Phil Hellmuth makes his impression felt at the 46th Annual World Series of Poker, with his 14th bracelet win, John Gale nets his second, and a whole host of other stars are within touching distance of a piece of gold.
His first 11 World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets were won in No-Limit Hold’em contests. His credentials were questioned. Could he only win bracelets in one discipline? Would he ever be considered as one of the pound for pound best players in the world?
Those questions were thrown in the direction of Phil Hellmuth.
He reacted perfectly.
Yesterday, he won his 14th WSOP bracelet, four more than Phil Ivey, Johnny Chan and Doyle Brunson. And two of his last three victories have come in razz events.
“I think I figured something out about razz in maybe 2012,” Hellmuth told the WSOP after his historic win, “All of a sudden the game just clicked. I was like ‘wow, this game just makes sense.’ Then I won a razz bracelet.”
You sense that 2012 win was an important victory for Hellmuth and his legacy. He defeated 309 entrants, including a final table laden with the likes of Brandon Cantu and Barry Greenstein. Last year, he should have won his second razz bracelet, but he allowed a big lead to slide in his heads-up confrontation with Ted Forrest. It wasn’t a mistake Hellmuth wasn’t about to make again.
It was another tough route for Hellmuth. These $10,000 Championship events always are. The in-form Shaun Deeb bubbled the final table; Brandon Shack-Harris, Stephen Chidwick and Mike Leah all hit the final table rail, before Hellmuth took care of the WSOP bracelet winner Mike Gorodinsky in heads-up action.
Hellmuth has now earned $12,783,905 in WSOP prize money, has cashed 109 times, made 52 final tables, and has now won his historic 14th bracelet. After the match Hellmuth vowed to gift the bracelet to the family of his recently deceased friend Dave Goldberg.
“Goldy, I love you.” Said Hellmuth.
Final Table Results
1st. Phil Hellmuth – $271,105
2nd. Mike Gorodinsky – $167,517
3rd. Adam Owen – $104,914
4th. Mike Leah – $75,964
5th. Thomas Keller – $59,370
6th. Jyri Merivirta – $47,344
7th. Stephen Chidwick – $38,447
8th. Brandon Shack-Harris – $31,727
John Gale Wins Event #18: $1,000 Turbo No-Limit Hold’em
John Gale has won the first British bracelet of the 46th Annual WSOP, and you have to say it’s been coming. Craig McCorkell and Iaron Lightbourne’s final table appearance in Event #12: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em 6-Handed, proof that the limey lads have been knocking on the door.
61-year old Gale defeated a field of 1,791 entrants. It was all over in two days. The first consisting of 30-minute blind levels, and the second 40-minutes. Amazingly, it’s the final Turbo event of the series. Something tells me that there will be many more in 2016.
Gale’s victory over Gary Luther means he has now cashed 10 times in WSOP events, made three final tables, and has come away victorious in two of them. He has now earned $954,900 in WSOP cashes.
It was a relatively inexperienced final table, with many of the participants cashing in their first WSOP event. Gale wasn’t the only Brit to make the final table. British Limbo Dancing semi-professional, Stuart Rutter, swapped the pole for the poker table, and finished fifth for $67,248.
Final Table Results
1st. John Gale – $298,290
2nd. Gary Luther – $184,481
3rd. Matthew Vessier – $127,549
4th. Andrew Le – $91,991
5th. Stuart Rutter – $67,248
6th. Nitesh Rawtani – $49,807
7th. Mark Darner – $37,379
8th. Sean Rice – $28,417
9th. Tim Finne – $21,873
Gregory Kolo bubbled the final table, and Dan Bilzerian’s brother Adam finished 12th, and there wasn’t a goat in sight.
Event #16: $1,500 Millionaire Maker No-Limit Hold’em
At the time of writing, 7,275 entrants have been whittled down to just 7. Javier Zarco leads the way, but the experienced Olivier Busquet and Erick Lindgren are still in contention.
The great story in this one is the deep run of the Poker Hall of Famer Mike Sexton. The WPT Commentator won a gold bracelet way back in 1989, and he rolled back the years to make the final table, finishing in ninth place. Justin Peche (8th), Niall Farrell (11th), and Andrew Lichtenberger (17th) also delved deep in this one.
The tournament has created $9,821,250 in prize money, and $1,277,193 is waiting for the winner.
Chip Counts
1st. Javier Zarco – 19,500,000
2nd. Olivier Busquet – 9,000,000
3rd. Arshad Siddiqui – 7,500,000
4th. Randy Pfeifer – 7,500,000
5th. Erick Lindgren – 5,250,000
6th. Adrian Buckley – 2,950,000
7th. David Miscikowski – 850,000
Event #19: $3,000 Limit Hold’em 6-Handed
At the time of writing there are 20 players left from a field of 319. $230,799 awaits the winner, and the former bracelet winner, and WPT World Championships winner, Keven Stammen, is at the head of the chip counts with 459,000.
Team PokerStars Online Pro Gabriel Nassif is still in the hunt, as are Brian Hastings, David Chiu, Ronnie Bardah, Matt Hawrilenko and Randal Flowers.
Both Daniel Negreanu and Mark Newhouse busted in 25th and 26th place for $6,226, and Jorryt van Hoof busted in 22nd for $7,567.
Top Five Chip Counts
1st. Keven Stammen – 459,000
2nd. Joseph Thomas – 420,000
3rd. Andrew Brussard – 378,000
4th. Matthew Elsby – 345,000
5th. Harun Sapmaz – 307,000
Event #20: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em
1,844 players entered Event #20, down 12% on the 2,086 that Ted Gillis beat on his way to the bracelet last year. Valentin Vornicu leads the 272 players who emerged from the first day of action. 198 players will get paid, and there is $460,640 reserved for the winner.
Top Five Chip Counts
1st. Valentin Vornicu – 212,000
2nd. Natasha Barbour – 147,100
3rd. Selim Oulmekki – 146,200
4th. Ryan Welch – 140,800
5th. Cary Katz – 138,400
Event #21: $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship
Another $10,000 Championship has broken out the party poppers. This time the big money men and women are competing for the Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better title.
Scott Tuttle leads after the first day. Former WSOP Player of the Year, Tom Schneider is sitting pretty in second. 101 entrants remain from the 157 that started. That’s a 12% drop from the field that Brock Parker beat in 2014.
Anthony Zinno (90,400), Ken Aldridge (89,600) and Shaun Deeb (89,100) are also at the top end of the counts.
Top Five Chip Counts
1st. Scott Tuttle – 172,300
2nd. Tom Schneider – 162,800
3rd. Gregory Jamison – 101,400
4th. Josh Arieh – 91,900
5th. Jeffrey Vaughn – 91,00
