Anthony Zinno Wins WPT Fallsview Poker Classic

Anthony Zinno won the World Poker Tour Fallsview Poker Classic tonight in Niagara Falls, Canada. He topped an overall field of 419 players in this CAD $5,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em tournament that lasted four days. He defeated a tough final table that included Erik Cajelais, and he weathered a strong push from Corey Hochman, who took the chip lead away from Zinno for close to 20 hands of play. His final test was an epic heads-up final against Mark Bailey that lasted 75 hands. No challenge was too much for Zinno in the end, and he adds his name to the WPT Champions Cup for a second time.

Zinno was awarded CAD $380,021 (along with a USD $15,400 seat in the WPT Championship) for his second WPT title tonight, after taking home $878,812 for his first title at the WPT Borgata Poker Open during Season XII. His career earnings now stand at $1,882,416. Zinno also now holds 1,587.62 points in the Season XIII WPT Player of the Year race, giving him the lead over previous front-runner Darren Elias (1,473.44 points). Zinno surpassed Elias when he advanced to the final four earlier today, and he increased the lead even more with the win.

Here is a look at the seating chart and chip counts when cards got into the air this afternoon at the Fallsview Casino Resort.

Seat 1: Erik Cajelais – 620,000 (12 bb)
Seat 2: Mark Bailey – 1,635,000 (32 bb)
Seat 3: Anthony Zinno – 4,730,000 (94 bb)
Seat 4: Corey Hochman – 2,795,000 (55 bb)
Seat 5: David Cloutier – 1,655,000 (33 bb)
Seat 6: Jeremy Halaska – 1,170,000 (23 bb)

It is a rare feat when a player busts out on the very first hand of play at a WPT televised final table, but it is only once in a blue moon that we lose two players during the first two hands of play. That is exactly what happened here in Niagara Falls as Erik Cajelais and Jeremy Halaska fell out of contention in consecutive hands to kick things off rapidly at the final table.

Corey Hochman raised on the very first hand of play to 100,000 preflop and Cajelais wasted no time reraising all in for 620,000 on his big blind with A2. Hochman called with A8. The board was dealt 87265 and Hochman won the hand with a pair of eights. Cajelais was out in sixth place at his third WPT final table and he took home CAD $76,194.

One hand later it was Jeremy Halaska’s turn to shove all in on a short stack. Anthony Zinno raised to 125,000 under the gun to start the action and Halaska called on the button. The two players then checked down a board dealt 10109K. Zinno bet 80,000 and Halaska raised to 175,000. Zinno reraised all in with 108 and Halaska called all in for 835,000 holding AK. The river ran out the 7 and Halaska was eliminated in fifth place, good for CAD $95,100.

Order was restored for a little bit after that, but the next hand of consequence saw Hochman raise to 190,000 preflop on the small blind before David Cloutier reraised all in for 940,000 on the big blind. Hochman called with 88 and he was ahead of the Q5 tabled by Cloutier. The board fell 98236 and Cloutier was eliminated in fourth place, good for CAD $126,674. Cloutier also took third place at a WPT final table hosted here at the Fallsview Casino Resort back in Season VI, when he took third place in the North American Poker Championship, so he added to his legacy of success at this casino tonight.

Hochman had steadily closed the gap on the chip leader Zinno during the course of early play at the final table, and he passed him after a big confrontation on Hand 46. That momentum change stalled for Hochman a short time later when Mark Bailey doubled up through him. Hand 69 saw the second confrontation between Zinno and Hochman at the final table, but this time it went Zinno’s way.

Zinno called all in with pocket kings after Hochman five-bet shoved preflop with A5. The board brought no ace for Hochman and Zinno doubled up to take back the chip lead. The hand left Hochman crippled with 16 big blinds remaining and he got the last of his stack all-in preflop on the very next hand with K10 in the hole. Zinno was his opponent once again and he held AQ. The board was dealt AK28J and Hochman was eliminated in third place, good for CAD $171,294. Hochman was appearing at his second WPT final table of the season after taking sixth place at the WPT bestbet Bounty Scramble back in November.

The double-up and elimination punch in consecutive hands gave Zinno a large chip lead at the start of heads-up play. He held 9,120,000 for a nearly 3-1 chip lead over Bailey’s 3,485,000. After 30 hands of play between the final two players Zinno had increased that lead to a 6.5-1 advantage. When Bailey chose to make his final stand he had the goods with pocket aces. Zinno was behind with KQ. The flop did bring a king, but Bailey won the pot to double up and survive with 3,650,000 so things were right back where they started for the final two players.

Bailey then nearly evened up the chip counts and the heads-up final stretched on longer than the rest of the final table combined. The end did not come until the 75th hand between the final two players (and the 145th at the final table). Zinno limped preflop for 250,000 and Bailey raised to 750,000. Zinno tanked for a bit before calling. The flop was dealt 842 and Bailey moved all in for 5,175,000. Zinno quickly called and flipped over KK. Bailey turned over AJ and the turn and river were dealt 47.

Bailey was eliminated in second place and took home CAD $266,394 in prize money for his deep run in the event. Zinno won the WPT Fallsview Poker Classic, earning CAD $399,579. That amount includes his $15,400 entry into the season-ending WPT World Championship in April. Zinno also won a WPT Champions Trophy, a pair of gold Monster 24K Headphones, and a Hublot King Power Unico watch. Zinno also joined the elite group of players that have won two WPT titles. Congratulations to our champion, Anthony Zinno.

Final Table Results:

1st: Anthony Zinno – $380,021 + USD $15,400 WPT Championship Seat
2nd: Mark Bailey – $266,394
3rd: Corey Hochman – $171,294
4th: David Cloutier – $126,674
5th: Jeremy Halaska – $95,100
6th: Erik Cajelais – $76,194

That concludes our coverage from the WPT Fallsview Poker Classic. Thanks to the Fallsview Casino Resort for hosting a great event on the doorstep of one of the natural wonders of the world in Niagara Falls. The next WPT stop will take the tour west for the start of the California Swing at the L.A. Poker Classic from February 20 to March 5. The WPT Live Updates team will be there to bring you live coverage from this marquee stop on the tour.