The World Series of Poker plays host to the most prestigious heads up tournament of the year and Ayaz Mahmood has claimed the 2010 edition after defeating a field of 256 Heads Up specialists to secure the coveted bracelet and $625,682.

Event No.35 the $10,000 Heads Up No Limit Hold Em tournament featured a number of world class players all looking to prove they had the talent in a heads up confrontation to claim this prestigious bracelet. In the end Ayaz Mahmood picked up his eighteenth WSOP cash, his fourth final table and first World Series of Poker bracelet to take his career tournament earnings to $1,333,566.

Mahmood knocked out John Duthie, Nathan Doudney, James Collopy, Kevin Saul, Brian Rast, Faraz Jaka and Jason Somerville to reach the final against Moritz Schmejkal so nobody can say he had an easy route to this WSOP gold bracelet. Schmejkal himself had to knock our Vanessa Rousso and Alexander Kostritsyn in the quarter final and semi final respectively so he had more than proved his abilities before the final took place.

As it was in the best of three format, Mahmood took down the first two matches to make the third inconsequential. They played heads up for a total of 11 hours to finish the two matches with the first taking six hours and the second a paltry five! The final hand that ended it all saw a standard pre-flop raise from Schmejkal before a flop of Ah, 10d, 9c. Mahmood check raised his opponent who moved reraised and Mahmood pushed all in. Schmejkal came up with a call and was delighted to be ahead with top pair. Mahmood then saw a Jack offer him more outs and when the King came on the river he had wrapped up the tournament with a Broadway Straight.

It was a great result for the unsigned pro to get through such a quality field.

Final Eight:

1. Ayaz Mahmood — $625,682
2. Moritz Schmejkal — $386,636
3. Jason Somerville — $214,289
4. Alexander Kostritsyn — $214,289
5. Vanessa Rousso — $92,580
6. Faraz Jaka — $92,580
7. Ludovic Lacay — $92,580
8. Kido Pham — $92,580