Jason Mercier wins $100k World Poker Tour High Roller


December 12,2011 :  POKER PRO ENJOYS A PROFITABLE WEEKEND
 
Big high roller win brings Mercier's career earnings to over $8 million
 
It's been a very profitable weekend for international poker pro Jason Mercier, who took down the $100k World Poker Tour High Roller tourney at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, besting 23 other top quality players.
 
The victory after a tense heads up against David Sands made Mercier $683,767 richer, bringing his career earnings in live tourneys to over $8 million. Along with the substantial cash prize, Mercier also won a $25 000 seat in the WPT Championship in May.
 
The small but star-studded entry list included names like Erik Seidel, Ben Lamb, Brian Rast, Sam Stein and Sorel Mizzi.
 
Down to three-handed play after some sparkling and aggressive poker, Mercier faced Sands and internet poker pro Isaac Haxton, and the trio agreed a three way chop with the chip stacks respectively at 3.36 million, 3.68 million and 2.96 million. That left $105 000 on the table for first place and $45 000 for second, with the chop ensuring that Sands picked up $619 000 for his second placing, and Haxton $582 000 for third.
 
Once Haxton was eliminated, Sands and Mercier settled down to a fiercely contested heads up that lasted for an hour, with Mercier finally building a 3 to 1 chip lead before busting Sands out.
 
Just five of the 23 starters cashed under the tournament rules, which encouraged bold and aggressive play as the elimination list grew. Down to the last ten players standing, there was still plenty of quality in the field, including Tom Marchese, Matt Waxman, Nick Schulman, Justin Bonomo, Daniel Negreanu, Justin “BoostedJ” Smith in addition to Haxton, Sands and Mercier.
 
Bonomo ended up busting out as the bubble boy at sixth, leaving a cash list of:
 
Jason Mercier – $683,767 + $25,500 WPT Championship seat
 
David Sands – $619,000
 
Isaac Haxton – $582,000
 
Justin Smith – $289,440
 
Roger Sippl – $192,960