time, brought a formidable rail and some check-raises.

In a limped pot, the flop read 10♣ 8♠ 2♥ and Timoshenko checked. Cody bet 25,000 and Timoshenko called.

Turn: J♦

Timoshenko check-called Cody’s 65,000 bet.

Then a 5♠ came on the river and Timoshenko did what he did on the last two streets. Cody bet out again, he made it 145,000. Timoshenko then raised to 435,000 and Cody folded.

This prompted cheers from the Timoshenko crowd and boos from Cody’s.

This gave Timoshenko an early lead.

Cody would close that gap up soon enough.

Timoshenko raised to 48,000 and Cody re-raised to 145,000. Both players checked the 10♣ 5♥ 3♦ flop and a 7♥ came on the turn. Cody bet 177,000 and Timoshenko politely called.

The small 2♣ on the river brought big action. Cody grabbed every chip in his stack and just shoved it in.

It was an 860,000 call for Timoshenko, but he opted to fold instead.

The next battle would be a preflop one. Cody raised and Timoshenko re-raised to 185,000. Cody then raised again, to 375,000 only to face a 525,000 5-bet from Timoshenko.

Much to Cody’s crowd’s disappointment, Cody folded. This put Timoshenko past the 2 million mark and Cody at around 1.15 million.

Later on, Cody and Timoshenko had amassed an 800,000 pot on a 9♣ A♦ A♠ 8♥ board. Cody then bet 245,000 and Timoshenko called.

A J♦ came on the river and Cody checked. Timoshenko tanked, for over a minute. Then he checked and showed 9♠ 7♠. Not a strong hand, but good enough to beat Cody’s 7♦ 5♦.

Cody was down to 800,000 while Timoshenko was up to 2.4 million.

Things seemed to be going in Timoshenko’s favor. That is, until Cody doubled-up.

Timoshenko and Cody went all-in preflop.

Cody: 6♠ 6♣

Timoshenko: A♣ 4♦

The board brought no ace for Timoshenko and Cody doubled up, evening out the chip stacks.

This is when Timoshenko decided to use an add on. The first player today to use an add on without losing his stack first.

Timoshenko now has 3 million with one add on while Cody is at 1.5 million with both add ons left.

The rails seem to have added on to the action as well. Both Timoshenko and Cody's rail have gone back-and-forth with chants, songs and cheers.

Cody's railbirds have also seem to have found some Mardi Gras masks, and one of them is drinking wine straight from the bottle.

We were here at 8:30 but the final match hadn't started, so we went to grab a bite to eat.

Then there was rumble felt throughout the entire Amazon Room at around 9:15 pm.

It could only mean one thing, Jake Cody was back.

Jake Cody and Yevgeniy Timoshenko have returned to fight for the title of Event #2: $25,000 Heads-Up Champion, a WSOP bracelet and $851,192.

Timoshenko is coming from a tremendous couple of years where he’s earned more than $7 million.

Jake Cody hasn’t done badly either. In January 2010 he won EPT Deauville and in August, he won a WPT title.

He’s now only one heads-up match away from winning a WSOP bracelet and the hat trick of major poker tournaments.

Cody brings with him his increasingly popular crowd. While Cody may have taken these last two hours to prepare for his bracelet bout, these boisterous Brits have taken this time to drink.

Good on them. As I type this, a bartender has come with a several Jaeger Bombs.

This is going to be an interesting match.

Blinds are 10,000/20,000 and each player is starting with 1.6 million chips with two add ons.

Plenty of time to play and drink.

So tip your glasses and refresh your browser in an hour folks, this is just getting started. .

Cheers!

The answer to last entry’s cliffhanger is …

Both.

With only 256,000 behind him, Hansen raised to 106,000. Cody re-raised, putting Hansen all-in.

Hansen would make everyone wait for him again as he contemplated the call.

He eventually did.

Hansen flipped over Q♣ 10♦ and was ahead of Cody’s Q♦ 7♥.

The 5♣ Q♠ 2♣ 9♠ 8♥ board would do nothing to improve Cody’s hand.

Hansen doubled.

A few hands later Hansen found his first 1/3 at risk yet again. Cody and Hansen got it all-in preflop.

Cody: A♠ 10♣

Hansen: Q♣ K♣

The board read 3♦ 6♥ 8♣ 6♠ and the Brits started chanting for a deuce. Any deuce.

A 3♣ fell on the river and the Brits cheered anyways. Hansen lost his first 800,000 and dipped into his first add-on.

The crowd has also discovered another one of the WSOP’s sponsors, Miller Lite. The stands are now starting to sound more and more like a British soccer match.

Here are some select chants from the Cody rail, brought to you by PokerListings.

“There’s only on emo in Rochdale.”

“PokerStars integrity, Full Tilt’s done.”

“Hansen where’s your rail?”

