Thrills, spills and heartache – see the hands that made the 2014 WSOP
1. The vanishing
Event 11 – $1,500 No Limit Hold’em Six Handed
Niel Mittelman v Mike Sowers
You’re dealt Queens on a WSOP final table and all the money goes in on a 4♥-7♠-5♥ flop with your opponent holding Nines. Even better, another heart on the turn leaves him drawing to just one out. This was the dream situation that Niel Mittelman found himself in against Mike Sowers, but it turned into a nightmare on the 9♠ river.
How would you react? If you’re Mittelman, you vanish, leaving your chair swinging. As David Tuchman said on the WSOP live stream: ‘I think he just literally vanished, like poof!’
2. Million-dollar drop
Event 57 – $1m Big One for One Drop
David Einhorn vs Sam Trickett
The WSOP gives you three times your buy-in as your starting stack. That’s 3,000,000 in chips for the Big One for One Drop (or 500 big blinds). It took David Einhorn less than an hour to lose them all!
With blinds of 3,000/6,000/a1,000, Sam Trickett raised to 18,000 from the button with 4♣-5♣ and David Einhorn three-bet to 51,000 with J♦-J♠. Trickett made the call and was in a world of hurt on the 2♥-J♣-6♦ flop. He called the 75k bet and was rewarded with the 3♠ to complete his gutshot. All the money went in and the Q♣ river bricked for the businessman.
3. Worst beat ever?
Event 57 – $1m Big One for One Drop
Connor Drinan vs Cary Katz
Connor Drinan qualified for the $1m Big One for One Drop via a $25k satellite. It’s fair to say that it was more of a big deal for him than the majority of other players. With 18 players left he picked up A♦-A♣ and managed to get all the money in preflop against Cary Katz. Katz also had Aces but that was just the tip of the iceberg of disappointment for Drinan. Katz rivered a flush to knock out Drinan before going on to cash for $1,306,607. He’ll never complain about getting his Aces cracked again!
4. Run-good
Event 32 – $10k No Limit Hold’em Six Handed
Joe Cada vs Jeremy Ausmus
It’s not easy to follow up a Main Event win. In fact when Joe Cada won the $10k NLHE Six Handed event, he became the first Main Event champ since Carlos Mortensen to win a subsequent bracelet (Mortensen won another in 2003 before going on to bubble the final table of the Main Event last year). Of course, it helps when you get dealt Queens heads-up to your opponent’s Jacks. All the money went in preflop and the best hand held up. For once.
5. Ivey wins number 10!
Event 50 – $1,500 Eight Game Mix
Phil Ivey vs Bruce Yamron
Ivey and Negreanu made a lot of bracelet bets at evens that one of them would win a bracelet this summer. So, if Ivey won the Eight Game Mix, lots of people lost. It’s why the rail was heavily in favour of Yamron here. In the end it came down to an Omaha-8 hand where both got it all-in on the turn with two pair. But, as usual, Ivey’s hand was better and he went on to ship the bracelet.
6. Poker’s biggest bubble
Event 65 – $10,000 Main Event
Luis Veldaor vs Mark Newhouse
This year’s November Nine bubble boy is Mexican Luis Velador who earns a $565,193 consolation. After Bruno Politano raised to 900k from mid-position and Mark Newhouse called on the button, Velador shipped his final 6.15m in the middle. Politano folded but Newhouse tank-called and was in great shape with Fives against Fours. After finishing ninth in last year’s Main Event, it was a brave call from Newhouse.
Watch it all again!
The WSOP finally caught up with the world by offering a huge amount of final tables on live stream this year. They’ve packaged up the majority of these for you to watch again at your leisure – find them here.
