Lee Davy gets you up to speed on a number of bracelet victories including Brian Hastings becoming the first double winner of the series, Daniel Idema winning his third bracelet in five years, and Byron Kaverman winning his first major title.
Brian Hastings is the first player to win two bracelets at the 46th Annual World Series of Poker (WSOP). He beat 380 entrants in Event #39: $1,500 10-Game Mix. The total prize pool was $513,500, 42 places were paid, and Hastings picked up $133,403 after beating Rostislav Tsodikov in heads-up action.
The victory was Hastings 15th WSOP cash, his eighth final table, and his third victory. He told WSOP officials after his win that his confidence is so high, he believes he is going to win every time he sits down to play. Who can argue with that?
The impressive Mike Watson made his second final table of the series, both times finishing in sixth place.
Final Table Results
1st. Brian Hastings – $133,403
2nd. Rostislav Tsodikov – $82,398
3rd. Todd Brunson – $52,977
4th. Alexey Makarov – $35,130
5th. Tim Reusch – $23,982
6th. Mike Watson – $16,846
7th. Owais Ahmed – $12,163
Daniel Idema Wins Event #35: $3,000 H.O.R.S.E
Hastings wasn’t the only player earning his third bracelet this weekend. Daniel Idema did likewise after beating 376 players to take the first prize in Event #35: $3,000 H.O.R.S.E.
Incredibly, Idema only started racking up WSOP cashes five years ago. In 2011 he beat 152 players to win $378,642 in the $10,000 Limit Hold’em Championship, and then in 2013 he beat 558 players to win the $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo for $184,590. He has cashed 25 times, and made eight final tables.
Bracelet winners Randy Ohel and Taylor Paur also made the final table.
Final Table Positions
1st. Daniel Idema – $261,774
2nd. Matt Vengrin – $161,680
3rd. Kevin Iacofano – $104,280
4th. John Racener – $75,559
5th. Iakov Nepomnyashchiy – $55,553
6th. Paul Sexton – $41,438
7th. Randy Ohel – $31,358
8th. Taylor Paur – $24,070
Andre Boyer wins Event #34: $1,500 Split Format
“They look at me and think I am a tourist, that’s ok with me.”
Those were the words of 72-year old Andre Boyer after beating the young Frenchman, Erwann Pecheux, in heads-up action to claim his second gold bracelet in Event #34: $1,500 Split Format.
The field was possibly the most disappointing of the series after it saw a 41% dip in attendance, year-on-year, but none of that bothered the Canadian champion. The last time he won his bracelet was in 2005. He beat 1,010 players to take the first prize of $682,810 in a $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em event, but he told WSOP reporters that the event ended at 3am, and the place was like a morgue.
Boyer is the oldest bracelet winner this year.
Final Table Positions
1st. Andrew Boyer – $250,483
2nd. Erwann Pecheux – $156,098
3rd. Andrew Gaw – $109,015
4th. Chris Bolek – $76,605
5th. Gavin O’Rourke – $55,981
6th. Jonas Christensen – $41,249
7th. Idan Raviv – $30,053
Byron Kaverman Wins Event #37: $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em 6-Handed Championship
Moving from multiple bracelet winners to a couple of first timers, and we start with one of the best players in the game. Something has clicked in the life of Byron Kaverman. He won over $1.4m last year, and his latest success sees him currently standing at $1.6m.
He was the bridesmaid at the 2014 World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championships, but came into the series riding a wave, after securing back-to-back Aria $25,000 High Roller victories.
Kaverman, defeated a field of 259 players in one of the toughest events of the summer. His 20th cash, second final table, and first gold bracelet, were confirmed after beating heads-up specialist Doug Polk at the crucial phase of the game. Polk was searching for his second bracelet.
Paul Volpe became the first player to make three final tables this summer. Sam Greenwood and Polk were the other two bracelet winners at the final table. World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) winner, Fedor Holz, came third.
Final Table Results
1st. Byron Kaverman – $657,351
2nd. Doug Polk – $406,261
3rd. Fedor Holz – $268,463
4th. Thomas Muehloecker – $182,448
5th. Sam Greenwood – $126,745
6th. Paul Volpe – $89,934
Corrie Wunstel Wins Event #36: $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha
Event #36: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha had to be extended into a fourth day of action, and Corrie Wunstel is the man wearing that particular piece of gold. Wunstel defeated a stellar field of 978 players, including Kevin Saul in heads-up action. It was his sixth WSOP cash, and his first final table.
Wunstel now has both pieces of WSOP jewelry at his home. In 2010 he won a World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) ring in Biloxi. Multiple time Poker Hall of Famer shortlisted nominee, Thor Hansen, continued his amazing battle against terminal cancer by finishing 56th.
Final Table Results
1st. Corrie Wunstel – $266,874
2nd. Kevin Saul – $165,147
3rd. Jim Karambinis – $103,326
4th. Peter Levine – $74,997
5th. Matthew Colvin – $55,365
6th. Markus Cara – $41,504
7th. Bryce Fox – $31,569
8th. Kevin Allen – $24,336
Event #38: $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em
The Rio is set to hear the loudest rail of the series thus far as the Brazilians descend on the Mothership in support of Thiago Nishijima. 2012 WSOP Main Event runner up Jesse Sylvia will be trying to put a kibosh on that exuberant rail, as will Britain’s Sam Razavi.
But the one man to keep an eye on is Sotirios Koutoupas. The man from Greece has been a phenomenon at the European poker tables these past few years, where he has won a European Poker Tour (EPT) title, and logged numerous WPT final table appearances.
The top five players will battle it out for the bracelet on Sunday.
Final Table Chip Counts
1st. Thiago Nishijima – 4,510,000
2nd. Jesse Sylvia – 4,080,000
3rd. Sam Razavi – 2,675,000
4th. Yun Fan – 2,090,000
5th. Sotirios Koutoupas – 1,495,000
Event #41: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship
Event #41: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship is turning into something special. The competition attracted 111 players (down 17% on last years field), and Stephen Chidwick leads the final nine as the tournament heads into its third day of action.
Chidwick has come close on so many occasions. Will this be his first gold bracelet? Looking to stop him are two magnificent WSOP players. Max Pescatori sits in second place. The Italian has already won one bracelet this series, and he has his eyes set on another. Then you have the two time WSOP Player of the Year (POY) Daniel Negreanu nestled in fifth. The bracelet will end up in one of those three players hands. You heard it here first.
Top Five Chip Counts
1st. Stephen Chidwick – 808,000
2nd. Max Pescatori – 549,000
3rd. Gary Benson – 421,000
4th. Alan Ledford – 267,000
5th. Daniel Negreanu – 252,000
Event #40: $1,000 Seniors Championship
The Seniors Event has once again proved a big hit after 4,193 players invested a grand for their chance to win a gold bracelet. The field is down 5% on last year, but they are still hefty numbers.
There are only 65 players left at the end of the second day of action. Jim Hopperstead leads the way, and there aren’t too many familiar faces in the running.
Top Five Chip Counts
1st. Jim Hopperstead – 886,000
2nd. Justin Tseng – 816,000
3rd. Frank Pacocha – 755,000
4th. David Roncelli – 691,000
5th. Stephen Nussrallah – 670,000
Event #42: $1,500 Extended Play No-Limit Hold’em
Many people have called the Extended Play event a dress rehearsal for the Main Event. The 90-minute level event, is a WSOP first, and 1,914 players proved to the WSOP that it might be worth implementing every year.
There are 543 players going into Day 2. $478,102 will go to the winner. 198 players will receive a minimum of $2,919.
Top Five Chip Counts
1st. Jose Pinedamoncada – 113,950
2nd. Philipp Roth – 112,050
3rd. Vasili Firsau – 87,300
4th. Luis Duarte – 86,500
5th. Ira Friedman – 84,425
