‘Like A Boss’ — William Kassouf Wins Irish Poker Masters Main Event

William Kassouf grew to become infamous for his motor-mouthed desk discuss through the 2016 World Series of Poker predominant occasion. The British participant in the end completed seventeenth in that occasion for $338,288, however he was concerned in lots of contentious and controversial fingers that featured closely in that 12 months’s ESPN tv protection earlier than he was eradicated.

Arguably essentially the most well-known second from his run got here when he ran an all-in bluff with 9-6 offsuit and drew a fold from Stacy Matuson’s pocket queens, which had been an overpair to the board. He was penalized for his incessant desk discuss through the hand, however not earlier than he unveiled his now notorious catchphrase: “Nine high, like a boss!”

While Kassouf has not fairly turn out to be a full-time staple on the dwell event circuit since his starring function within the 2016 WSOP predominant occasion protection, he has managed to make some huge scores within the years since that breakout run, accumulating greater than $1.2 million in profession dwell event earnings alongside the best way. In December of that 12 months he gained a €10,300 buy-in no-limit maintain’em excessive curler occasion on the European Poker Tour Prague pageant for $554,120.

Kassouf’s most up-to-date huge rating got here on-line, although. On Dec. 16, 2020 he outlasted a subject of 1,341 entries within the €1,100 buy-in Irish Poker Masters no-limit maintain’em predominant occasion, which was held on-line on partypoker. Kassouf reportedly gained his means into the occasion by way of a €109 satellite tv for pc. He managed to parlay that buy-in right into a payout of €215,163 after he outlasted the sizable subject and a troublesome ultimate desk that included numerous completed event gamers.

Kassouf got here into the ultimate desk in seventh chip place out of 9 remaining gamers, with current WSOP International Tournament third-place finisher Manuel Ruvio beginning the day with the most important stack. He survived to four-handed play as one of many shorter stacks, however managed to win a preflop race in opposition to fellow Anton Siden to present himself a bit extra respiration room heading into three-handed motion. Kassouf’s pocket fives beat out the Okay-Q offsuit of Siden to ship the Swede residence in fourth place (€66,267), whereas Kassouf chipped as much as round 14 huge blinds after the hand.

Kassouf doubled by on-line poker star Samuel Vousden to proceed his climb up the leaderboard. Vousden’s run got here to an finish in third place when his pocket queens ran right into a flopped straight held by Ruvio. The chips acquired in on the flop. Vousden picked up some outs to the next straight on the flip, however a brick on the river despatched him to the digital rail with €101,620.

Ruvio held greater than a 4:1 chip lead going into heads-up play in opposition to Kassouf. The British participant doubled up with pocket nines in opposition to A-7, and gained one other sizable pot with A-10 suited in opposition to Ruvio’s pocket sixes to shut the hole even additional. He later took the lead making high two pair with A-10 in a raised pot.

By the time the ultimate hand of the event was dealt, Kassouf held constructed a large lead of his personal. He picked up the 88 on the button and raised to eight,592,600. Ruvio three-bet all-in for 57,857,400 with the 76. Kassouf made the decision and flopped a full home with 877. The 4 flip meant Ruvio wanted the case seven on the river to remain alive. The 6 gave him a full home, nevertheless it was nonetheless the second-best hand. With that Ruvio was eradicated in second place (€148,042) whereas Kassouf secured the pot and the title.

Here is a have a look at the payouts awarded on the ultimate desk: