Mortensen claims poker championship

David Strow

Friday, May 18, 2001 | 9:49 a.m.

For the second time in three years, poker's ultimate championship rests in the hands of a European.

Seven hours into a marathon final session, Spaniard Carlos Mortensen snared a king-high straight on his final card Friday night to emerge victorious in the championship game of the World Series of Poker at Binion's Horseshoe in Las Vegas. In addition to the gold bracelet of the champion, the 29-year-old poker pro from Madrid received a $1.5 million payday.

"Viva Espana!" Mortensen cried shortly after winning the final hand, holding stacks of $100 bills high above his head.

"I'm not really a tournament player," Mortensen said afterwards. "But this year, I've played in three (tournaments), and I've won three. When I get to the final table, I always win."

Mortensen outlasted a record field of 613 players, who competed for $6.13 million in prize money over five days. Dewey Tomko, a 54-year-old poker tournament veteran from Haines City, Fla., received $1.1 million for his second-place finish -- making him the first runner up in World Series history to receive a prize exceeding $1 million.

The championship game in the World Series is "Texas Hold 'em," in which each player is dealt two cards face down. Five cards are placed face up in the middle, and players make their poker hands from these cards and the cards in their hand.

The game is "no-limit," meaning that players can bet and raise up to the total amount of chips they have. The buy-in for the final tournament is $10,000.

The showdown between Mortensen and Tomko was set after Tomko ousted Stan Schrier, an auto dealership owner from Omaha, Neb., with a pair of kings. Tomko had made his way up from sixth place through skillful play, but faced a huge challenge in Mortensen, who had amassed a mountain of chips totaling more than $4 million, giving him a 2-to-1 chip advantage.

The two players jabbed back and forth for about 15 minutes, neither one willing to take the other on. Usually an aggressive bet or raise was enough to convince the other to fold, often before a single community card had been dealt.

But 20 minutes into their heads-up match, the two took each other on. After the three of clubs, 10 of clubs and jack of diamonds were dealt in the center, Mortensen bet $100,000. Tomko raised $400,000, and after some thought, Mortensen went "all-in." Tomko called, setting up a showdown for the title.

Tomko flipped up a pair of aces -- the strongest starting hand in the game of hold 'em. But Mortensen showed a powerful hand as well -- the queen and king of clubs. So while Mortensen trailed Tomko, he was just one card from making either a straight or a club flush, and capturing the tournament.

The fourth card was a three of diamonds, giving Tomko two pair -- aces and threes. But the final card was a nine of diamonds, which completed Mortensen's straight and won him the championship.