A front-running performance at the 2012 World Series of Poker Europe, held at the Hotel Majestic Barriere in Cannes, France, saw Phil Hellmuth defeat Sergii Baranov to capture the title and the event’s €1,022,376 first-place prize.
Baranov, from Ukraine, settled for €632,592, with France’s Stephane Albertini finishing third for €423,360 and Joseph “subiime” Cheong taking fourth for €292,320.
The event, the seventh and final of the 2012 WSOPE, drew 420 entrants and offered a total purse of €4,032,000.
With the win, Hellmuth set or extended several personal milestones. The 13th career bracelet put him three clear of Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan, who have won 10 each, and was the second bracelet of the calendar year for Hellmuth, My game is constantly evolving. I tried some new things out that really worked this time. My game is never the same. You’ve got to constantly be improving, and that’s what I do
matching the feat of Antonio Esfandiari to become the only double bracelet winners of 2012.
Hellmuth also became the first person to win the main events of both the traditional WSOP (back in 1989) and its newer European version, and also extended his career mark of WSOP cashes to 95 with the win.
Hellmuth also recaptured the lead in the 2012 WSOP Player of the Year points race, with “October Nine” finalist Greg Merson now needing to win the title to take that honor away from Hellmuth.
Hellmuth entered the final table of eight players with a narrow chip lead over Baranov and held that lead through much of the finale’s action, eventually reaching heads-up play with a 3:1 edge.
The final hand of the tournament found Baranov all in with A-4 to Hellmuth’s A-10, with Hellmuth able to fade the three-outer to seal the victory.
Hellmuth employed a more loose and aggressive style in this tourney than in his earlier wins, and duly noted it, with his customary lack of modesty, in post-tourney comments. “I played the best poker of my life in this tournament,” Hellmuth told the WSOP’s Nolan Dalla. “My game is constantly evolving. I tried some new things out that really worked this time. My game is never the same. You’ve got to constantly be improving, and that’s what I do.”
