Andjelko Andrejevic captured his first WPT title Saturday in Amsterdam

Saturday afternoon in Amsterdam, Anthony Zinno found himself within spitting distance of making World Poker Tour /B] history. Zinno entered the final table of WPT Amsterdam with the third biggest stack and a chance at becoming the first player to win four WPT titles.

Serbia’s Andjelko Andrejevic had other ideas though.

Andrejevic defeated Tomas Fara after a three-hour heads-up battle to win the event and the $228,000 that came with the title while Zinno had to settle for third.

Just seven hands Zinno got even closer, sending one of the short stacks home. Zinno opened to 125,000 from the button and Hans Bosman moved all in from the big blind. Zinno called to find himself racing with ThTs against Bosman’s AhKh. The board ran out 9d8h4s2s5s to eliminate Bosman and move Zinno closer to the chip lead.

Just fifteen minutes later another player hit the rail. Andrejevic raised to 125,000 from the button before Senh Man Ung moved all in from the button and Andrejevic called. Ung was ahead with TdTs against Andrejevic’s AdJd. The Jc8c7s flop put Andrejevic ahead and neither the Qd turn or Qc river changed anything and Ung was out in fifth place.

After nursing his short stack for over an hour, Emrah Cakmak finally had to make a stand – but it didn’t end well. Action folded around to Cakmak on the button and moved all in and Fara called from the big blind. Cakmak showed Ah6c but got bad news when Fara tabled AcJh. The Qd4d3s flop brought no help for Cakmak and after the 8d turn and 3s river, he was eliminated in fourth.

That hand left two players between Zinno and history but that’s as close as the former WPT Player of the Year would get. While Andrejevic was adding to his stack, Zinno saw his moving in the opposite direction. After 90 minutes of three-handed play Zinno was left with just over 20 big blinds. Andrejevic opened to 225,000 from the button before Zinno moved all in for 1,785,000. Fara move all in over the top. Andrejevic folded and Zinno got the bad news as he tabled Ac2h before Fara showed AdAs. The Qh4h7s2sTh run out didn’t help Zinno and his run ended in third place.

Heads-up play began with Andrejevic holding 5,150,000 of the 9,540,000 chips in play. Fara refused to go quietly though and the two players traded chips – and the chip lead – over the course of three hours before Andrejevic emerged victorious.

Andrejevic moved all in from the small blind for 6,800,000 and Fara called, with his tournament life at stake. Andrejevic turned over 8h7c while Fara showed Kc9h. The Jd8c6d flop put Andrejevic ahead and neither the 5s turn or 8s river put Fara back ahead, giving Andrejevic the first WPT title of his career to go along with his victory in the Asia Pacific Poker Tour Super High Roller win from November.

Final Table Payouts

  1. Andjelko Andrejevic – $228,000
  2. Tomas Fara – $163,362
  3. Anthony Zinno – $103,124
  4. Emrah Cakmak – $76,722
  5. Senh Man Ung – $57,591
  6. Hans Bosman – $46,051