2013 WSOP: Ashton Wins $50K PPC, Elezra Beats Negreanu in 2-7 Triple Draw
Eli Elezra captured his second career WSOP bracelet last night in the $2,500 2-7 Triple Draw event (Photo: WSOP)
The 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event kicks off in just a few hours as the first Day 1 flight begins at noon today. Meanwhile, the last preliminary events of the summer are playing out, with more bracelets being won over the last few days. Among the recent highlights have been a woman breaking through to win an open-bracelet event, the completion of the $50K Poker Players Championship, and Eli Elezra beating out Daniel Negreanu heads up to win his second career WSOP bracelet.
Event #54 ($1,000 NLHE): Castenada Collects Bracelet in Open Event
The fifth and final standard (i.e., no re-entry or guaranteed prize pool), $1,000 no-limit hold’em event finished on Tuesday with Dana Castenada becoming the first woman to win an open event at this year’s WSOP after topping a field of 2,883 to win the bracelet and $454,207 first prize.
Casteneda becomes the first woman to win an open event other than Vanessa Selbst since 2007 when Katja Thater won the $1,500 razz event in 2007. Selbst has won two bracelets in open events since (in 2008 and 2012). Casteneda also becomes the first woman to win a no-limit hold’em bracelet in an open event other than Annette Obrestad who won hers in the first WSOP Europe Main Event in 2007.
Here’s a list of the women who have won WSOP bracelets in open events:
- Vera Richmond (1982, $1,000 A-5 Draw)
- Barbara Enright (1996, $2,500 Pot-Limit HE)
- Linda Johnson (1997, $1,500 Razz)
- Maria Stern (1997, $1,500 Seven-Card Stud)
- Jerri Thomas (2000, $1,500 Seven-Card Stud)
- Jennifer Harman (2000, $5000, NL 2-7; 2002, $5,000 Limit HE)
- Nani Dollison (2001, $2,000 Limit HE)
- Cyndy Violette (2004, $2,000 Seven-Card Stud/8)
- Kathy Liebert (2004, $1,500 Limit HE Shootout)
- Annie Duke (2004, $1,500 Omaha/8)
- Katja Thater (2007, $1,500 Razz)
- Annette Obrestad (2007 WSOPE, £10,000 NLHE)
- Vanessa Selbst (2008, $1,500 PLO; 2012, $2,500 10-Game Mix)
- Dana Casteneda (2013, $1,000 NLHE)
Event #55 ($50,000 Poker Players Championship, 8-Game Mix): Ashton Wins, Takes Lead in WSOP POY
The U.K.’s Matthew Ashton won the five-day, $50,000 buy-in Poker Players Championship in which players rotate through a mix of eight different poker variants, besting a tough field including Don Nguyen heads-up and a final table comprised of John Hennigan (who finished third), David Benyamine (fourth), George Danzer (fifth), Minh Ly (sixth), Mike Wattel (seventh), and Jonathan Duhamel (eighth).
A total of 132 players took part, making a larger than expected field after only 108 participated in the event a year ago. Among those playing was Doyle Brunson who made his first appearance at the WSOP this year. Brunson tweeted that he’d made 28 side bets with players for hundreds of thousands that he’d either cash, make the final table, or win, but alas for Tex Dolly he was eliminated on Day 3 shy of the money.
The victory marked Ashton’s fourth final table of the summer, pushing him past Daniel Negreanu into first position currently in this year’s WSOP Player of the Year race. In addition to picking up the $1,774,089 first prize in Event #55, Ashton took third in Event #5 ($2,500 Omaha-8/Stud-8), second in Event #13 ($5,000 Stud-8), and seventh in Event #23 ($2,500 Stud).
Event #56 ($2,500 NLHE): Teichert Triumphs
Ashton’s win marked the second bracelet for the U.K. this summer, and in Event #56 Germany claimed its second as well as Nikolaus Teichert emerged from a field of 1,736 to win the $2,500 no-limit hold’em event. Teichert earned $730,756 for the victory, with the tournament needing an extra fourth day to complete.
Unlike most final tables this summer in which most of the seats have been occupied by Americans, only three U.S.-based players made the final nine in this one (Vincent Maglio, Richard Owen, and Josh Arieh) along with two Russians (Sergey Lebedev, Kirill Rabtsov), three Frenchmen (Nicolas Faure, Sebastien Comel, and Nicolas Levi who lives in London), and Teichert.
Adding further international flair, Alexander Dovzhenko of the Ukraine took 10th, Owen Crowe of Canada 11th, and Ricard Fasanaro of Brazil 13th in the event.
Event #57 ($5,000 NLHE): Perrins Wins Third for U.K.
Matt Perrins picked up a third bracelet for the U.K. last night in the $5K no-limit hold’em event, beating out a total of field of 784 to win the title and $792,275 first prize. Perrins entered the final table with the chip lead and maintained it throughout the fourth and final day of play to earn his second career bracelet after having won one in 2011 in the $1,500 2-7 NL Draw event.
Eighth-place finisher Joe Serock was a final table notable, with Philipp Gruissem (11th), Olivier Busquet (12th), and Praytush Buddiga (17th) among those not quite making the final nine.
Event #58 ($1,111 Little One for One Drop NLHE): Yoon Cruises
A lower buy-in version of the $1 million “Big One for One Drop” and $111,111 “High Rollers” event, this “Little One for One Drop” featured a buy-in of $1,111, $111 of which went to the One Drop charity. It also featured unlimited re-entries during the first four levels, a harkening back to the old “rebuy” tourney days that ended at the WSOP following the 2008 Series.
Brian Yoon of California won the bracelet and $663,727 first prize after topping a field that ultimately totaled 4,756 entries. His final table lasted but three hours, likely the fastest final table of the summer.
Event #59 ($2,500 2-7 Triple Draw): Elezra Earns Second Bracelet
With 67 players still left to come back for today’s Day 3 in Event #58, the $1,111 “Little One for One Drop” NLHE event, Event #59 concluded last night in stirring fashion with Eli Elezra claiming his second career WSOP bracelet in the $2,500 2-7 Triple Draw tourney. Elezra beat a field of 282 including a six-handed final table at which four of his opponents also had WSOP bracelets to their credit.
Daniel Negreanu finished runner-up in the event, missing out on a chance to pick up a sixth career bracelet. Brian Brubaker took third, with David Chiu (fourth; five bracelets), David “ODB” Baker (fifth; one bracelet), and Scott Seiver (sixth; one bracelet) rounding out the stacked final table. Three-time bracelet winner Michael Mizrachi also made the final day, finishing ninth.
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