Craig Mason has won the $5,000 WPT Venetian Las Vegas Fall Championship. Three finalists agreed a deal at the final table and then played on for the title. Mason beat Matt Affleck heads-up, collected $358,800 and took his first World Poker Tour title. He also earned a seat in the $10,400 WPT World Championship, held next month at Wynn Las Vegas.

The event drew 510 entries and reached a six-handed final table on Sunday. Mason began with the fifth-smallest stack. Sixth place paid $88,000. Mason lost a 60/40 flip that doubled Affleck, then doubled up himself against Nick Yunis, who went out fifth for $117,000. Yunis was chasing a second WPT title.

WSOP bracelet winner Nick Pupillo finished fourth for $155,000 after losing another 60/40 to Mason. Mason led 2-1 in chips when three players remained, but Affleck and Daniyal Gheba quickly closed the gap. Gheba took third for $276,000 when his J-8 failed to improve against Mason's Q-8.

Affleck controlled the early heads-up play and moved ahead. About 20 hands in, he shoved A-Q on a 9-6-3 flop and Mason called with J-9. The best hand held to the river, and Affleck took $301,000 as runner-up. According to The Hendon Mob, Mason now has more than $3.5 million in live tournament earnings.

Source: PokerNews

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