The Great Dane endures verbal and poker abuse from the Brits.

 

There are a couple of others, but the Rochdale accent is hard to understand after a certain level of inebriety.

This crowd has reached that level.

A few American railbirds have tried to shout back, but their efforts are quickly smothered by the Rochdale crowd. Their town is in Greater Manchester, they might know a thing or two about screaming in sporting events.

Roberto Romanello and JP Kelly showed up to join the crowd, sparking a “There’s only one Romanello!” Chant to the tune of Guantanamera.

As the Brits pick away at the rest of the audience patience, Cody is picking away at Hansen’s stack on the felt.

Cody raised to 45,000 on the button and Hansen re-raised to 115,000. Cody answered by putting in a 707,000 raise. The call would put Hansen all-in, he folded.

In another pot, both players limped and saw a 6♣ 3♥ K♥ flop. Hansen led out for 20,000 and Cody raised to 59,000, causing a fold from Hansen.

In another preflop raising war, Hansen raised to 132,000 and Cody made it 540,000.

Once again, Hansen folded.

The kid from Rochdale was taking the Great Dane for a walk.

But then he bit back.

Cody raised to 48,000 and Hansen re-raised to 112,000. Cody then grabbed a tower of green chips worth 500,000 and bet it.

Jake Cody and his massive stack.

 

Hansen snap-called and was all-in.

Hansen showed A♣ K♠, ahead of Cody’s A♠ Q♥.

As you can imagine, the Brits chanted for a queen.

The flop was 9♦ J♥ 7♥.

The crowd asked for a 10.

Turn: 7♦

Crowd, “10!”

River: J♦

Crowd: Indistinguishable cheers and hollers.

The pot had been chopped.

It wouldn’t be long before Hansen would find himself at risk again. The two got it all-in preflop and Cody showed K♥ 10♦. Hansen held 8♥ 8♣.

The first card on the flop was the 10♠ and the crowd politely clapped. Not really, they jumped out of their seats and started cheering, a Q♠ fell on the river and they cheered even more.

“Oh no Gus,” said one railbird as Hansen dipped into his last add on.

Cody and his rail continued to dominate Hansen.

And then Cody put the Dane out of his misery.

Hansen raised to 98,000 and Cody re-raised around 710,000, putting Hansen all-in.

Hansen went through an agonizing couple of minutes where he drank water and heard chants from the Brits. He eventually called.

Hansen: A♦ 4♣

Cody: A♦ 5♠

It was a poetic conclusion that described the entire match. No matter what Hansen did, Cody had him dominated.

The final board read 6♥ 8♥ K♥ 5♥ 6♠ and the crowd exploded. Cody went up to the rail and was met with hugs and high-fives. The crowd also applauded Hansen as he made an exit.

The Manchester United fan and former heads-up cash game player is now one step closer to winning a WSOP bracelet. Earning him poker’s triple crown in only two years.

The final will take place at 8:30 pm.  

After a lengthy wait, Gus Hansen finally made it to the feature table.

He’s had a tough time so far. According to television statistics, Hansen went the 12 hands without any preflop raises.

He’s also lost a considerable part of his first 800,000 to Jake Cody.

Here are some examples of how it happened.

On a 2♠ 5♥ 9♦ 7♦ Hansen bet 83,000 and got a call from Cody. Hansen fired for around 200,000 when the 8♣ hit on the river.

Cody, again, made the call and showed Q♥ 9♣ for top pair. Hansen had nothing to show but Queen-high.

On a 6♦ 8♥ 2♥ flop Cody bet 13,000 and Hansen raised to 35,000. Cody called.

The turn was a 6♣ and Hansen bet 62,000 after Cody checked. Cody didn’t fold, or call, he raised, to 396,000. Hansen folded.

Cody is now up to just about 1,300,000, while Hansen is down to 300,000.

Cody also wins in the railbird aspect of things.

There's a large crowd of boisterous Brits screaming everything from, "Shoes off if you love Cody," to "I love Jack Link's Beef Jerky!"

Will Hansen be forced to cash in his first add-on or will he double up to stay in the game?

Stick around and find out.

Minutes after our last update, the players decided to get frisky.

Eric Froehlich raised to 48,000 from the button and Yevgeniy Timoshenko re-raised to 124,000.

Froehlich went all-in and he gave Timoshenko the American stare-down.

“USA! USA!” A woman in the crowd started chanting.

Froehlich showed A♠ Q♥ and was flipping against Timoshenko’s 8♠ 8♣

The board ran 2♦ 9♣ K♦ 3♣ 9♦ and Timoshenko knocked out Froehlich 1.0.

Froehlich dipped into his reservoirs and came back with his first add-on as Froehlich 2.0.

“This is your sweet spot E-Fro, come from behind,” yelled a spectator of questionable sobriety.

But Timoshenko went at Froehlich’s stack once again.

