British pro James Bord wins 2010 WSOP Europe Main Event title

After five long days of intense action, the 2010 World Series of Poker Europe closed yesterday night with 29-year-old British Poker Pro James Bord taking the 2010 WSOPE Main Event title and collecting £830,401 for first place (USD $1,316,550). With this victory, James Bord becomes the first British player to win an WSOP Europe Main Event championship title and the third British player to win a gold bracelet in London (J.P. Kelly in 2009 and Scott Shelley in 2010). Bord now has one victory, 2 final table appearances and 6 WSOP cashes for a total of $1,366,054 in World Series of Poker earnings.

The event ran from September 23-28, 2010 and registered a field of 346 players for a total prize pool of ₤3,460,000 paid to the top 36 finishers. The runner up was Italian-born player Fabrizio Baldassari, who ended up cashing £513,049 for his second place. The final table players also featured British pros Roland de Wolfe and Nicholas Levi, U.S players Ronald Lee, Danny Steinberg, Dan Fleyshman and Brian Powell as well as French poker player Marc Inizan.

The final-table eliminations began with a double knockout when Ronald Lee bested French pro Marc Inizan (ninth place) and Brian Powell (eighth place). Lee scored two more eliminations and took a considerable chip lead over his opponents after sending Dan Fleyshman and Daniel Steinberg in seventh and sixth place respectively.

Lee continued dominating the final table action, and only a few hands later he sent Nicolas Levi in fifth place.Levi was eliminated when he moved all in holding pocket 9s and was called by Lee with K-Q. A king came on the turn, sending Levi home in 5th position (£208,119).

The 4th place was for poker pro Roland de Wolfe. The Brit moved all in from the small blind holding Kc-Qs and was called by Fabrizio Baldassari with Ad-8s. The board ran As-8c-3c-2d -9h, giving Baldassari two pair (A-8) and sending DeWolfr to rail before the dinner break.

The final table action continued with Bord and Baldassari doubling up their chips through Lee before Bord finally eliminated Lee in third place. Lee's elimination came when James Bord raised to 175,000 and Ronald Lee reraised all in holding 5h-5d. Bord made the call and turned up his cards (Ac-Kh). The board came Kc-Js-8s-2s-Kd, eliminating Lee in third place (£326,829) and sealing the final heads-up match between Bord and Baldassari.

In the final hand of the heads up duel, Baldassari and James Bord raised and reraised several times before Bord moved all in his chips. Baldassari made the all-in call and they flipped over their cards. Baldassari showed 5s-5h and Bord 10d-10h. Unfortunately for Baldassari, Board's pocket tens

The board ran 9s- 9d-8d-Js-Ad, crowning Bord as the 2010 WSOP Europe Main Event champion and sending Baldassari home with £513,049 for his second place.

2010 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event Final-Table Results:

1- James Bord (£830,401)
2- Fabrizio Baldassari (£513,049)
3- Ronald Lee (£376,829)
4- Roland de Wolfe (£278,945)
5- Nicolas Levi (£208,119)
6- Daniel Steinberg (£156,530)
7- Dan Fleyshman (£118,643)
8- Brian Powell (£69,754)
9- Marc Inizan (£54,114)