The 2019 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event has kicked off and there are sure to be some big hands and exciting storyline, just like there have been in the tournaments leading up to it.
We at 888poker have taken some time to watch the live streams, scour the updates, and scroll through social media to find eight of either the biggest or most entertaining hands from Weeks 4 and 5 of the 50th Annual WSOP.
Cooler Boat Over Boat in PLO High Roller
On Day 2 of Event #45: $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller, it was Level 13 (2,500/5,000) when the board read Q♥J♥4♠9♦4♦ and Norbert Szecsi bet 18,000. Gjergj Sinishtaj opted to raise to 48,000 and Szecsi responded by dropping in some chips for a big raise. Sinishtaj called off for 106,500 and both hands were turned up.
Sinishtaj: K♠Q♠Q♣3♦
Szecsi: 10♦9♣9♠8♦
Szecsi had nines full of fours but it was no good as Sinishtaj had queens full to win the monster pot. Szecsi was left short and busted the very next hand.
Karmazinas Freerolled By Tsang in Massive Spot
In the same PLO High Roller, it was Level 19 (10,000/20,000) and two off the money when Dominykas Karmazinas raised to 50,000 and Anson Tsang defended his big blind to see a 10♣5♣6♠ flop. Tsang checked and Karmazinas bet 70,000. Tsang called and the dealer burned and turned the 2♥.
Tsang checked, Karmazinas bet 190,000, and Tsang raised the pot to 820,000. Karmazinas then got it all in for 1.4 million and Tsang snap called.
Tsang: 6♣5♥4♠3♠
Karmazinas: A♥4♥3♥6♦
Both players held the nut straight, but Tsang was freerolling with two pair, meaning he could improve to a full house. That’s just what he did as the 5♠ spiked on the river to give Tsang the pot and send Karmazinas home empty handed.
Hendrix Gets Lucky to Bust Miller
The PLO action continued in Event #52: $10,000 PLO Championship, when in Level 13 (1,500/3,000) on Day 2, action exploded on a 10♠7♠5♣ flop. It happened when Ryan Miller checked from the big blind and Adam Hendrix, who was on the button, bet 40,000.
Miller woke up with a check-raise to 187,500, which left him approximately 20,000 behind. Hendrix hit the tank and admitted he almost checked behind. Unfortunately, he didn’t, and he wound up moving all-in, which Miller called.
Miller: A♠A♥6♣3♠
Hendrix: K♠J♠9♦5♦
The 2♣ turn was of no consequence, but the 9♥ river was, as Hendrix made two pair to bust Miller, who had by far the best hand when the chips went in.
Schwartz Comes Up Empty in Three-Way Pot
In the same $10K PLO Championship, it was Day 3 and Level 24 (20,000/40,000) when a three-way limped pot brought about an A♠9♠7♦ flop. Andrey Razov checked from the big blind and Luke Schwartz bet 200,000 from the under-the-gun position. Dash Dudley called from the button and Razov check-raised all-in for 475,000.
Schwartz responded by repotting to 1.925 million and called off what little he had behind after Dudley, who had the biggest stack, moved all-in.
Razov: J♠10♣8♣4♦
Dudley: A♣A♥6♥3♠
Schwartz: Q♦9♦9♥8♥
Schwartz had flopped middle set but was behind Dudley’s top set. Neither the 3♦ turn nor 6♣ river helped Schwartz and he was eliminated in 21st place for $30,532. Meanwhile, Razov made a straight to triple up while Dudley claimed the considerable side pot.
Dudley would go on to win the tournament for $1,086,967 and his first gold bracelet.
Big Hand Helps Propel McCue-Uniciano to the Bracelet
On Day 3 of Event #50: $1,500 Monster Stack, it was Level 23 (12,000/24,000/24,000) when the board read 8♦J♠K♥9♥ and there was around 400,000 in the middle. Jeff Siegal was first to act and bet 400K, which Kainalu McCue-Uniciano, who began the day as chip leader, raised all-in.
Siegal hit the tank for two minutes before calling off with the A♣K♦ for top pair with top kicker. Unfortunately for him, he was drawing dead as McCue-Uniciano rolled over the J ♥J ♦ for a set. The meaningless Q♠ was run out on the river, and Siegel hit the rail while McCue-Uniciano pulled in the biggest pot of the tournament up until that point putting him up to 7.5 million.
McCue-Uniciano went on to win the tournament two days later for $1,008,850.
Kessler the First to Fall
Allen “Chainsaw” Kessler has a reputation of playing tight and grinding his way to the money. As such, it’s uncommon to see him hit the rail early. In Event #62: $10,000 Razz Championship he not only made an early exit, but he was actually the first player to fall.
In Level 4 (1,000/2,000), Kessler was involved in a three-way pot against Shirley Rosario and Andrey Zhigalov. Kessler bet the best hand showing on fourth but wound up calling off his last 400 on fifth when Shigalov took the lead and bet.
Rosario wound up folding to a bet on seventh to give up the side pot and Zhigalov tabled an eight-five perfect. Kessler made a quality eight-seven, but it was no good, giving him the distinction of being the first player to fall.
Ross Misses Plethora of Outs Allowing Braga to Double
Speaking of Razz hands, an interesting one took place in Level 18 (6,000/12,000/1,500) of Event #54: $1,500 Razz.
Brazil’s, Sergio Braga, brought it in showing a king and actually called when Mike “EastCoastRossyy” Ross completed with an ace showing. Another bet and call on fourth street saw Braga get it all-in, and the hands were turned up.
Ross: Jx9x / Ax10xKxJx / Xx
Braga: 6x2x / Kx4xKxQx / Xx
Ross maintained the lead on fifth after Braga paired, but when Ross paired on sixth it gave Braga a king-queen low, which was ahead. All Ross needed to do was catch an eight or lower on seventh and he’d score the knockout, but that didn’t happen. Ross paired an ace while Braga caught an eight to double in the hand.
Worst Beat of All Time?
That’s what some players believe in this hand from the final table of the 2019 WSOP $50,000 Poker Players Championship.
It went down in a round of 2-7 Triple Draw with four players remaining. Josh Arieh raised the button, and Bryce Yockey three-bet from the small blind with what turned out to be 7x6x4x3x2x, the second-best possible hand. The odds of starting with such a hand is 1:2,548.
Arieh had AxQx6x5x3x and had two draws to try to make a wheel but, of course, he didn’t know that. Nonetheless, he called and kept 6x5x3x and drew two. At this point Yockey, who stood pat, was a 99.84% favourite to win.
Arieh drew a 2x and a Qx on the first draw and then drew one, which was a 4x, after calling a bet from Yockey. That gave him a six-high straight which was bad for 2-7 triple draw. Yockey bet again and Arieh called.
On the final draw, Yockey stood pat and bet his last 280,000. Arieh received a 7x to make the nut low, called, and shocked not only Yockey but the entire poker world as well. In fact, commentator Nick Schulman called it the worst bad beat in the history of televised poker!
Be sure to check back here at 888poker as we continue to bring you highlights and articles from the 2019 World Series of Poker!
