Nabil Hirezi Wins WPT Jacksonville bestbet Open

It is always a nice scene on the World Poker Tour when the hometown favorite wins the tournament and takes home the top prize. That was the case last week at WPT Rolling Thunder when JC Tran won his second title surrounded by family and friends, and that was the case here tonight at the WPT Jacksonville bestbet Open. Nabil Hirezi topped a field of 258 players with a loud group of friends and family all around him to win $206,041 and a WPT title.

Hirezi is a 59-year-old dentist who has run a successful practice in Jacksonville for 22 years. He plays in the bestbet Jacksonville poker room almost daily. He is also a philanthropist and the Rawand Hirezi Memorial Scholarship that he established in honor of his niece sends two deserving kids to college every year. Hirezi now has a lot more money to help others with and he is now a local legend here at the bestbet Jacksonville poker room.

Here is a look at the final table with chip counts when cards got into the air this afternoon.

Seat 1.  James Calderaro  –  1,916,000  (95 bb)
Seat 2.  Nabil Hirezi  –  2,792,000  (139 bb)
Seat 3.  Peter Le  –  1,083,000  (54 bb)
Seat 4.  Faraz Jaka  –  542,000  (27 bb)
Seat 5.  Brian Green  –  444,000  (22 bb)
Seat 6.  Jordan Cristos  –  975,000  (48 bb)

There was a cooler soon after the start of play at the final table and it knocked out one of the well-known professionals at the table. On the second hand of play Peter Le raised to 43,000 under the gun and Faraz Jaka reraised to 98,000 from middle position. Le reraised to 165,000 and Jaka moved all in for 539,000. Le quickly called with [AsAc] and Jaka flipped over [KcKs]. The board was dealt [AdJc9cJd4s] and Jaka was eliminated in sixth place, good for $38,241.

Brian Green scored the first double up at the final table on Hand 14 courtesy of Hirezi, and the next player to get all in for his tournament life was Jordan Cristos on Hand 37. Cristos raised to 54,000 from the cutoff preflop and Hirezi called on the small blind. Le also called on the big blind and the flop fell [Qh5d2s]. Cristos was the first to act with a bet of 54,000 and Hirezi check-called. Le check-folded and the turn fell [Js]. Both players checked and and the river delivered the [4c]. Hirezi bet 105,000 and Cristos raised to 325,000. Hirezi moved all in and Cristos called all in for 786,000. Hirezi showed down [Ad3s] for a straight and Cristos mucked. He was eliminated in fifth place and took home $47,802.  

The second elimination at the final table was followed by the second double up when James Calderaro survived against Hirezi on Hand 48. The next all-in confrontation saw Green double thru Hirezi, and then Le took a turn doubling up through Green. Even with the double up Green was low on chips and he was all in again two hands later on Hand 72.

Le moved all in under the gun for 140,000 and both Green called on the button and Hirezi called on the big blind. The flop was dealt [8h6h4s] and Hirezi checked. Green bet 100,000 and Hirezi folded. Le flipped over [Qd6d] and Green showed [4d4h]. The turn and river rolled out the [Jd9h] and that was it for Le, who was eliminated in fourth place ($63,682).

Green may have just claimed his first knockout punch at the final table but he was the one with his tournament life on the line a short time later on Hand 85. Calderaro raised to 75,000 preflop on the button and Green reraised to 250,000 on the big blind. Calderaro called and the flop was dealt [Jd10s5s]. Green moved all in for 880,000. Calderaro called and they flipped over their hands. Calderaro held [Jh10d] and Green revealed [QsQh]. The turn and river were dealt 8-3 and Calderaro took down the pot with two pair to eliminate Green in third place ($86,043).

The chip counts at the start of heads-up play had Calderaro in the lead with 4,090,000 but Hirezi was close behind with 3,660,000. The two played really close for almost 50 hands before the money went all in between them for the first time on Hand 134, and it would be the only time. Calderaro limped preflop and Hirezi raised to 150,000. Calderaro reraised to 550,000 and Hirezi moved all in. Calderaro called all in for 3,395,000. The two players then flipped over their cards.

Hirezi: [10c10d]
Calderaro: [AcKd]

Board: [Kh6h5hQh10s]

Hirezi hit a one-outer on the river to win the tournament in dramatic fashion and the crowd made up mostly by his friends and family erupted in celebration. Hirezi was in the middle of it all as he won the top prize worth $206,041 (including a $15,400 seat in the WPT World Championship), and a WPT Champions trophy.

Calderaro was eliminated in second place ($133,764) and he came very close to winning his second WPT title of this season. It was also his second runner-up finish here at the bestbet Jacksonville. He took second in this event back in Season X. Calderaro also took home 600 WPT Season XII Player of the Year points and he now holds 1,725 overall (fifth place in the standings). Congratulations to Calderaro on another strong showing at a WPT event during Season XII and a special congrats to our champion Hirezi, who will surely be having a party in Jacksonville tonight.   

Final Table Results

1st: Nabil Hirezi – $206,041
2nd: James Calderaro – $133,764
3rd: Brian Green – $86,043
4th: Peter Le – $63,682
5th: Jordan Cristos – $47,802
6th: Faraz Jaka – $38,241

That concludes our coverage of the WPT Jacksonville bestbet Open. Thanks to the bestbet Jacksonville for hosting another great event. The WPT main tour will take a short break before the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown takes place from April 10-16 down in South Florida. The WPT Live Updates team travels north to Montreal to bring you live coverage from the partypoker.net WPT National Canadian Spring Championship at Playground Poker.