Three seperate times Fedor ‘CrownUpGuy’ Holz has been the number ranked online poker player in the world. Sunday night in Las Vegas he add the biggest live win to his resume when he beat Nick Petrangelo heads-up to win the $100,000 buy-in WPT Alpha8 event at the Bellagio.

Holz started the eight-handed final table with the chip lead and needed just 106 hands to claim the title and the nearly $1.6 million first place prize. He only eliminated two players on Sunday; David Peters on the bubble and runner-up Petrangelo.

It was Petrangelo that did most of the heavy lifting on Sunday. Daniel Negreanu eliminated Keith Tilston in seventh and Sean Winter busted Kathy Lehne, who was runner-up at the WPT Alpha8 event in St. Kitts last December, in sixth place. That’s when Petrangelo went to work.

Just one hand after Lehne exited, Holz raised to 125,000 from under the gun, Petrangelo called from the cutoff before Ankush Mandavia moved all-in from the small blind. Holz got out of the way but Petrangelo called. Mandavia tabled Td Th and was ahead of Petrangelo’s 8c 8d. The flop cam 8h 7h 2d putting Petrangelo ahead. Neither the 5c turn or Qc river were of any relief to Mandavia and he was sent packing in fifth place.

Petrangelo wasn’t done flopping sets. From UTG Petrangelo raised to 135,000 before Winter moved all-in for 990,000. Petrangelo called and flipped over 7d 7c while Winter needed help with Ac Ts. The flop came Kd Qh 7s giving Petrangelo bottom set but giving Winter a gutshot Broadway draw. The turn was the 4c and the river was the As and Winter was out in fourth place.

His next victim was a little bit more high profile. After Holz folded his button, Negreanu moved all-in for 655,000 from the small blind and Petrangelo called. Negreanu was ahead with Kd 3s against Petrangelo’s Qd Jh. The flop changed everything though as the dealer spread out Js 9c 4s putting Petrangelo ahead. The Qc turn gave him top two and left Negreanu drawing to one of four tens for a straight. The 6s river sealed Negreanu’s third place finish.

Petrangelo’s carnage took just 45 minutes.

Despite being responsible for three consecutive eliminations to get heads-up with Holz, Petrangelo still trailed the young German by a 2.25-1 margin. Petrangelo closed the gap during heads-up play but ultimately couldn’t overcome Holz. it took just 23 hands before the tournament came to a close.

Afte Holz limped from the button, Petrangelo shoved for 3,600,000 and Holz called. Petrangelo turned over Ad Qs while Holz showed 5c 5s. The board ran out Jc 3s 2d 4c 9s and Holz’s pocket fives stayed ahead to eliminate Petrangelo in second place.

The win is just the fifth of Holz’s career with the most recent coming in the €770 High Roller event at the Israeli Poker Championships in September.

The event, the first of WPT Alpha8 Season III, attracted 45 entrants – down 10 from the Season II turnout. There are currently no other Alpha8 events scheduled.

Final Table Payouts

  1. Fedor Holz – $1,589,219
  2. Nick Petrangelo – $1,015,335
  3. Daniel Negreanu – $640,103
  4. Sean Winter – $441,450
  5. Ankush Mandavia – $309,015
  6. Kathy Lehne – $242,798
  7. Keith Tilston – $176,580

Photo courtesy Joe Giron/World Poker Tour