The European contingent had a double celebration on day 23 of the World Series. France took down the $10,000 World Championship Omaha High-Low Split 8 or Better event, while Denmark played an impressive and victorious role in the $1,500 no-limit hold’em event. The day also saw the next stage of the $2,000 pot-limit hold'em event, and day 1 of the $1,500 no-limit hold’em tournament kicked off.

There was an explosion of European action at the final table of the $10,000 World Championship Omaha High-Low Split 8 or Better event. Englishmen Ram Vaswani and Jason Gray, and David Benyamine from France caused a lot of damage as they battled their way to the top.

Benyamine sent Shun Uchida out in 11th place, and Ram Vaswani eliminated Berry Johnston in 10th place, before being sent to the rail himself in seventh.

Just after eliminating David Chiu, Greg Jamison came in for a raise, when his next victim, Ram Vaswani reraised. Jamison threw another raise in, enough to put Vaswani all-in. Vaswani called and both players turned over their cards. Vaswani technically had the best hand when the money went in, but he was drawing slim when an ace hit the flop. With no low hand possible, Vaswani needed a queen or he would be eliminated. No queen on the turn or river and Vaswani was out in seventh place, earning $88,360 for his efforts.

Jason Gray and David Benyamine continued to fight the Euro corner up until the final three. Benyamine, who was the chip lead after dinner break, further increased his stack by sending Eugene Katchalov to the rail in sixth place.

It was every man for himself however, when both Gray and Benyamine got involved in two important pots. After Gray doubled through Toto Leonidas in the hand before, Leonidas found himself all-in for 40,000 in the big blind. He was called by both Benyamine and Gray. They checked down the river where Gray fired out a bet and Benyamine called. Gray mucked his hand, and Benyamine turned over the king-high flush, taking both the side and main pots, and eliminating Leonidas in 4th place ($71,792).

Action then folded around to Gray who raised from the button, and Benyamine called from the small blind. The flop came KJ8, and Benyamine bet out (enough to put Gray all-in), and Gray called.

Benyamine: J10109
Gray: AQ32

Benyamine had the best hand on the flop with a pair of jacks, an open-ended straight draw, and the nut straight redraw. Gray flopped the nut flush draw and a gut-shot nut straight draw. The turn was the 2, no help to either player, and the J hit the river, giving Benyamine trips. With no low hand possible, Benyamine scooped the pot, eliminating Jason Gray in third place ($209,855).

And then there were two. Jamison struggled hard against Benyamine’s massive chip stack, which was more than triple his own. Eventually Benyamine raised from the button and Jamison reraised all-in, Benyamine called. Jamison had KQ62, Benyamine had Q10103, and the board came J109J3.

Benyamine flopped middle set while Jamison flopped the nut straight to the king. Benyamine needed the board to pair, and it did when the jack hit the turn. It was France’s turn to win an event and Benyamine made his full house (tens full of jacks), while Jamison was drawing dead on the river. Benyamine took home $535,687 and his first WSOP bracelet for his victory. Greg Jamison had to settle for second place and $331,350.

27 players cashed in the event including Bruno Fitoussi from France in 24th place earning $22,090, and Russian Alexander Kostritsyn who barely escaped the bubble in 27th place earning $22,090 also.

More European victories could be found at the final table of the $1,500 no-limit hold’em event. Brit John Shipley was eliminated early in the final stretch when Cody Slaubaugh sent him to the rail in ninth place ($56,783), but Jesper Hougaard avenged the Euro contingent after axing his way through the field to finally go heads-up against Slaubaugh.

Hougaard dominated play at every stretch of the final table, but his toughest challenge came heads up. Slaubaugh stole the chip lead before the dinner break, but when the players returned to the table Hougaard went into over-drive, winning crucial pots and pouring on some all-in aggression to take back the lead. The Dane crippled his American opponent after Slaubaugh raised to 480,000 preflop. Hougaard reraised to a million and Slaubaugh called. The flop was dealt Q74, and Hougaard bet 450,000. Slaubaugh mucked. Hougaard picked up the 2 million pot and never looked back.

The final war began when Slaubaugh raised to 150,000 preflop. Hougaard reraised to 500,000 and Slaubaugh reraised to 1.3 million. Hougaard reraised all in for 3.7 million and Slaubaugh made the all-in call. Their cards were Hougaard with QQ and Slaubaugh with A10. The board came Q825A and Hougaard won his first bracelet and $610,304. Slaubaugh took home $389,128 in prize money for his runner-up finish.

Other Europeans who cashed were Roy Vandersluis ($16,032) England, Lasse Petersen ($16,032) Denmark, Praz Bansi ($9,018) England, Martin Green ($6,012) England, David Rohrbach ($5,344) Switzerland, Oliver Buhle ($5,344) Switzerland, and Stephan Sieber ($4,008) Germany. Those who cashed for $3,340 were Dag Mikkelsen from Norway, Bart Wetsteijn from Holland, Paul Benichou from France, Luca Pagano from Italy, and Christopher Moorman from England.

There was not a lot of Euro action in the $2,000 pot-limit hold'em event as it made its way through its second day. The UK's young and talented Olivia Boeree was on the verge of busting when she was all-in with Q-10 against A-9. The board ran K-6-5-K and things did not look good, but a 10 came on the river and Boeree doubled up to around 13,000. However, she didn’t last long and was sent out just before the end of the level.

Italian Marco Traniello was eliminated at level 13, and at level 17, Brit Neil Channing followed in 16th place with $8,808.

Overseas players who cashed in the event, long before the big money, were Davood Mehrmand ($8,808) from Germany, Paul Foltyn ($5,505) from England, Sunny Chattha ($4,404) from England, Cristian Dragomir ($4,074) from Romania, and Christopher Howard ($4,404) from England.

Among chip leaders throughout the final stages of the day were David Kitai from Belgium, Michael Greco from England, and Jan Von Halle from Germany. The three maintained their chip positions until the final table was set, and will battle among six others tomorrow for the top prize of $244,583.

The $1,500 no-limit hold’em tournament kicked off today and saw Carlos Mortensen from Spain and Brit Barny Boatman eliminated early to mid-session. The remaining 218 players heading into day 2, out of an initial 2,720, can rest assured that they are all in the money.

The World Series reaches event 40 tomorrow with the $2,500 limit two-seven triple-draw low- ball. Another new event beginning is the $1,500 mixed hold’em, and the $1,500 no-limit hold’em tournament will see its second day. The final table of the $2,000 pot-limit hold'em event will also battle it out to produce a winner on day 24 of the Series.

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