Canadian Simon Charette Wins Event 23
Posted Jul 1st 2012 4:35PM EST
For 25-year-old Canadian poker pro Simon Charette his victory in event 23, the $3,000 six-max event of the 2012 WSOP was especially meaningful. Last year, Charette finished second in event 48 for a respectable $404,235, but as every player knows, it's all about the win.
"Second place last year hurt." Recalled Charette, "I cried for about an hour. Now I've won and I'm still going to probably cry for about an hour. It's interesting how it doesn't change, yet it's completely different."
Last year Charette beat out 2,711 players and had the 2,712th player on the ropes twice, all-in and needing to catch a card for his tournament life. But as is too often the case, lady luck reared her ugly head and gave the win to the villain.
It's the tragic nature of tournament poker, and Charette understands it well. "The best player in the world could easily play a lot of tournaments and never win a big one," Charette said. "To come second and then first this is the best moment of my life. I'm finally validated as a poker player."
The heads-up match lasted just two hands. Charette held 5,300,000 chips to his opponent, Artem Metalidi's 2,900,000. He opened to 125,000 and Metalidi reraised to 350,000. Charette quickly made it 600,000 and Metalidi moved all-in. Charette called and tabled pocket sixes, up against the A2o of Metalidi.
The board ran out 9-K-J-8-J and Charette finally had his validation as a poker player.
"Now that I've got the bracelet I'm hoping that my mind can just settle on poker. I don't need to win a tournament right now. I can spend time writing and doing creative stuff. I think that's really what I was put on this earth to do," Charette said after his victory worth $567,624 and poker immortality. For his runner-up finish, Metalidi collected $350,806.
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