For large period of today, and yesterday, Tom Grigg was in total control of this tournament. With a big stack in hand, he’s one of the most dangerous players going around, and we felt like this was his tournament to win…or lose.

The small ball tactics worked for Grigg when short-handed at this final table, but a recent double up to the dangerous Sam Razavi cracked open the defence of Grigg and he couldn’t recover.

Two big hands saw Grigg hand his chips to the Englishman, and Grigg will probably be disappointed with the fact that each time he found himself put to a tough decision where he was forced to make big calls on his opponent. Grigg would normally prefer to be the one putting his opponents to the decisions.

The first blow came in a hand where the two saw a flop of K♠ 10♥ 10♦ . Grigg led for 105,000 and Razavi called. The 4♦ was checked before the 3♣ appeared on the river. Grigg checked Razavi pulled out a bet of 500,000 to send Grigg deep into the think tank.

“Pretty big bet, huh?” Grigg muttered to his opponent before making a big call. Razavi opened 3♦ 3♥ for a rivered full house to rake in the monster pot.

Grigg was on the back foot for the first time today, but he didn’t get much chance to compose himself as the two tangled again shortly after.

Grigg raised the small blind to 100,000 and Razavi made the call to see a flop of 7♣ 7♥ 5♠ . Grigg continuation bet for 105,000 and Razavi called. On the Q♥ turn, Grigg continued to show strength with a bet of 215,000. Razavi casually called and the river landed the 3♦ . Grigg slowed down and checked it over to Razavi who gave a wave and announced himself all in.

“Really?” sighed Grigg, clearly confused by yet another big overbet.

Grigg sat in the tank for a long time as the two exchanged some inaudible banter. It was a good five minutes before Razavi called the clock. That seemed to be a trigger for Grigg to make the call, but he’d fallen for the bait as Razavi opened 5♦ 5♥ for a flopped full house. Grigg’s tournament was over.

Grigg will take $114,750 for his 3rd place finish, but that APPT trophy has once again slipped through his fingers.

We’re now heads-up for the title with Sam Razavi holding the chips and the momentum into this heads-up battle.

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