On an 8♠ A♥ Q♦ flop, Timoshenko bet 70,000 and Froehlich called.

The turn was an A♣ and Timoshenko led out again, this time for 150,000. Froehlich called.

The river was a K♠ and Timoshenko took a huge stack a greens and bet them. They were worth 450,000.

Froehlich decided to let this one go and folded.

But right before the break, Froehlich caught a break.

Froehlich raised to 60,000 from the button and Timoshenko called.

The flop fell 5♦ J♠ 2♥ and both players checked.

The 8♥ came on the turn and prompted a 80,000 bet from Timoshenko. Froehlich re-raised to 200,000 and Timoshenko folded.

The players were then given a 15-minute break.

A few hands after the break, Froehlich wouldn’t be so lucky.

Timoshenko open-shoved from the small blind and Froehlich, with 409,000, made the call. 

This time, Froehlich was the one with the pair of eights, 8♣ 8♥, and Timoshenko tabled A♦ 9♦.

Timoshenko hit the A♠ on the turn and won all the chips not in the reserves.

Froehlich used his last add-on and is back to 800,000, while Timoshenko holds a dominating chip lead with 3,000,000

Jake Cody has also found his way to the ESPN stage. He's sitting in the stands, waiting to see who his opponent might be if he's able to defeat Gus Hansen.

Breaking News

Yevgeniy Timoshenko has just eliminated Eric Froehlich.

Froehlich open-shoved for 815,000, a move he's been pulling for a whlie.

This time Timoshenko called.

He showed A♣ 4♠, ahead of Froehlich's 5♣ Q♣.

The flop was J♥ K♥ 6♣, the crowd was silent.

A 4♣ fell on the turn and the crowd gasped. Timoshenko paired his four, but now Froehlich had a flush draw.

The river was a 3♦ and the only thing it flushed was Froehlich's dream of a third WSOP bracelet down the drain.

Timoshenko will advance to the final round of the $25,000 Heads-Up Championship and will face the winner of ther Hansen vs. Cody match.

That's coming up as soon as Gus Hansen shows up to the table.

The first round of the $25,000 Heads-Up Championship is steadily moving along.

At the beginning of the match Eric Froehlich gained an early lead and made it up to 950,000.

Then the chipstacks seemed to even out. The players exchanged a 100,000 chip lead every couple of hands.

Timoshenko then started gaining momentum after winning a couple of pots and chipping Froehlich down to about 650,000.

Then we had a hand.

The flop was 7♣ K♣ 6♠ and the pot was 204,000. Froehlich moved all-in for 428,000. Timoshenko thought for a while, gave Froehlich a genuine Ukrainian stare-down and called.

Froehlich turned over 8♣ 9♥ for open-ended straight draw and Timoshenko showed A♣ 7♦ for a pair of 7s.

The turn was a 10♣ and the crowd went wild.

The river was a 5♠ and Froehlich smiled. The crowd started chanting, “Lets go E-Fro!”

Froehlich doubled-up to around 1,000,000 while Timoshenko saw his stack shrink to 600,000.

But Timoshenko would get the chip lead back seconds later. He added on.

Timoshenko has 1.4 million in chips but now only has one add-on left.

Timoshenko has since won another large pot off of Froehlich. The board read Q♣ 5♣ 6♣ A♥ 3♣ and Timoshenko bet 280,000. Froehlich tanked for minutes before announcing the call.

Timoshenko showed A♦ 6♥ and Froehlich mucked, giving Timoshenko the 970,000 pot.

Froehlich is back down to around 600,000 while Timoshenko has 1,800,000.

The action continues.

And then there were four.

Throughout the past three days, a field of 128 players has been chipped down to four.

$1,094,896 has already been awarded to the twelve players who’ve managed to cash, but fell short of bracelet victory.

Three matches will be played today and someone will win a bracelet in one of this year’s highest buy-in events.

They will also win the largest first-place prize ever awarded in a heads-up tournament.

The first semifinal match of the day will be Yevgeniy Timoshenko vs. Eric Froehlich.

Froehlich has 2 WSOP bracelets and his been looking to win another since 2006.

Some would call Timoshenko’s last couple of years a case of the run good. Others just call it damn fine card playing.

Since 2008, Timoshenko’s live and online earnings exceed $7 million.

Today they battle to enter the $25,000 Heads-Up Championship final for a chance to win a bracelet and $851,192.

The loser will take home $283,966 and the satisfaction of having won five matches in one of the toughest No Limit Hold’em Heads-Up field known to man or beast.

Both players will start with a stack of 800,000, but they will have two add-ons of 800,000 each. The players can add-on whenever they wish as long as they aren’t in a hand.

After the Froehlich vs. Timoshenko match, Gus Hansen and Jake Cody will find their way to the feature table.

Cards are in the air.

Stay tuned at PokerListings while we keep you updated.